to a digital copy of the Free Lions: Issue 143

ISSUE 143
SPAIN V ENGLAND
13TH NOVEMBER 2015
Proud supporters of the Football Supporters’’ Federation
...the free England fanzine
produced and distributed by
the Football Supporters’
Federation (FSF) as part of
Spain v England
Estadio José Rico Pérez,
Alicante
Friday, 13th November 2015
Kick–off 20.45, local time
England will play in
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A
ND welcome to the Costa
Brava, for the first time for
an England game. Alicante is
the match venue, but for many of
us, for the purposes of accommodation and entertainment, there
will also be a visit to Benidorm
involved – and so this edition of
Free Lions has brought you some
guide information to both towns.
That information is provided as ever,
alongside all your usual Free Lions
features of quizzes and football
opinion, as part of the Football
Supporters’ Federation’s Fans’ Embassy
– an independent, “by fans, for fans”
service offering advice, support and
assistance to all England’s travelling
support.
In addition to this fanzine, you also
have at your disposal our 24-hour
telephone helpline (on +44 7956
121314), our Facebook and Twitter
feeds, and provided you’ve registered,
our free text message updates for
urgent and important news. Signing
We will be providing our now
customary tournament guide on
the website, and in the spring will
be publishing the Free Lions guide
book to France 2016, as we make
preparations for our fans’ embassy
service at the tournament. The fans’
embassy is for your benefit, providing
objective information independently of
any of the authorities, and assistance
and support on a completely
confidential basis. It’s all entirely free
to fans – please do make use of it.
COVER STORY
the financial support we have received to
produce Free Lions impacts on what we put in
it.Consequently, none of our supporterscan be
held in any way responsible for the contents
of, nor the views expressed in, this fanzine.
THANK YOU
We are grateful to GettyImages and the
FAOPL for the cover photo. As ever, this
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It’s also well worth keeping up to date
with the Free Lions section of the FSF’s
website (www.fsf.org.uk/free-lions).
We have a keen eye focussed on the
Euro 2016 draw which is to be held
on Saturday 12th December in Paris;
that’s when we know where England
will play our group stage games, and
where we could end up playing as we
progress through the knockout stages.
Almost exactly two years ago, Adam Lallana, then a Southampton
player, made his debut for England in the home friendly against Chile.
With 19 caps under his belt, he is now reproducing some of his best
form since his move to Liverpool, and will be keen to notch up his first
senior England goal.
IT WASN’T ME
The Free Lions fanzine is produced by the
Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF), the
national membership-based organisation for
fans. We have tried to ensure the accuracy
of all the information provided in this
fanzine, but can accept no responsibility for
any loss, injury or inconvenience suffered
by any one relying on its contents.None of
S U P P O R T E R S’
up for the text updates is easy: just
text the word UPDATES to +44 7956
121314.
FSF helpline: +44 7956 121314
fanzine has been a team effort. This edition
was edited by Kevin Miles, and thanks are
due to Phil Rowley; Clive Hetherington, Joe
Hetherington; Becky Gamester-Newton; Andy
Robinson; Elizabeth Bell; Tony Conniford,
Harpreet Robertson; Sher Houston; Sarah
Storey and Andy Wilkinson.
PAGE 3
our Fans’ Embassy service.
PAGE 4
BANK ON BARKLEY
BY CLIVE HETHERINGTON
A
CLAMOUR is growing for
England boss Roy Hodgson to make Ross Barkley
the axis of his side at Euro 2016.
The Everton playmaker, 21, opened
the scoring in the 3-0 win over
Lithuania in Vilnius last month – his
second goal in 17 appearances for
the Three Lions – as England made it
a ‘Perfect Ten’ wins in qualifying for
next summer’s tournament in France.
And ten was the number on the mind
of former England striker and TV
pundit Ian Wright as he discussed the
merits of Barkley’s game and how he
can be utilised to best effect.
Wright suggested that Barkley,
based on his form and development,
should be handed the ‘No 10’ role.
But that throws up the question of
which of England’s attacking players
would be sacrificed to offer Barkley
the freedom of that role.
If captain Wayne Rooney, England’s
record scorer with 50 goals, is not
leading the attack, his next most
effective position is playing just off
the main striker in the ‘No 10’ berth.
