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Johan Cruyff Auke Kok Simon & Schuster 2022 Hardback 544pp £25 I was fortunate enough to be able to watch (on tv) Cruyff when he was magisterially one of the best players in the world. At Ajax and Barcelona as well as with the Dutch national team (“Oranje”) he was a superstar, leading, inspiring, and thrilling with apparent ease, seemingly dragging his teammates to new levels of success. As a manager he won the European Cip, the Cup Winners Cup, four consecutive La Liga titles, and the Supercopa. A football CV and reputation that is stellar. Throughout all those years I never wondered about the man himself. Social media didn’t exist, British journalism was concerned with him at a distance, the focus only really tuning in when it was big matches or tournaments. It was an eye opener to read this extensively researched biography, and, at the end, I was left with no lesser admiration for the player yet understanding that, as a person, he could be far from likeable and consistent. Abrasive, selfish, always with an eye for the money, and very aware of his status (he once told a referee “It’s Mr Cruyff to you”) but fantastically loyal to some friends and often amazingly generous. Auke Kok sees Cruyff from a Dutch perspective, able to recognise the impact he had on the game in the Netherlands both at club and national level. Johan came through the ranks speedily at Ajax in the 60s, the club were far from dominant, and he demonstrated his commercial acumen and sense of self-worth by getting a contract at 15, lying about his age as 16 was the legal one for payment. The Amsterdam club would regard it as a sound investment, he played 329 times and scored 257 goals, helping them to three European Cups in a period and established Ajax as a team to be feared. At a club playing level his career led him to Barcelona for a world record fee in 1973 and a La Liga title for the first time since 1960. More games in the USA, at Levante, back at Ajax, and even with Feyenoord (fierce Ajax rivals) took place but they were of little significance. Oranje were favourites for the 1974 World Cup, Cruyff Player of the Tournament, but he ended playing internationally in 1977. His time with the national squad demonstrated both his importance and his arrogance. The national team had a sponsorship deal with Adidas but a look at Cruyff’s shirt showed there were just two stripes, not three: he had a separate deal with Puma and was allowed to opt out of it and saying he would refuse to play otherwise. It was tactic he used more than once in negotiating contracts with clubs or saying who he wanted in the team. As regards the latter, the author evidences many instances at club level of Cruyff essentially determining the line-up as well as the tactics. When he became a manager himself, he took on the Board at Barcelona but eventually alienated most of them, being replaced by Bobby Robson. He liked to regard himself as a businessman, and the author describes his constant need to be commercially successful. When he wasn’t he dusted himself down and sought more deals. To the end he yearned to make his family secure and to show the world that the lad from a working-class part of Amsterdam was more than one of the most talented footballers ever. A lifelong smoker, Johan Cruyff died aged 68 of heart problems. Read this book, smile at the impact and thrills he brought to football, and don’t let some of the other stuff put you off remembering that.

It’s the American “supporters” that grate. Support one of your own teams and stop wearing Wrexham kit and saying “Go Dragons “.

Us and around 90 other league clubs wasn’t it?

Where did you hear that? Not been mentioned on any media ….

Out of contract in the summer….

Very positive and symptomatic of a new club that is being rescued from the carnage of the previous ownership

We’ve never benefited from young players being let go by other clubs and going to have rather good careers have we? Goram, Warhurst, Milligan, les Chapman….. It’s football, some youngsters go on to better things for a range of reasons. If Harry makes it, then congratulations to him and those who help him.

And on the u18s go on. Very encouraging 2-0 win at Blackpool today.

Shortlist please.

Could we, would we, pay like this? https://www.sportbible.com/football/wrexham-ryan-reynolds-rob-mcelhenney-wages-373538-20230407?source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR0ARVAvhAqYJvkRdcrCVVfxsbc32DBZiDpjXDMZ3BBYt9xEkzb2UsB6f1M

I agree. End of September/ early October has to be decision time, new signings on board, etc. Until then I hope he uses the remaining five games to give a couple of fringe players a run out and gets results that make us an attraction proposition for potential signings

Wrexham costing money…not sustainable but early investment to get back in league probably not unreasonable https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65142947?at_link_type=web_link&at_campaign=Social_Flow&at_campaign_type=owned&at_ptr_name=facebook_page&at_format=link&at_link_origin=BBC_Wales_News&at_medium=social&at_link_id=88A03270-D493-11ED-B8BC-F7CF7E934D9D&at_bbc_team=editorial&fbclid=IwAR1k62GsOxM2IGes8DGuU4q9n9rCEGpXGmNPZnwUehSktKIG40R767A-N6M

Youth team trials took place today. More planed.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115730055194?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=8bJUUEhASHq&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=jPt0jwBaQza&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

3-3 draw with Stockport today.

