Latest Long read features
When David Beckham was the most hated man in England – and had the greatest season of his life
By Chris Flanagan last updated
BECKHAM On June 30, 1998, one petulant flick of a right foot changed David Beckham's life. His red card against Argentina sparked outrage across England. Well, everywhere but Old Trafford…
24 hours in Milan (and four in Oslo) watching Newcastle United in the Champions League again after 20 years
By Matthew Ketchell published
ON THE GROUND Deputy Editor Matt Ketchell revisited Milan to watch his team prove a point
Low budgets, criticism, lack of authority: The role of Kick It Out is the most thankless in football, yet one of the most important
By Ben Mountain published
BLACK HISTORY MONTH David to the Goliath of discrimination in football, for 30 years the organisation has tirelessly battled boycotts, controversies and misconceptions
Bury The Hatchet: How football returned to Gigg Lane four years after Bury went bust
By Ed McCambridge published
After years of financial mismanagement, EFL expulsion and squabbling, Bury fans have come together to plot a new future. Things are looking up…
The inside story of Crawley Town’s crypto consortium nightmare
By Matt Pearson published
Features Crawley have already had five permanent managers in the 15 months since new owners came into power - but there's plenty of other issues involving the club
Building a brand and pumping up TV rights: How Silvio Berlusconi's reign as AC Milan owner shaped modern football
By Matt Barker last updated
LONGREAD In 1986, Silvio Berlusconi bought a struggling AC Milan and turned them into football's first modern superclub, paving the way for the Premier League
The rise of the ‘fake No.2 goalkeeper’: How EFL clubs are exploiting the emergency loan loophole to save budget
By Matthew Ketchell published
FAKING IT Clubs are exploiting a loophole and creating ‘fake No.2 goalkeepers’ to warm their substitute benches with dangerous consequences
Going to 1998 FA Cup Final was the best day of my life, even though my team lost
By Matthew Ketchell published
FA CUP FINAL Deputy Editor Matthew Ketchell gets nostalgic about attending the 1998 FA Cup final between Arsenal and Newcastle
‘Dear Nigel Martyn…’: Rediscovering the childhood letters I wrote to footballers in the '90s
By Matthew Ketchell published
LETTERS TO FOOTBALLERS Matthew Ketchell sent dozens of letters to Premier League footballers in the 1990s – almost 30 years later he has unearthed the replies
Discovering 'Line Up' a hidden, vintage football shirt shop that could be Paris' best kept secret
By Matthew Ketchell published
ON THE GROUND Sandwiched between The Louvre and Paris' 'Grands Boulevards' department store district is small pocket of football shirt heaven you need to visit
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