tradition and history
1.5K
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9.9K
·
almost 17 years
Robbie Coltrane                   RIP
An excellent actor.
and 2 others
LG
Legend
5.5K
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23K
·
over 16 years
Leggy
Robbie Coltrane                   RIP
An excellent actor.
Can you turn off that screeching cat??
That woman is my wife!
Well, she does grow on you.

or words to that effect - Goldeneye?
tradition and history
1.5K
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9.9K
·
almost 17 years
Jerry Lee Lewis                       RIP
WeeNix
960
·
630
·
almost 2 years
RIP Christine McVie, from one of the greatest bands of all time, Fleetwood Mac.
WeeNix
960
·
630
·
almost 2 years
And Murray Halberg, only just found out tonight on the evening news.
Starting XI
1.3K
·
2.7K
·
almost 9 years
Terry Hall, lead singer of The Specials, 63, RIP
Marquee
2.7K
·
7.2K
·
almost 17 years
Sinisa Mihajlovic, one of the best free kick takers in the history of the Serie A. Can't say I was his biggest fan as he left Roma to join Lazio and became a bit of an icon there but he was a man who wore his heart on his sleeve.
And only 53, passing away after a 3 year battle with Leukemia...way too young.
Phoenix Academy
110
·
300
·
over 2 years
George Cohen, England world cup winner.
First Team Squad
490
·
1.9K
·
over 16 years
and 4 others
Starting XI
1.5K
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4.9K
·
over 15 years
Pele's death, a huge landmark in the history of football.
Incredible scenes in Brazil this week with the scale of the mourning and his passing being marked internationally at all football matches and on all news and football programs on TV.
What Pele achieved both in club and international football will never be surpassed.
A good article here on how he in fact cemented his status as the best in club football in his era despite never playing outside the Brazilian and US leagues, by dominating major European sides with Santos:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-game/300776277/the-enduring-myth-that-pel-never-proved-himself-against-the-very-best
I spent some time during the recent World Cup, and later on his passing, looking at Pele's World Cup record.
It was far from an easy ride for him.
Football was much more physical then and attacking players weren't as protected as they are now.
1958 World Cup Sweden:
Understandably, Pele was not initially trusted by his coach to play games at the beginning of the tournament, as a 17 year-old kid new to the side.
Pele's first game of that World Cup was in the third and final group game.
Having proved himself in that, he played the quarter-final (teams advanced directly to the quarter-finals before he 1980's).
And featured in all the knock-out games including the Final.
Four games, six goals in his debut tournament.
Chile 1962:
However, the next World Cup was a different matter, the first of two tournaments where Pele was fouled out injured in the group stage.
Pele only played the first two of Brazil's group matches.
He didn't feature after that but Brazil had a strong enough team to win the Cup without him.
1962: two games, one goal.
England 1966: Again, the victim of physical play in the group stage.
Injured in Brazil's first group game versus Belgium, missed the second game, came back for the third game with Brazil in danger of elimination, but wasn't fit.
Brazil finish third in their group and crash out of the World Cup.
 Pele: two games, one goal.
Mexico 1970 : Pele's crowning glory. Thankfully he was able to play every game in his fourth and final World Cup, in what is widely regarded as the best side ever to win a World Cup.
Group stage: Pele plays all three matches and scores three goals.
Quarter-final: full game, no goal in the 4-2 win over Peru.
Semi-final: full game, no goal in the 3-1 win over Uruguay.
Final: full game, one goal in the 4-1 win vs. Italy in Pele's last World Cup match.
______________________________________________________________________________
I suspect that Pele would have shone even more in the modern game where attacking players are protected more by referees and horrendous fouls are not tolerated.
We forget now the outright thuggery that sometimes took place at World Cups before red and yellow cards were introduced from 1970.
Sending-offs were often token, reserved for when things really got out of hand.
Notorious World Cup thuggery:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_FIFA_World_Cup_red_cards#Notable_incidents
" Of more than two dozen matches that had multiple player expulsions, a few are remembered for their exceptional violence and brutality: the "Battle of Bordeaux" (Brazil vs Czechoslovakia, 1938), the "Battle of Berne" (Hungary vs Brazil, 1954), the "Battle of Santiago" (Chile vs Italy, 1962).
"The Battle of Berne": a quarter-final 27 June 1954 at the 1954 World Cup between Hungary and Brazil, Violent conduct and fighting prompted English referee Arthur Ellis to send off three players during the match. Fighting between the teams continued in the dressing rooms after the final whistle with armed Hungarian communist secret police eventually intervening.
In total, 42 free kicks and 2 penalties were awarded, with 4 cautions and 3 dismissals issued.
Hungary manager Gusztáv Sebes needed four stitches for a facial wound received during the fighting.
  The match's English referee Arthur Ellis commented years later: "They behaved like animals. It was a disgrace. It was a horrible match.  In today's climate so many players would have been sent off the game would have been abandoned."
Despite evidence from independent witnesses of violent conduct from both sides, football's governing body FIFA did nothing, leaving discipline to the respective countries. The Hungarian squad were awarded the Order of the Red Banner for finishing as the tournament runners-up. Brazil awarded its squad the National Order of Merit for Sport."
"The Battle of Bordeaux: the World Cup quarter-final between Brazil and Czechoslovakia on 12 June 1938.
The match had a series of brutal fouls by both sides, due to the lax officiating of Hungarian referee Pál von Hertzka and became the first time that three players were sent off in a World Cup match.
Captain František Plánička and Oldřich Nejedlý from Czechoslovakia suffered a broken right arm and right leg respectively in the mayhem. Their teammate Josef Košťálek was injured in the stomach. 
Three Brazilians left the field with injuries." 
No substitutes were allowed in World Cup finals matches until 1970, meaning sides had to struggle on with reduced numbers.