Shoving Rooney into wide-left
duties, as Hodgson did in last
year’s disastrous World Cup
showing in Brazil, is simply a
waste of the Manchester United
talisman’s talents.
But Wright believes Barkley can
do his greatest damage in the ‘No
10’ spot. He said: “I would leave
him to get on with his game and I
would play him further forward in
the No 10 role so he can get on the
HETHERINGTON’S VERDICT
England beat then-world
champions Spain 1-0 at Wembley
when the sides last met around
this time of year in 2011. Much
has changed since. While Spain
still reign as European champions
after defending their title at
Euro 2012, last year’s World Cup
witnessed the dramatic decline
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of a once-supreme unit. They were
demolished 5-1 by Holland and lost
2-0 to Chile in failing to progress
from their group. But they still possess plenty of quality and I expect
them to have the edge here.
Prediction:
Spain 2 England 1
ball in good areas, like the one he
got into when he scored against
Lithuania. I’d rather see that than
him getting into the midfield area
where he has to turn and play.
“I’d rather see him getting on
the ball and being very effective.
Wayne’s form at the moment is not
ideal, but if Barkley can continue his
own form now, he can play in that
No 10 role – and he should get it.’’
I would not argue with Wright’s
assessment of Barkley. He should
be given his head in a free role that
suits his ability, but Rooney is an
absolute must in any England team.
So what of Harry Kane? In my view,
impressive as he has been since his
England introduction, the Tottenham
striker should shadow Rooney for
the ‘No 9’ role.
With Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge
and Arsenal’s Danny Welbeck
having seen their seasons disrupted
by injuries, Leicester’s Jamie Vardy
is also pushing his claims in the
striking department.
CONTACT CLIVE VIA [email protected]
Hodgson has much to ponder as he
considers what will be his preferred
line-up when the big occasion
comes round.
As far as the rest of the side is
concerned, the pace and menace
of Arsenal’s Theo Walcott and
Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling
on the flanks are essential, while
the Gunners’ Jack Wilshere and Man
United’s Michael Carrick – again,
fitness permitting in the case of
both – offer England their best
midfield platform.
In defence, Liverpool’s Nathaniel
Clyne is now the natural choice at
right-back, while Man United’s Chris
Smalling and Everton’s John Stones
are the future at the heart of defence.
If he recovers in time from a broken
leg, Man United’s Luke Shaw would
get my vote at left-back. But if he
doesn’t, Everton’s Leighton Baines
would be the next best bet.
And it is a no-brainer that Man
City’s Joe Hart is still England’s ‘No
1’ between the sticks.
In an ideal world, I would go with the
following side in a 4-2-3-1 formation:
Hart
Clyne, Smalling, Stones, Shaw
Carrick, Wilshere
Walcott, Barkley, Sterling
Rooney
England may have impressed in
qualifying for the main event next
year, but they were rarely troubled
by any of their opponents
in a largely weak group.
So how good are this England
team? Well, we are about find out
SPAIN’S KEY THREE – BY JOE HETHERINGTON
SANTI
CAZORLA
After a string
of good
performances
for club and
country, he has
steadily become an important
player for Spain. The £16million
Arsenal invested in him in 2012
was certainly money well spent,
and the Gunners may find it
difficult to replace the 30-year-old
when he eventually leaves the
Emirates. Cazorla has also spent
time at Villarreal, Recreativo
and Malaga. The midfielder
scored a brace in the 4-0 win
over Luxembourg last month.
With Spain struggling to find a
consistent striker, their reliance
on attacking midfielders such as
Cazorla has become even greater.
SERGIO
RAMOS
Currently
third in the
list of Spain’s
most-capped
players (behind only
Iker Casillas and Xavi) with 130.
He was still a teenager when he
joined Real Madrid, and has since
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as they face European champions
Spain here in Alicante and then next
summer’s hosts, France, at Wembley
on Tuesday.
FSF helpline: +44 7956 121314
amassed many honours with them,
including the Champions League,
La Liga, and the Copa del Rey. The
defender, 29, is comfortable at both
centre-back and right-back. Ramos
shows much aggression in his play,
and is no stranger to a red card.
