Alive and Kicking by scotts Menswear

Celebrating 25 years of the Premier League

Introduction by John Fendley

Getting Away With It

Scarborough 1994. Monday Night and I’m round at my mate’s. For the record, the fact his dad has got Sky Sports is only a small contributing factor in our friendship. He’s a good lad. But back then “the dish” was a game changer. It wasn’t the norm. How many people do you know who’ve got an electric car? Thought not. Same question but change the car to a Sky Sports subscription – guarantee that in most homes not many hands would have gone up. If I’d had a set top box back then I would probably have added that information to my CV. Back to the football. Liverpool 3-3 United. This Monday Night Football could catch on. London 1996. Two years later and I am standing in the Sky Sports Canteen. Somehow I’ve been accepted on a week’s work experience. Sporting a thick mop of hair and an absolutely magnificent cream Henri Lloyd reflective jacket. I’m out of my depth. Suddenly a shout of “Oi Supergrass!” goes up from one of the football producers. The canteen fall about. “Supergrass? Supergrass?” I seeth inwardly whilst gurning compliantly, as if to agree that “This is great banter”. I make a mental note.“ Hair needs thinning”. 21 years later and nature has taken care of that for me. I’m still here. Not sure where that jacket is. The Premier League and Sky Sports are still here. They’ve been going steady for 25 years now. I’m still out of my depth, still doing the job that I love and still amazed I haven’t been found out yet. It’s only a matter of time.

Alive & Kicking

Scarborough; nineteen eighty something. The ‘80’s kind of rolled into one for me until ‘89. For arguments sake let’s go with 82’. 8PM and I’m closing the kitchen door so I can listen to the second half of Liverpool’s latest foray into Europe. Back then you couldn’t watch. Listening was the only option; and for some reason you only got the second half. Don’t get me wrong, it was brilliant, I loved football on the radio, still do. If I’m lucky, the goals might be on Sportsnight. If not I’ll use my imagination. Point being - that football on TV back in the greyties was in short shrift.

Words by Michael Richardson

years ago something happened which changed the face of English football. French genius Eric Cantona swapped Leeds United, the reigning champions of the Football League for bitter rivals Manchester United. I found-out about this momentous transfer over the course of a long Autumn day. A mate said he’d heard something was happening from another mate. None of my other mates had heard anything, the radio revealed nothing, the boards outside newsagents didn’t mention it and the calls I made to Man United’s official Clubcall number gave no information. I had to wait six hours until Granada Reports was broadcast at 6.30pm to find out that it was true.

Alive & Kicking

Cheerleaders, pop groups on the pitch and names on the back of shirts were the most immediate visible changes following the Premier League takeover. The first two were soon ditched and it’s difficult to imagine players without their names on their backs now. Not everybody noticed these changes at the time because, due to the technology required, only 14 people in the UK could watch matches on Sky for the first 18 months.

25 years later, after months and months of online speculation, another iconic French footballer’s arrival at Old Trafford was revealed via a series of tweets, Instagram videos and viral adverts featuring a Grime MC, hashtags, emoji’s and lots and lots of dabbing. A scenario and sentence that, during Eric’s time 25 years earlier, would have made absolutely no sense at all. Over those 25 years, the game of football in this country and beyond has changed irrevocably. Also happening 25 years ago, just before Eric made his trans-Pennine switch, was something which drove that change and would have an even more profound effect on the game and alter the face of English football forever. The FA Premier League arrived hand-in- hand with Sky TVs satellite coverage and set-about bringing us ‘A whole new ball game’. That is what Sky promised all those years ago and looking back from where the game is now it’s impossible to argue that that is exactly what we’ve got. Paul Pogba’s €100 million arrival at Old Trafford last year accompanied by four haircuts, golden boots and his own dance craze might’ve wound-up the sneering 40-somethings in expensive anoraks but it didn’t actually surprise anybody. The past was yours, the future’s theirs.

The first few seasons of the Premier League saw the arrival of foreign players we’d only seen at major tournaments. Fair enough Germany’s Stefan Beinlich at Villa, Liverpool’s Hungarian Istvan Kozma and Forest’s Icelandic international Thorvaldur Orlygsson were not ones to set the pulse racing but they were the pioneers that would start to change the make-up of the Premier League forever. They were three of just 37 foreign players across the 22 clubs, a number which would change dramatically across the next 25 seasons. In 1992/93, the idea that a Premier League club would one day line-up without a single English player would’ve seemed ludicrous. With all due respect to the 37 it wasn’t long before genuine superstars started to arrive. Jurgen Klinnsman joined Tottenham! Ruud Gullit signed for Chelsea! Arsenal bought Denis Bergkamp! Juninho and Ravenelli joined Middlesbrough! Middlesbrough!! The opportunity to watch such exotic superstars in action meant that before long viewers were acquiring the technology and Sky’s viewers and influence began to grow. 22 clubs lined-up for the inaugural season of the Premier League. The giants of the game were there and have largely remained there ever since (although the now mega-wadded Manchester City dipped as low as League 1 in the 90’s). Perennial yo-yo clubs like Palace, Middlesbrough, Norwich

Little By Little

and QPR were there, alongside Oldham (relegated the following year never to return), Wimbledon (no longer exist as they once did), Ipswich, both Sheffield clubs and the perennially mis-managed Forest, Leeds and Blackburn. No club has fallen further than Coventry, Premier League members for the first nine seasons but now about to kick-off their campaign in League 2.

