MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : WHEN SATURDAY COMES – SEPTEMBER 2004

Steven Gerrard and Sven Goran-Eriksson are the cover stars of this edition of WSC, poking fun at a story that Eriksson and a senior FA official both had affairs with the same member of FA staff.

This story, described as “a saga” by WSC forms the basis of this edition’s editorial.

Rangers and Celtic both launched their own TV channels this month, and this development got covered by WSC.

Also being covered is the rebranding of the Football League’s three divisions – Division One is now The Championship, Division Two is now League One and Division Three is now League Two.

Bradford City will be starting the season in League One having just been relegated from Division One, and their fight for survival off the pitch gets featured.

Atletico Madrid have announced a shirt sponsorship deal with Spiderman (well, the distributors of the film, who put a different film they want promoted on a rolling basis) so WSC looks at the history of shirt sponsorship in football.

Another trend looked at by WSC is that of clubs paying other clubs to take unwanted players off their books, the prime examples being Michael Stewart and Patrick Kluivert.

In France, there is a feature on newly appointed national team manager Raymond Domenech.

In their review of the goings on on the web, WSC looks at websites dedicated to groundhopping.

The magazine ends with a look back at the 1975-1976 season, and the long term effects of it.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : WHEN SATURDAY COMES – OCTOBER 2011

“Let’s all move to Manchester” says Theo Walcott on this cover, poking fun at the number of Arsenal players who have signed for Manchester City in recent years. Ironically, the next Arsenal star bound for Manchester would be the Old Trafford bound Robin Van Persie the following summer.

There is a look at the alcohol ban at football grounds, with drink being available at other sports grounds.

This month’s Photo Feature focuses on Dundee’s two clubs on successive Saturdays, United v Dunfermline then Dundee v Morton the following Saturday.

There were recently riots at major cities in England, including London. One of the worst areas is Tottenham, and one writer asks if Tottenham Hotspur could do more to help in their local community.

Joey Barton has taken to Twitter to speak to fans during his move from Newcastle United to QPR, with one writer not being convinced, believing it to be a PR stunt.

There is a look at this year’s FA Cup, with Qualifying Round games being broadcast live on Facebook.

There is also a look at what happened to The Dell when it closed down in 2001.

This month’s Match Of The Month saw Sheffield Wednesday take on Notts County at Hillsbrough, with the hosts looking to get promoted back to The Championship at the second attempt.

There is a profile of Shamrock Rovers, who have recently become the first Irish side to reach the group stages of a European competition, having reached the group stages of the UEFA Cup, having overcome some difficult times in recent years.

There is a look back at a forgotten tournament, the Mundialito Tournament in Uruguay in December 1980, to celebrate 50 years of the World Cup, featuring all the former winners. England decline the opportunity to compete and were replaced by Holland.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : WHEN SATURDAY COMES – NOVEMBER 2002

Kanu and Thierry Henry are the cover stars of this edition of When Saturday Comes, modestly complimenting themselves on Arsenal’s brilliant start to the season.

This editions editorial focuses on footballer’s autobiographies, after Manchester United have banned their players from writing autobiographies after the fall-out from Roy Keane’s recent book.

The furore, gets further investigated in a full page article.

Across the page, there is an article about Darlington’s failed bid to sign Faustino Asprilla, ahead of their move to a 25,000 seater stadium in 2003.

Talking of new stadiums, there might be new ones coming in Republic of Ireland and Scotland, as both countries are making a joint bid to host Euro 2008, with the lack of current stadiums in both countries getting featured by WSC.

The 2003 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers get featured, with France standing between England and a place in the finals.

The French are now allowing their women’s team to use the Clairefontaine facility that the men’s team used to win the 1998 World Cup, and have set a goal of winning the women’s one by 2007.

The tournament was moved from China to USA due to the SARS outbreak, while France won the Qualifier but went out in the group stages. They didn’t win the 2007 competition.

There are features on recently relegated Midlands clubs Derby County (2002) and Coventry City (2001) as they try to get back to the Premier League.

