CATEGORIES

The Call Of Nature

From mice in Arsenal’s kitchens to moths at the Euros and wasps in Brazil, it seems no football club can be safe from invasions of wildlife.

No Place Like Home

Brunton Park is run-down and expensive but, for the Carlisle fans who have spent their lives in its stands, the stadium also can’t be replaced.

Fanning The Flames

Some of the country’s most fierce rivalries have been on hold for decades, yet the animosity between opposing sets of supporters somehow endures.

Brum Notes

Birmingham City

Total Disaster

Frank de Boer’s rapid hiring and firing at Crystal Palace highlighted wider problems within Dutch football – their coaches are being left behind

Famous For Fifteen Minutes

The FA Cup offers lower-division players a chance to grab the attention of a national – and sometimes international – audience. Often the interest fades away as quickly as it arrived but the memories will last forever

Big Night Out

After unexpectedly reaching the Europa League there was no way Cologne supporters were going to miss the chance to enjoy themselves in London

Mixed Reception

Football League supporters based abroad can now watch most of their team’s games on iFollow – it is not the same as being inside the stadium but at least it offers them a chance to feel connected to their club

Laptop Crashes

The hostility towards managers in Scotland who do not fit the tried-and-failed formula of ex-player is holding back the country’s development.

Urgent Announcement

With so much football on TV these days we are in danger of running out of commentators

Preston North End 1 Reading 0

Preston have been the model of consistency over the past couple of seasons and, despite the surprise loss of their well liked manager over summer, a string of encouraging results under new boss Alex Neil mean the mood at Deepdale remains upbeat. Reading, meanwhile, are trying to shake off the slump that often follows play-off final defeat

Official Complaint

The powers of referees have changed a lot over the years. However, as this man in the middle from Germany attests in the first of a two-part feature, it can still be a struggle to control players at grassroots level.

Java Script

For a long time Indonesia has been a top destination in south-east Asia for stars hunting a final payday. However, many of the moves do not end well

Focus on albert Quixall

Focus on albert Quixall

Stock Exchange

A star on his debut aged 15, John Bostock is now 25 and has played for ten different clubs – but he says that experience has made him stronger, and he is finally settling down abroad.

Phoenix Nights

Having dropped into France’s regional amateur fifth division, supporters of Strasbourg stuck with their club and now they are back in the top flight.

Axe To Grind

Brazilian clubs are no strangers to managerial sackings but two recent dismissals have been notably harsh, highlighting a lack of long-term vision.

Knowledge Sharing

England’s recent success at youth level has come off the back of the FA’s different approach to coaching, shunning star names and appointing low-key but experienced coaches from the lower-leagues.

Practice Imperfect

Being paid to play football all day might sound like a great job to most of us, but for many players training sessions are seen as an unbearable chore.

Scotland 2 England 2

The original international fixture has diminished in stature over the years and this time – just two days after a general election and amid heightened security – there is little bile between rivals at Hampden as the hosts try to salvage their hopes of, finally, reaching another World Cup.

Focus On Mick channon

Raised in a rural village on Salisbury Plain, football became an outlet for a young Mick Channon after his elder brother died in a tractor accident.

Inside Job

They often go unnoticed, existing simply to get you from A to B, but coach drivers are privy to all sorts of behind-the-scenes information.

Sticking Together

Keep your eyes peeled and you will notice a new phenomenon of global football culture sweeping the streets.

Money Talks

The era of Chinese clubs paying huge transfer fees for star players may be over, with the government wanting them to focus on youth development.

Opinion Poles

The last Sunday in March was a windy day in Chingford, Essex. It was a Sunday gust that caught out Korona Redbridge in the first minute, as they concede a goal from a corner. Despite drawing level they lost their match in the Essex Sunday Corinthian League Division One to a goal scored from a free-kick. To some onlookers, biased as they may be, this had appeared offside.

Screen junkies

In the first part of a three-page feature, we look at why video replays are accepted in other sports and the unique challenges that football needs to overcome to stop the technology wasting everyone’s time and money.

Breaking the Rules

From penalties to substitutions and sin-bins, changes are afoot across all levels of the game. However, they will not be welcomed by all referees.

Living on the Margins

Mergers could solve Copenhagen clubs’ struggles with a lack of fans, while one historic team are trying to cling on to their traditional support.

Shot at Glory

No matter what level you play at, a cup final is a moment to enjoy – and a chance to mimic the pros, with club ties and even a pre-match warm-up.

Maine Event

From the Kippax to the corporate boxes, watching from every stand of Manchester City’s old ground left one fan with lifelong memories.