Dr. Matthew L. McDowell (University of Glasgow) 2013 marks two major anniversaries in British and world football: the 150th of the Football Association’s (FA) foundation, and the 140th of the formation of the Scottish Football Association (SFA). While the celebration of these seemingly great milestones is muted throughout the British commentariat, taking stock continues well outside the boundaries of official commemoration, and mostly through rose-tinted goggles. Observer columnist Nick Cohen recently lamented the ‘cynical’ and ‘selfish’ nature of modern football.
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St David meets the Victorians
by Mike Benbough-Jackson (Liverpool John Moores) The Welsh are entitled to feel a little self-satisfied on the 1st of March. For one thing, St David was born and bred in the land that would, eventually, become Wales. Unlike England’s national saint, who was Greek, or Ireland’s, who was Welsh, St David is a home-grown saint. The day also has an innocent air. Local and national Welsh papers are crammed with photographs of children bedecked in various forms of national costume.
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