Starting XI
1.5K
·
4.9K
·
over 15 years
RIP George Cohen
England World Cup winner 1966
That rare thing - a one club man his entire career.
Fulham through and through.
(He must have had offers from bigger clubs)
Playing for Fulham, the World Cup was the only senior trophy he ever won in football.
Described by both Alf Ramsey and George Best as the best fullback they ever saw.
One of the gentlemen of football.
Worked for cancer charities since first being diagnosed with bowel cancer way back in 1976.
Interestingly, he was of Ukrainian Jewish ancestry but they had converted to C of E.
His brother Peter was killed defending a patron from attack at the nightclub he owned in London.
Peter's son Ben became an MBE like his uncle George after winning the Rugby World Cup in 2003.
After what happened to his dad, Ben has devoted much of his time to fighting bullying, homophobia etc. through a charity he runs.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Related to my post above about the overly physical play that the likes of Pele had to cope with in the World Cup, here is George Cohen writing in 2009 about the infamous Argentina side's brutality against England at the 1966 World Cup:
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/may/17/seven-deadly-sins-england-argentina-george-cohen
A side known since as "the Animals" after Alf Ramsey dubbed them that.

Starting XI
6.7K
·
4.5K
·
over 9 years
Sad news from with the Oceania footballing community over the past couple of days.

RIP Ruben Kutran



RIP Kaena Onuu



Oceania & the Pacific is already a small close knit community so news of these passings is naturally devastating.

Love and condolences to both sets of friends and family. 💔
and 1 other
Starting XI
6.7K
·
4.5K
·
over 9 years


Passes away after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

RIP legend.
and 2 others
Phoenix Academy
550
·
360
·
over 3 years
Spent quite a long time yesterday watching Vialli goal compilations on YouTube; honestly I’d forgotten how much power was in his shot and how he’d literally shoot from anywhere. I got 4 minutes into one of them and I’d already stopped counting at 18 overhead kicks, which is just ridiculous. I also found it funny how he’d be at an impossible angle with a team mate screaming at him for the ball in a much better position, only to lash one in and the team mate to be going “yeah, fair enough mate” as it hit the net :) I was lucky to have meet him by chance when he was in Rotorua on a family holiday, lovely guy! He and Mancini were the best of friends to the end, He and Mancini were I Gemelli dei Gol – the Goal Twins – inseparable on and off the pitch. They raised the Coppa Italia together three times and every now and then they raised a little hell. “I was the sweet one who would break the ice [with the ladies],” recalled a self-deprecating Vialli years later. “Roberto was the handsome one.” Football lost a wonderful character
WeeNix
960
·
630
·
almost 2 years
RIP Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis Presley's daughter.
Starting XI
1.5K
·
4.9K
·
over 15 years
RIP David Crosby 1941 - 2023
A brilliantly talented musician, if sometimes wayward in his personal life.
The Byrds, where he first gained fame, were a great band.
He also did a lot of good stuff with Crosby, Stills, Nash (and sometimes Young).
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-64341315
WeeNix
960
·
630
·
almost 2 years
Also sang backup vocals for Phil Collins in Another Day in Paradise and That's Just the Way It Is. Collins returned the favour for Crosby's song Hero, which Collins also co-wrote and provided music for.
WeeNix
880
·
960
·
about 7 years
Grant Turner, All White. 64

and 4 others
Marquee
1.5K
·
5.2K
·
over 16 years
Being old enough to have followed the 82 World Cup campaign, it is sad to hear this. He was one of my favourite players.
One in a million
4K
·
9.5K
·
almost 17 years
Me too. An inspiration.
Starting XI
230
·
4.8K
·
almost 17 years
theprof
All sorts of memories of his playing days. In particular a goal for Hungaria at a southerly battered Basin Reserve. It was a terrific effort and one of the opponents came across to him as the teams went to restart to shake his hand and acknowledge how good it was. 
WeeNix
880
·
960
·
about 7 years
Just Fontaine. 89.
The Marrakech Express. 
Record holder for most goals at a single World Cup 
tradition and history
1.5K
·
9.9K
·
almost 17 years
Gordon McQueen              RIP
One of Utd's greatest players.
One in a million
4K
·
9.5K
·
almost 17 years
Glenda Jackson. Special actress.
Starting XI
1.3K
·
2.7K
·
almost 9 years
Nora Watkins (nee Hertherington)