Ahead of a documentary which is about the be premiered, there is a double page spread on the North Korea team that reached the 1966 World Cup Quarter-Finals.

Peter Taylor is helping out at Peterborough, just two years after being England manager, which is covered with the witty headline “From Becks To Posh”

There is a profile of Richard Witschge, highly rated by Johan Cruyff but couldn’t get a game for Blackburn.

Sepp Blatter has just been re-elected FIFA President, and one writer takes him up on his promise to give Oceana an automatic World Cup place.

The monthly look at the best of the web takes a look at the best Welsh football websites, with the national team making a good start to the Euro 2004 Qualifiers.

WSC heads to Norway to look at the problems in club football caused by Rosenborg’s dominance in the 1990s.

Talking of declines, WSC looks at the decline of Scotland and Austria as European forces, focusing on a Champions League game between Sturm Graz and Rangers in 2000.

The magazine ends with a look at the highlights and lowlights of Sheffield United.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : WHEN SATURDAY COMES – NOVEMBER 2011

A Glum looking Carlos Tevez is the cover star of this week’s edition of When Saturday Comes, with a thought bubble stating that he won’t play with players who are only there for the money. A few weeks earlier, he had refused to come on as a substitute for Manchester City against Bayern Munich.

There is a look at Sion, expelled from the UEFA Cup but a pursuing the matter through the courts.

Brazil had recently played Ghana in a friendly at Craven Cottage, which saw a crush outside the ground of supporters trying to get in, with WSC looking at the events of that night.

In Scotland, it is reported that Rangers were on the verge of going bankrupt, a story which dominated Scottish football throughout 2012, which resulted in Rangers getting relegated to the fourth tier.

Truro City get a profile, currently in the Conference South, but with ambitions of being the first Cornish club to play in the Football League.

There is a photo feature of Birmingham City’s UEFA Cup tie against Braga, the first time in 50 years that European football had come to St Andrew’s.

Garry Cook had recently left Manchester City, and WSC looks at his successes at the City Of Manchester Stadium, to balance out the criticism he received over the manner of his departure, mocking the mother of one of City’s players.

The global appeal of English football is looked at, looking at Norwich City supporters across the world.

WSC also looks locally, wondering why it is considered a risk for English clubs to sign players from the lower leagues.

Talking of local issues, WSC looks at Hartlepool United, who are coming to terms with the fact they don’t have a local derby rival.

Match of the Month is the Conference clash between Gateshead and Cambridge United.

There is a look at the recent trend of clubs offering fans refunds after bad away results, asking if it is the right thing to do.

On a season long loan to Lille, there is a look at Joe Cole as he begins life in France.

There is a look back at George Best’s brief spell at Cork Celtic in 1975.

Socrates gets a profile after a spell in hospital due to Liver problems. He died the following month.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : WHEN SATURDAY COMES – SEPTEMBER 2011

A trio of English players – Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson (Liverpool) and Phil Jones (Manchester United) are the cover stars of When Saturday Comes, incredulously questioning each other’s recent big money transfers.

The South-West of England gets profiled, most specifically Devon, with the fortunes of Exeter City, Plymouth Argyle, Truro City and Torquay being the subject of a full page article.

The future location of Liverpool is the subject of a feature, as the club debates wether to stay at Anfield or move to a new stadium.

Steve McLaren gets profiled as he aims to rebuild his reputation, having just been appointed the new manager of Nottingham Forest. He only stayed in the job until October.

There is a look at the role of Social Media in modern football, after a Norwich City supporter had become the first supporter to be banned from a football ground, after posting racist tweets about a Norwich player.

AFC Wimbledon are the subject of this month’s Photo Feature, having been promoted to the Football League for the first time in their history, just nine years after being formed.

With there being no men’s tournament this year, it was the Women’s World Cup that occupied supporter’s attention during 2011, with a review of this tournament being featured.

With it being the summer, there is a look back at a bygone age when footballers kept themselves fit during the summer by playing cricket.

