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EA/D to ENDA M AG AZIN E FOR FOOTBALL SUPPORTERS

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THE END OF THE TERRACES?

rrt:th e g o o d neu>s a n d th e b a d news - Sco*.!c.n.ri'3 W o r ld U n a ■-..■■lances • S ch o o ls F o o tb a l l *- S u p e r voor? c a r te rs -

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End to End Issue 3 - M a rch 1 990

E n d to E n d

E d i to r : M aureen R obinson, 40 South- sate, Fulwood. Preston.

P ro d u c t io n : S tephen Lamb,

D is t r ib u t io n : Gail A rm strong,

33 Carr M eadow . Bam her Bridge, Pres ­

ton PR5 8HR.

Contributions (unless libellous, sexist or racist) are welcom e; please send anyt­hing for inclusion in the next edition to

the Editor by 9th April 1990.

Subscription details and advertising rates are available from Gail Arm strong.

The views ex pressed in th is m agazine are not necessarily sh ared by the editor

or the N FF SC .

Editorial - The Taylor

Report

An initial reading o f the T aylor report proved disappointing after the political and media hype accom pany ing it. Compared with the catalogue o f horrific errors and hum an effects in the interim report, it is a m ore detailed technical and legal docum ent, a l though it contains many wry and hum orous com m ents on the game. (See G eorge H ollingw orth 's accom panying cartoons). The interim report highlights the mistakes made on the day at H illsborough, and em phasises the safety issues. The final report considers the wider context, including the effects o f hooliganism . U nfortun ­ately, this aspect appeared to attract more media attention than would have been justified if the interim and final reports had been read together.

M any aspects o f the report should be welcomed by supporters, particularly the accusations o f com placency, lack of vision and lack o f leadership made

against Football C lubs and the football authorities, their lack o f concern for safety and comfort, lack o f consultation with iheir customers and their preoccup­ation with anti-hooligan measures. Lord Justice T a y lo r ’s description o f the national game with an image tamished by poor facilities, m isbehaviour, and the dam aging effects on behaviour o f such m easures as segregation and fencing is one all supporters will recognize. They will also welcom e the general recom ­m endations to im prove facilities, inclu­ding those for d isabled fans, to give h igher priority to safety, to put an end to patching up and muddling through, and to increase consultation with sup­porters and their organisations.

“...N o-one w ould expect, o r indeed want, their p lush carpeting or haute cuisine when visiting the terraces...”

M any recom m endations are in line with the National Federa t ion ’s submission to the enquiry' sum m arised in the first issue o f “End to End"; for instance, those involving the improvement and standardisation o f safety through a tigh­tening-up o f the “G reen Code" and of the local process o f granting safety certificates under a system of national inspection and monitoring. Unfortun­ately, the final report significantly

End to End Issue 3 - March 1 990

Editorial

weakens the recommendations of the interim report about involving suppor­ters' organisations in the safety inspec­tion process. The initial recom m end­ation that the local advisory group should include representatives o f the football c lub and a recognized suppor­ters' club now reads that the group should merely consult them on a regular

basis.

There are many useful recom m end­ations on the control and monitoring of ground and pen capacities, gangways, crush barriers, turnstiles and fencing. Particularly pleasing are the recom­mendations for decreasing the “prison cam p” fencing at grounds, and for adequate staffed gates for emergency exit onto the pitch. There are also sensible ideas about a clearer allocation o f responsibilities between stewards and police, better training for stewards, and more realistic police charges to clubs to encourage them to make greater use of stewards. Im proved communication and planning, basic medical facilities, cle­arer signposting and better information on tickets are also seen as contributing to im proved safety.

In line with the Federation’s views and those of other supporters’ organisations the report clearly rejects the ID Card scheme, once so firmly defended by the governm ent and now hastily shelved, and mourned only by computer firms such as ADT, the security company which until the report appeared was preparing to invest £500,000 in several million “cheque books” with photo identification to be issued to supporters. Lord Justice Taylor accepts all the practical argum ents which had pre­viously failed to change the govern­m e n t’s mind, particularly the arguments

which became so persuasive after Hills­borough, about the effect on safety. Reading between the lines the inquiry unfortunately seems to have been per­suaded more by the doubts of the Association of Chief Police Officers than by the fears of supporters.

“Critics say the (ID Card) schem e proposes a sledgeham m er to crack a nut; a sledgeham m er which may not swing a t all, and i f it does, m ay not swing safely or even reach the nut..”

The report considers a range of ways of combatting hooliganism. Fortunately the “Luton approach” is not seen as wor­kable throughout the Football League; the Leeds “Away Membership” scheme is however seen as worth considering. A range of tactics is recommended as an alternative strategy, including the deve­lopment of police intelligence, new, specific offences such as missile throwing, obscene and racist chanting, and pitch invasion, the use o f exclusion and attendance orders for offenders, and on a more worrying note, the consider­ation of electronic tagging. While relax­ation of alcohol restrictions is seen as premature, the inquiry recommends the consideration o f early kick-offs and

End to End Issue 3 - M arch 1990

Editorial

Sunday games. H ow ever it does not include the Federa tion’s view that sup­porters should be consulted about such ch anges .T ay lo r a rgues that caution should be exercised before deciding to

M X' *

“The m ore fa n a tica l supporters an d th e hoo ligan s w ou ld be unlikely to stay hom e a n d p la y patience..."

m ake gam es “all-ticket", but that once a decision has been m ade, it should be strictly enforced. There is also a w el­com e recom m endation that a way should be found to m ake ticket touting a legal offence.

While there are m any other sensible suggestions in the report, for exam ple asking for players and managers to set a better exam ple and for police to es tab ­lish better relations with fans, it does leave out som e im portant aspects. There is no reference to the need for national police guidelines on the rights and duties o f away supporters. There is also a failure to recognize the role o f the P F A ’s C om m unity P rogram m e in im p­

roving relations between clubs and their present and future customers.