The Premier League has given us moments that we will never forget; Beckham scoring from halfway, Rooney scoring from mid-air, Shearer scoring from everywhere and a beach ball scoring against Liverpool. All of these regularly featuring on those montages that Sky like to show us. It’s also given us images that Sky don’t use in montages quite so much but remain seared onto our brains; Cantona twatting that Palace fan, Di Canio twatting the ref, Tim Cahill twatting corner-flags and Newcastle team-mates Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer twatting each other. Personal favourites remain a pissed-up Delia Smith rousing the Norwich crowd, Ricky Gervais managing Hull for a season and England keeper David James playing centre forward for Manchester City. There are hundreds more, you’ll have your own, that’s the joy of it innit? It is of course impossible to talk about the last 25 years without talking about the Internet. You’re probably only reading this magazine because you read about its existence on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat. The web has had the single biggest effect on the world since the invention of the spinning jenny so it’s no surprise that it has changed the world of football too. The Internet has undoubtedly played its part in the virtual death of the printed football fanzine but access to the internet has allowed the influence of fanzineculture to permeate and influence contemporary coverage of the game. Without the football fanzines of the past, there’d be no Fantasy Football, no Soccer AM, no

The impact of Social Media on football has been seismically scene-shifting. Twitter has absolutely changed football in terms of consumption, promotion and interaction; Want to express your disgust at your strikers missed chance? Tweet him. Getting impatient for a new signing? Tweet your club and demand they ‘Announce!’ him. Hate an opposition player? Take to Twitter to wish death upon him or a family member.

“ After all, Paul Pogba didn’t return to Manchester because he missed Deansgate Locks or chip barms

After all, Paul Pogba didn’t return to Manchester because he missed Deansgate Locks or chip barms (although the chip barms probably played their part tbf). The latest rights agreement between broadcasters and the Premier League begins this season and this staggering £8 billion TV deal will ensure that all 20 Premier League clubs are among the 30 wealthiest in Europe. Hundreds of matches will be shown, most of them arranged around the schedules of the broadcasters but he who pays the piper and all that and the rancorous debate that used to accompany such meddling with the scheduling is nowadays reduced to a quiet grumble as most of us want to be able to watch the matches. As a symbol of how much has changed since the first season, the sight of new signing Vinnie Jones turning-out in midfield for a pre-Abramovich Chelsea is pretty telling. Bournemouth have just signed a player from Chelsea for £20 million. You could read that on Twitter and it wouldn’t hit you as anything that remarkable. In 1992 it wouldn’t have been remarkable it would’ve literally been incomprehensible, irrational and impossible. As incomprehensible, irrational and impossible as a club changing its shirt from blue to red, or a club paying a player over a million pounds a month or a player having a glass tank under his kitchen floor with a shark in it.

”

So much change has occurred within English football over the 25 years of the Premier

Of course there’s a reason more and more people are engaging with football players and clubs via social media and it’s a reason that the Premier League and Sky can be ‘blamed’ for and that reason is that everybody is a football fan nowadays. Pre-1990’s football was still a niche, dank and male enclave and whilst many of us get misty-eyed about those days of crumbling stadiums, abhorrent treatment of fans and lack of exposure, the Premier League has made the game far more accessible, a lot safer and comfortable and opened it up to a far wider group of people.

League that it’s impossible to predict what may happen over the next 25. When it comes to writing a piece marking the 50 th season of the Premier League, the writer will could be discussing extending the use of androids as outfield players rather than just goalkeepers, the merits of FIFA President Theo Walcott’s plan to allow hover-boards to be used during extra-time in cup matches, the proliferation of 12 year-old X-Box players being bought for £100 million, the predictability of China winning the upcoming World Cup for the 3 rd time in a row and how next year will definitely, definitely, finally be Liverpool’s year.

Much of this change has been enabled by the vast sums that TV broadcasters have poured into the Premier League. The member clubs pocket huge amounts for their involvement in the Promised Land and many of these have gone into improving facilities and content for spectators in both stadiums and on TV.

Alive & Kicking

I’ll give over the last word here to former international and Premier League midfielder and now TV pundit Andy Townsend who mused in the 1992; “The Premier League. What’s that all about? It’ll last 5 minutes”. Always on the ball Andy. Always on the ball.

A few clubs have made a fleeting visit and then never been seen since; step forward Barnsley, Blackpool, Cardiff and Swindon. The idea of any of these clubs returning any time soon seems remote but then we’re talking about a league that currently includes Bournemouth, Burnley, Huddersfield and Brighton and had Leicester City as it’s champions 12 months ago so who knows?

606, no club forums or contemporary magazines (you may not think these developments are positive but their influence on football is unarguable. Just go and buy a new anorak if that upsets you). And to be honest, the football fanzine hasn’t been completely killed-off. You’re reading this aren’t you?

ex l a r i s u o y #thank

Everybody Shirts ARSENAL, AWAY 1994-95 ‘Nice Nike’ It’s seems odd to think now, but Nike have not long been a site to behold in the Football shirt arena, (actually Sunderland were their first sponsored side in 83) but the company really entered the big time kit wise, when they broke the 8 year stranglehold adidas had over Arsenal. Like most newcomers, they shook things up, the Nike logo was placed steangely but coolly up the chest and I love the shadow lightning chevrons and use of Blue on Blue (spoiled by the gothic writing on the rear). Alive & Kicking

‘The Cantona Black’ One of the poorest decisions ushered in with the new all singing dancing Premier League, was the abandonment of the rule allowing only the referee to wear black. One benefit was, Savvy and ever boundary-pushing Umbro allowed Man Utd to become the first team to spot the potential of a black shirt, and for me, it’s a beauty. Finished with Golden Yellow details the team looked dead hard, and Cantona totally got into the spirit of the shirt whilst he wore it in the infamous Kung Fu incident.

