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”

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 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”

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 MatchWeek 13/14 Episode 35 ‘It Started With a Kick’

PREMIER LEAGUE NUGGETS – MatchWeek 13/14 BRENTFORD’S HOMESICK BLUES In beating Leicester 4-1 last weekend Brentford notched up their sixth win at the GTech and their 22nd goal in just seven matches at home. That was quickly followed by their 3-1 loss at Villa Park, which was their sixth defeat away from home out ofContinue reading “Premier League MatchWeek 13/14 Episode 35 ‘It Started With a Kick’”

Premier League Nuggets 2024/25 MatchWeek 4 Episode 24 of ‘It Started With a Kick’ – Adrian Clarke

PREMIER LEAGUE NUGGETS – MatchWeek 4 YELLOW FEVER  Chelsea’s late victory at Bournemouth on Saturday night was not the most exciting match but it did set a Premier League record for yellow cards, racking up fourteen in total, including five in the space of a frenetic six first half minutes. The previous record was twelve,Continue reading “Premier League Nuggets 2024/25 MatchWeek 4 Episode 24 of ‘It Started With a Kick’ – Adrian Clarke”

Premier League Nuggets 2023/24

5 April Match Weeks 30/31 GOALLESS GAMES In this season of goals galore, two goalless matches in the space of a week feels like a drought. Although Match Week 30 rattled along at the overall rate of 3.2 goals per game, the last match ended with the stalemate at The Etihad – the first timeContinue reading “Premier League Nuggets 2023/24”

Premier League Nuggets 2023/24

19 January MW21 EMERY’S FIRST BLANK Unai Emery’s proud/odd record of never having overseen a goalless draw in his Premier League career with either Arsenal or Villa, came to a stultifying halt at Goodison Park in his 97th match. It was the Spaniard’s 21st draw so you might say it was coming. Villa’s relatively poorContinue reading “Premier League Nuggets 2023/24”

2023/24 Premier League Nuggets

22 December MW 17 OFF, OFF, OFF, OFF, OFF In a season littered with red cards even last weekend’s flurry of dismissals was quite something. Only once before in Matchweek 2 have there been as many as five. The Brentford Villa match was the third this season to feature two sending-offs, but the first toContinue reading “2023/24 Premier League Nuggets”

2023/24 Premier League Nuggets

15 December MW 16 VILLA HOME COMFORTS By beating Arsenal and Manchester City in quick succession at Villa Park, Aston Villa secured their 14th and 15th successive Premier League home wins. A run that stretches back to February when they lost 4-2 to Arsenal. Over those 15 matches they have scored 39 goals and concededContinue reading “2023/24 Premier League Nuggets”