After victory in the 2011 Copa del
Rey, he suffered the embarrassment
of dropping the trophy from the
parade bus.
JORDI ALBA
The diminutive
Barcelona
full-back, 26,
has become a
regular for Spain
as his career continues on an
upward trajectory. His attacking
play means he often finds himself
on the scoresheet, and it was
he who broke Celtic hearts with
a last-minute winner in 2012.
The defender’s most memorable
goal remains his finish in Spain’s
Euro 2012 final victory over Italy,
scoring the second in the 4-0
mauling. Having left Barcelona
as a youngster, he returned from
Valencia in 2012. Alba’s trickery
and pace make him dangerous on
the counter, something of which
England are sure to be wary.
PAGE 5
AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH CLIVE HETHERINGTON?
PAGE 6
SCOUSE PHIL’S FREE LIONS
SPAIN MUSIC QUIZ
H
e’s done it again. Scouse Phil
has provided us with a music
quiz, in which every question
or answer relates to something
Spanish. It’s what he does best.
Which number provided the title
of the musical featuring Spanish
actress Penelope Cruz released
in 2009?
4
1
2
Which Spaniard is the bestselling male Latin music artist
of all time?
‘Spanish Bombs’ is a track from
the album ‘London Calling’ by
which band?
5
6
7
Question 5: .
Shakira
Question 3:
Penelope Cruz
3
8
Al Martino had a Top Five hit
with the song ‘Spanish Eyes’,
but in which Oscar-winning film
did he play the part of singer
Johnny Fontane?
‘Hips Don’t Lie’ singer Shakira
is married to which Spanish
footballer?
Which Spanish painter is
mentioned in the Peter Sarstedt
Number One hit ‘Where Do You
Go To, My Lovely’?
Florence and the Machine
headlined the 2015 Benicassim
Music Festival in Spain, but
what was the name of their
debut album, that shares its
name with a part of the body?
Ben E. King and Aretha Franklin
both had a hit with which song
that shares its title with the
former name of a district of
New York?
9
What would you do with the
Spanish musical instrument a
bandurria – would you pluck it,
shake it or blow it?
10
Reaching Number Two in the
charts, what was the title of
the England World Cup Squad’s
song for the 1982 World Cup
Finals in Spain?
Answers on page 13
FSF FANS EMBASSY
The FSF Fans’ Embassy will be operating on both
Thursday, 12th November, and on match day, Friday
13th November, but in two separate locations.
On Thursday, between 11.00 and 18.00, we will be in
Benidorm by the seafront, where Avenida de Europa
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meets Avenida de Alcoy – directly outside the ticket
collection point at the Hotel Cimbel.
On Friday, between 10.00 and 17.00, we will be in
Alicante, at the Plaza de Los Luceros, next to the
Luceros tram station.
YOUR FREE LIONS GUIDE
W
elcome to the Costa
Blanca, the “white
coast”, the term
used to denote 120 miles
of Mediterranean coastline
in the province of Alicante.
Not that it is a traditionally
Spanish concept: the term
Costa Blanca was actually
coined as a promotional name
by British European Airways
(BEA), a forerunner of British
Airways, when they launched
their holiday service between
London and Valencia in 1957.
We have the Spanish Football
Federation to thank for deciding
to play this fixture in Alicante,
right in the middle of a resort
area highly popular with Brits.
And it’s not just the location that’s
interesting, there’s also the timing:
our visit coincides with the end of
the Benidorm Fiesta, an annual
event which officially ends with
the parade and fireworks on the
Wednesday evening. Traditionally
though, on the day after the end of
the official proceedings the streets
around Calle de Gerona and the
British square area are filled with
those taking part in the British
fancy dress day, some 20,000
people mostly in costume partying
into the night.
direct tram service, the L1 that
runs from Benidorm to Luceros
station in Alicante – trams run
every half hour until around 22.00,
the journey takes 70 minutes, and
the single fare is €3.75 (€6.40
return). It’s quite a scenic trip,
hugging the coast for stretches.
One tip: hang on to your ticket
during your journey: it may be a
flimsy bit of paper, but you’ll still
need to scan it to exit through the
barriers in Alicante.
