Having been accustomed to tweeting links to some of our favourite articles published elsewhere in recent months, we have decided today to formalise the process by instituting a new series at The Two Unfortunates. This will point the way to three of the pieces we have enjoyed most over a 7 day period and these could be blog posts, articles in established media, podcasts or tumblr-style images. We hope to maintain this on a weekly basis and here is our first set of choices:

It’s hard to forgive Freedman his decision to quit, Five Year Plan Fanzine ^[1]

Many a piece has been published this week on Dougie Freedman’s defection to Bolton; on the face of things, a bizarre choice indeed and one which is sadly reminiscent of the way in which Owen Coyle’s arrival at the Reebok was similarly engineered. In our eyes, this – from Dan Cooper on the constantly evolving Five Year Plan Fanzine ^[2] – is the pick of the bunch, a poignant examination of the concept of loyalty in football which rises above the hooha of this week’s news.

An Assault on the game of Football, A United View on Football ^[3]

Further brain food was provided this week by Ian Rands ^[4] over at A United View on Football ^[5]. As disillusioned as Ian appears to have become with the game over recent months, the quality of his writing hasn’t suffered, the latest in a series of philosophical wanderings asking whether football is back to the dark old days. If it is, then what can we do to reverse its direction? For a start, Ian suggests, “Police must focus on policing the minority, not the majority…” Highly recommended.

The Pretenders, The Blizzard ^[6]

As an expert on European football, Andy Brassell ^[7] is the most engaging of commentators, whether in print or on the radio/podcasts. The latest majestic edition of The Blizzard ^[8] features a wonderful article charting the sad decline of Belenenses and Boavista - the two Lusitanian clubs that have done most to challenge the grip of the Big Three in that country but which have fallen on hard times. Although Braga are the latest to attempt to break the stranglehold, the ‘Os Tres Grandes’ establishment remains firmly entrenched.

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