The m ost controversial aspect o f the report is its recom mendation of the phased introduction of all-seater stadia, w hich is argued to be the best way of im proving both safety and behaviour. The attem pt to balance these conflicting objectives has perhaps led the inquiry to a simplistic solution which particularly fails to take into account the problems o f sm aller clubs, even those in higher divisions, like First Division W im ble ­don, with only 2,000 seats in its present 15,000+ capacity (likely to be reduced to 9,700 with all seating), and Second D ivision Barnsley with just over 2,000 seats and a capacity o f over 30,000 to be reduced to 21,000 with all seating. T here are no clear financial answers to the prob lem s involved in the building of covered seating accom modation and of reduced capacity. W hile there is some a ttem pt to put forward changes in the tax system, there is a failure to unders­tand the circulating system involved in

“N o -o n e cou ld expect that verbal exchan ges on the terraces w ould be as po lite as those a t a vic­arage tea p a r ty .. .”

End to End

Editorial

transfer fees, a failure clearly shared by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has the power to show more understan­ding by a simple extension to the Finance Act (1989), which already allows expenditure incurred by football clubs in connection with the issuing of safety certificates to be offset against tax.

The report shows an understanding of the reluctance o f local authorities to get financially involved without the possibi­lity o f multi-sport community use, and a clear message to local authorities to be more cooperative in the granting of planning permission for new stadia.

The proposed Advisor)' Design Council will hopefully lead to improved stan­dards of comfort and safety; for many supporters, particularly o f smaller clubs, the report’s picture o f crowded, uncom ­fortable terraces compared with safe, comfortable .stands is far from their present experience. Many are used to a room y terrace where they can choose their “spot" away from crowded areas, away from their more offensive fellows, with a reasonable view (within the constraints o f fencing and policem an’s heads). By comparison stands often have inadequate leg-room for anyone over 5 feet tall, and offer a poor view because o f constant interruptions from other fans entering and leaving without

proper control by stewards. The report’s implication that the atmosphere and tradition of the terrace depend on its being overcrowded is also incorrect. Even on uncrowded terraces supporters feel a sense of attachment and even ownership about “ their spot”. There is a failure to understand the importance of

Issue 3 - M arch 1990

“Such entertainment as has been tried has mostly fa iled to appeal to the spectators. They do not seem drawn by the m usical offerings of the disc jockey or by m arching bands...”

such choice and the cultural attachment associated with it. Such feelings will also underly supporters’ reponses to new stadia, how ever safe and comfor­table they may appear to outsiders. Cultural change cannot be imposed on people, and British supporters may find unacceptable the sanitised concept of sport which enables a different approach to succeeed in America. As the inquiry recognizes. British fans have already shown their resistance to attempts to in troduce A m erican-sty le prem atch entertainment. They may also find it difficult to accept the idea o f sitting in comparative luxury, watching poor foot­ball because clubs are unable to buy any good players. More than anything, they would like to retain their right to choose w hether to sit or stand.

Why not let us have your views on the Taylor report for the next issue of E n d to E nd?

End to End

Ashton Gate, BristolIssue 3 - M a r c h 1 9 9 0

Gate A

Gate B

Spot the emergency exit. A nsw er on inside back page

End lo End Issue 3 • March 1990

Supporters rally roundAlan Riby of Hull City Supporters' Club tells how Hull was saved from bankruptcy

Supporters’ clubs play a very important part in football. For many years they have been involved in raising money for their parent clubs, organising travel to away matches and functions where supporters can relax, discuss the game and m eet players. Players, managers and coaches come and go, but supporters stay loyal, supporting their team year after year.

In February 1982 Hull City FC w'as in deep financial trouble, and w ent into

receivership. A weekly loss of £9,000 was revealed,with a staggering overall debt o f £700,000. A Survival Fund was launched by the Supporters’ Club, which made an initial donation o f £500. Supporters responded magnificently to the urgent need for money.

At the time Hull City was in the Fourth Division. At their first home game after going into receivership attendance doubled over that at the previous game. Regular passholders paid through the

A bcne: Hull su p p o r te r s to the rescue!

End to End issue 3 - M a rch 1990

turnstiles to help the club. Supporte rs’ Club m em bers rattled collection boxes at the game, and the fan s’ generosity was unbelievable. Begging letters were sent to local in d u s tr ie s , sp o r tin g organisations, pubs and clubs. The res­ponse was excellent, there were offers of money and prizes to raffle. It was clear that the people o f Hull w anted a professional football club as an adverti­sement for the area. Artists also offered their services free at the many social functions also organised by the Suppor­te rs’ Club.

In conjunction with the football club they also organised a sponsored w alk across the H um ber bridge. 250 walkers between the ages o f 10 and 60 took part. All -helped to swell the coffers of the “Save the T igers F und” , raising a total o f £12,000 from the walk.

Hull City FC survived the crisis. Results started to im prove, but there w'as still little money to strengthen the team. A defender was needed badly, and the club was interested in a form er player,

Peter Skipper. Peter was now a first team regular at Darlington. Darlington were askng £10,000 for the H ull-bom player, which was beyond H u ll’s means. The Supporters’ Club came to the rescue, donating £9,000 tow ards the transfer fee from the money raised by the Hull public.

The money proved to be an excellent investment. Hull City went on to reach Divis ion Tw;o by 1985. Peter Skipper p layed a major part in this success. P e te r was popular with the Hull fans. He never forgot the part they played in bringing him back to Hull, attending Supporte rs’ Club functions regularly. A fter every game, win or lose, he was alw ays one o f the first players to acknow ledge the supporters. This was always appreciated by the fans in turn. Pete r w ent on to make over 300 appearances for the club.

The moral o f this story? It is worth asking - where would Hull City be today, without the dedication o f their supporters?