With that on the Thursday, and
the game itself down the coast in
Alicante on the Friday, this is very
much going to be trip based on
two centres. Fortunately, the two
are not far apart and travelling
between them is not difficult.
Apart from the direct motorway
link via the AP 7, there’s also a
The two places are quite different;
whereas Benidorm is very much a
holiday destination based around
beaches and bars, Alicante is a
working industrial port, although
no less picturesque in parts for that.
Between the two of them, there are
a lot worse places to be travelling to
for a friendly in November.
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PAGE 7
WELCOME TO COSTA BLANCA
ALICANTE
MAP
TITLE
YOUR FREE LIONS GUIDE
THE FREE LIONS GUIDE TO
KEY
1
FANS’ EMBASSY
2
TICKET COLLECTION POINT
3
ESTADIO JOSÉ RICO PÉREZ
WALKING ROUTE
TO STADIUM
1
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3
2
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PAGE 10
WELCOME TO COSTA BLANCA
YOUR FREE LIONS GUIDE
THE STADIUM
S
traight after our first ever
game in Vilnius, it’s another
new venue for England at
the Estadio José Rico Pérez in
Alicante, the perhaps unlikely
selection of the Spanish Football
Federation as they continue to
take their national team games
around the country.
The ground is the home of club
side Hércules CF, currently in the
third tier (Segunda B, Group III) of
Spanish football. It is named after
the club’s former chairman, José
Rico Pérez, who presided over them
from 1971 to 1985, arguably during
their heyday as they spent eight
consecutive seasons in the Primera
Liga from 1974 to 1982, with a
highest finish of fifth in 1974-75.
Building work began on the ground
in May 1973, and it was opened
on 4th August 1974 with a friendly
between Hércules and a Rinus
Michels-coached Barcelona side
featuring Johan Cruyff, who duly
beat their hosts 0-4.
The stadium was selected as a
venue for the 1982 World Cup,
and hosted two group stage
games (Argentina’s 4-1 and 2-0
victories over Hungary and El
Salvador respectively), and the
third place play-off in which
Poland beat France 3-2.
Refurbishment was carried out
in 2010 when Hércules enjoyed
a (short-lived) promotion to the
Primera Liga. The stadium is allseater with a capacity of 29,500,
and all stands are uncovered; it
has an asymmetrical appearance,
with the stand opposite the dugouts a full tier taller than the rest
of the ground.
TICKET COLLECTION
their own ticket. As the FA staff
normally organise the tickets
under the name of the lead
member in each group, it’s worth
checking before you go the
name of the member who made
the application for your ticket.
O
nce again, this game has
been selected for 100%
collection of tickets
for members of the England
Supporters’ Travel Club (ESTC).
You will need photo ID – ideally
your ESTC membership card,
but a passport or photo driving
licence will do – and each
member will have to collect
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There are three different ticket
collection locations to be aware of,
depending on when you want to
pick up your ticket.
On Thursday, 12th November,
tickets can be collected in Benidorm,
from the Hotel Cimbel, which is
on the seafront, at the junction of
Avenida de Alcoy and Avenida de
Europa. FA staff will be available
there between 12.00 and 18.00.
On Friday, 13th November (match
day), ticket collection will move to
Alicante. From 11.00 to 17.00 FA
staff will be based at the Hotel
Eurostar Lucentum on Avenida
Alfonso X El Sabio (opposite the
Central Market and near to the
Mercado tram station).
The last opportunity for collection
is then at the stadium, where the
FA staff will be located in a ticket
office next to the England entrance
in the south stand between 18.45
and kick-off.
PAGE 11
GROUND RULES
GETTING TO THE GROUND
T
T
he official England sector is
located in the south stand
behind the goal in blocks 6,
8, 10 and 12, and the allocation
secured by the FA has been big
enough to satisfy all demand
from members, with around
2,400 tickets having been sold.
The ground is scheduled to open
two hours before kick-off, and
the usual lists of prohibited
items apply. Plastic bottles with
a maximum capacity of 50cl are
permitted, but without the top on.
Despite the fact that this is a
friendly, and therefore organised
under the auspices of FIFA rather
than UEFA, there will nonetheless
be no alcohol on sale inside the
ground, and the police were at
pains to stress that under Spanish
law, entry can, and will, be denied
to those who display “evident
symptoms of consumption of
alcohol or drugs”.