There is a look at Carlos Tevez career in England as he looks set to leave Manchester City. He didn’t leave City that summer, but did have a six month exile during the 2011-2012 season, before eventually leaving for Italy in 2013.

There are three pages dedicated to the Match Of The Month, this month was the UEFA Cup tie between Crusaders and Fulham, written by BBC Northern Ireland journalist Robbie Meredith.

There is a review of the recent Copa America, focusing on the performances of Argentina and Brazil.

Staying in South America, there is a fond look back on Argetnine attacker Walter Rojas short spell in Scotland, 20 years after signing for Dundee United.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : WHEN SATURDAY COMES – JULY 2012

England are at the European Championship, with Ashley Young on the cover of When Saturday Comes confidently predicting that England will do better than they did at Euro 2008.

He has good reason for his optimism, as England failed to reach Euro 2008.

There is a review of the recent Scottish Cup Final, where Hearts beat Hibs 5-1, including a feature on 102 year old Hibs fan Sam Martinez, who says he hopes to see Hibs win the Scottish Cup before he dies, with their drought now at 111 years.

In Northern Ireland, Linfield won their sixth double in seven years, to some apathy from fans, with one fan arguing that history will be a lot kinder to David Jeffrey in the future than it is now.

To cover the full length of the UK, we then move to Wales, where Cardiff City fans are upset at an attempt to rebrand the club, including a change of colours by Vincent Tan.

At Aston Villa, there is an article on the future of manager Alex McLeish, whose time was believed to up when he celebrated a draw at home to Stoke.

Match Of The Month is the Championship Play-Off Final between Blackpool and West Ham, two clubs aiming to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

There is also review of the season in all three divisions of the Football League.

On the continent, Serbia’s Cup Final was held outside Belgrade and ended up in a riot, while Auxerre have been relegated from France’s top flight.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : WHEN SATURDAY COMES – AUGUST 2012

Joined by Juan Mata, Fernando Torres is the cover star of this month’s When Saturday Comes, looking back in a horrendous season for him that saw him become a European champion for club and country, top scorer in Euro 2012 and an FA Cup winner.

Euro 2012 dominates this edition, with a day by day diary of the competition, looking back at every game, including a photographic look at how fans watched the tournament in the UK, while there was a feature on those who did travel to Poland and Ukraine, where the welcome for travelling fans wasn’t as bad as feared.

There is a look bad at some of the tournament’s failures, with group stage exiters Holland and Russia getting full page features on their failure.

Underdogs get profiles, with Republic of Ireland and Greece getting a full page looking back at their respective fortunes, as did both finalists Spain and Italy.

There is a look forward to Euro 2016, with sceptical analysis on the decision to increase the tournament from 16 teams to 24 teams.

In club football, there is a look at Harry Redknapp’s sacking as Tottenham Hotspur manager, and the polarising nature of the reaction to his departure from fans and media.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : WHEN SATURDAY COMES – DECEMBER 2002

Having just broken into the Everton team, teenage sensation Wayne Rooney give an interview to When Saturday Comes. Well, sort of.

A blank speech bubble represents the fact that Everton manager David Moyes has blocked media requests to interview his young player.

The editorial focuses on racism in football, most notably at the European Championship Qualifier between Slovakia and England, but warns that football authorities in England need to address concerns closer to home.

There is a profile of former Belgium goalkeeper Jean-Marie Pfaff, now forging a new career as a Reality TV star in a Flemish version of The Osbournes.

There is a feature on four clubs at differing ends of the football pyramid who are looking to move out of their current ground to a new one – Wimbledon, Chelsea, York City and Brentford.

In Scotland, there is a feature on the race for one of the more invisible honours, 3rd place, aka The Best Of The Rest after Rangers and Celtic, looking at those clubs aiming for that spot.

A more curious phenomenon in recent years was Masters Football, which WSC likened to ageing rock stars only playing hits from 20 years previously.

There is a feature on “lost footballers”, big money signings on high wages. The poster boy of this feature is Mark Bosnich, earning £40,000 in Chelsea’s reserves.

