Innehållsförteckning för August 2019 från FourFourTwo UK

Natural: The Jimmy Greaves Story David Tossell (Pitch, £19.99) ●●●●● Jimmy Greaves has a compelling story. A goal-laden career with Chelsea, Tottenham, West Ham and England was followed by a painful descent into alcoholism, then redemption as a pundit and after-dinner speaker. He left the public eye after a stroke in 2015. Natural delivers a layered and nuanced approach to Greaves’ well-publicised battle with the bottle. Tossell suggests that the dislocation the Milan-bound striker felt following the death of his infant son could have been the trigger for his addiction. Tossell also dispels the myth that Greaves’ career plummeted after he was left out of England’s team for the ’66 World Cup Final (he scored 96 goals in his next three seasons for Spurs), though his international career did end…

Hello Shaun. Can you pick a number for us, please? We’re going to put £5 on a horse at the 3.10pm Apprentice Handicap Hurdle at Nottingham races, which will take place during this interview. Hi mate. OK, let’s go for number four. That’s a nag called Space War. Space War? I’m not a horse racing fan, so I know nothing about it. Let’s see. What do you think are the chances of there being an actual space war over the next decade? It’s not looking too good, is it? There’s a lot of instability, politically. It’s pretty worrying. I’m not very political, I try to stay out of it. I make my judgements from afar, and most of them are quite ridiculous. But let’s hope that if there is a…

✱ STAR LETTER MASH-UP KITS IN MINAS GERAIS I was interested to see the article in FFT 298 about mash-up kits (‘Hey guys, where the hell is Barnet?’) I wore one at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Having lived in Costa Rica for more than 20 years, I found it difficult to decide who to support when England played them in Minas Gerais, so I got a tailor friend of mine to combine the shirts and went as a neutral. The shirt number was 64, my age! I suppose the draw was the best result for me, but it might have been better if they’d shared some goals between them. A 0-0 draw was not very funny, after travelling all that way! Keith Holder, via email Is there an…

Scan through Google image results of the late, great Laurie Cunningham and it’s hard to believe they aren’t the product of high-end fashion shoots, professionally styled and groomed, the work of a huge team and editorial machine. Surely nobody could look that good off their own back. In fact, you’d be forgiven for thinking they’re pictures from a A/W19 streetwear campaign – taken with a vintage camera, styled with a retro feel and aged on Photoshop, but very much of today. Except, of course, they aren’t. Cunningham really did look that good. His favourite pieces were zoot suits, shearling jackets, velour raglan sweaters and tapered trackies, accessorised with a thin gold chain, slightly grown-out hair and sandals. This was not the same clobber his contemporaries were wearing. His style was…

GARY ASPDEN ADIDAS SPEZIAL DESIGNER “The first time I saw Tom Davies on the pitch, he was unshaven with slightly outgrown hair, socks down to his ankles – without shin pads – and sporting black boots with white stripes. He looked like a real footballer – a traditional, 3pm Saturday afternoon player. I found him to be a refreshing change from those overly groomed players who seem to take their style leads from American RnB singers or TOWIE... and the Everton man could play. “When I was asked if I wanted to send him some adidas Spezial for a photo shoot, I didn’t hesitate, as in many ways he personifies what Spezial is about. His style looks natural. Cool, by definition, is not breaking a sweat – not trying too…

1 JOSE MOURINHO “The man who came over to the UK and made football seem like no fun whatsoever. The Special One’s arrival from Porto did signal a change in management style, however, and he’s certainly as firmly opinionated about his choice of frock as he is in style of football. “Jose’s suits proved a welcome addition to sidelines up and down the country, and doesn’t he just know it. He wears a coat better than most, too, making you think of Napoleon in more ways than one.” 2 CARLO ANCELOTTI “The Italian has a touch of a grandad about him and, unlike the other two, clearly has a good tailor, possibly Caraceni. “I’m not sure if Carlo’s ‘sweater vests’ are a good call, although if he’s trying to project…

Monterrey and Tigres facing off in this year’s Champions League final guaranteed a 35th Mexican winner of the tournament, in what was a sixth all-Liga MX affair in the past eight years. Pachuca (four times), America (three), Monterrey (three), Cruz Azul, Atlante and Chivas have shared the last 13 titles, and you have to go back to 2004 to find a final without a Mexican team in it, when Alajuelense saw off fellow Costa Rican side Saprissa. While MLS continues to grow in profile and stature, there’s no doubt that the Mexican top tier is the king of North America. Only two US teams have ever lifted the trophy – LA Galaxy in 2000 and DC United in 1998 – and while Sporting Kansas City reached the last four this…