Any decision about whether or
not to hold England fans back
in the ground at the end of the
game will be taken on the day, and
communicated in English over the
loudspeaker system.
he stadium is situated
at the top of a hill about
two kilometres north
of the city centre of Alicante,
just behind the Castle of San
Fernando (not to be confused
with the larger Castle Santa
Barbara which overlooks the
coast to the west of the city).
The way to the ground is
definitely walkable, and takes
about 20 - 30 minutes from
the city: just follow Avenida
Federico Soto/Avenida
General Marva north, and
then follow the winding road
uphill around the side of the
castle and onwards to the
ground, which then appears
down to the left. It has to be
said though that when we say
it’s uphill, we’re not kidding; it’s
a steady and quite steep climb
which won’t be manageable by
everybody. It is downhill on the
way back of course, but even
then it remains as steep.
There are alternatives, of course,
including a couple of buses from
At the time of our visit to
Alicante to discuss arrangements for supporters, we were
told that there would be very
limited space for the display of
flags within the ground, and no
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A similar route is also followed by
the number 192, a special service
which normally only operates on
Hércules CF’s match days, but
which we’re told will also run for
our game.That service runs 70
minutes and again 30 minutes
before kick-off.
The other option is a taxi, just
make sure it’s on the meter.
FLAGS
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the city, which run about hourly. The
8a (in the direction of Parque Lo
Morant) goes from the Rambla de
Mendez Nunez, while the number
11 (in the direction of Clinica
Vistahermosa) goes from Plaza
de los Luceros; in both cases, get
off at the stops at 50-52 Avenida
de Alcoy, from where it’s a short
(uphill) walk to the stadium.
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arrangements were offered for
early access to the stadium to
hang them. It would be worth
checking back with the Fans’
Embassy for the latest information on match day.
PAGE 12
WELCOME TO COSTA BLANCA
YOUR FREE LIONS GUIDE
EATING AND DRINKING IN BENIDORM
the Town, the Wheeltappers,
Champions, the Liverpool Arms…
I
T will come as no surprise to
anyone here that Benidorm is
a holiday resort popular with
British tourists, and with a large
British expatriate community in
the region too, there is no shortage not only of places to eat and
drink, but of venues particularly
catering for English tastes.
A quick scan of some of the names
of bars and restaurants reveals how
well catered for English visitors and
residents are: among many others,
Benidorm boasts the White Lion,
the Red Lion, Churchill’s Pub, the
Rose and Crown, the Yorkshire
Pride, Yorkshire Pride II, Yorkshire
Pride III, the Stretford End, the
Gallowgate Bar, the Geordie Bar,
the Cumberland Bar, Fawlty Towers,
the St James Tavern, the Star and
Garter, Chaplin’s, the Hippodrome,
Lennon’s, Jokers, Steptoe II,
Or in the unlikely event you fancy
something less English on your trip
abroad, there’s the Loch Ness Pub
or the Scotsman, or one of the
three Irish bars: Bodhran, Scruffy
Murphy’s or the Shamrock.
“entertainment” associated with
Benidorm, the notorious “Sticky
Vicky” Leyton has now officially
retired, but keen connoisseurs of
culture will be relieved to know that
her special skills are being carried
on by her daughter Demaria, who
appears at various venues around
Benidorm nightly.
You get the picture, anyway – there’s
no shortage. If in doubt, head either
along the sea front, or to the area
known as the “English Square”,
which begins at the junction of
Avenida de Mallorca and Calle
Gerona. Things there don’t usually
get really lively until the evening, but
the day of the fancy dress party is a
bit of an exception, and there should
be a great atmosphere all day.
Most of the bars listed above also
do food of one form or another, and
there’s healthy competition among
the sea front restaurants and cafes to
provide the cheapest and best value full
English breakfast. All other traditional
English meals are available somewhere
too, from a buffet-style carvery at
Monroe’s, to pizza at Sol La Cala,
an American diner Peggy Sue’s, and
the Spice of Life curry house.