Three Lions On a Shirt Simon Shakeshaft, Daren Burney, Neville Evans Vision Sports Publishing 2022 Hardback 384pp £40 An outstanding explanation and illustrative history of each and every England football shirt since the very first one in 1872. Perhaps better described as “jerseys” in recognition of that initial piece of kit being a woollen garment , there are over 200 photographed in what must be a comprehensive examination of their development. The designs, fabrics, manufacturers and the associated minutiae attached to them are explained and explored in an absorbing manner, a book to dip into to or read as a complete narrative. A hand embroidered Three Lions badge appeared on that first white shirt (for the match against Scotland) and , in various iterations, appeared on shirts ever since. In the early days it wasn’t always white however, as players who weren’t especially affluent sometimes arrived in club shirts with the England badge attached. Club shorts and stockings were often worn too. It wasn’t until 1879 that the FA purchased a matching set of shirts , from Gann, Root & co of Fenchurch St., long sleeves, four buttons and with a collar. Very similar to those still worn in the early 1950s in fact. Between those years, changes had taken place in some ways. Kit was purchased from sports outfitters – Sugg’s of Sheffield in the 1920s or Horne Bros in the ‘30s – or locally based manufacturers – the St Blaize trademark of the Bradford Textile Co appeared in the 1930s as did that of Kinch & Leak, school wear outfitters. For the first time, in 1935 and for their 200th match, England turned out in blue shirts for the home game against Germany at White Hart Lane. And two years later, numbers were worn. It wasn’t until an FA XI turned out in them in 1947 that red shirts were worn and , in 1954, a radical change was made with short-sleeved, V-neck shirts manufactured by Umbro adopted. It was Umbro that dominated supply for years, except for 1959-64 when Bukta took over although the reason isn’t known; it was quite a while before kit was provided as part of a commercial deal. In 1966, and the World Cup, however, that changed. Whilst Bukta’s largesse was limited to a 20% discount, Umbro offered free kit not just for players but match officials and ball boys! No logo on the shirts of ’66 but the label inside bore one. In Mexico four years later, “Airtex” was introduced as a fabric, one of the first technical innovations that have developed in football shirts, but Umbro was discarded in favour of Admiral in 1974 and England shirts began to undergo significant design changes. Ten years later Umbro returned , remaining till 2013 and Nike (in place until 2030, so still no Adidas).). Throughout this period shirts were amended frequently whether collar, cuff, colour of the badge, font of the names, and many other aspects of design. The sheer numbers of pages given over to this evolution is testimony to the constant change that has typified recent eras. Some have been as a result of fashion, of the desire for new offerings as replicas, whilst others by competition rules of FIFA and UEFA. I didn’t know that , whilst “legacy” numbers (the order in which they were capped) were first used against Montenegro in 2019 , they subsequently confined to inside the shirt due to UEFA regulations. The evolution of England Women’s kit is well covered (Spall playing a strong role), rightly developing as an equal in terms of quality and attention to design, as is that of goalkeepers, and there’s an excellent section on how kit is looked after and prepared by (a massive logistical task). It’s truly a superb volume, and, worthy of a place on the shelves of any football memorabilia enthusiast nit just shirt collectors.

“ Official “.

Another win on Saturday. 4-3 against Port Vale. A brace for Alfie Atherton.

Bebbington did indeed arrive in Aug 66 as part of a double purchase from Stoke along with George Kinnell Apparently £25000 combined fee. Yes went to Dale when Blair came back. 255 apps 46 goals Blore came Dec 65, as did Frank Large, Towers Jan 66, and the super David Best in Sept 66

We had sell ons for Scott spencer and Danny philiskirk. Came to nothing.

One success at Lincoln Sacked at pompey and Huddersfield

Why not? An attendance figure is the number of people attending. You may want pay on the gate on the day but that excludes anyone who has bought a ticket in advance, so is meaningless. There have always been complimentary tickets , and probably always will be.

Marshall tore us apart at valley Parade a few years ago. Hope he’s slowed a bit!