WSC No 267, May 2009

Contents

The missing 96 have become embedded into the very identity of the club and its new generation of supporters Hillsborough anniversary p28

4 Editorial

England’s lack of strength in depth 6 News watch

Benítez and Ferguson’s spending; leisurewear wars in the boardroom 8 Shot!

The women’s FA Cup semi-finals 10 Sidelines

MOTD interruptions; technological touting; Stockport’s financial saga; disused football grounds online 15 Fan tragedy

Ivory Coast mourns the deaths of 19 spectators in a stadium disaster 16 Europe’s power games

Super League plans return; Barcelona’s amazing production line 18 Match of the month

West Brom’s fans put on a brave face as Bolton visit The Hawthorns 22 Losing the love

The sixth-tier of German football provides a grim day out 24 Shot archive

Internazionale celebrate Sixties success with a cartoon mouse

Official line p26

3.06pm April 15, 1989

GETTY IMAGES

COLOR SPORT

26 Men in black

Goalline officials experiments; refereeing’s PR problems 28 Hillsborough remembered

The day that will forever define Liverpool Football Club; the long-term impact of the tragedy on the sport 32 Continental concerns

Belgium’s linguistic schism; football takes a backseat in Kazakhstan; an Englishman in the USSR 36 As good as it got

Stoke City’s 1946-47 title push is derailed by Stanley Matthews’ departure 38 World view

Boca’s suspect goalscoring records; the keeper with a thirst for goals 40 Reviews

A Southampton stalwart; the story of the Islington Corinthians; the Footballers’ Battalion go to war; Swanny’s sad story 42 Letters

Dear WSC, have you ever noticed... 46 Season in brief

Derry City withdraw from the Irish League as the Troubles hit their peak in 1972-73