Fans of the TV series Benidorm may
well be fancying a pint in “Neptune’s
Bar”, and that can pretty much be
done, except that in reality the pub
used in the programme is called
the Morgan Tavern: it’s on Calle
Gerona, and is easily recognisable
from the big pirate ship outside.
The next most famous source of
For a break
from constant
consumption, try a
wander round the
cobbled streets of
Casco Antiguo, or the
old town, and make your
way up the hill to the picturesque
plaza with the church at the top.
TIPS
•It’s a legal requirement to carry some form of ID with you in Spain. In practice your driving licence or a photocopy
of the personal details page of your passport will usually do – and by leaving your actual passport under lock and
key in your hotel, you’ll minimise the chances of losing it – but it’s possible that if you have an encounter with the
local police, then you may be required to produce the real thing, or have someone fetch it for you.
•For the latest situation about the availability of (non-FA) tickets for the game, contact the fans’ embassy: there
has been talk of tickets being officially on sale from ticket booths at the ground in the days running up to the match.
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A
licante is a different
proposition from
Benidorm, not as
commercialised or singlepurpose a resort; it is an historic
Mediterranean port town, and
its port continues to function
on an industrial scale today. Its
airport has seen its passenger
numbers rise to over 10 million
per year, cementing its position
as the main gateway for foreign
visitors to the whole region.
The city of Alicante has its own
charms though, with a stylish
marina, good beaches and a
traditional old town.
Apart from the beaches and
marina, the main tourist attraction
in Alicante is the Santa Barbara
Castle, which sits on top of Mount
Benacantil just to the east of the
city centre and enjoys commanding
views over the old town and
the bay. It is one of the oldest
Alicante is developing a reputation
as one of the culinary hotspots in
modern Spain, specialising in paellas
and tapas. There are a number of
good restaurants and small bars in
the old town, concentrated in pedestrianised streets like San Francisco,
Castanos and Rambla Mayor.
mediaeval fortresses in Spain, and
guided tours are available for €3.
Fans of museums (and we know
there are some of you out there)
will find the Museum of the
City of Alicante up there in the
castle, and also worth a mention is
the Museum of Modern Art on
Plaza Santa Maria, which hosts
works by Dali and Picasso, among
others. For those after a very
traditional Spanish tourist site, the
city also has a bull ring at Plaza de
Toros, with its own museum, the
Museo Taurino Alicante.
TIPS
•It is not a criminal offence to trade tickets on the black market in
Spain, but those selling can be subject to an on-the-spot fine.
•There have been a few incidents reported lately involving allegations
of over-the-top rough treatment of drinkers by security staff at pubs in
Benidorm, with the Red Lion featuring among the worst incidences.
Music Quiz
1.Julio Iglesias 2.The Clash 3.Nine 4.The Godfather
5.Gerard Pique 6.Picasso 7.‘Lungs’ 8.‘Spanish Harlem’
9.Pluck it – it is an instrument similar to a mandolin
10.‘This Time (We’ll Get It Right)’
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One other place where
it’s possible there’ll be
significant numbers of
England fans assembling
pre-match will be in Plaza de los Luceros. It’s
where the fans’ embassy
will be located on Friday, it’s a short
walk from the ticket collection point
and from the main railway station,
it has fountains in the middle, it’s
within walking distance of the stadium, and crucially, it has a few bars
next to each other – including The
Duke, and the other O’Hara’s.
Scouse Phil’s Free Lions Football Quiz
1.Only players to be sent off in a Champions League
final 2.Newport County 3.Azerbaijan 4.Peter Crouch
5.Chelsea Ladies 6.Mick Channon 7.Barcelona (4 times)
8.Jose Antonio Reyes 9.Four (Aston Villa, Everton, Stoke
and West Brom) 10.David White
Quiz
Answers
As well as the smaller bars in the old
town, there are bars and restaurants
along the front beside the marina,
including one of the two Irish bars in
the O’Hara’s chain. Thursday nights
in particular attract a student crowd
to the area around Plaza Puerta
del Mar.
PAGE 13
EATING AND DRINKING
IN ALICANTE
THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN ALICANTE
MAGNIFICENT MAVERICKS
PAGE 14
BY CLIVE HETHERINGTON
the final had England not lost on
penalties to West Germany.
