“I can cope with being in the National League, relegation is part of being a football fan, but what I want is a sustainable club with decent morals and values and not one which is part of one man’s ego.”
Continue reading “Editorial: Board Out? Board In? Or Just Shake It All About?”
Mick died in September. I don’t know how old he was. Older than me, but still in the ballpark of years at which people, upon hearing of his passing, would shake their heads and comment that it was ‘no age at all’.
Continue reading “Beneath the Statue: Remembering Mick”
With the prospect of several fan-free months becoming an increasing reality, thoughts have turned to how lower league clubs, the majority of whom are dependent on gate receipts for survival, will make it out of the current pandemic unscathed. Continue reading “How a radical rescue plan could put fans at the heart of a revival”
As I sit and write this editorial, Twitter and indeed much of the British media, is vehemently condemning the racist abuse of England’s footballers during the national team’s match in Montenegro. And rightly so. Continue reading “Editorial: calling out racism begins at home”
It’s not a particularly funny issue of popular STAND fanzine, this one. It has its moments don’t get me wrong, and I don’t want to discredit those who’ve submitted lighter pieces, but I feel it’s only fair to call it up front. You’re good people, you deserve honesty, and likewise I deserve a break from the inevitable ‘it’s-not-as-funny-as-it-used-to-be’s that greet any request for feedback. It’s still good though, so don’t even think about asking for your pound back. You’ve committed now, roll with it. Continue reading “Editorial: We need to stop relying on football to get us through”
‘F***ing shit’ shouted the bloke in front of me as we traipsed out of The Valley last Saturday. ‘Absolute garbage’. I wasn’t so sure. Frustrating I’d grant you; disappointing likewise, not quite good enough, sure. But what I’d just watched hadn’t been ‘shit’ – and I’ve supported Rovers long enough to know what ‘shit’ is. Continue reading “Editorial: When did we become so intolerable of averageness?”
There’s a great photo of Liam Mandeville’s free-kick against Grimsby, taken just as the ball strikes the inside of the post. Goalkeeper already flailing, the South Stand is a blanket of expectant faces; rows of mouths all caught in the early stages of guttural roars or yells of acknowledgement of the ball’s inevitable nestling in the back of the net. All that is, except one. Continue reading “Why can’t we just enjoy winning?”
It’s been positive start to the season for Rovers, which has in turn brought a surreal matchday optimism to the Keepmoat. For most of us this has been a novel, and rather pleasant, paradigm shift, following the relentless dread and anguish that has plagued recent years. But do remember to spare a thought for those among us for whom such joys bring nothing but grey clouds. Continue reading “Reasons to be cheerful”
It’s eighteen long years since popular STAND fanzine first went to print. A lot has happened to our football club since then, and aside from the price – still only £1 – much has changed with the fanzine too. Continue reading “The big popular STAND fanzine survey”
I am unable to recall when or why I fell in love with football. There was no epiphany. No great moment of clarity. Football, as far as I can remember, was simply always there; eternally bobbling about alongside grazed knees and Why Don’t You? in the goalmouth scramble of my childhood. Continue reading “Editorial: On Contemplating Life Without Football”
popular STAND fanzine 