When he’s not recalling obscure sports shoe facts, NEAL HEARD does the same thing but about football shirts. The cool-kit cat wrote last year’s A Lover’s Guide to Football Shirts and here, he chooses his favourite five Premier League outfits.

MANCHESTER UNITED, AWAY 1993-95

ARSENAL, HOME 2005-2006 ‘The Redcurrant’

This shirt is a bit of an opinion divider, especially amongst Gooners, who think it was wrong to move away from Traditional Arsenal Red. The shirt was actually produced by Nike to celebrate theCCentenary of Highbury Stadium being the home of Arsenal, it’s said the designers went back to the original team photograph to match the original Redcurrant jersey, but apparently there was a mistake as the pic came across in black and white, and the interpretation was incorrect, but for me, it’s a happy accident, great colourway, finished off nicely with classy gold details.

CHELSEA, AWAY 2015-16 ‘The Quiet One’ This shirt has slipped under the radar to most, lost in the chaos of multi-shirt offerings from all and sundry brands and teams. For me this is a work of pure class. The adidas white away is finished with a tri-color of red and blue on the sleeves for a fresh look and feel. I even think it’s an instance when the sponsor fits a shirt, and Yokhama Tyres looks bang tidy!

Alive & Kicking

NEWCASTLE UNITED, AWAY 1995-96 ‘The Grandad Collar’

I just love this shirt, adidas ran out in a shirt which was a nod to their early days when Newcastle West End wore a similar styled shirt before they joined East End to create UTD. The colours are unusual, but the authentic use of the original Granddad style collar was a master stroke, and finished with button down front placket, it’s a class act. A Lover’s Guide to Football Shirts by Neal Heard is out now

Alive & Kicking

“ My greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their f#£!ing perch. And you can print that. ” Sir Alex Ferguson

10 Biggest songs of 1992

Biggest films of 1992

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1. Aladdin 2. The Bodyguard 3. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York 4. Basic Instinct 5. Lethal Weapon 3 6. Batman Returns 7. A Few Good Men 8. Sister Act 9. Bram Stoker’s Dracula 10. Wayne’s World

I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston Rhythm Is a Dancer - Snap! Would I Lie to You? - Charles & Eddie Stay - Shakespears Sister Please Don’t Go/Game Boy - KWS End of the Road - Boyz II Men Abba-esque (EP) - Erasure Ain’t No Doubt - Jimmy Nail Heal the World - Michael Jackson Goodnight Girl - Wet Wet Wet

Biggest albums of 1992

Names that sum up 1992

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Stars - Simply Red Back to Front - Lionel Richie Greatest Hits: 1965–1992 - Cher Glittering Prize 81/92 - Simple Minds Dangerous - Michael Jackson Diva - Annie Lennox Timeless: The Classics - Michael Bolton Divine Madness - Madness We Can’t Dance - Genesis Up - Right Said Fred

Alive & Kicking

Boutros Boutros-Ghali Mike Tyson Rodney King John Gotti Bill Clinton Nigel Mansell Alan Shearer Nick Hornby Mark Fowler Reg Houldsworth

“

When I score, I don’t celebrate because it’s my job. When a postman delivers letters, does he celebrate?

” Mario Balotelli

5 2

GAME Liam Fray, Middleton Songsmith “My first game. ‘92. United beat QPR 2-1. Hughes & Cantona scored. I’ll still never forget that feeling walking up through the concourse and seeing all those people. It was just incredible.”

25 Alive & Kicking

2 5

Alive & Kicking asked some people you might have heard of for their favourite things about the Premier League. Here are 25 of the things that made watching top flight football quite good since 1992.

Matt Le Tissier – Southampton Stalwart “Saints 3-2 Arsenal. It was the last game at The Dell, so it was special.”

GOAL Robbie Fowler – Property Magnate “From a personally point of view, mine vs Charlton in the last game of the 2001 season was special. It wasn’t an unbelievable finish, but it meant a lot to the fans. We needed to win that game to qualify for the Champions League and that kicked us into action. I got a quality reception from the Charlton fans that day too, very classy from them.”

MOMENT Peter Hooton – Main Farmer “Andre Mariner sending off the wrong Arsenal player at Stamford Bridge in 2014 – he sent off Keiran Gibbs instead of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for handling on the line. Awkward.”

KIT Joe Donovan – Blossoms Drummer “I’ve been too busy to pay quite as much attention the last couple of years but I had a season ticket at the Etihad before the music thing kicked off. My favourite kit was the City one that was dead classy. 2009-10 season I think. Just blue and white.”

A Certain Romance

GAME

GOAL

Lloyd Griffith – Funnyman

James Brown – Loaded founder and multi-tasker “One of Yeboah’s two against Wimbledon or Liverpool. I was in a cottage in Haworth, Yorkshire, being romantic in bed with my girlfriend with an eye on Match of The Day and when Yobbo unleashed the shot I actually jumped back into the air screaming “F*cking Hell!” She was in total shock as to what was going on.”

“Has to be David Beckham’s lob from the half way line against Wimbledon. That was the moment that put him on the map.”