This edition focuses on young players, with a look at the number of French coaches at underage level in England.

Cover star Wayne Rooney is part of a feature looking at the history of hype of young players in English football.

There is also a feature on club football in Czech Republic, due to improved perfomances in Europe this season, with many teams boosted by Euro 96 stars coming home to play their club football.

Yeovil Town get a feature, so long a famous Non League giantkiller, and now on the verge of joining the giants they used to kill.

The rivalry between Cardiff City and Swansea City gets a feature, being described as becoming a poisonous affair in recent years.

The magazine ends with a brief look at the history of Cheltenham Town’s highlights and lowlights.

THE UEFA 99 CLUB

On a long bus journey home from Manchester last week, I purchased a copy of the new edition of When Saturday Comes to pass the time, and there was one article which really caught my attention.

It was one concerning the fact that 99 different clubs have reached a European Final (European Cup, European Cup Winners Cup, UEFA Cup) and one man is on a mission to see them all in action.

His current total is 66 (Exactly 2/3s of the way through) although being a match going Rangers fan gives him a bit of an advantage, where he can see his own team and three SPL rivals on a weekly basis, as well as foreign opponents due to Rangers Euro adventures.

As the bus was still going through Scotland, I decided to see and tick off how many teams on my list, and got a meagre 22 in comparison, but I did get 8 former European Cup winners, including all 5 to come from Britain.

Can’t say i’m planning on making completing this list a life ambition, but just thought it would be fun to compare.

As with any list, there will always be ones that got away, and mine is not different.

Dinamo Tblisi, 1981 European Cup Winners Cup Winners played Linfield in a European Cup tie in 1993, which I wasn’t at. I don’t know why I didn’t go, but I definately know that I didn’t go.

I remember the first leg tie took place on the same night as a midweek Premier League fixture list, and Alan Green broke off from the commentary game to read out the score, adding “We have a great chance in the second leg with that away goal”

For a 10 year old, having Linfield getting a shout out on Five Live seemed quite exciting.

Linfield lost the tie 3-2, but Tblisi were thrown out for trying to bribe the official, and Linfield went through to face FC Copenhagen, who snuck through to face AC Milan.

If it wasn’t for that cheating bastard ref and his 6 minutes of injury time, I could have had 23 teams on my list.

In 17 years of going to Old Trafford 2-3 times a season, I have seen a wide variety of teams, but Everton are not one of them. For some reason, i’ve never seen them play at Old Trafford.

I was planning to see them in 2001, but that trip got cancelled and I got another game in compensation. I declined the opportunity to see them face a Northern Ireland XI in 2007 as it was only half a team playing, with the other half playing a friendly against Bury the same day.

2009 UEFA Cup Winners Shaktar Donesk played a European Cup Winners Cup tie at Windsor Park in 1995, but with the Ukranians leading 4-1 from the first leg, I decided to give it a miss. If only i’d known the success they would have in 14 years time.

Red Star Belgrade were the biggest miss for me. In 1991, they were reigning European Cup winners, and they began their defence in Portadown.

I wanted to go, but my dad wouldn’t take me. It was a school night, end of debate.

The first team on the list I saw was Marseille in 1992, the most recent Birmingham City and Wolves in 2010.

I’ll definately be adding Tottenham Hotspur at the end of October, and hopefully Barcelona and Athletico Madrid in February. Maybe one day, i’ll be able to add Linfield.

Feel free to post your own totals

Team (Year first seen)

Arsenal (2003)
AS Roma (2007)
Aston Villa (1993)
Benfica (2000)
Brimingham City (2010)
Celtic (2009)
Chelsea (1997)
Dynamo Zagreb (2008)
Feyenoord (1999)
Fulham (2001)
Leeds United (1993)
Liverpool (1994)
Manchester City (2000)
Manchester United (1993)
Marseille (1992)
Middlesbrough (1995)
Newcastle United (1993)
Nottingham Forest (1996)
Rangers (2002)
Real Madrid (2003)
West Ham United (1997)
Wolverhampton Wanderers (2010)