Stalwart of Women's football in NZ
Played at Upper Hutt United & Miramar Rangers & for New Zealand
Coached at Miramar Rangers, Petone, Wellington FA and New Zealand

Stats copied from Jeremy Ruane's Facebook tribute to her

Club Honours:
Upper Hutt United:
Wellington WFA champions: 1973, 1974
Kelly Cup winners:  1973
Miramar Rangers:
Wellington WFA champions: 1975-83 inclusive
Kelly Cup winners:  1975-80 inclusive, 1982, 1983
As Miramar's coach:
Wellington WFA champions:  1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991
Kelly Cup winners:  1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991
Petone (coach only):
Central League champions:  1994, 1995, 1996, 1998
Kate Sheppard Cup runners-up:  1995, 1996, 1998
Wellington WFA champions:  1999
Kelly Cup winners:  1994, 1999 
Representative honours with Wellington:
National Tournament winners:  1976-80 inclusive, 1982, 1983
As Wellington's coach:
National Tournament winners:  1994
New Zealand honours:
10 caps, 2 goals
1975 Asian Cup winner
1979 Trans-Tasman Cup winner
National Coach, March 1995
Assistant Coach, 1989-91, 1994
New Zealand appearances:
1975 - v. Hong Kong, Malaysia, Australia, Thailand (1 goal)
1979 - v. Australia x 3 for the Trans-Tasman Cup (1 goal, first game)
1980 - v. Australia x 3 for the Trans-Tasman Cup 
New Zealand coaching record:
1995 NZ tour of Australia (2 matches)
As Assistant Coach:
1989 Oceania Cup (4 matches)
1991 Oceania Women's World Cup qualifiers (4 matches)
1991 Australian tour of NZ (3 matches)
1991 FIFA Women's World Cup Finals (3 matches)
1994 Jayalalitha Cup (3 matches)
1994 Oceania Women's World Cup qualifiers (4 matches)
Starting XI
1.3K
·
2.7K
·
almost 9 years
Craig Brown - Scotland's longest serving manager (and last one to take them to a World Cup)
Played at Dundee, Motherwell & Clyde
Managed at Clyde, Scotland U21's, Scotland, Preston North End, Motherwell & Aberdeen.
I was lucky to meet him a couple of times, a really nice guy who would be happy to talk about football with fans until the cows came home
RIP 
LG
Legend
5.5K
·
23K
·
over 16 years
Trevor Francis - England,  Birmingham City, Nottingham Forest, Samdoria, Manchester City, Glasgow Rangers, QPR. Although touted as the first million pound player when he moved from Birmingham City to Forest, He actually went for 999,999.00 pounds as Cloughie thought the Million pound tag might screw Francis up in the head with the pressure.
Legend
2.3K
·
17K
·
almost 17 years
Sinead O'Connor.
and 1 other
tradition and history
1.5K
·
9.9K
·
almost 17 years
Michael Parkinson        RIP
An amazing bloke
and 1 other
tradition and history
1.5K
·
9.9K
·
almost 17 years
Francis Lee         RIP
What a great player
tradition and history
1.5K
·
9.9K
·
almost 17 years
Bobby Charlton               RIP
A legend
and 3 others
Marquee
3.7K
·
5.8K
·
almost 17 years
Leggy
Bobby Charlton               RIP
A legend
One of the reasons i fell in love with football all those years ago. The United holy Trinity are among my favorite players of all time.

RIP champ enjoy your heavenly kick around with with Duncan and the other lads from 58.

RIP 
tradition and history
1.5K
·
9.9K
·
almost 17 years
Terry Venables        RIP
A great character 
and 1 other
Starting XI
3K
·
3K
·
almost 7 years
Sarpreet Singh's replacement on the wing at Regensburg, Agmeyang Diawusie, has passed away aged 25. Still follow Regensburg on social media, and seeing some of their posts about him as well as fan sympathies is a solemn reminder of our mortality, and I hope we're never unfortunate enough to be in a similar position
tradition and history
1.5K
·
9.9K
·
almost 17 years
Ryan O'Neal         RIP
A top actor.
Legend
2.3K
·
17K
·
almost 17 years
Franz Beckenbauer.

A true legend of football.

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