You joined Liverpool from Ayr in 1979. What was it like making such a leap? I know it’s hard to believe, but it was actually an easy transition. At first I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, how am I going to fit in?’ But it was never a big problem. At Ayr I was playing with a bunch of older professionals, then I joined the European champions and they behaved in pretty much the same way. The players looked after me from day one, especially the Scottish lads like Alan Hansen and Graeme Souness. Why were you nicknamed ‘Chopsy’? Terry McDermott called me it first, when I was a rookie in the squad and not playing regularly. We were sitting together at the table, having some dinner. They told the waiter…

CLUBS 1991-94 Baldock Town 1994-97 Watford 1997-2003 Sunderland 2003-05 Southampton 2005-06 Aston Villa 2006-08 West Bromwich Albion 2008-11 Birmingham 2011-13 Blackpool 2013 Crystal Palace (loan) 2013-14 Crystal Palace 2014 Leicester COUNTRY 1999-2002 England We’re deep inside the Staffordshire countryside, and Kevin Phillips’ goose is honking at us. “That’s our guard goose,” jokes Phillips. “If anything’s happening, it will let you know. It attacks you – it’s horrible!” We’re standing outside the home of the only Englishman ever to win the European Golden Boot, and as long as we keep a safe distance from the most fearsome goose in all of Christendom, it’s hard not to be impressed. A converted former gatehouse beside a quiet country lane, this may be one of the finest homes we’ve ever visited. Outside there are…

1 NAIVE OFFER OF THE MONTH When a Miami bar offered free shots for every USA goal ahead of their Women’s World Cup group game with Thailand, they probably didn’t expect it to finish 13-0. Little wonder: last year, Thailand inflicted an 11-0 thrashing on their southeast Asian rivals Cambodia, who had themselves tonked Timor-Leste 12-0 days earlier. Suddenly, USA vs Timor-Leste is the fixture everyone wants to see. Make it happen, FIFA... 2 MOST MERCILESS TEENAGER Leeds-born Erling Braut Haaland (right) scooped the Golden Boot at the Under-20 World Cup, going full Oleg Salenko and hammering nine goals past Honduras in a 12-0 Norway win. Son of Alf Inge, we have only one piece of advice for the 18-year-old: avoid the offspring of Roy Keane at all costs.…

01 WHAT CONNECTS THESE THREE MIDFIELD GREATS? 02 How many times has stalwart Jim Gannon been named manager of Stockport? 03 What event forced FC Stroitel Pripyat to leave their Avanhard Stadium home in 1986? 04 Which top-flight side do Likely Lads duo Terry Collier and Bob Ferris support? 05 Which Premier League pair played in 1-0, 2-0, 3-0, 4-0, 5-0, 6-0, 7-0, 8-0 and 9-0 wins in 2018-19? 06 Name the former captain of Liverpool who went on to manage Manchester United. 07 WHICH FORMER PREMIER LEAGUE PLAYER IS THIS? 08 WHICH GROUND IS THIS? 09 WHICH CURRENT PREMIER LEAGUE MANAGER IS THIS? 10 NAME THESE TEAMS FROM THEIR BADGES 11 WHO AM I? I was born in the North, schooled in a cheese and became the third of…

Favourite car? I can’t drive, although I’m quite fond of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Favourite singer? Kate Bush. Yes, she is cool. Favourite food? French by day, Chinese by night. First game you ever attended? Ah, now. According to my father it was Crystal Palace 2-2 Manchester United in August 1969. According to my mum, Bill the greengrocer took me to my first game against Stoke in February 1973. As my dad is the only one of them still alive, let’s say Man United. Whoever it was, I can still remember the vivid green of the pitch. Who was your childhood hero and did you ever meet them? My Palace hero was Don Rogers, who played on the wing for us during the early-70s. I met him much later and…

Not since David Beckham’s heyday had a haircut swept from pitch to terrace to real world. The look was standard in the first half of the 20th century, and then re-popularised by New Order and The Smiths in the mid-80s. It was London hairdresser to the stars Johnnie Sapong who gave Joey Barton the look. “He was really into The Smiths and rock and roll, and it was about having to transfer that into something modern,” he tells FFT. Sapong was introduced to Barton by Ian Montone, a top music business manager who the player had turned to for help with his image and outlook in 2011. “I did a lot of Ian’s other clients like Jude Law and Justin Timberlake – that was the connection,” he says. “Joey plays…

