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.
Bu hikaye The Non-League Football Paper dergisinin August 16, 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Non-League Football Paper dergisinin August 16, 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
SHAKERS REVEL IN MAKING HISTORY
DAVE McNabb says Bury's FA Cup heroes are proud to be writing their own chapters in club history.
WILCOX: WE FEEL COMPLETE WITH WIN
RUSS WILCOX'S verdict after watching his Gainsborough Trinity side outmuscle and outplay their hosts was that it was \"probably our most complete performance\".
CRACKER BY KABIA TOPPLES TUDORS!
ASSISTANT boss Stewart Yetton said his Truro City side were good value for their win over table-toppers Hemel Hempstead Town.
BRAKES PUT STOP ON BORO BATTLERS
SEPARATED only by goal difference before kick-off, these sides remain neck and neck in the embryonic table after playing out 90 minutes in the October sunshine that was a great advert for the division.
BOSS COTT'S GOT A REALLY GOOD THING WITH ROVERS
STEVE Cotterill hailed Forest Green Rovers’ first class performance as they produced a spirited comeback to topple fellow high-flyers Eastleigh at the Silverlake Stadium.
SKIPS STEER HEED'S SHIP
GATESHEAD captains of the past and present are playing a lead role in helping the National League club move on from the departure of FA Trophy-winning manager Rob Elliot.
FA CUP PREVIEW: SWEET! 'DREAM' DRAW IS CHANCE OF OUR LIFETIME
DAVE NORTHFIELD says minnows Biggleswade FC were like 'kids in a sweet shop' when they drew out York City in what he describes as the 'draw of a lifetime'.
PARKER'S HEART IS STILL AT HOME
FORMER England right-back Paul Parker has revealed he would never completely rule out a return to management – but says he would only do so for one of his beloved local clubs.
LOCALS RALLY TO REBUILD BRIDGE
WHEN committee members at Bamber Bridge set out to raise £30,000 to protect the club's future, they were apprehensive about the response they'd get.
RUTHLESS BEES FIND THEIR FEET
ASTERLING second-half performance resulted in league leaders Barnet brushing aside a Boston United outfit that led at the interval through Keaton Ward’s early strike.