KIT Neal Heard – Football shirt geek of serious repute “Man Utd 1993-9, away – the black ‘Cantona Kit’.

INJURY

Savvy and eve boundary-pushing Umbro allowed

Daniel Sandison – Mundial Magazine Editor “Phil Babb slide-tackling the post was pretty special.”

United to become the first team to spot the potential of a black shirt, and for me, it’s a beauty. Finished with golden yellow details got into the spirit of the shirt whilst he wore it in the infamous Kung Fu incident.”

GAME Rob May – Laces Out Trainer Festival “It won’t surprise many people, but Liverpool v Newcastle 4-3. It was before I had a season ticket when I used to bunk in with my dad to all the games and sit on his knee, this was the most memorable.”

MANAGER Neal Heard – Author, Trainers and A Lover’s Guide “Has to be Wenger, he changed the archaic landscape of English football for ever, and a proper thinker and gent.”

BEST XI Robbie Fowler – Genuine legend “From players I’ve played alongside it’d be:David James, Jonathan Woodgate, Rio Ferdinand, Jamie Carragher, Jason McAteer, John Arne Riise, Javier Mascherano, Steven Gerrard, Steve McManaman, Mark Viduka and then myself. Also, a token shout for Rob Jones. Just got off the phone to McAteer and he said he’d give £100 to charity if I mentioned him.”

PUNDIT Matt Le Tissier – Free Kick Specialist “Graeme Souness. When he talks, you listen.”

Alive & Kicking

the team looked dead hard, and Cantona totally

HUMDINGER

MISTAKE

Paul Ramsdale - Scotts Menswear “Sheffield United 6, Spurs 0. This rout included a humdinger of a goal from blades legend Dane Whitehouse. That’s how Martin Tyler described the goal anyway, a humdinger.”

Michael Richardson – Mancunian Mouthpiece “Liverpool were finally going to win the Premier League. After 25 years of trying the title was going to return to Anfield. Steven Gerrard, their greatest ever player was going to lead them to the crown in his last season. They topped the league. “This (lead) does not slip!” he declared. And then he went and fucking slipped! He actually slipped! He didn’t trip, or fall, or topple, he actually, literally, comically slipped.

James Brown – Author of Above Head Height – A Five-a-side life “One of my favourite games was away at Southampton in November 2005, Leeds were 3-0 down with twenty minutes to go and scored 4 to win. Liam Miller and David Healey (who I was stood near) were brilliant and the sense of excitement and disbelief as our sarcastic half time chants of “We’re going to win 4-3” turned to reality was just superb. The look on the Southampton fans faces were hilarious. My mate and I also had one of those rare moments that because we were stood on the end of the back row halfway up we could see ourselves on video going absolutely bonkers against the white back wall. Another guy I know left at half time.”

KIT Thomas Turgoose - Lincolnshire Thesbian “Weirdly I like a lot of the training kits teams release. I think when I was about 10 I had a couple of Man United ones. I think most home and away kits are all the same nowadays. Money makers that’s all.”

MANAGER Marcus Reed – Good at drawing “Bobby Robson by a mile, don’t even have to explain why, a great man in every sense.”

Alive & Kicking

GAME

Demba Ba took the ball, scored, Chelsea won and Liverpool blew it. When commentators trot-out the cliché “You couldn’t write this script” they’re usually spouting shite but in this case it’s all too true. Even as a Manchester United fan I have always held my hands-up to the fella’s talent. Gerrard was an unbelievably good footballer. He could do everything. Defend, attack, pass, dominate, score, inspire, lead; all of that and more. I’m approaching sacrilegious territory but he’s the closest thing I’ve seen to Bryan Robson. He was actually that good. But he slipped. That single slip turned Stevie G into Slippy G (and ensured Luke Chadwick still has more Premier League winner’s medals than him). Poor Stevie.”

PERSON

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

CELEBRATION Rob May – Footwear Obsessive “As a goal celebration and a moment in general, Robbie Fowler snorting the 18 yard box became pretty iconic for obvious reasons!”

Thomas Turgoose – Good at acting “Ibrahimovic has improved like a fine wine. Love the guy love, his class and his arrogance, but he can easily back it up.”

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

PLAYER Marcus Reed – Geordie Creative “Been so many greats over the years, it’s hard to pick just one....Shearer, Bergkamp, Cantona, Henry, Ronaldo, Ginola, Le Tissier. But I’m going for Peter Beardsley, greatest player ever to wear a black & white shirt, a superb player.”

Alive & Kicking

James Brown – Follows Leeds “Gary Speed. If he was still alive I don’t think he’d mind if I went for team mates David Batty or Gary Kelly but he’s not so I’ll say Speedo. He was a great player and a lovely guy. He was an exemplary professional football and international manager. I was devastated when he died. As were so many other family, friends and fans.”

Daniel Sandison – Good at Internet “Kenny Dalglish. The things he’s done for Liverpool as a club and a city are incredible, I don’t think we could ever thank him enough. It was genuinely, an absolute privilege to see a Liverpool side managed by him again.”

MANAGER Neal Heard – Author, Trainers and A Lover’s Guide “Has to be Wenger, he changed the archaic landscape of English football for ever, and a proper thinker and gent.”

TV MOMENT Ed Quiligotti - Marshall Artist “Chris Kamara, Portsmouth v Blackburn missing the sending off, I could watch that every night.”

