IN 1998 I was lucky enough to go to the World Cup in France. Nick Hancock and I made a comedy documentary called The Outsiders (available on You Tube).
It was an amazing summer bromance, not with Nick, who I’d known for years, but with a bunch of lads from Iran. We trained with them, played pool with them and laughed a lot with them.
There was: Azizi, whose nickname was Suzuki, because he was so loud, Abedzadeh, the goalkeeper, and leader of the team, Mohammadkhani, the laconic hard man, Ali Daei, the playboy centre-forward, and defensive midfielder, Khakpour, who I helped buy a suit in Le Puy. It was amazing to be a part of their World Cup dreams.
They had lost their opening game against Yugoslavia, 1-0. Their next game was against the USA. This obviously had massive political overtones. The press built up the pressure in the daily interviews.
But I wasn’t going to be in France to watch it. I was going to Tehran with producer and cameraman Adam Bullmore. When we arrived there was a lot of excitement.
Iran is football mad and all 60-odd million Iranians were rooting for the team. The Imams were worried. They banned gatherings of over 12 people.
Esta historia es de la edición August 16, 2020 de The Non-League Football Paper.
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Esta historia es de la edición August 16, 2020 de The Non-League Football Paper.
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CRAIG'S BOOSTS
MANAGERIAL stalwart Craig Edwards is back in charge of Barking – 23 years after he left!
LENNIE GETS THE LOVE
VETERAN caretaker chief Lennie Lawrence says he is “excited” to be handed the reins at Hartlepool United permanently – just a few weeks before his 77th birthday!
MOTORS FEELS LIKE HOLMES!
WHEN he was younger, Danny Holmes played video games that simulated being a football manager.
REES HITS FAB FOUR AS TOWN ROMP IT
RICARDO REES struck four times to help Merthyr Town maintain their spot at the top of the table with a dominant home win against play-off chasing Havant & Waterlooville.
DULWICH DISPLAY DELIGHTS COACHES
GOALS from Danny Mills, Luke Wanadio and Lorenzo’s stoppage-time finish fired Dulwich Hamlet to a comfortable win over fellow play-off hopefuls Potters Bar Town, though the scoreline doesn’t tell the full story.
ANCHORS A RAPID
ASHTON UNITED hit two goals in two minutes to come from behind to win at Stockton Town.
SEAGULLS KEEP THE HEAT ON ROMANS
BATH City were made to pay for their mistakes by high-flying Weston-super-Mare.
CLINICAL COLEMAN KEEN AS MUSTARD
CIAN COLEMAN’S hat-trick lifted Buxton to their highest league position of the season as they became the latest side to frustrate Scunthorpe.
KEV SEES RED IN REE PANT!
SOUTHEND United boss Kevin Maher hit out at referee Abigail Byrne following his side’s defeat to Yeovil Town at Roots Hall.
MARVEL MATTY DENIES MOORS
BOTH managers insisted their teams deserved more after Altrincham came from behind to steal a point in a six-goal thriller at Solihull Moors.