Wolves Supporters Take to the Skies

.Around 900 W olves fans took o ff from B irm ingham airport for their N ew Y ea r’s Day game against N ewcastle, in a convoy w hich they hope will qualify for the “Guiness B ook o f R ecords” as the largest ever air trip for a league game. The trip w:as organised by W olves Official Supporte rs’ C lub and the Hatherton W olves organisation. M uch planning and organising w as carried out by Supporters’s Club Chairman Albert Bates and his wife, Muriel. A lbert reported that the trip originated with a casual enquiry from a m em ber about the possibility o f flying to Newcastle instead o f spending 11 hours on a coach. There followed a complicated process of making enquiries, finding airlines willing to deal with football supporters, negotiating prices through various air brokers, and finally booking planes, along with coaches to transport fans at either end o f the journey. There were several setbacks, firstly when a way had to be found to avoid having to obtain a costly “A ir Travel O rganiser’s” licence, and then when airport taxes led to an increase in price to £73

End to End Issue 3 - March 1990

per head. However, the enthusiastic supporters were willing to pay the price, and the six planes booked through Monarch Airlines, together with one booked by the Hatherton G roup and one by a Wolves director for his family finally left for the 45 minute journey filled with a festive group o f men, women and children, many in fancy dress, accom panied by large numbers o f television, radio and newspaper journalists. The Wolves fans, who enjoyed both the trip and the 4-1 victoiy over Newcastle, were praised by Newcastle Police for their good behaviour, which was described as “a credit to W olves”. The Supporters’ Club hope to produce a book about their experience. It will be good to hear more about this story, which shows the enthusiasm and dedication o f supporters about which we hear so little. Well done. Wolves!

B elow - W olves supporters celebrate the new year in style.

End to End Issue 3 - M a rch 1 990

The National Federation of Football Supporters' Clubs

Newsletter

Federation & the Taylor Report

The following is an immediate and interim response to the Report from Federation D eputy Chairm an M o n ica H artland , and will be subject to discus­sion within Federation at National, D ivisional and C lub level.

B ro a d A greem entFederation is broadly in agreem ent with the excellent report o f Lord Justice Taylor and is satisfied that all o f its input has been carefully considered and much o f it acted upon. The preference for a new centre back rather than a roo f overhead suggests that logic doesn 't always com m end itself to a sizeable majority o f supporters and that we need to be saved from ourselves. This, toget­her with the blatant self-interest o f too many o f the g a m e ’s administrators, evidenced the need for someone with objectivity and vision. Lord Justice Taylor was such a person.

R eserva tio n s A bou t AU-Seat e r S ta d ia

O ur m ajor reservation, the conversion to all-seater stadia, will be accepted in the spirit o f com prom ise which must be forthcoming from all involved within the game if it is to survive, let alone prosper. Unfortunately, FIFA directives take no account o f o ther factors and we in Federation are greatly concerned by the prospective exclusion, on financial g rounds , o f those underp r iv i leged

youngsters to w hom the game is everyt­hing. The H om e Secre tary’s aspirations for soccer as all-family entertainment of S uperbow l d im ensions, conveniently ignore the fact that American Football is what A ssociation Football must never a ttempt to be - elitist.

H o p e f o r th e F utureThe R eport has clearly shown the way in which football should be travelling and supporteres can anticipate a more e n jo y a b le jo u rn ey . H opefu lly , the tragedy w hich prom pted it, together with the various excesses which fired the P .M .’s m isguided wish for an I.D. card schem e, will be seen , in retros­pect, to have rescued our national game from the blight o f which Lord Justice T aylor so eloquently speaks.

R ole o f S u p p o rte rs Clubs

Federation has long intended to question all relevant football clubs on the d is­bandm ent o r denial o f a supporters’ club. H aving every reason to 'b e l ie v e that an honest response would not be forthcom ing from those for w hom the questionnaire would be m ost pertinent, it has, until now, been held in abeyance. With the R ep o r t’s assumption (page 79/41 & page 26/152) o f the existence of ‘a recognised supporters’ c lub ’, it will be resurrected - even though a m ixture o f feedback and cynicism points to Football club autocracy. As grounds convert to all-seater status, with the attendant increased cost for the

End to End Federa t ion N ew sletter Issue 3 • March 1990

customer, upgraded facilities will be an expected part o f the deal. A supporters’ club where members can eat and drink in a civilised environment on match days, is an obvious answer. Addi­tionally, it would be used for social events, including the entertaining of opposition fans. Federation has long regretted that hospitality by a few such clubs is presently unable to be reciproc­ated by most. W e in Federation believe that supporter togetherness need not remain a distant memory. Most clubs now have executive boxes and lounges for sponsors and those who join an exclusive ‘300’ club. They also have a p layers’ lounge and a suite and/or restaurant for the more wealthy. A s some are considering a creche, the one missing link is a venue for the terrace fan, increasingly a member o f the c lub ’s voluntary membership scheme. The via ­bility o f such a venture is, however, dependent on the availability o f alcohol on the premises.

M ore U niform ity N eededThis socially and financially divisive difference between league football clubs appertains ' because o f varying police policies. While some chief constables use discretion to great advantage, not least in the betterment o f public rel­ations, others possess an intransigence o f prime ministerial proportions. H ope­fully, the Football Licensing Authority may consider as part o f its remit the hauling into line o f those local authori­ties with unyielding police dictats with those more moderately policed, as p 26 para 154 indicates.

G oodbye to ID C ardsO ur members are relieved at the shel­ving o f the ID card scheme and the resultant transferring o f the onus to where it belongs - the game itself.

G oodbye to Touts an d

H ooligansTicket touting has long been contentious and we back the proposed policy, too, as we support the call for new offences on anti-social behaviour within grounds. For several years, we have suggested that pitch invasions should be made illegal, only to be advised that this was not feasible. Lord Justice Taylor was more open to our representations which centred not only around safety but on celebratoiy occasions marred by the selfishness o f those whose impulse behaviour preclude the appearance of team or trophy. Thus did we advocate that there should be no concession to those who run onto the pitch out of sheer exuberance; for fine is the line between merriment and menace.

G oodbye to Fences?Although disappointed that the complete removal o f fences is not advocated, we feel that this should prove to be the natural consequence o f the above.

