Widnes FC is claimed by the quicksand

Widnes FC is claimed by the quicksand

Jul 1, 2025 | Football Writing, The Main Blog

I have written a few times about the frequency with which non-League football clubs are folding; I asked whether the National Leagues System was A Pyramid Built on Quicksand as early as February 2024. The club closest to my heart, Ashford Town (Middlesex) would...
Flag Stopped Play

Flag Stopped Play

Jun 20, 2025 | Football Writing, The Main Blog

A year ago, I wrote about the demise of Clapton FC and the emergence of an alternative club, Clapton Community FC. Clapton Community have been in the headlines recently, following the controversial abandonment of a Cup Final in which their women’s team was playing....
The reality of playing politics with PIP

The reality of playing politics with PIP

May 1, 2025 | The Main Blog

The piece below was written in February 2025 and entered into the 2025 Curae Prize, which is for writers who are also unpaid carers. It hasn’t made the shortlist, but I remain proud of it so am sharing it today (1 May 2025). Congratulations to everyone who has...
Scratching a seven year itch.

Scratching a seven year itch.

Apr 30, 2025 | Football Writing, The Main Blog

One of the greatest players of all time, Diego Maradona once said that “football isn’t a game, nor a sport; it’s a religion” which might at least partially explain why I was sitting on a train to London, alone, last Saturday. Regular readers will already be aware that...