MOMENT Stephen Graham – Scouse Actor “Lots of things stick in the memory about the Premier League. Man United’s grey kit, Robbie Fowler’s goal celebration against Everton, players like Thierry Henry and obviously Steven Gerrard. But, the best moment is probably Aguero’s goal for City to win the league.”

“

I’ll tell you, honestly, I will love it if we beat them.

Love it. ” Kevin Keegan

Alive & Kicking

Interview by Josh Kelsall – Scotts Menswear

(Don’t) shoot the

How did your career begin on Soccer AM? I was fortunate to get two weeks work experience at Sky Sports when I was 16. On my first day they said I was on Soccer AM, seeing how it was put together. I was buzzing as I watched the programme religiously every Saturday morning. I got on well with everyone so they asked me to come in every Saturday to help out, make teas etc. I’ve been here ever since. How did your own segment on the show come about? I had made a few appearances in sketches and quite frankly shit myself on every occasion, believe it or not I’m actually quite shy. Rocket announced he was was going on holiday for a week and at that time he had a regular character on the show.

runner Peter Dale is a shy type, despite his on screen persona. As Soccer AM stalwart Tubes, he’s interviewed them all. He’s been responsible for perplexing Hollywood stars with his deadpan delivery, as well getting a lot more out of media trained players than most. Scott’s Menswear asked him about his nickname, making stupid noises and why he no longer pretends to be a rapper.

Alive & Kicking

It was November and I nearly froze to death. It proved popular, so did that for 2 years. When that got boring, I was asked (told) I was doing one question, one question only. I thought I’d do it in a different way trying to be a rapper etc. That’s when “Peter the Test Tube Baby” became “Tubes”. It was amusing for a few years and did some funny interviews, but at the age of 30 I said I didn’t want to be a rapper, ripping my shirt open, pouring curry on my head, making stupid noises anymore It didn’t go down well with my boss at the time, but I wanted to interview footballers in a more grown up yet different way to how everyone else does it. That’s what I do now and I absolutely love it.

Most difficult interview? Steve Coogan Do you get stopped/recognised in the street? I do yes. People are so nice to me which I’m very grateful for. What’s next for Tubes? Another season on Soccer AM, I’m also working on a few extra projects. What was the first PL game you attended? Chelsea v Watford when I was 4 years old. My Dad had to take me home after 70 mins. He was fume boat, I’ve had a season ticket since I was 5. What is your favourite PL moment? Chelsea winning the Premier League for the first time. Your favourite PL goal? Franks Lampards two against Bolton to seal the title for the first time. And that Tony Yeboah one... you know the one. Who is your favourite PL player of all-time? The little magician, Gianfranco Zola. Your favourite PL manager past and present? Antonio Conte and Roberto Di Matteo (he won the Champions League after all.) How do you see this season going? Champions? Chelsea again, closely followed by City.

Tim Lovejoy called me up and said do you fancy being “Peter the Test Tube Baby”. I said “What on earth does that mean?” he said “dress in a nappy, holding a fake cigarette and a can of beer and bring the balls out for the end game” I said “ummmmm alright”.

Your favourite interview? Rap game – Denzil Washington, Colin Farrell, 50 Cent. Footballers – Super Frank, JT, Ash Cole, Didier Drogba, Gianfranco Zola – I’m a massive Chelsea fan.

Manager of the most PL teams:

Sam Allardyce 6

Leading scorers:

Most appearances:

1 Alan Shearer........ 260

1 Ryan Giggs.......... 632

2 Wayne Rooney........ 198

2 Gareth Barry........ 628

3 Andrew Cole......... 187

3 Frank Lampard....... 609

4 Frank Lampard....... 177

4 David James......... 572

5 Thierry Henry....... 175

5 Gary Speed.......... 535

6 Robbie Fowler....... 163

6 Emile Heskey........ 516

7 Jermain Defoe....... 158

7 Mark Schwarzer...... 514

8 Michael Owen........ 150

8 Jamie Carragher..... 508

9 Les Ferdinand....... 149

9 Phil Neville........ 505

10 Teddy Sheringham... 146

10 Rio Ferdinand...... 504

Most Clean Sheets:

Most Assists:

1 Petr Cech........... 149

1 Ryan Giggs.......... 162

2 Joe Hart............ 119

2 Cesc FĂ bregas....... 107

3 Tim Howard.......... 116

3 Frank Lampard....... 102

4 JosĂŠ Reina.......... 114

4 Wayne Rooney........ 101

5 David de Gea......... 75

5 Dennis Bergkamp...... 94

6 Mark Schwarzer....... 75

6 Steven Gerrard....... 92

7 Simon Mignolet....... 73

7 David Beckham........ 80

8 Edwin van der Sar.... 72

8 Teddy Sheringham..... 76

9 Brad Friedel......... 65

9 James Milner......... 75

10 Ben Foster.......... 62

10 Thierry Henry....... 74

Alive & Kicking

r Most Premie es: League titl

Manchester United 13

r Most Premie goals: League own

1992-2017 in numbers

Richard Dunne 10

rial Most manage to the PL: ns io ot om pr

Steve Bruce 4

First ev er Premier League go al:

Brian Deane

for Shef field 15 August United 1992

Alan Shearer Illustration by Marcus Reed

Words by Mark Smith

A new order -

PREDDY

Alive & Kicking

Your Dad or Grandad will proudly tell you about having to hammer actual studs into their boots, which were probably made of lead which grew wild back in those days. Let’s not look quite so far back though. For the purposes of this here publication, let’s take it back to 1992. It may have been a whole new ball game, but the boots were just a gentle evolution from the late 80s, with very little going on technology wise. Adidas still remained at the forefront, while some players plumped for boot deals with everyone from Hi-Tec to Mizuno. Lotto’s game was strong and even the likes of Brooks and Quaser played a cameo role. Then everything changed. Craig Johnston was known to legions of pre-Premier League football fans as that mad Australian bloke who sometimes came off the bench for Liverpool. His corkscrew hair make him look like a mixture of Mick Dundee and Marc Bolan, but there was a lot more going on under that frizzy wig than most would have thought. For it was Johnston whose revolutionary football boot design ushered in the modern era for football footwear, although it nearly didn’t happen.