N eed f o r R epresen ta tionIt is essential that supporters are repre­sented on the Football Licensing Aut­hority and the Advisoiy Design Council and Federation will be asking for just such a voice.

A N ew S p irit

Finally, in the short time since its publication, the Report has miraculously softened attitudes in the most unexpec­ted quarters. Federation hopes that this new spirit o f co-operation will continue and that, having accepted that all interested bodies must hold some res­ponsibility for the present state o f the game, we can work together for its betterment.

•End to End F ed e ra t io n N ew s le t te r Issue 3 - M arch 1990

Supporters Clubs and we must enlist these in Federation. The-Report surely provides an ideal opportunity for us to expand. I hope that members will continue to visit other d u b s and discuss Federation’s efforts on their behalf. Perhaps each D ivisi on should have an officer with the specific job o f increa­sing membership.

M ini C onferencesMini conferences have been worthwhile and have made a great difference to communication within the Federation. The last one, held at Wolverhampton in December mainly focussed on the appointment o f a full time General Secretary. The next, at Maine Road, Manchester at the end o f February will no doubt concentrate on the Taylor Report.

Northern Division NewsThe guest speaker at a D ivisional meeting, attended by representatives o f 16 clubs, held at Halifax on February 11th, was Jim Brow*ning, Chairman of Halifax Town FC. Mr Browning spoke about the clubs relationship with Cal- derdale Council, about improving facili­ties for supporters and about the Taylor Report. There was general agreement at the meeting that the imposition of all-seater stadia should be opposed. The Northern D ivision has recently w elco ­med Barnsley, Oldham, Droylsden an,d Colne Dynam oes into membership. Cur­rently the D ivisional committee is busy organising the traditional weekend in Blackpool for the A G M in May and its 7-a-side competition also to be held in May in Huddersfield.

To a ll divisional secre taries ■ Why not let us hare som e new s and views from your areas fo r the next N ewsletter?

Annual Conference 1990This year's Annual Conference will be held at Llangollen 1st - 3rd June, 1990. The Conference will be held at the Ectarc Centre. Llangollen on June 2nd. The weekend will be based on the Bryn Howell and Royal Hotels. Bookings for hotel accommodation must be made by April 1st. The annual dinner will be held on the Friday evening and enter­tainment has been organised for Friday and Saturday evenings, as well as a Sunday morning tour including a visit to Powys Castle. There will also be an excursion to Shrewsbury on Saturday for those not attending conference. Please make sure you return your bookings in good time to: M r C Clark, 4 L yndale G rove, W rexham , Clwyd. The W elsh division are raising funds for the con feren ce through a Grand National draw. B ooks o f tickets are availab le from : M r P D u n n in g , L am orna, S tan age L ane, C hurton , Chester.

Junior 5-a-side Competition(Sponsored by C oca-C ola). The finals will be held over the weekend o f May 19th & 20th 1990. The finals w ill be played at the Andover Leisure centre on May 20th. Participants will be accom­modated at the Hilton Hotel in Basings­toke. The finals will .be organised as usual by Carroll Clark but it is intended that D ivisions will organise their own Divisional heats. Alternatively, D ivi­sions may decide not to hold heats but to allow clubs to enter the finals directly. In this case, clubs will be limited to 2 teams for each age group (under 10, under 12 , under 14 or under 16). Where Divisional heats are held, the winning team and runners up in each group will qualify for the finals.

End to End F ed era t ion N ew sletter Issue 3 - March 199i

F inancing th e F utureThe major headache with regard to the implementation o f the Report’s recom­mendations, is its financial cost. Perhaps this will lead to second thoughts on the distribution o f television money? The few clubs singled out for viewing owe much to the impoverished nurseries in the lower divisions. Moreover, to attain ‘Super Club’ status even when languis­hing near the bottom o f the premier division, ow es nothing to performance and everything to inequitable financial favours. Nor would a reduction in transfer fees be a bad thing. The Prime Minister is not alone in her feelings on the, subject, even if she has a negligible grasp o f its workings. Although much o f the money does indeed circulate throughout the game, it cannot truth­fully be said that all o f it does. Far too much is earmarked for the ‘peripheries’ o f any transfer deal. Why not an end to signing-on fees; an end to other obscene financial demands, too, some o f which have been published by aggrieved clubs - o f which two match day air tickets for father must take the biscuit! A bove all, there must be an end to the feathering o f every agent’s nest, the prime reason why transfer requests are as frequent as they are outrageous. In the spirit of compromise, this could legitimately be the P.F .A ’s contribution, for the spin­offs would be immense.

The Rothmans F ootball Quiz is still in progress, with the third round o f the main competition and the second round o f the Reg A bbott Consolation trophy nearing completion. D ivisional heats fo r the Rothmans Individual Football M as­termind w ill a lso be arranged soon, to find repesentatives, fo r the National Final a t Llangollen in June. A fu ll report w ill be included in the next issue.

Federation In ActionReport from Monica Hartland

England W orld Cup ArrangementsAnother meeting has been held at Lancaster Gate to discuss arrangements. It is accepted that those determined to cause trouble will find their own way to Italy and find tickets from devious sources: w e are pushing for them to be arrested and, if convicted, banned from football in this country, and for them to be treated according to part two o f the Football Spectators Act. However, we hope to minimise trouble through the F A ’s contacting any unofficial travel groups. If you have any information about the sale o f tickets especially as prizes by agents, touts etc. please let me know. Supporters are hoping to staff an information point in Italy to help fens with information about hotels, camp sites, match arrangements and entertain­ment between games, such as watching England training sessions, films, 5- a-side games etc. TTie Federation is keen to be involved. Please let m e have the names o f anyone you know who will be in Italy, especially o f any who would be willing to help on the stall.