The self-destruct button was
always in easy reach of Gascoigne.
An even more reckless tackle
against Nottingham Forest in the
FA Cup final under a year later,
wrecked his knee ligaments. He
was carried off and couldn’t pick
up his only FA Cup winner’s medal
– and the injury took a lasting toll.
A
But England fans will never forget
his famous goal in the Euro ‘96
victory over Scotland at Wembley –
one of ten in 57 appearances.
MAVERICK is defined as
someone independent or
unorthodox.
And in modern-day football, there
are fewer mavericks around.
Tactics, systems and greater
discipline have gradually stifled the
freedom that many players once
had to express themselves.
Some pundits have labelled Everton’s
burgeoning playmaker Ross Barkley
as England’s latest maverick.
But Barkley’s individualism – which
hopefully won’t be lost over time
– is the exception these days, not
like when there seemed to be a
maverick at almost every club.
In the latest of our Famous Five
features, here is my pick of the
Magnificent Mavericks who wore
the Three Lions on their chest,
but – in the case of most – paid
a price for their outlandish ways
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by being marginalised in the
international arena.
1. PAUL
GASCOIGNE
Gazza – as the
world came to
know him – was a
footballing genius.
The once-chubby-faced Geordie
kid with a passion for Mars bars
was out of this world and, in the
eyes of many, the most naturallytalented player the English game
has produced.
In 1988, only three years after
making his Newcastle debut at
17, the midfield maestro joined
Tottenham for £2.3million.
And at the 1990 World Cup, he
moved the nation with his “tears
in Turin’’ after he was booked foul
a lunging challenge – a caution
that would have ruled him out of
After Spurs, he spent spells with
Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough,
Everton, Burnley, Chinese side
Gansu Tianma and Boston United,
before retiring in 2004.
Like many so gifted, Gazza’s
talent was tainted by a flawed
temperament and the temptation
of drink.
2. LEN SHACKLETON
His outrageous skills
and cutting wit earned
him the nickname
Clown Prince of Soccer.
He wrote a book with that title and
in a chapter on what he thought the
average club director knew about
football, there was a blank page.
Shack, as he was affectionately
known, could be as colourful and
controversial off the field as he was
on it. He would tease his opponents:
tea.’’ That sort of talk wasn’t the
straight-laced Ramsey’s cup of tea.
might bump into Bowles coming
out of the nearest betting shop.
An inside-forward, he became
a major post-war star, first
with Newcastle and then
rivals Sunderland. After joining
Newcastle from home-town club
Bradford Park Avenue in October
1946, Shack marked his Magpies
debut by scoring a remarkable
double hat-trick in a recordbreaking 13-0 home win over
Newport County.
Marsh began his career at
Fulham before joining QPR,
where his talent blossomed and
won him a £200,000 move to
City in 1972. Memorably, he
returned to Fulham, on loan
from Tampa Bay Rowdies, in the
1976-77 season to play alongside
George Best.
He once walked out on England
after being substituted against
Northern Ireland and turned his
back on Brian Clough and a place
in Nottingham Forest’s 1980
European Cup-winning side.
His ability was not reflected at
international level – he won only
five England caps, scoring once
– and his playing days were cut
short by injury in 1957. He died in
November 2000, aged 78.
3. RODNEY MARSH
He was the epitome
of the long-haired,
Sixties-Seventies
rebel, a striker with
extravagant skills and
a swagger to boot.
Marsh had little respect for
authority and that goes a long way
to explaining his failure to win
more than nine England caps.
A remark he made to World Cupwinning manager Sir Alf Ramsey
summed up Marsh’s attitude.
Ramsey said: “I’ll be watching you
for the first 45 minutes and if you
don’t work harder, I’ll pull you off
at half-time.’’ Marsh responded:
“Crikey, Alf, at Manchester City all
we get is an orange and a cup of
4. STAN
BOWLES
Very much in
the mould of
Rodney Marsh,
whose mantle
he took at QPR. That was after
Marsh had joined Manchester
City – Bowles’s first club!
A fall-out with Malcolm Allison
signalled the end of Bowles’
time at City and he played for
Bury, Crewe and Carlisle before
winding up at QPR.
