All articles written by Rob Doolan
Remembering Chesterfield’s 15 minutes of fame - 15 years on
It’s bitterly ironic, writes Rob Doolan, that Chesterfield could find themselves relegated back to the basement of English football on FA Cup semi final weekend, almost 15 years to the day that the club enjoyed its finest hour in that epic tussle with a star-studded Middlesbrough team. Those proud memories however, remain tainted for many Spireites fans by the shocking refereeing decision that robbed them of a place in …
Neil Warnock and the Tinkitam Express
For his latest historical article Rob Doolan takes us to Gigg Lane, Lancashire. And the foothills of the Himalayas, naturally…
Indian football is back in the headlines at the moment for the first time in years, the well-backed but turbulent Premier League Soccer being the latest venture in the quest to gain the game a foothold in the cricket-obsessed subcontinent. Indeed, the success of cricket’s IPL has heavily influenced the …
Sideshow Ron: Peterborough United and Big Ron Manager
Things are looking pretty good at Peterborough United at the moment. Posh fans will be counting their blessings as they prepare to take on their Director of Football Barry Fry’s former club Birmingham City this weekend. It wasn’t so long ago that Fry was at the centre of a rather eccentric departure from the normality of life in the lower leagues. In the latest of his articles delving into the …
Paying the “pelanty”: Waddle’s nightmare year at Burnley
When we think of Chris Waddle, writes Rob Doolan, we tend to think of sausage factories, mullets, Diamond Lights, and a man so traumatised by the events of Italia ’90 that he can no longer even pronounce the word “penalty”. We also remember one of the most spellbinding wingers of recent times, a player whose talent was somehow languid and dazzling at the same time, a master of jinking …
Birmingham City and the battle of Ancona
It’s safe to say that it isn’t the happiest of times to be a Birmingham City supporter, writes Rob Doolan, with relegation from the Premier League in May followed by a steady drip-feed of increasingly bleak information regarding the state of the club’s finances. Yet Friday’s Europa League play-off round draw provides a welcome distraction for Blues fans, as Chris Hughton’s men become only the second football league team …