A child’s dream can be very expensive : Mascot costs ‘It Started With a Kick’ Episode 83 – Gary O’Reilly

https://bit.ly/3JE93GE ‘It Started With a Kick’ Episode 82 – Gary O’Reilly As most of you will know, during his dozen or so years as a professional Gary O’Reilly played for Tottenham, Brighton and Crystal Palace, making over 200 appearances in total. We delve into his playing career but we start in 1968 when Benfica wereContinue reading “A child’s dream can be very expensive : Mascot costs ‘It Started With a Kick’ Episode 83 – Gary O’Reilly”

20 years of Holmesdale Fanatics / It Started With a Kick Episode 77 : Robin Bailey

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”

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”

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”

‘It Started With a Kick’ Episode 68 Miguel Pereira

It Started With a Kick Episode 68 : Miguel Pereira Miguel is a Portuguese writer /historian, whose most recent book is ‘Pasion’, is a journey to the soul of Spanish football and having also written books about Portuguese football he is an expert on Iberian football. Unsurprisingly, Miguel’s first match was in Portugal at theContinue reading “‘It Started With a Kick’ Episode 68 Miguel Pereira”

It Started With a Kick : Episode 65

It Started With a Kick – Episode 65 : Phil Harrison Phil Harrison runs the Fussball Geekz podcast which casts an eye over Eastern European football and especially Albania and East Germany. His books such as ‘Inside the Hermit Kingdom : Football Stories from inside Stalinist Albania’ and the ‘Worst Game Ever’ which delves intoContinue reading “It Started With a Kick : Episode 65”

‘It Started With a Kick’ podcast Episode 64

It Started With a Kick – Episode 64 : Owen Williams Owen is an experienced sports news producer at the BBC, having worked there for over 30 years and he has also worked for Sky Sports as head of editorial for their digital media. He now does a range of work including lecturing and mentoringContinue reading “‘It Started With a Kick’ podcast Episode 64”

FA Cup 17th May 2025 / It Started With a Kick – Episode 57

Forgive my indulgence but this week I had to write about Palace’s FA Cup victory, so here you go.. Wembley Shook and it was Beautiful – What Palace’s FA Cup victory means. Its status has been diminished. Its standing in the game has been slowly but surely eroded over the last few decades. Replays phasedContinue reading “FA Cup 17th May 2025 / It Started With a Kick – Episode 57”

Premier League Nuggets MatchWeek 36/ ‘It Started With a Kick’ Episodes 56 and 57

PREMIER LEAGUE NUGGETS – MatchWeek 36 PLUS CA CHANGE With Tottenham and Manchester United continuing their dismal form by both losing at home they have now racked up 37 defeats between them this season. Indeed Spurs’ 20 losses is the same as Fulham a few years ago, who were relegated and there are still twoContinue reading “Premier League Nuggets MatchWeek 36/ ‘It Started With a Kick’ Episodes 56 and 57”

Premier League Match Week 23 / It Started With a Kick- Episode 42

 PREMIER LEAGUE NUGGETS – MatchWeek 23 CHERRY PICKING Having trounced Newcastle at St. James’ Park the previous week, courtesy of a Justin Kluivert hat-trick, Bournemouth followed up with a 5-0 hammering of Nottingham Forest, a team that had one of the meanest defences in the division. There was a second consecutive hat-trick for the CherriesContinue reading “Premier League Match Week 23 / It Started With a Kick- Episode 42”