Swansea fan Matthew Harrison makes his debut in the92.net blog sharing his review of his trip to St James’s Park. My only ever visit to St James Park, before this November visit, was a trip to Shearers’ Bar (the bar adjoining the famous Gallowgate End) during a night out in Newcastle after going to Sunderland away last season. I was very much looking forward to entering the stadium proper with many people raving about their trips to the Geordie’s cathedral of football. On entering the city of Newcastle, St James Park stands imperiously and proudly on top of a small… Read more »
The Phantom Derby
The debate is intense, fiery and fierce: should you actively fund MK Dons, the breakaway republic of Wimbledon FC, and visit stadium:MK on your quest to the hallowed 92 football league grounds? We look further into the Phantom Derby. The Phantom Derby I have had a healthy debate with several people on their quest for the ‘91’ who aren’t even acknowledging the existence of MK Dons as part of a 92. These guys were Hull City, Darlington and West Brom fans. They have no allegiance to Wimbledon. Just resolute morals of right and wrong in football and they have disregarded… Read more »
FSF’s Safe Standing Campaign back in the news
The Football Supporters’ Federation’s Safe Standing Campaign is back in the news thanks to a stream of clubs who have come out in support of the FSF’s plans and an MP’s Early Day Motion (EDM) in Parliament calling for safe standing trials to be allowed. It’s great news but the FSF also needs action from fans too. It’ll only take a few minutes of your time – please visit: www.fsf.org.uk/campaigns/safestanding Nearly half the Football League already have standing or support the call for safe standing trials while Aston Villa and Peterborough United have told the authorities that they’d like to… Read more »
Hiding with the Hooligans
The start of the season saw the launch of Hiding With The Hooligans – a book that threatens to reinvent popular opinion on football hooliganism culture in the 1970s and 80s, and in danger of immortalising northern town football supporting throughout those decades. The book realises the completion of the The Radfordgate Tapes in its fullest form – a monthly memoir from lifelong Chesterfield supporter Dave Radford who has finally revealed all about his first hand experiences of football hooliganism in the 70s and 80s in this unique new book. Originally called The Radfordgate Tapes and starting life as a… Read more »
Euro 2012 : Unfinished Stadia
After the monumental travel from the coast of Croatia to the first day of Euro 2012 in Wroclaw, we enjoyed the opening exchanges and watching the Russian’s battering the Czech Republic in the fanzone, taking time to check out the stadium, where the exterior still needed some finishing touches, before heading north to Gdansk to sleep in the shadow of the gorgeous amber coloured Gdansk Arena for a draw between Italy and Spain. Again, the stadium still not complete; footpaths not finished, bridges half completed. Then to the capital of Poland, Warsaw, for the clash between the host and their… Read more »
Safe Standing – How you can back the Movement
We aren’t talking the swaying terraces of the seventies, we are talking talking safe standing. This is tried and tested on the continent and has worked extremely well. In Germany the Westfalenstadion, the home of Borussia Dortmund has the largest free-standing Grandstand in the world with a massive 25,000 safe standing capacity. The Football Supporters Federation explains how it works “Rail seats incorporate a safety barrier and a flip-down seat on every other row (or step). These seats can be locked in an upright position for domestic games, allowing two rows of supporters to stand in between barriers. Supporters can… Read more »
the92.net on tour: The Proact Stadium
Being our second visit to the home of Chesterfield FC we are beginning to think the92.net on tour is a bit of a jinx for the Derbyshire side! Be it the B2Net or now the Proact, change the name and the Spireites still seem to under perform in our presence. Our first visit was 2 years ago as Chesterfield were tearing up League Two, free scoring especially at home they were destined to go up. They did, but we witnessed a 2-0 home defeat by Morecombe in the Karen South stand with barely a decent effort of note on Barry… Read more »
Guest Blog: A guide to Spotland
Rochdale fan and aspiring football writer Bryan Cowin gives us his insight into Spotland, the home of the Dale. The home of Rochdale A.F.C. is located 12.5miles out of Manchester city centre. It has been the home of The Dale since 1907, when it was known as ST Clements Playing Fields after a previous Rochdale Town went out of business. Spotland is shared by Rochdale Hornets Rugby League Club. Spotland has been selected as a venue for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup. Spotland will host the vital clash Fiji v Ireland. This will be the first Rochdale has staged… Read more »
Guest blog: Guide to Goodison Park
Evertonian Bryan Cowin shares his advice on the Good of Goodison Park. The home of Everton F.C. is located just 3 miles out of the city centre and is separated from their local rivals by only a park. It has been the home of The Toffee’s since 1892 after they were kicked out of Anfield over rent issues. Goodison is an old dilapidated stadium, and although has had improvements over the years it does need some more. Goodison Park is the home of a few first’s, it was the first to have a scoreboard in England, to have dugouts in… Read more »
2,012 Miles to Euro 2012: Part 1
the92.net regular Michael Moss relays back about his exploits at Euro 2012 “Once every two years a football lovers summer is saved by either the World Cup or the Euro’s. The wall charts are acquired, the panini sticker album with complimentary packs of stickers are discounted with vouchers from the Mirror. Bliss. No, I am not going to do the garden/fix that fence/cook dinner/iron, the Switzerland vs Ukraine game is on in ten. This summer was different. I was going east on a pilgrimage… not to Mecca, but to Poland and Ukraine for Euro 2012. The planning was more than… Read more »