The T aylor R ep o rtI was present at the Home Secretaiy’s statement in the Commons, at the questions which followed and at the evening debate on the following day. I hope that the new spirit o f compromise and a willingness on the part o f some of the games administrators to admit to their fallibility will lead to co-operation between all the interested parties rather than the confrontation or indifference of the past decades. Hopefully more Foot­ball Clubs may be willing to encourage

End to End Fed era t ion N e w s le t te r Issue 3 - M a rch 1 990

Jack LambertA tribute from Federation President Archie GoochThis decade com m enced with the sad new s that our friend and colleague, Jack Lambert, had died just before h is 92nd birthday, on 16th D ecem ber 1989. A great sportsman, family man, a loving husband, and a wonderful colleague; he w ill long be remembered.

J a c k ’s one regret was that disability due to serious injury in World W ar One shortened his professional life in both sport and music. It was not know n by many that he was an accom plished musician; indeed he had written a p rayer on his fa ther’s death, which was read at his own funeral service.

A W orcester m an, Jack took an active part in sport. A t the age o f 9 he was captain o f his school, St M artin ’s, at both cricket and football. Putting his age on two years, he served through the 1914-18 war w'ith the W orcester R eg i­ment. Gassed and wounded, he was invalided from the army. A fter 18 m o n th s in hosp ita l he re c o v e re d enough to join Plym outh Argyle, on the invitation o f m anager B ob Jack, and went on to play for Leicester, Derby and Torquay.

The job which had given him m ost pride and satisfaction was helping to maintain and foster Dorchester Football C lub and the supporters’ club. He was the m anager for the first three years o f their professional status, and was look­ing forward to the opening o f their brand new stadium in the new year. The club is hoping to m ark Jack 's involve­m ent on the opening, and I know his daughter June hopes that some Feder-

J a ck L am bert, 1898-1989, pictured (ab ove right) with A rchie G ooch and M on ica H artland at the 1980 N ational C onference at Cobham .

ation M em bers will attend as a m ark of respect to her father’s m emory.

I m e t Jack in 1951, and we becam e good friends and colleagues. He dedic­ated the best part o f his adult life to the N FF S C . H is great w isdom and support was alw ays at our disposal. He was aw arded the silver medal, for outs tan­ding service to the supporters’ m ove­m ent, at the jubilee celebrations in L ondon in 1977. His organising talents and dedication were recognised by the Federation , and since 1951 he represen­ted the South-W est on the executive, chaired the rules committee, and edited the newsletter. He was elected the Senior Life Vice-President, a post he held with distinction.

W e send his family our condolences, and with them our thanks for the life of Jack Lambert, who served with distinc­tion, and is remembered for his outs tan­ding contribution to our organisation.

End to End Issue 3 - M arch 1 990

Just a kid’s game?David Willacy,Council member of the English Schools' FA, encourages football lovers to watch the juniorgame.

“Schools’ football isn 't what it w as,” said the critic. I cou ldn’t agree more. Just like professional football it is quicker, more competitive and more thoroughly coached than ever before. W h a t’s more, English schoolboy foot­ball is still the best in the world. In the summer, TV viewers are treated to a live match on ITV, (this year it is the game against Holland on June 2nd), but real football fans should take their viewing more seriously and see the best o f schoolboy football locally. The chances are it is happening on your own league ground.

The U nder-15 selection procedure is well under way at the start o f each season, when the best County players are selected for a divisional trial. 15 sides play a series o f matches to help the selectors choose boys for the selec­tion weekends at Lilleshall. My D ivi­sion (Division K) is typical. It includes three counties. Hertfordshire, Bedfords­hire and Buckinghamshire. The team played three trial matches; two home games at Vicarage Road. Watford and Kenilworth Road, Luton, and an away match at the Abbey Stadium, C am b­ridge.

A ll th is e f fo r t h a s r e s u l t e d in an

E n g l a n d t e a m w h i c h wil l p l a y e i g h t

f i x tu r e s ; t w o at W e m b l e y , t w o in G e r ­

m a n y ( in B e rl in a n d M u n i c h ) , o n e in

Italy, one in Scotland and two on English League grounds. The last two are in the Victory Shield competition. One will be at Bramhall Lane, Sheffield on February 26th (KO 7.15 pm), the other will be against Wales at Filbert Street, Leicester on March 31st (KO 3.00 pm). Sandwiched between these two will be a match against France at Wembley on March 10th.

Coming next at your local ground will be the later rounds o f the ESFA Trophy, the ‘FA C up’ o f schoolboy football. From an initial 240 town teams, they are down to the last 8. O f the big names Liverpool, Sheffield, Manchester or Sunderland and Southampton or Ips­wich are still in and have the luck of home draws. Some replays are necess­ary. Manchester were beating Sunder­land 2-0, but our visitors earned a Roker Park replay with late goals, one by Martin Smith, (this yea r’s England centre-forward), and the second by Stephen Pitt, (son o f Ritchie, a member o f Sunderland’s FA Cup-winning side).

It w on’t surprise anyone to hear that since the cup was first introduced in 1904, Manchester and Liverpool have each won the magnificent trophy seven times. However, they haven’t always had it their own way. Last year’s beaten finalists Salford disposed o f Liverpool

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in the 5th round. Little St Helens beat M anchester 3-2 in Round 6. St Helens, who rarely win a match in the com peti­tion, beat mighty Sunderland 4-1 in the semi-final. They then lost 1-2 at home in the first leg o f the final to Salford. Then the impossible happened. W ith the main stand at Old Trafford packed w’ith Salford supporters anticipating a com ­

fortable win, St H elens won 2-0. The C hairm an, Sid Green, could hardly believe that he was presenting the trophy to a team from his home town.

W hy not catch up with the exploits of your schoolboy representative team? I guarantee that y ou 'l l get your m oney’s

worth.

Toilets AbroadLord Justice Taylor has criticised facilities at British

football grounds. Ian Colley asks if things are any

more comfortable on the continent.

I f

H ow do our grounds facilities com pare with those in Europe? In my limited experience , W est G erm an O berliga W estfalen (regional third division) SPV M A R L -H U L S ’s Jahn stadium boasts absolutely superb facilities, better than most in the English first division, but apart from the real “prim itives” .such as the “Black H o le '’ hew n out o f the concrete, and single “PortaL oo” on the away end at Oxford, maybe generally in comparison things a ren ’t that bad.

