History
10 Famous FA Cup “Giant Killings”
Everyone loves an underdog, and in the FA Cup everyone loves a "giant killing" -- except for the giants, of course. Since knowing something about the "magic of the FA Cup" is essential to understanding the history and culture of English football, let's take a look at 10 of the more famous upsets in FA…
Boxing Day Football Fixtures, Past and Present
Boxing Day football fixtures have been a tradition in England for decades, so let's review some of the more interesting ones for 2020 and then take a look back at memorable Boxing Day games. Boxing Day Football: A Very Brief History December 26 has been known as Boxing Day for centuries, whose name comes from workers getting…
English Football Documentary Reveals Sir Bobby Robson
Here's an interesting trivia question: Name an individual in English football who was honored by a statue at more than one club. I can think of two. The other one we'll get to, but for now I want my readers to meet Sir Bobby Robson, legendary manager of Ipswich Town, Newcastle United, the English national…
AFC Wimbledon Comes Home to Plough Lane: A Remarkable English Football Story
The story of AFC Wimbledon is one that many Americans won't know, but on the occasion of their return to Plough Lane this week, it's one that I encourage you to learn. (Some of this is drawn from the Wimbledon chapter of our book, The Groundhopper Guide to Soccer in England. Find out more and…
“City!” is a Blast to the Past of English Football
The "behind the scenes" video of a football club has become almost a cliché at this point. But there was a time when that wasn't the case. And if you want to visit that time -- as well as time-travel to a place so long ago that Manchester City was a struggling club -- then…
Movie Review: Remembering Sir Stanley Matthews
One of the things I do at Groundhopper Guides is introduce non-English, mostly American people to the world of English football. As such, I need to tell you about Sir Stanley Matthews. Perhaps you know the name. Speaking to Americans, the best comparison I can think of is a combination of Johnny Unitas and John…
What is the Taylor Report?
If you’re sort of new to English football, part of the learning process involves knowing what people are talking about. So one question you might come up with is, What is the Taylor Report? Here is a quick history lesson. The Hooligan Days Back in the 1970s and 1980s, Britain was experiencing social and economic…
Notable “Great Escapes” in English Soccer
In an excerpt from our book, The Groundhopper Guide to Soccer in England, Paul discusses a common theme in football history: The Great Escape. A Great Escape is simply when a team seems "nailed on" for relegation to the next league down in the English football pyramid, only to beat "the drop" and "stay up."…
A Brief History of Football – and “Soccer”
What is the history of the game of football? And where does the word "soccer" come from? Read on to find out. As an American, I catch some crap – or I should say, “get some stick” – from English people about the word “soccer.” Here, I will arm you for self defense, and also…
“Stadium” vs “Ground” in English Football
What is the difference between a stadium and a ground in English football? This is something I thought I had all figured out; ground is simply what British people call a stadium. Not so, I am beginning to understand. As with many things, it's a bit more complicated than that. One way of getting at…