MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SHOOT – 22.3.1980

It’s the first Cup Final of the 1980s, as Wolves take on Nottingham Forest in the League Cup Final, and Shoot commemorates this by having Emlyn Hughes and John Robertson on the cover.

The match gets six pages, with Emlyn Hughes and John McGovern discussing the effect of their respective managers. It is a cup final which sees Nottingham Forest aiming to win the trophy for the 3rd successive season.

In Scotland, Derek Johnstone uses his column to welcome Ian Redford to Ibrox, having signed from Dundee for a Scottish record of £210,000.

Terry Venables uses his column to express his delight at George Best’s return to football with Hibernian, and wishes Alan Ball good luck in his role as Player/Manager at Blackpool.

Talking of Hibs, there is a feature on Peter Cormack, as he returns to the club where he started his career, after leaving for Nottingham Forest in the early 1970s.

Martin Thomas of Bristol Rovers gets a profile, as he is described as Wales next goalkeeper.

Norwich City are the subject of a Club Spotlight, and readers got a free poster.

There is a feature called Soccer’s Wasted Talent, looking at the players who are sitting on the bench for their club, such as Duncan McKenzie, Peter Barnes and Tony Currie.

Chris Hughton talks to Shoot about being happy at Spurs, and Steve Coppell issues a warning to Liverpool that Manchester United will fight until the very end for the title.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : MATCH – 25.12.1982

It’s Christmas 1982 and Match celebrates with a cover image of a sketch of various football stars such as Gordon Strachan, Graeme Souness, Steve Coppell and Paul Mariner.

There’s not much Christmas cheer for the FA, as they come in for criticism for arranging a full top flight fixture list just four days before a European Championship Qualifier.

A series of top flight stars are asked for their Christmas wishes, with Lou Macari wish he could spend Christmas Day with either Russ Abbot or Benny Hill.

Graeme Souness uses his column to state that Scotland haven’t given up on qualifying for Euro 84 despite a poor start which means they have to win the remainder of their games to have a chance of qualifying.

John Gregory of QPR is this “Focus On …” subject, claiming that The Jam, Robert Palmer and Japan is his favourite music.

Moving from Scotland to England, as Graham Rix uses his column to state that he has a battle for his England place after missing out on the recent 9-0 win over Luxembourg.

David Cross has only one wish for Christmas, three points from Manchester City’s visit to Anfield, something that City managed the previous season when they won 3-1 at Anfield.

As well as sketching the front cover, Steve McGarry can be found again near the end of the magazine sketching Murdo MacLeod’s winner for Celtic against Rangers in the recent Scottish League Cup Final.

The magazine can’t end without another rant about the scheduling of England’s match against Luxembourg, this time Tony Morley of Aston Villa who had to miss the game as he was playing for Villa in the World Club Cup Final in Japan the weekend before.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : MATCH – 16.4.1983

Jimmy Case of Brighton is the cover star of this edition of Match, previewing the FA Cup Semi-Finals, where Brighton face Sheffield Wednesday while Arsenal look to avenge their League Cup Semi-Final defeat to Manchester United by beating them in the FA Cup.

Scottish Cup Semi-Finals are also previewed, with Match dubbing them “The big Tartan Ties”.

As you open the magazine, there are two double page previews of the two FA Cup Semi-Finals.

In adverts, Steve Coppell is used to promote books on careers advice for people whose goal is a good job.

Alex McLeish is the subject of this week’s profile, revealing that his favourite singer is Phil Collins and his footballing ambition is to win a European trophy with Aberdeen.

The two Semi-Finals in Scotland are profiled, with Hibs star Alan Rough predicting that Celtic will beat Aberdeen and that Rangers will beat St Mirren.

Graeme Souness begins his column by apologising to Brighton fans, as he believes that they will lose their FA Cup Semi-Final to Sheffield Wednesday.

Gary Shaw of Aston Villa is doing predictions, up against a Villa fan from Essex. Shaw hopes that Wednesday beat Brighton in the FA Cup Semi-Final as Wednesday have a couple of ex Villa players.

Meanwhile, Frans Thijssen is leaving Ipswich Town to join Vancouver Whitecaps, and he looks back at his time in England.

Match visits the home of Sheffield Wednesday star Andy McCullough, photographing him as he rides a neighbour’s horse through rural Derbyshire.

The magazine ends with a profile of new Scotland cap Richard Gough, who revealed that he almost quit football after being homesick for South Africa, where he grew up.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SHOOT – 15.2.1986

The other way around from the movie series, it is Bond sending rather than receiving an SOS, as Birmingham City manager John Bond wants to bring cover star Trevor Francis beck to St Andrews from Sampdoria.

As you open the magazine, Mark Hughes tells Shoot that he doesn’t want to leave Manchester United, amidst rumours of a move to Barcelona.

In news, Terry Venables is linked with a move to Spurs at the end of the season, while leaving White Hart Lane could be Ally Dick, linked with a move to Hibs.

In World Cup news, Billy Bingham hits back at criticism of Northern Ireland’s preparation being against heavyweight sides such as Denmark and France, while Scotland manager Alex Ferguson has added Archie Knox and Craig Brown to his backroom staff for their campaign in Mexico.