Truth be told, there aren’t that many photos of Callum Hudson-Odoi in his civvies. While his name is well-whispered among clued-up football fans, he’s not yet at the point where Mail Online hounds tail him in Westfield. But even at 18, the young man sometimes known as CHO is already cementing a personal style for himself – one that is seen mainly on the pitch, yet also goes beyond the football itself. There are myriad ways you can express your style without walking around town in an outlandish Balenciaga coat, and Hudson-Odoi is managing that. The most notable aspect of his style at this moment in time is the haircut. In recent years, many young footballers have opted for a Kid ’n Play-esque flat-top, but whereas Jadon Sancho’s looks a…

What makes a ‘cool’ footballer in 2019? Is it how they carry themselves on the pitch? Or maybe it’s the way they dress – a sign of wealth and status. Some would say ‘cool’ is a refreshing attitude; projecting individuality by refusing to hide interests in non-footballing matters. Well, Hector Bellerin is all of the above. The 24-year-old, who moved to London from Catalonia when he was 16, has made quite an impression, and not just in football. As an outspoken vegan with a unique dress sense and vocal left-leaning sensibilities, Bellerin isn’t for everyone. North London’s swishest full-back has intrigued and annoyed supporters in equal measure across the globe, especially – and inevitably – on social media. AT A TIME OF UNREST, BELLERIN EMBODIES THE SENTIMENT OF A YOUNGER…

“All the extras in that movie are mates from Millwall and Chelsea – a hodge-podge of football thugs,” explains Love. “B category thugs, not A category. Good-time boys, who like a bit of quiver [cocaine] and ironing someone out. They’re not orchestrators but are active – it was very highly charged on set. “That was the first bit of contact that we filmed, and the first thing is, are your actors going to be OK? The second thing is, you’ve got to avoid proper contact because these are football thugs and they’re not afraid to chin each other. The third thing is, it’s got to look authentic. You’ve got to make it look good, and you’ve only got £400,000 so you’ve got no time. There were a few pep talks…

19 BACK TO YELLOW Last season brought an indignity of a third kit, the likes of which fans had never seen before. The official designation was ‘Biscay green with Peacoat navy detailing’, though everyone else thought it was mint... and not in a good way. Whatever the colour was, it definitely was not the traditional Arsenal away strip, yellow with navy detailing, beloved by the supporters. Now that Adidas have taken over, rarely has there been such optimism surrounding a new kit manufacturer. They were synonymous with Arsenal during the George Graham glory years, when we actually started winning stuff. Better still, they might bring back the yellow, too. It was a yellow away shirt Michael Thomas wore when the title was suddenly up for grabs at Anfield in 1989.…

Which dressing room had the best banter during your career? Manchester United’s Class of ’92 was a good dressing room. We were youngsters growing up in an environment with first-team legends around us – some of the best players in the Premier League. The team spirit was great and there were initiation ceremonies – you’ll have to look them up! What they achieved showed how strong that dressing room was. Were you usually the main prankster at each of your clubs? There were loads of us. In the dressing room, you’ve got to be able to give it out and take it as well. I’ve had clothes cut up, and I’ve cut other people’s clothes up. I remember one prank I did on Alan Birchenall, who’s a legend at Leicester.…

Aged 19 in 1994, you appeared in FFT’s first ever issue in our Boy’s A Bit Special section. Do you remember it? I remember being called “the best left winger since Arthur Scargill”, which I really enjoyed! I’ve used the line ever since. FourFourTwo was new, so no one knew it was going to grow into the biggest football magazine, but being picked made me proud. Now I’m happy I was first. What was it like being a teenage talent at Norwich in the early-90s? I was naive, and I didn’t realise the world was my oyster. You don’t know until you look back. I was involved in the England squad, I played against Bayern Munich for Norwich. I thought it would be like that every week, but I’m proud…

› Lukas Podolski opening his second kebab shop in Cologne. The best football food news of the month. › With less games to argue about, football Twitter during the summer months is brilliant. Hats off to @jonnygabriel for his Alan Partridge tweet about the Carabao Cup draw, and @ben_machell for his Evangelist Ian Rush tweet. Hopefully they’ve pinned them. Plus Football Manager Hair on Politicians (@visualsatire), including Chuka Umunna with Neil Warnock’s barnet. Also give a follow to Football Images That Precede Unfortunate Events (@CursedFootball) and finally No Context Football (@Fwithoutcontext), which is strangely mesmerising. › Gary Lineker is very funny. He recently shared this classic memory with us: “I was playing against Kenny Burns when he was at Birmingham, and we were just chatting on the halfway line while…