GET

In these times of football boots weighing less than air and having laces conspicuous by their absence it would be easy to forget it wasn’t always quite so George Jetson.

It wasn’t until he coerced three German footballing greats into trialling his test boots that adidas sat up and took notice. When Franz Beckenbauer, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Paul Breitner tell you something about football, it’s probably time to listen, and listen is what adidas did, kickstarting a two decade long journey in football boot development. Many world stars got onboard the Predator bandwagon, perhaps most notably a certain David Beckham, whose career went hand in hand with customised Predator boots. If there’s a boot which came to define the transformation of football in the Premier League era, it’s the adidas Predator. It says a lot for how things have moved on that the first Predator from 1994 now feels just as heavy as your Grandad’s lead boots, but without the Predator who knows where we’d be now? They were a game changer, quite literally. We got together with @thepredcollective to illustrate the lineage of the Predator. Alive & Kicking

Having produced a procession of prototypes, poor Craig couldn’t get any of the major brands to bite. Even adidas weren’t keen at the start. The initial seed of the idea came when Craig had retired and was coaching in Australia. The same rubbery friction which a table tennis player could achieve with their small bat was something Johnston desired on his football boot. He believed it would add something extra to a player, whether that be through a bit of swerve, increased power or just general ball control.

“

I just yelled: ‘Off you go, Cantona. It’s an early shower for you’. ” Matthew Simmons

born in bavaria Since the Liverpool fans in the 70s & 80s brought adidas to our shores it's been a fans favourite. Here's the latest offerings available at Scotts menswear BERMUDA £75 Grey/Blue Navy/Arg

MUNCHEN £80 Sesame/Brown Cargo/Sesame

JEANS £80 Navy/Solar Energy/Turbo All available in-store and at

scottsmenswear.com

I’m applauded, and then forgotten 25 Premier League stars you’d struggle to remember... and what they’re up to now

Bosko

ban BoskoBala d dbybyAston Bala ban- -Signe Signe AstonVilla Villasix six milli ons milli onsinin2001. eded0 0goals 2001.Bosko , ,playe Boskomanag dd manag goals playe only esesand is widel only8 8match y recog match nised and is widely recog nisedasasone oneofof the worst signi ngs in the worst signings inPremi ererLeagu e ehisto ry. Premi Leagu histo ry. Since ement Sinceretir retir ssful ementBosko lylycarve Boskohas dd hassucce succe ssful carve out anian outa aniche cinem nicheininLithu a, exclu Lithu sivel anian cinema, exclusivel yy playi ngngbaddi esescalle d dBosko playi .. baddi calle Bosko Ryan kk- -The RyanDon Don TheDutch Dutch defen sive elder defen dd sivemidfi midfi elderjoine joine West WestBrom Brominin2008 2008but butitit never y yworke d-out neverreall reall worke d-outatat the orns. eses theHawth Hawth orns.Baggi Baggi manag ererTony ayaylater manag TonyMowbr Mowbr later admit ted dd admit tedheheonly onlysigne signe Donk sesehehethoug hthtthe Donkbecau becau thoug the tune tune‘Put ‘Puta aDonk Donkononit’ it’byby the Black out the BlackoutCrew Crewwas was tacti cal e.e. tacti caladvic advic

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Sus

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h h paid 8 wic lele- -Nor nk wic wi Nor lfs nnWo nk wi ky lfs Wo Ric . .One va son kyva sea Ric One One 3. son 201 sea in ky One Ric 3. d for in 201 n nqui lio mil quid for Rickyhe’s called Rickykyvan lio mil van e e he’s called Ric aus ededbec lud aus l.l.Inc bec goa lud Inc goa . sly iou obv . le, sly ink fsw Wol fswinkle, obviou Wol

Sergio

ter SergioPe Pe man ter- -A AGer Ger h ha aSpa manlad ladwit nish first wit and Spa ee lis andananEng h hfir ststnam nam Eng lis e easasa asecond name,nish firstnam fir nam second name,Pet app erermad ear anc e e1717 esesfor Pet app ear mad Bla anc ckb urn for Blackb dur ing the urn ir dur las ing t their lastper Pre iod mie r rLea per gue Pre iodasasa a mie e.e.Lat Lea guesid ererrei sid nve nte Lat d dhim rei sel nve f fasasPet nte Ser gio him erer sel Ser Pet gioand ksksthe andnow nowwor ten wor nis the tennisclu bsbsofofChe shi clu coa rereasasa a ch/ fit Che nes shi s sins coa ch/ tru fit cto nes r. ins tructor. e eA A riri y yininSeSe oror s sglgl hihi anan l ilil al -M r ex l Fo ’s’s ex-M tyty ioio- - For alDerby yCoCo unun nn ra ooEE nn ra eded fafa s,s, Derb udud te 9090 clcl SS y in rl te is ea y in s/ er nnnner is ”” tete8080s/earls Leagueuewiwi vuvu vava e elala y y“U“U ininthth onons Leag pipi amam t ttotosasa d dChCh lelenono ibib totoanan ssss etet po udud im ScSc s po wa . meme. e eitit was imsaid his snana usus caca lylybebe r r said hi rere toto pupu tata enen mmmm a acoco me ti y me er evevery ti

