Here’s the piece from yesterday’s the Guardian on 20 years of the Holmesdale Fanatics, the Palace supporters group at the forefront of the ultras movement in England and how there is still a long way to catch up with the Europeans in terms of fan culture and activism. https://bit.ly/46OoP9o It Started With a Kick EpisodeContinue reading “20 years of Holmesdale Fanatics / It Started With a Kick Episode 77 : Robin Bailey”
Author Archives: richardfoster60
The Lost Boys Taskforce / It Started With a Kick Episode 76 – Seth Bennett
Here’s a piece I wrote for the Guardian about the Lost Boys Taskforce, an initiative to help provide guidance to teenagers, mainly males, who are in danger of ‘going off the rails’ as Paul Barber, CEO of Brighton & Hove Albion, who is leading the task force can relate to as he almost did soContinue reading “The Lost Boys Taskforce / It Started With a Kick Episode 76 – Seth Bennett”
It Started With a Kick – Episode 75 Mark Halsey
It Started With a Kick Episode 75 : Mark Halsey Mark Halsey was a top flight referee for over twenty years but started as a goalkeeper for semi-pro clubs such as Cambridge City and Hertford Town before taking up refereeing in 1989 and was Premier League ref from 1999 to his retirement in 2013. MarkContinue reading “It Started With a Kick – Episode 75 Mark Halsey”
It Started With a Kick Episode 74 : Martin Cloake
It Started With a Kick Episode 74 : Martin Cloake Martin Cloake is one of most respected contemporary football writers, including his regular musings on the prevalent issues of today’s game under the title of The Football Fan on good old Substack. Martin has written A whole raft of books, with a fair few onContinue reading “It Started With a Kick Episode 74 : Martin Cloake”
It Started With a Kick Episode 73 – Jim Proudfoot
It Started With a Kick Episode 73 : Jim Proudfoot Jim Proudfoot will be a familiar voice to many of you, a regular commentator on talkSPORT since 1999 covering all levels of football and including major tournaments such as Euros and World Cups. Also commented for various other channels including Sky and ESPN. He workedContinue reading “It Started With a Kick Episode 73 – Jim Proudfoot”
It Started With a Kick – Episode 72 Paul McQuade
It Started With a Kick Episode 72 : Paul McQuade Paul McQuade is the man behind The Shamrock, which describes itself as a retro fanzine by Celtic supporters that seeks to explore and celebrate the club’s incredible unbroken history. So no great surprises as to where Paul’s first port of call was, Celtic Park inContinue reading “It Started With a Kick – Episode 72 Paul McQuade”
Successful European debuts plus ‘It Started with a Kick’ Episode 71 – David Preece
After all the shenanigans with Uefa, Crystal Palace are now ready to take their bow in a major European competition, albeit the lesser Conference League. Palace have been involved in Europe before but only in minor competitions – three entries into the Anglo-Italian tournament and the long-forgotten 1998 Intertoto Cup campaign in which they lostContinue reading “Successful European debuts plus ‘It Started with a Kick’ Episode 71 – David Preece”
‘It Started With a Kick’ – Episode 70 Ian Danter
Ian will be a familiar voice to many as he’s a regular commentator on talkSPORT. Having started in local radio with BRMB, originally with comedy sketches, Ian then went on to doing match reports on West Midlands clubs for BRMB & Capital Gold before moving to talkSPORT in 2004. Not only has he covered domesticContinue reading “‘It Started With a Kick’ – Episode 70 Ian Danter”
‘It Started With a Kick’ Episode 69 : Richard Shaw
It Started With a Kick Episode 69 : Richard Shaw Richard was at Palace as a youth and made his debut in late 1980s, embarking on a playing career that lasted for over 20 years, with a 10-year stint at Coventry before finishing at Millwall. Richard took up coaching while still a player and hasContinue reading “‘It Started With a Kick’ Episode 69 : Richard Shaw”
The Community Shield 2025 and a history of muddle-headed meddling
When Crystal Palace face Liverpool this coming Sunday, 10th August they will be contesting their first Community Shield in the 103rd edition of the new season’s traditional ‘curtain raiser’. The Community Shield, or its ancestor Charity Shield, dates back to before Palace were formed as a professional club. Throughout the early years of the match’sContinue reading “The Community Shield 2025 and a history of muddle-headed meddling”
The Football Mine 