Retro football writing from Football Bloody Hell. Long reads, classic matches and forgotten heroes, with new stories every week. ⚽📼
Football's past
Joined October 2012
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From the FBH archive: Gerry Byrne, the original mentality monster. Broken collarbone after seven minutes of the 1965 FA Cup final. He played on, through extra time, and set up Roger Hunt.
"I'll get by," was Byrne's response.
footballbh.net/2022/12/21/ge…
On this day in 1986, Alex Ferguson took charge of Manchester United for the first time. Oxford away. Oxford won 2-0.
John Aldridge scored a penalty, Neil Slatter got the second, and 13,545 at the Manor Ground watched the start of something nobody could see yet.
footballbh.net/2026/11/04/al…
Saturday afternoon, mid-90s. What was the real warm-up for a 3 o'clock kick-off?
60%Football Focus
0%Teletext scores
25%The paper
15%Radio build-up
20 votes • 6 hoursFrom the FBH archive: Big Ron's West Brom, the 1978-79 title charge, and that 5-3 at Old Trafford.
"It was such a delivery that upon the final whistle, the home crowd rose as one to applaud West Brom off the pitch."
footballbh.net/2022/11/07/ro…
From the FBH archive: Big Ron's West Brom, the 1978-79 title charge, and that 5-3 at Old Trafford.
"It was such a delivery that upon the final whistle, the home crowd rose as one to applaud West Brom off the pitch."
footballbh.net/2022/11/07/ro…
On this day in 1998, Wolves parted company with Mark McGhee, then went and won 6-1 at Bristol City. David Connolly hadn't scored in 15 games for the club. He got four that afternoon. Caretaker Colin Lee said he'd have settled for a one-goal win. Wouldn't we all.
From the FBH archive: Hajduk Split. A spaceship stadium, a catalogue of beautiful European exits, fans who took the club back.
"We're always a goal short, and it was written in the stars the day we were founded."
footballbh.net/2022/12/08/ha…
Forty years after Ferguson took over at United, the keeper who followed him from Aberdeen still won't speak to him.
His second career, built on the worst night of his first, is the better story:
footballbh.net/2026/11/06/ji…
30 years ago this Sunday, 10 November 1996: a 38-year-old Hibs keeper at Ibrox, the best player on the pitch as Scotland beat Sweden 1-0. His 75th cap, 37th clean sheet.
His reaction? "I waited until Tuesday, then I changed my home phone number."
On this day in 1993, Leeds beat Chelsea 4-1 at Elland Road. Rodney Wallace scored twice, with Deane and Rocastle also on the sheet. Shipperley got one back. Friday feeling, 1993 edition.
Bonfire Night question: which 90s striker was the proper firework? Quiet for weeks, then one night lit up the whole sky. Answers below, and we'll take Amokachi as read.
From the FBH archive: the Mighty Magyars. England had never lost at home to non-British opposition. Then Hungary walked into Wembley in 1953 and left it 3-6.
"They had encountered the future. And it had arrived from Budapest."
footballbh.net/2024/11/12/th…
On this day in 1994, Manchester City and Southampton drew 3-3 at Maine Road. Walsh got two for City, Ekelund two for Saints. Remember, remember, the fifth of November, when the defences took the night off.
From the FBH archive: the Maracanã. On this day in 2023, John Kennedy won Fluminense their first Libertadores there, ran to the crowd and got sent off for it.
"Pelé, the greatest player Brazil ever produced, lost a naming contest to a sportswriter."
footballbh.net/2024/04/22/en…
Two days before Ferguson's first game, away at Oxford, Ron Atkinson threw his old players a leaving do.
Ferguson never forgave the timing. As Nick Townsend later put it, it was "more a case of a hangover than a takeover".
Forty years ago this week, Manchester United sacked Ron Atkinson, hired a 44-year-old from Aberdeen and lost 2-0 at the Manor Ground.
The defeat was ordinary. What Ferguson saw in it was not.
Oxford away, and Alex Ferguson's first week at United:
footballbh.net/2026/11/04/al…