KLABU €59 klabu.org Klabu is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to creating sports clubs where young refugees are rebuilding their lives in camps, settlements and cities in the poorest parts of the world. To help launch their first side in northern Kenya’s Kalobeyei settlement, Klabu – which is Swahili for ‘club’ – have brought out the Kalobeyei Spirit strip in natty turquoise and brilliant pink. Every single penny raised will go towards empowering refugees through sport, so it’s a great cause and an even better kit. Buy it. PARK SCC X UNIQLO $19.90 uniqlo.com Melbourne social action brand Park SSC recently joined forces with the Japanese clothing colossus Uniqlo to launch a limited edition T-shirt range in celebration of women’s football. Modelled by Australia vice-captain Steph Catley, the unisex top features…

Swansea 4 Hull 2 May 3, 2003 Division Three “We went into the game knowing we had to beat Hull to stay in the Football League. As players, we were so conscious that people’s jobs were on the line if we got relegated, not to mention how hard it would be for the fans. That match had everything in terms of emotions. We went 2-1 down – I still remember Michael Howard taking a throw-in soon after making a mistake for one of their goals and being almost in tears – but we bounced back, and James Thomas hit a hat-trick to seal our survival. It was the starting point for the club to experience promotions, Premier League football and a League Cup victory in the decade that followed.” Manchester…

CLUB DERBY COUNTY POSITION MIDFIELDER Value £8m Age 24 Foot Right Height 1.68m Nation USA THE STORY SO FAR: Born in Columbus, Georgia, to an American father and an English mother, Holmes swapped the States for Wakefield when he was four, joining Huddersfield’s under-9s back in 2002. “The accent lasted about two weeks,” he laughs. “It’s pure Yorkshire now, but I consider myself American.” Undeterred by his 5ft 6in frame in the hurley burley of the Football League, the talented Holmes broke into the Terriers’ first team in September 2013, before spending loan spells at Yeovil and Bury. Released in 2016, he began realising his potential at Scunthorpe, where his impish promptings helped them secure successive League One play-off places, scoring seven league goals in 2017-18. Frank Lampard’s Derby County…

As a footballer in the pre-total-saturation era, Keisuke Honda was (and is, over at Melbourne Victory) a fascinating entity. As a set-piece specialist who entered the popular consciousness only during World Cups, he was endowed with an incredible glamour. He didn’t seem to do much tracking back or off-the-ball work, but that didn’t matter. He had a certain aura; an instant charisma that made you wonder if he wasn’t a footballer born in our time but an athlete pulled from some futureworld – a character from The Running Man, trying to win his way back into his own time, free-kick by free-kick. The unusual sense of futurism that he radiated was compounded by his personal style, which was visible on and off the pitch. During a game, you could never…

HOOLIGAN 1985 Director Ian Stuttard embeds himself with West Ham’s ICF firm in this brutal Thames Television exposé, as viewers are introduced to top boy Cass Pennant. MACINTYRE UNDERCOVER 1999 Irish reporter Donal MacIntyre gets a Chelsea tattoo – and passes out in the process – in an effort to infiltrate the Blues’ violent Headhunters gang. PANORAMA: ENGLAND’S SHAME 2000 BBC cameras follow England hooligans to Belgium, where fighting in Brussels and Charleroi forces UEFA to threaten to kick the Three Lions out of the Euros. THE REAL FOOTBALL FACTORIES 2006 Danny Dyer gets stuck into the world of terrace tear-ups, chewing the fat with ex-Chelsea Headhunter Jason Marriner and F-Troop member Ginger Bob. Love it!…

Hooligan films as a subgenre continued to crowd the market, with the likes of Rise of the Footsoldier (2007), Cass (2008) and Awaydays (2008) released in quick succession. But first out of the blocks was the laughably inauthentic Green Street (2005). It stars Lord of the Rings’ Elijah Wood as a wimpy Harvard dropout who, on a trip to London to visit his sister, becomes the world’s least likely football thug with West Ham’s GSE (Green Street Elite) firm. “In my humble opinion,” wrote Danny Dyer in Straight Up, “it was a pile of shit”. While the original plays fast and loose with the English capital’s geography, the belated follow-up Green Street 2: Stand Your Ground (2009) is set, inexplicably, in a Californian jail. ID2: Shadwell Army (2016) fared better,…

PETER SCHMEICHEL “Even though I played with him towards the end of his career, when many people thought his best days were behind him, he was still one of the best goalkeepers. It was almost impossible to get anything past him in training.” DENIS IRWIN “Denis was Mr Reliable. He took a mean free-kick and was pretty deadly from the penalty spot. A far better defender than people give him credit for, and a valuable asset to Manchester United because he could play left-back or right-back.” JAAP STAM “Even Alex Ferguson admitted that it was a mistake to let him go. He was lightning quick and brilliant in the air, but had the composure to go with it. Nothing phased him and he could play a bit, too.” PAUL McGRATH…