“Mount, eagle, to my palace crystalline.” Cymbeline Act 5, Scene 4 There are very few scholars of English literature who have made connections between Shakespeare and Crystal Palace FC. Such a glaring omission is the literary equivalent of missing the most open of goals and it is one that I am going to address overContinue reading “Shakespeare and CPFC”
Author Archives: richardfoster60
2026/27 Season
“Here we go, here we go, here we go”, as the old ditty reminds us, another season beckons. The 2026/27 edition is already underway with the EFL having already kicked off – and here’s last week’s quiz form the Guardian to test your knowledge of the three divisions below the Premier League – https://bit.ly/4cAfl5r ToContinue reading “2026/27 Season”
World Cup 2026 Week 6 :The Finale
And so it ends with Spain winning their second World Cup, a victory for a proper football team playing proper football. Their opponents in the Final behaved disgracefully throughout the match and in the post-match furore. Argentina are the definition of bad losers, in fact they have taken it to new lows with their aggressionContinue reading “World Cup 2026 Week 6 :The Finale”
World Cup Week 5
England went out with a whimper against Argentina in the semi-final. Even beyond the subjective judgements on the tactics when the team retreated into the lowest of low blocks and allowed the opposition to dictate play and also the substitutions, Ezri Konsa for goalscorer Antony Gordon, Dan Burn for Declan Rice, the stats are damning. Continue reading “World Cup Week 5”
World Cup 2026 Week 4
After that noteworthy 3-2 win over Mexico at Azteca England have reached their eleventh World Cup quarter-final so time to look at the previous nine. Don’t forget to get involved in the daily 7th Heaven World Cup quiz via the app – https://apple.co/3QzDhOo https://bit.ly/3Rs3VZN
World Cup Week 3
So England squeaked past DR Congo with Harry Kane yet again the saviour and in the process stretches his record as England’s leading scorer at World Cup finals with thirteen, three ahead of Gary Lineker. England’s reliance on Kane is clear to see and he has scored 62.5% of our goals in this tournament soContinue reading “World Cup Week 3”
World Cup Week 2
After the rash of red cards in the opening match when two South Africans and one Mexican was sent off in a frenetic second half, things have calmed down somewhat but there still have been eight in total up to Thursday 25th June which matches the number sent off in the last two World CupsContinue reading “World Cup Week 2”
World Cup 2026 Week 1 Football 7th Heaven Quiz
2026 World Cup Week 1 Nuggets 1. Rash of red cards then… There were three reds issued in the space of 43 minutes of the opening match between Mexico and South Africa. In the next 24 games nobody was sent off. Then in the first batch of second round matches three players received reds, includingContinue reading “World Cup 2026 Week 1 Football 7th Heaven Quiz”
It Started with a Kick Episode 112 – John Roder and a World Cup Quiz
It Started With a Kick Episode 112 : John Roder John Roder is this week’s guest who joins a glittering list of commentators on this pod, which include Guy Mowbray, Peter Drury, John Helm and most recently Mike Minay. John has been at the chalk face of commentary with a host of broadcasters such asContinue reading “It Started with a Kick Episode 112 – John Roder and a World Cup Quiz”
It Started With a Kick Episode 111 : Mike Minay
Mike Minay is a commentator and reporter who has become a regular voice on 5Live and also Match of the Day recently and Mike will be part of the BBC’s World Cup team which starts next week, so exciting times ahead. Mike’s first steps into the world of football were a long way from theContinue reading “It Started With a Kick Episode 111 : Mike Minay”
The Football Mine 