Soccer Reading & Viewing
Fever Pitch: Soccer Book & Film Review
Fever Pitch: Soccer Book and Film Review Please note that this is mainly a review of the soccer book called Fever Pitch -- less so the movie, and certainly not the American film of the same name. It's a very important distinction, because if you say "Fever Pitch" to most Americans, they think of this…
There is a Second (Mini) Season of the Amazon Prime Leeds United Show
The behind-the-scenes documentary from English soccer clubs has become quite the rage of late, and one of the best now has a second (mini) season. Take Us Home: Leeds United is back for two episodes. Why only two? Well, it looks like they were back for last season to follow Leeds' pursuit of promotion to…
“Among the Thugs” and Inside the Heart of Violence
As long as I have been into soccer, I have heard about Bill Buford's book, Among the Thugs. But I never read it because I just wasn't interested in tales of the bad old hooligan days. Now that I have read it, I am somewhat glad I did, mainly because it was not at all…
Classic Football Film: When Saturday Comes
I've just finished watching the 1996 film When Saturday Comes, and I can't decide if it's an epic collection of clichés or one of the more down-to-Earth football films I've seen. I've decided it's probably both. Let me check myself here; it is most definitely an epic collection of clichés, and I suspect that's one…
Fun Soccer Film: “Mike Bassett, England Manager”
What can be more fun than taking a bunch of well-known cultural figures, packing them into a parody of a well-known actual event, and then making them all look silly? Even if you don't have any idea who or what is being referred to, this can be a lot of fun. And so it is…
Netflix Series “Maradona in Mexico” Shows the Man, Myth and Legend
I know this is an English soccer blog, but really it's a soccer supporter culture blog, focused on England. Still, I sometimes take excursions elsewhere, like in this case to Mexico for a Netflix series that will take you as close to the mind of Diego Maradona as it's probably possible to get. Maradona is,…
Netflix Series “Losers” Reveals an Amazing Story From English Soccer History
Sometimes you have to lose to win, right? Nothing will teach you that better than football. In 2019, Netflix put out a cool little series of roughly half-hour shows dedicated to "Losers," people who lost famously but made something of it. It's meant to remind us that winning isn't everything, or maybe that there are…
“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…
“Rovers” on Amazon Prime is a Jewel of a Football Show
I recently stumbled into this delightful little show called "Rovers," from 2016, and it's one of my favorite football distractions I've found during Covid Time. I grow weary of the superstar bios and the behind-the-scenes looks at big clubs. And I just don't have much interest in watching old games, unless it gives me a…
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…