Such were the parallels in
their careers that Bowles’s
only England goal in his five
appearances came in a win over
Wales at Cardiff’s Ninian Park
in 1974 – two years after Marsh
claimed his own solitary strike
for his country in a victory at the
same venue.
With his flamboyance and flair,
Bowles became a QPR legend, but
courted controversy. The joke was,
if you turned up at Loftus Road
ten minutes before kick-off, you
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5. FRANK
WORTHINGTON
It was Ian Greaves,
who managed ‘Worthy’
at Huddersfield, who
described him as “the
working man’s George Best’’.
Another striker who possessed all the
tricks and flicks, Worthington was
one of the great entertainers, also
charming crowds at Leicester, Bolton,
Birmingham, Leeds, Sunderland,
Southampton and many more in the
ultimate career of the nomad.
Worthington had a style of his own,
on and off the pitch. The latter did not
win the approval of Sir Alf Ramsey
when he arrived at Heathrow in highheeled cowboy boots, a red silk shirt
and a lime velvet jacket.
“I suppose I’ve always been a bit
of a peacock,’’ Worthington said.
He certainly strutted his stuff.
Elvis Presley was his idol and
Worthington was ‘The King’ with
the ball at his feet.
But his England record – two goals
in eight games – is a further example
of a maverick falling short on the
international stage.
PAGE 15
one of his party pieces was playing a
one-two off a corner flag.
SPAIN SQUAD WORDSEARCH
O
nce again, Free Lions went to press before the Spanish squad for our game had been announced,
so we have drawn on the names of their squad for last month’s qualifiers for the Wordsearch. Your
task is as usual – to find their surnames hidden in the grid. Spare a thought for poor Juanfran, Isco,
Pedro and Nolito, who appear to have only one name each – so that’s the one we’ve used.
Iker David Sergio CASILLAS
DE GEA
RICO
Porto
Manchester United
Sevilla
César
Gerard Marc Xabier
Nacho Mario Jordi AZPILICUETA
PIQUE
BARTRA
ETXEITA
FERNANDEZ JUANFRAN
GASPAR
ALBA Chelsea
Barcelona
Barcelona
Athletic Bilbao
Real Madrid
Atlético Madrid
Villarreal
Barcelona
Sergio Mikel Thiago Cesc
Juan Santi David BUSQUETS SAN JOSE ALCANTARA FABREGAS
MATA CAZORLA
SILVA
ISCO
Barcelona
Athletic Bilbao
Bayern Munich
Chelsea
Manchester United
Arsenal
Manchester City
Real Madrid
Álvaro
Paco
MORATA
ALCACER
PEDRO NOLITO
Juventus
Valencia
Chelsea
CeltaVigo
NU F CNR E FMATAROM
S WNAR FNAU JQUAAC
I PEREZABLAVLPLA
R Z EDNANR E FRKE CB
B I GEFZAETOONDAF
OOCS I PTGZGXCRSS
B IZOCIZAORATOIG
BUGJ SLCSAGRSLLA
Y R ENH I AOT AJ VP LM
R EOAE C T T E EAE VAO
OCRSAU I I Z SUBLSR
B ADBR E E LO EUQ I PD
S C I L E TXOYMAGSYE
O L EARATNACLAKUP
NASAEGEDOVL I SMB
Scouse Phil’s Free Lions Football Quiz (answers on page 13)
1
What unwanted European claim to fame do Jens
Lehmann and Didier Drogba share?
6
Which ex-Southampton and England striker is now a
racehorse trainer?
2
Rodney Parade is the home ground of which Football
League team?
7
Which team won the old Cup Winner’s Cup the most times?
8
Which ex-Arsenal player captained Sevilla in the 2015
Europa League Final?
3
Currently playing in this year’s Europa League, what
country do Qarabag hail from?
9
4
Which England striker has scored most headed goals in
the Premier League?
How many of the original founding teams of the Football
League in 1888 are currently playing in the Premier League?
10
5
Liverpool Ladies won it last season, but which team
won this season’s Womens’ Super League?
I was born in Urmston, near Manchester in 1967 and
played for Manchester City, Leeds and Sheffield United,
winning my one England cap in 1992. Who am I?
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