Cover star Francis tells Shoot he is still available for England, having missed a recent friendly due to injury, and suggests he could create a place for himself in right midfield in Mexico.

Bryan Robson uses his column to state that the recent signing of Terry Gibson could be a boost for Manchester United in the title race.

In Scotland, Falkirk winger Jimmy Gilmour is playing so well, he is drawing comparisons to his uncle, former Celtic winger Jimmy Johnstone.

Crystal Palace manager Steve Coppell, only 30, tells Shoot that his side have had to change their style of play in order to get results, after previously missing out despite playing well.

Having saved Manchester City and Swansea City from relegation, John Bond is looking for a hat-trick by keeping Birmingham City up. In order to do this, he tells Shoot he wants to bring Trevor Francis back to the club, after Francis left to join Nottingham Forest in 1979 in England’s first £1m transfer.

Gary Mabbutt gets scouted by Shoot during Tottenham Hotspur’s match against Nottingham Forest, stating that he was exposed against a striker like Peter Davenport.

Back to Scotland, and Aberdeen’s John Hewitt tells Shoot that Dons manager Alex Ferguson is hard to please.

West Brom’s George Reilly tells Shoot he is happy at The Hawthorns after a short spell at Newcastle United.

Kenny Swain tells Shoot that he believes his experience of winning the title with Aston Villa in 1981 will help Portsmouth as they aim to get promoted to the top flight for the first time in 27 years.

West Ham goalkeeper Phil Parkes is having the best season of his career, and owes it to giving up booze after a drink driving ban in January 1985.

Ian Rush uses his column to praise his Liverpool team-mate Sammy Lee, who is celebrating his 27th birthday thsi week.

Meanwhile, Shoot does a double page spread on how Sunderland fans are losing patience with Lawrie McMenemy, after failing to launch a promotion bid.

The magazine ends with a “Focus On …..” Gordon Durie. His favourite bands are Depeche Mode and Simple Minds.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SHOOT – 7th APRIL 1990

Today, we take a trip back to 1990, and Cup Semi-Final weekends in England and Scotland.

On the cover is Crystal Palace players in a celebratory huddle, with the headline “ONE STEP FROM HEAVEN”, a reference to the fact that they were 1 win away from their first ever FA Cup Final.

That match gets a double page spread across pages 2 and 3. Steve Coppell, then manager of Crystal Palace, is billed as “Tipped as a future manager of Manchester United” and hus tipped by Palace striker Mark Bright to lead his side out in the 1990 FA Cup Final against the club he served as a player.

As yet, Steve Coppell hasn’t managed Manchester United, but Mark Bright’s prediction that it would be a Palace v United final did come true.

The other Semi-Final between Oldham Athletic and Manchester United also gets a double page spread.

Mark Bright, who had predicted the two FA Cup finalists, also features in an ad for Arrow Boots alongside David Burrows.

Jimmy Greaves letter page, as ever, is a joy.

Stephanie Martindale of Islington asked about the possibility of Crystal Palace and Oldham Athletic upsetting their more illustrious FA Cup Semi-Final opponents, “No chance” said Greavsie.

Crystal Palace beat Liverpool and Oldham Athletic led before taking Manchester United to a replay.

Samuel Nelson from USA suggests that Terry Butcher should be punished by the FA with regards to his role in the England team after smashing a dressing room door after an old Firm game.

Daniel Holbutt from Yorkshire suggests that if they get promoted, Leeds United and Sheffield United would be the two worst teams in the history of England’s top flight. Sheffield United survived for 4 years before relegation, while Leeds United lasted 14 years, winning the title in 1992.

John Say writes in to congratulate Danny Blanchflower on gettin a well deserved testimonial between Spurs and Norther Ireland. Details of the match can be found here.

Mark Hateley gets the “Wally Of The Week” award for stating that he would be in England’s World Cup squad but for injury, and will be in the England squad for Euro 92. He didn’t.

In world news, it emerged that Lev Yashin was working on arranging a UK tour for Dynamo Moscow in 1995 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of their tour in 1945.

The countdown to the World Cup is in full swing as Roberto Baggio gets a page dedicated to him, billing him as “The Italian Gazza”

To be fair, Gazza did once had a dodgy ponytail

Ray Wilkins gets a double page spread as Shoot does a scouting report on him during a match for QPR against Nottingham Forest, amid a clamour for him to be part of England’s World Cup squad.

Their verdict is that while Wilkins is a player in form, England should be looking to the future.

There is also an advert for the following week’s issue, which contains free World Cup stickers.

Meanwhile, there is a double page spread on Sheffield United, the suibject of a BBC documentary called “United”

The show was a fly on the wall look at events at the club. An eventful season saw them get promoted to what is now the Premier League, as reach the FA Cup Quarter-Finals.

There is an advert for Guy Whittingham Soccer Masterclass, a football camp in Lanzarote. For just £199, you could be as good as a squad player for Sheffield Wednesday and Aston Villa.

Money well spent.