WSC No 287, January 2011

Blackburn looks to the future

Contents

In today’s Premier League landscape, the manner in which Jack Walker bankrolled Blackburn’s success sounds almost quaint Match of the month Blackburn v Aston Villa p20

4 Editorial NoWorld Cup for England 6 News watch Why Fabio Capello is an easy scapegoat for the footballing failures of a nation 8 Sidelines Eric Cantona’s dubious legacy; supporters play each other; 40 years after the Ibrox disaster; WSC’s 2010 Web Awards 12 Shot! Highland action from “The Broch” 14 AFC Wimbledon avoid MK Relief in south London as a painful match is narrowly averted 15 Liverpool’s fan club A big name doesn’t guarantee success 16 FC United of Manchester The joy of a Cup run boosts membership figures and a bright future beckons 19 Referees’ strike A treacherous tale from the SPL 20 Match of the month India’s chicken magnates usher in a new era at Blackburn, as Jack Walker looks on 24 Shot! Archive A photographic record of the disappeared grounds of the 1990s

COLIN MCPHERSON

28 The magic of memorabilia How the bug can bite if you spend enough time with online emphemera 29 Losing the thread Why football kits are diminishing in appeal 30 Strange case of... Leon Knight, from Chelsea to Coleraine 31 Preaching to the converted Observing the religious overtones of the

Football League Show 32 Team GB takes on Europe How the UK came together in 1947 to win

6-1. But it won’t happen again 34 Euro view French transfer farce; Partizan fans retain pride in Belgrade; Ajax get aggravated 38 World view The Moonies team triumphs in east Asia;

San Jose Earthquakes bounce back in MLS 40 Reviews Tales of Johnny Giles; Scottish stramash;

Christian Roberts cleans up; Highbury’s 1970s hatchet man 42 Letters Dear WSC, I know I shouldn’t but... 46 Season in brief Division One 1914-15