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Words by Michael Richardson

Regi

lin ke Reg BB r r- Reggae Regi lin ke season iat ent the 1996/9 ggae gispsp llsbor-ouRe season atHiHi 7 t th 1996/9 gh. My Re ll iPad inen sborou 7 changing the gh sistede on . My iP ad ex changing the -Sheffield We in si st ed on dnesday man’s Regional Blin ex-Sheffield We dnes ker. There’s Regi al Blin me to n’snana me obablyday maad r. There’sprpr competon ion in ke itional to comp itit rkshire to fiobablya atrtr ion inYoYo ad it ional nd blinkeet rk sh th ire to find th e best regi r who’s then blinke onal clared County e best regi who’s thendede onal bet Regir wo ared Countychch ampion. I’ll uld’ve been cl bet Regi wo uld’ve beengrgr eat at that. ampion . I’ll eat at that.

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Razv

r ães sfofo imarar r a dedeGuGu ãe Join tóriri im em a ViVi ed toriri a . Join inededViVi r thth a rtópl ed fo to Ne ee- -JoJo ed . ay eb em BB in ve r played for million. . 10 eb 20 ly Ju ly 2010. Neve 10 for £7.4 million. in 00 .0 00 £6 00.000 in Ju 20 10 for £7.4 st gu Au s, in nt £6 hester United in August 20 d by his pare nts,hehe ited ars. Abandonened by his parea good Mancnc er Un hestic ke a good Ma ed Abando e inin4 4yeye ars. tw ic nt onontotomama ke Playay r. WeWe eltete tw aeho nt alscorer ed in ss shsh in Spain Pl up r. ent melele el -d go ss ha er in Spain ec or grewew up in a home sc lf -decent goal gr er for himself fasasa a ha lf carereer for himsel luck to him. od luck to him. ca al. .GoGo rtugug od and dPoPo al rt Ryo 12 year old Manga an RyoMiyaichi Miyaichi- -The The 12 year old Manga cartoon spent 2011 until 2015 at cartoon spent 2011 until 2015 at Arsenal, but only appeared in the Arsenal, but only appeared in the Premier League for Bolton and Wigan on Premier League for Bolton and Wigan on Le eD on g loan. Has subsequently found enormous Lee- ongGG oo kk- South loan. Has subsequently found enormous oo Korean D So la ut d who spent tw h fame in a hugely successful J-pop group. Kore la d o fame in a hugely successful J-pop group. o spent tw seasonan s at Miwh o dd season le sb rough in Middlesb the mid-snoat rough in the ughties. mid-nought Dong. ies. Dong . ine e gentnt riri- -ArAr na bo ge 98in ar ioioCC na , ac or bo HH arin y inin1919 rb De ac 98,Rams or ed jo o joined Derby th th e Rams ndererwhwh defefe o wi e it e ur nd th vo fa de ming a firm with ft, uriteJi ith hlele favobo rm te becoco m SmSm fi a ss ng mi it outft, r be 4 seasons. Af ter boss Jim m out for r 4 seasons. Afegory shipped dhihi m a”. fo hn GrGregory shippeor pa st a”. ffererJoJo s or pa hn new wgaga rgieie st ke “A“A s ne useff dn’t’tlili rg la he didi t ke Arie es rg dn becaca s larges he r of Buenos t useow be th s ie Ar ne os en e ed Bu Now w the owner ofrestaurants calllled No n of Italian restaurants ca cine. chaiain of Italianlising in Fettucuccine. ch cio’s, specia lising in Fett ecia Horara Ho cio’s, sp

KK ee vv ininTheophil Theophil e CC aa th ee riri nn ee- It woe th uld easy to ma ke - It wouldbe

easy to ma gags abou be ke t the ex-Cardi gs abou ff man’ga t the ex-Cardi s name ff man’ bu that wo t s uld be chil name but that wo uld be chil dish and juvenile sh . Kevi juvenile n ‘Hatdi er ofand Gods’ Cath. Kevi n ‘H at er of y didn’t ha Gods’ Cath ng around in y didn’t ha the Premie ng arou r the Premie Leaguendfoin r long League fo . Just rlike Cardiff. Dor long st Cardiff. Do ubt ei.thJu ke er wili ub be back. t eith ll er wi be back. ll

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Quincy

anian forward wh Qui y– –GhGh o played for a anian forward wh games nc r Arsena o played for adozen-or- so l and Portsmouth gamesfofo r Ar dozen-or- so se in the early-to It never really nal an d Po rt sm ou - mid 90’s. It never reallyworked-out for th in th early-to - mid 90’s. incy ine th which shouldn’t worked-out forQuQu e Pr emier Le incy in the Pr which shouldn’thave come as an ague y surprise real emier Le actually a medi have come as an ague ly as cal examiner fr y su actually a medi rp ri se s really ashehewawa om Los Angeles. cal examiner fr s om Los Angeles. Alive & Kicking