Visits to First Division grounds in Belgium have revealed facilities which are put to shame by many o f our lower division and even non-league clubs! The best thing that can be said about the Bosuil (Royal A ntw erp) S tad ium ’s toilet facilities is that they are segregated. A misguided venture towards a small alcove in a concrete turret suggested it had been designed for female use only. The m e n ’s toilet accom m odation was unique in that it was easier to discover from outside, than once inside the

stadium. C lear glass w indows enabled anybody over 4 ’6 ” tall to peer into it from outside the ground, but once inside the stadium it could only be re-disco­vered by traversing a labyrinth o f dark, unm arked gangw ays. Most patrons see­m ed perfectly content to use the dar­kened gangw ays, rather than the far b righter designated area! The Bosuil S tad ium , constructed for the 1920 O lym pic G ames, is crumbling and decaying, and w hat more appropriate way would there be to celebrate its 70th birthday, than for it to be assigned as the venue for the 1990 European Cup Final! W ho said the re ’s no room for sentim ent in football? Come on UEFA, y o u ’ve done it before!

D espite the G ulden Sporen Stadium, Kortrijk (Courtrai) being a neat looking ground, it offers for the relief of the patrons o f two stands a single, com­m unal/unisex half-open “bus shelter” contraption, with standing accom m od­ation for up to about eight people in the

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middle, and a cubicle situated at either end. Whilst it may be regarded by some as being refreshingly “bright and air)''’, it does nothing to preserve the modesty o f the performing male, or reduce embarrassment for all parties concerned. An ideal stage for the likes of certain Arsenal and W imbledon players, who have gained publicity exposing them­selves in recent years! Incidentally, whilst on the subject of exposure, two o f Royal K ortrijk’s match balls last season were sponsored by a local night club, specialising in what the prog­ram me described as “sexy cabaret”. One can only speculate as to w'hat the “man o f the m atch” award might have been!

After our tour o f the cess-pools of Europe, perhaps I can add a few words about football in Belgium. The league is sponsored by Ladbrokes. The clubs (or at least those in the Flemish-speaking areas) are friendly and helpful. Crowds are generally also friendly, and smaller, but are equally enthusiastic, and they nearly all speak some English, w'hich has made visits there more enjoyable. How else w'ould I have know'n that the Yugoslavian left-sided midfield player for Kortrijk, D am ir Desnica, is both deaf and dumb, but for an English- speaking season ticket holder seated alongside me? Just how well they speak English can be judged, when a cry of “You needs spectacles, M r Syme!” was raised by a local, upset by the Scottish referee’s decision, during a recent F.C. Brugge v Rapid Vienna U EFA Cup tie! Fans o f Royal A n tw erp 's rendition of “W e love you Antwerp, we do” in a sort o f cockney dialect, leave the lis­tener in very little doubt as to where they learned it from, but sadly, as regards the younger element, it is not all they have learnt from the English game!

Terrace crush "not dangerousf' say Police

Leeds United Supporters’ Club chief, Eric Carlile, challenged police claims that the visitors’ enclosure at Middlesb­rough (Saturday 9th December) ’’...was not dangerously overcrowded,” Nine­teen Leeds supporters needed treatment when a crush developed on the south­east terracing, and the match was held up for fifteen minutes. Eric said, “The capacity was set for a reason, and it was exceeded. It was ridiculous for the police to put additional Leeds fans into that section. Having decided to put the fans in there they should have escorted them to the back, where there wras more room than at the front where the crush took place.” M r Carlile said the events at Ayresome Park would be thoroughly discussed at the next executive meeting o f the Supporters’ Club. C hief Superin­tendent Terry Tasker, o f Cleveland Police said, “W e are satisified that arrangements were satisfactory accor­ding to the requirements following Lord Justice Taylor’s (interim) report after Hillsborough.”

...Funny old game...In the HFS Loans League, second round cup tie between Gains­borough and Caernarfon Town in January, Gainsborough scored an own goal within 10 seconds o f the kick-off, without a single opposi­tion player having touched the ball. Is this a record?

(By the way, Gainsborough did go on to win the tie 2-1.)

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Supporters’ Club P rofileManchester United (Chester and North Wales) ----------------

During the 1966/67 season seven M an c ­hester United supporters w ho had been travelling individually to m atches at O ld Trafford met to fonm a club to organise travel from the area for o ther U nited supporters. In a very short time 200 members had jo ined. Since then the club has continued to grow, at one point reaching 1.000 m em bers , before d ivi­ding into two, sm aller clubs. T hese have now joined together again, to form a club o f 550 m em bers from such places as Rhyl, O swestry, W rexham , Chester, Ellesmere Port and Deeside. T hey regu ­larly take six coaches to hom e games, and one or two to away matches. W hen the club was set up there was no supporters’ club at Old Trafford; since then a supporters’ club has been and gone, but the N orth W ales group has kept its independence. They have, however, a good relationship with the Football Club, its directors, m an ag e ­ment, players and administration. They take part in events organised by the Football C lub ’s m em bersh ip depart­ment. They also organise the ir own social events at Old Trafford, including quizzes, an annual d inner-dance and a Player o f the Y ear presentation. The present manager has a very positive attitude towards supporters, and insists on players attending functions.

