Unusual/Notable stuff from around the football world.

**tetsujin1979** · 10/05/2023, 10:26 AM

Interview with the current ceo of Sports Interactive, the publishers of Football Manager

**NeverFeltBetter** · 16/05/2023, 4:17 PM

A bunch of supporter drama-related stuff last weekend.

-Groningen/Ajax game abandoned when fan protests take the form of smoke bombs and pitch invasions: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65591769
-AC Milan players gather at the away end to take abuse/a lecture/encouragement from their own ultras after losing: https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footb...pezia-29975828
-Barca chased off the field of city rivals Espanyol after celebrating winning La Liga: https://extra.ie/2023/05/16/sport/so...l-invade-pitch
-And Eddie Howe attacked by a Leeds supporter mid-match: https://www.theguardian.com/football...k-by-leeds-fan

**OwlsFan** · 19/05/2023, 9:43 AM

Trailing 0-4 from the first leg in the Division One play offs, Sheffield Wednesday stage the biggest come back in English play off history and win 5-1 against Peterborough. They then go through 5-3 on penalties. The great irony is that they score the 4th goal in the 98th minute of injury time when the ref had only signalled for 6. Manager Darren Ferguson queried where the extra two minutes came from. Obviously not genetic as his dad was famous for conjuring up "Fergie time". Unbelievable Jeff.

**SkStu** · 19/05/2023, 1:07 PM

You should check out the tributes to you in the Jack Taylor thread

**tetsujin1979** · 22/05/2023, 11:12 PM

Whatever happened to Hakan Sukur?

**NeverFeltBetter** · 01/06/2023, 11:03 AM

Jose Mourinho filmed screaming abuse at Europa Final ref in car park outside the stadium, shortly after speaking on the importance of not losing dignity in defeat.

I feel like we're rapidly reaching a tipping point with referees, and not just in football. Some manner of strike is going to happen at some point if firmer action isn't taken against abuse.

**sidewayspasser** · 05/06/2023, 10:00 AM

South Korea's manager includes detained player in squad. Apparently, the player was arrested in China a couple of weeks ago on charges of suspected bribery.

**CraftyToePoke** · 04/07/2023, 11:47 PM

Forest Green appoint the first female boss of a pro mens side. There are a couple of caveats, its pre season and an interim appointment but she's there.

It also makes me wonder what Duncan bigdunc Ferguson did to get sacked at this juncture having delivered relegation last season and been allowed to make signings for the upcoming L2 one.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66105649

**NeverFeltBetter** · 05/09/2023, 11:22 AM

A third tier Swedish club claims to have a found a loophole in the offside rule, makes a low-budget comedy skit to explain it, IFAB seems to disagree: https://www.theguardian.com/football...in-offside-law

Interesting idea all the same.

**NeverFeltBetter** · 26/09/2023, 10:48 AM

2nd August 2023: Jermaine Jenas takes part in an English FA initiative to call for less abuse of referees: https://www.premierleague.com/video/single/3611684
26 September 2023: Jermaine Jenas apologises after abusing a referee on social media: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66914216

**seanfhear** · 26/09/2023, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter

2nd August 2023: Jermaine Jenas takes part in an English FA initiative to call for less abuse of referees: https://www.premierleague.com/video/single/3611684
26 September 2023: Jermaine Jenas apologises after abusing a referee on social media: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66914216

LOL ~ Jenas ain't the brightest bulb.

**NeverFeltBetter** · 19/11/2023, 11:27 AM

Noted in the Ireland/Netherlands thread by Stu, France beat Gibraltar 14-0 last night, breaking the scoreline record for EURO qualifying: https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023...in-record-win/

Gibraltar haven't scored a goal in this campaign, and finish up against the Dutch next week. They would be the 6th team in EURO qualifying history to fail to score since group qualifying was introduced in 1968. I'd forgotten the North was one of the others, back in 2004. 2012's San Marino with a claim to being the worst team ever in the competition, ending with a GD of -53 for that qualification, in the midst of a five year goal drought.

**SkStu** · 12/12/2023, 12:30 AM

Throwing this in here. About as bad of a miss as I’ve ever seen!

**NeverFeltBetter** · 28/12/2023, 3:00 PM

Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter

I suppose this belongs here: Alistair Campbell once suggested a Celtic/Rangers match be held in Belfast to publicise the referendum on the Good Friday Agreement.

Campbell tweeted today that it was "not the best idea I ever had". It reads like something that someone with no real knowledge of football would suggest, but Campbell is a big Burnley FC fan according to Wiki.

Something of a sequel to this with state paper releases, on a madcap scheme to promote cross-community harmony in Belfast by moving Wimbledon there: https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023...elfast-united/

**pineapple stu** · 29/12/2023, 8:04 PM

The Turkish Super Cup between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce - the latest game to be needlessly moved to Saudi Arabia - was abandoned today after both sides refused to play just hours before kickoff. Both sides intended wearing tshirts in the warm-up honouring Mustafa Ataturk, the founder of (secular) Turkey in 1923, but the Saudis blocked that, so the teams refused to play.

It's not clear why permission was refused, although if Ataturk's face was on the tshirt, then probably the Saudis wouldn't like that, as depictions of people are banned under Islam. Both clubs had also objected to the game moving out of Turkey last month.

"We did what was necessary. We are returning to our country. No one can ignore our values", the Galatasaray Vice-President is quoted as saying. Fair dues to him. Far too many clubs happy to put money ahead of anything else.

**tetsujin1979** · 06/02/2024, 11:10 AM

Argentinian side Guillermo Brown de Puerto Madryn have released their new jersey, paying tribute to Mayo-born Admiral of the Argentine Navy, William Brown

**John83** · 07/02/2024, 2:14 PM

That looks a really nice jersey, and I don't say that often.

**tetsujin1979** · 22/02/2024, 8:28 AM

Good read about measures to combat online abuse
Made me think that the Premier League had the resources to create this sort of service for its clubs and players, but smaller leagues wouldn't, and their players are still subject to the same threats
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-68293359

**NeverFeltBetter** · 08/04/2024, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

The Turkish Super Cup between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce - the latest game to be needlessly moved to Saudi Arabia - was abandoned today after both sides refused to play just hours before kickoff. Both sides intended wearing tshirts in the warm-up honouring Mustafa Ataturk, the founder of (secular) Turkey in 1923, but the Saudis blocked that, so the teams refused to play.

It's not clear why permission was refused, although if Ataturk's face was on the tshirt, then probably the Saudis wouldn't like that, as depictions of people are banned under Islam. Both clubs had also objected to the game moving out of Turkey last month.

"We did what was necessary. We are returning to our country. No one can ignore our values", the Galatasaray Vice-President is quoted as saying. Fair dues to him. Far too many clubs happy to put money ahead of anything else.

Fenerbahce fielded an academy team in the re-scheduled game, who walked off after two minutes, in response the above and other issues with the Turkish FA: https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2024...st-turkish-fa/

**OwlsFan** · 07/05/2024, 7:59 PM

Sheffield Wednesday avoided relegation from the Championship despite being in the bottom 3 for all but the penultimate and final games of the season, having picked up 3 points in the first 13 games. Sometimes a change of manager works unlike Birmingham who were relegated. They sacked their manager when 6th to appoint Wayne Rooney who won 2 of his 15 games in charge. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.