2008 r who spent 2008 yptian strike r who spent

ke career back in ike eEgEgyptian strihi ll-l-l s career back in i i- -BuBu ak ed hi r rZZ ll dikHu nishsh mm AA s y-named Arab ll. .FiFi ak ed an an ni n ga tl antly-named Wi ll Hu th 2010 wi gan and li the brilli

to 2010 with Wi araohs with with the bril kdown to e PhPharaoh&#39;s ected WWE Smac E Smackdown nd ofofthth sp respected WW the elala ll- re nd s FC.eNo w a we ll- Amr Apophis. th ract w aewe or . No me his. na Contab Contractors FC th r de Ar rstar fighting ununder the name Amr Apop Supeperstar fighting Su Ru ud ffi nn– –Belgian goalkeeper who Ru udBo Bo ffi gian goalkeeper who played jus t once inBel played jus mier League t onc e inthe thePre Pre for West Ham United mie League for West Ham Unitedduring a twor-ye ar dur ing spe ll. two-ye Sin ar ce retirement Ruud ahas ev sh hi spe is ll. K Sin nn Kishishev titi retirement Ruud hastaken os ad RR his name litce tak era os lly ad and his n is name literally and isnow involveden ia n ar lg Bu e Th – The Bulgaria in academic research now involved backck – rnational right-tin aca turing in ic res ba chand gh fo andlec intete lec areas ofdem l riye turing in iona r science ear rnat d fo tha t in mi pa are foc as uss er of es on r ld sci ie enc df ielder payed d e tha t foc cum-m-mi uss sub jec ts like willies, boobies,es on df tween 200 an d cu lton sub jec ts like willies, boobies,bums, etc 0 anter Chararltonbebetween 20 bums, etc s afafter Ch . Left the Addickck s e di -m 200707 e Adte th ft at Le . am 20 st-up with a team-mate a bubust-up with a ars s o wawa r whwh a rikeke ree eyeyears s n stst o iniaia ent tthth r gentnt ri na who ospsp ng aa– –ArAr n az ltlt duriri in te en ssre ery y Sixto Pera le ev ge io u” wh ng “B yo ng rn du In ternazionale ra le ss you” ever om Pe fr o wn xt To sayiying “B Si h swicich Town from In Boys relegation Ip ed uc to od ed sa Radostle tr an in lo on r in introduced sw ti to Ip ga ac to le Tr re e ed Th an ys . timeme Radost lo Bo s that saw in one. asonon. The Tractor av 2 sese 01/0/0 el s that saw ti elf to so the e2020 me one. as f onontrtrav 01 2av t-ofof el d sese himsms th me e anan s t- fun ded dhihi xto olele d hi elf to so s. EnEn saw wSiSi ie e s tr av co de xt r 9 clubs in 4 countrie s. sa ay fofor 9 clubs in 4Argentina where ehehe him mplpl ay er ve wh ti a na hi in s nt hi ge others Sevento, ck inin his native Ars er baba carere ck am alongside hi sbrbr others Sevento, ca erin hi te e a id gs on ed playayed in a team al pl . to ne Ni d an to to. Eighgh Ei to and Nine

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r ChChris Coleman ing nagege – MaMa lla te llowowing na er in on 06. .FoFo – tt ooMM lla nz te ll Roma ce ag e in2020 inin on VV 06 Co tt en nz av Cr ce r to n Craven Co agn 100 goals fo r Roma la on-loa el la on-loan to spite near-o n 100 goals fo ’t Montnt dn ’t el s exit, and de spite near-o z didi Mo ma nchehe dn a n’ s exit, and demanager Lawrie SaSa z do Colele nc Sa ri man’al new w manager Lawrie mp , Co 20 ps ca th y wi y al y with Sampdoria It , ne to and d 20ItItaly capshe ed rn tu rned to Ital re becoming an y Vincenzo so herere tu them in befo re becoming fancncy Vincenzo so g them in befo Milan. nginin fa e he carried ononbaba g d Milan. ng , ria aanan mpdodo iedFiorenti wherer d g sacked rr na ,SaSa ca ri he e mp fo wh ger of Roma, Fiorenti in g sacked na re bebe in mananager of Roma,months at Fulhamambebe re fo ma hez lasted 6 months at Fulh Sancnchez lasted 6 Barnet. Sa taking over at Barnet. and d taking over at an

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ng - Despitee soundi ng like - Despit soundi of the like a member Rebel a member of thefrom ce Rebel Allian Alliance from thene, Tatooi the planet ne, planet Tatooiactual ly was Andrinak Andrinak was actually an Iraniann an Irania l who internationa who international Big for Big turned-out turned-out for between n Sam’s Bolton Sam’s Bolton betwee g 2008. Lookin 2006 and Looking 2006 and 2008. of a result like the like the resultn of a betwee n face-swap face-swap betweeZlatan and Zlatan Lionel Messi and Lionel Messi ‘Ando’ , Ibrahimovich ‘Ando’ Ibrahimovich,stoppe d ly once famous d once famously stoppe league an Iranian n leaguegame game an Irania fly. to rescue a abutter butterfly. to rescue Jessie. The big The big Jessie.

an t t- -The Romanian who spent Razv anRa Ra The Romanian who spe a decade at khtar Donets a decade atSha k, was at WestntHam Sha ar Donets k, was at West Ham for a season a kht r or for a season ayea two bac k inbet ween r or two back in-bet appearing in all yea ween m Harry Potter movies appearing in allthe the . m Harry Potter movies .

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