The c lub’s main function is to arrange match tickets and travel for m embers. Chairman Eddie M ansell, who was a founder m em ber o f the club is respon ­sible for travel arrangements. Bookings

are made either by post or on the coach, they have no trouble from their passen­gers, who have clearly got the message that misbehaviour will not be tolerated. A com m ittee m em ber stewards each coach. They have not witnessed much trouble at Old Trafford, or at away grounds. They felt that there is good police organisation at Old Trafford, although they recognise that this may som etim es restrict away fans’ freedom. Eddie, w ho rem em bers the bad old days o f behaviour which made the present police tactics necessary, feels that it is better to be safe than to have the choice o f w andering around the ground. Club m em bers are full o f praise for Old Trafford. W hile there is fencing, gates have been kept open since Hills­borough. Admission prices are low com pared with many First Division grounds, with £6.50 the m axim um seat price and £3.80 charged for standing. At W im bledon, in contrast, seats are over £10, and it costs over £6 to stand at M illwall. Their main concern about the proposal for all-seater stadia is the increased admission costs. Lack of choice is also a problem, although this a lready exists; for example away sup­porters cannot stand at Liverpool o r sit at Chelsea. They are also concerned about the effects o f reduced capacity at grounds like Old Trafford. at the finan­cial problems likely to face smaller clubs, the possible need to move sites and the problems o f getting planning pennission . They also stress the need for better layouts o f stands.

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E ddie M ansell, N ig e l Appleton, P h il Williams and Wayne Iball - fo u r o f the hard-w orking M an ch ester United (Chester & N orth Wales) committee.

The club is run by a committee o f fifteen representing each o f the areas covered by the club. They come from a varied age range, and include three women. The club’s m em bership also varies in age, from 0 to over 80. The club appears to act as a marriage agency. M em bers meet on coaches, get married, and have children who are then immediately enrolled as members in turn. Many members have a family tradition o f support for United, which explains their distant loyalty.

The club does not act as a fund-raising organisation; the Football Club prefers their support through the tumstilest. The annual membership fee is £2, which covers administrative costs. A way travel charges are kept to a minimum, but any profits are used to benefit members, for example through subsidising social events.

M em bers o f the club are active in the National Federation. Eddie Mansell is chairman o f the W elsh Division, which is currently organising this vear’s national conference at Llangollen. The Welsh Division is sm a llfso the work Vails on a few shoulders. The club takes an active part in the Rothmans Quiz, which it sees as a good way o f meeting other supporters. They feel that, compared with smaller clubs, they don’t have many other opportunities. Long standing members like Eddie regret that opposing fans can no longer meet before and during games.

M em bers o f the club feel that the Federation should play a more prominent role and that the appointment o f a full-time General Secretary should give it a higher profile However, they recognise that it is sometimes difficult for Federation “off icers to respond quickly on issues because o f the need to consult member clubs, and the need to present a “respectable" face.

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I met members o f the club during their victory over Preston North End in the Reg Abbott Football Quiz. The gam e was played in a friendly spirit which did credit to the competition at the Halfway House, Connahs Quay, overlooking the sloping pitch o f Connahs Quay Nomads FC and with a gale blowing round the cooling towers across the road. After the match I asked members about the present plight o f Manchester. United; as always in football, opinion was divided. Eddie M ansell was optimistic, blaming present problems on an injury crisis and seeing hope for the future in an excel­lent youth policy which had already produced the likes o f Mark Hughes. Treasurer N igel Appleton was more critical o f the way the team was

managed, though there was agreement about A lex Ferguson’s good attitude to supporters. Both Eddie and N ig e r felt the fans were entitled to feel frustrated, although they agreed away supporters tended to be more supportive. TTiey felt the past glory o f United could be a burden, with fans feeling they had a ‘divine right’ to be successful. There was also pressure from the media, although the M anchester Evening News was positive. They felt that United was still the best club in the country, with a constant and loyal support that other clubs might envy. Whatever the dif­ference o f opinion about the team ’s performance and prospects there is clearly agreement about the club and its

future.

International SceneThe following article is reprinted with permission from the Hearts Supporter, an excellent and informative publication produced by the Federation of Hearts

Supported Clubs. ______

What do the follow ing countries have in comm on? Denmark, France, East Ger­many, Poland, Portugal, Hungary? W ell yes, they’ve all had pretty useful foot­ball teams at one time or another, but the answer that should please Andy Roxburgh and help him defy the critics is that all the aforementioned countries have failed to qualify for this year’s World Cup Finals. Despite all the criticism that abounds it is an achieve­ment that the Scots have qualified for Italy, especially when one takes into

account the limited “raw material” with which Messrs. Roxburgh and Brown have had to work. Over the entire qualifying campaign (and not just the last few internationals) they have pro­ven them selves to be worthy o f a place amongst the 23 other nations who will line up for the major prize in football.

I ’m sure that no-one these days really believes that the Scots are potential world-beaters and, in fact, mere quali­fication from our phase one group in

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Italy is realistically beyond our dreams. The weight o f the entire nation’s hopes no longer lie squarely on the shoulders o f our national football team - at least, not since those crazy days o f 1978 and A lly McLeod. While further involve­ment beyond the first fortnight would be a terrific boost to our status in world terms, we should (and the level-headed fan does) believe that we have achieved our World Cup goal - simply >by being there,

Having said all that, it is essential that we put up a good show and do ourselves justice; Andy Roxburgh should be carefully scrutinising his current squad and those on the fringes to see what changes can be made for the more demanding tasks o f playing in the heat o f Italy against potentiajly superior opposition. The men who hel­ped us achieve qualification are not necessarily those who should be entrus­ted with the dark blue jerseys come next June.

In goals, Jim Leighton hardly, inspires confidence these days. A shaky display against Cyprus was followed up by a less than commanding performance in Yugoslavia where he blundered badly at the first vital goal and thus opened the floodgates. Thereafter, in his next Scot­land match against France he once more conceded the opening goal in none- too-clever circumstances, and his latest performance saw him beaten in the closing seconds by a thirty-five yard shot which he missed completely. If a ‘keeper was to reproduce this form in four club games he would, quite rightly, expect to be dropped and, no matter what Alex Ferguson says, Leighton has lost confidence in him self and someone else should be given a chance.

Issue 3 - March 1990

In the middle o f the defence the Aberdeen duo o f McLeish and Miller are solid, dependable and consistent - but they aren’t cool, quick, comfortable on the ball and capable o f beginning our attacks and that is what will be required next summer. They have both done their bit for Scotland in the past but the time has now come for them to move over. The ideal pairing to replace them should be our own Dave McPherson and Liverpool’s Gary Gillespie - both of whom are cultured defenders with more than a touch o f creativity. (Let’s not rule out Craig Levein, however who, if he continues to improve as rapidly as he has done to date, should be in line for a

■ spot in the final! 22). Big Dave played his part against Norway, albeit in a position not entirely familiar to him, being in direct opposition to Jan-age Fjortoft, a dangerous player i f ever there was one. On more than one occasion the Hearts man was too eager to play the ball and ended up giving away needless free-kicks (and the odd bruise to Jan-age!) - this could be put down to an over-zealous need to please, howe­ver, and all in all, Dave had a satisfac­tory game, doing his future chances no end o f good.

The Scots Boss will also have to decide Steve N ico l’s best position - on the field or left at home! On too many occasions now the Liverpool defender has failed to shine and one suspects that Rox­burgh’s patience is now beginning to become exhausted. On the other flank. Maurice Malpas is a model o f co n sis- . tency and if he displays a more com­manding personality then the choice of Scotland’s next captain is clear.

And that brings us nicely to...Roy Aitken. that “big softie” who is hurt by

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criticism. B ig Roy is...well, B ig Roy. A natural-bom Premier League captain who leads by example, capable of driving a team on and, i f you ignore the rash (?) tackles, a useful ball-winner. D oes anyone really believe him to be in the international c la ss , h ow ev er? Obviously, it would do no good to team morale if the man w ho led us to Italy were dropped completely from the final 22 but, barring emergencies, Roy should have played his last game for Scotland

against Norway.

Judging by his display in that match, Jim Bett is a natural for the creative role alongside Paul McStay in the middle o f the park. Although a trifle inconsistent at times, Bett provides the necessary mixture o f skill and power that we w ill need in Italy. A fine passer o f the ball, difficult to dispossess, deceptive pace and a w illingness to work are all attributes which w ill assist us in the World Cup.

On all known form, M o Johnston is a cert for the main striker’s job in Italy and the fact that A lly M cCoist is his club partner can do nothing but good for the ex-St Johnstone m an’s chances. However, “A lly-oops” still tends to look for the foul rather than go directly for goal, and he might find it more difficult to con international defenders in Italy as easily as he does to his Premier League opponents (Craig Levein excepted, of course).

On the subject o f strikers, don’t dis­count C helsea’s Gordon Durie breaking into the side - provided o f course he remains injury-free.

So who will be the potential winners in Italy? W ell, obviously the hosts w ill be

a major force - they are putting together a formidable team and will be difficult to beat. Brazil are showing signs now of getting their act together and possess som e exceptional individuals such as Silas, Careca and Romaria, while West Germany and Argentina should also be in the final shake-up. The H earts Sup­p o rter hopes to review the World Cup hopefuls in the com ing months, and inform you o f their chances com e next June. Remember, w e tipped Argentina

to w in the last World Cup!

W ould any readers in England or Eire like to le t us have their views on their national side's chances in Ita ly this summer?

THE HEARTS SUPPORTER

The H earts S u pporter w as started originally by G lasgow H earts in 1968, running fo r fo u r seasons. It w as rev ived in the 1984/85 season w ith the backing o f the Federation o f H earts Supporters’ Clubs and, a t that time, with the support oj H earts FC. The m agazine has gone fro m strength to strength since their, and is so ld a t Tyneca- s tle on match days, as w ell as through H earts Federation mem­ber clubs. I t is now also distribu­ted through the John M em ies group to new sagents in Edinburgh and the Lothians. The m agazine is so ld at £1 a copy. Subscriptions and back issues are available through T he H earts Supporter, P O B o x 427, E dinburgh , EH11 1RZ.

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"LOST A N O FOTTND' C O L U M N

H ave y o u seen th is tw in?

Reported missing by a lady from Finchley - last seen in Auckland, New Zealand. If sighted, do not approach - since his attack on Football was thwarted by a brave judge, he may be dangerous to other sports.

Issue 3 • March 1990

END to END A w ardsTHUMBS DOW N to David Dent for his unprintably disgraceful performance on the World in Action programme on “W omen's Role In Football”. All women involved, at any level o f the game, must feel angry and insulted at his dismissive attitude and his unaw­areness o f the sexism o f his own comments and o f the actions o f football clubs in excluding women from their boardrooms.

THUMBS DOW N also to the group of male supporters on the same prog­ramme, who gave evidence that nean­derthal man is alive and kicking in Stockport, with their claim that there is no room for women on football terraces.

THUMBS UP to Jim m y Greaves for his eloquent expression o f all football supporters' feelings about what Mr Moynihan should do with his identity cards.

DISTRIBUTORS

E ND to END is available from - Aldershot FC Club Shop - Arsenal Football Supporters' Club- Brighton & Hove Albion SC - Bishops Stortford FSC - Brentford Supporters' Association - Crewe Alexandra SA - Doncaster Rovers SC - Gillingham FC Blues SA - Halifax Town SC - Hereford United SC - Leicester City (Loughborough) SC - Manchester City FCSC (1949) - Manchester United (Chester & North W ales) SC - Notts County SC - Preston North End Official SC Portakabin Reading FC Club Shop - Salisbury Town SC - Stoke City FC SC - Stoke City (Southern) SC - Sunderland SA Souvenir Shop - Sunderland (London and South East) SC - Slough Town SA - Sheffield United SC - Sheffield Wednesday (London) SC - Wigan Athletic SC - Wolverhampton Wanderers FC OSC - Wrexham SC - Walsall SC - Worcester City SC - York City AFC SC.

“S P O T THE E M E R G E N C Y E X IT ” C O M PE TITIO N A N SW E R - Sorry! you were wrong! When visitors to Ashton Gate on New Year's Day inquired why Gate A was padlocked, they were told it was not an emergency exit. In an emergency, they were advised, they should use Gate B. Easy when you know, isn’t it?