30 DIXIE DEAN
One of the greatest goalscorers in England football history, Dean joined Ireland’s Sligo Rovers in 1939. Understandably, that sent the locals wild – Sligo’s railway station was overcome with hordes of people, desperately clamouring to catch a glimpse of the striker. HOW’D IT GO? Dean netted 10 times in just seven league outings, although he had his cup final runners-up medal stolen – it was returned to him years later.
29 PETER BEARDSLEY
A little-known youngster for Carlisle United, Northumberland-born Beardsley headed to Canada in the early 1980s – signing for NASL club Vancouver Whitecaps under manager Johnny Giles, the former Leeds United star. HOW’D IT GO? His goalscoring form helped to earn him a transfer to Manchester United – that didn’t go brilliantly, so he was soon back at Vancouver again, before making his name in England with Newcastle United.
28 LES FERDINAND
These days, everyone goes to Turkey – that wasn’t the case when QPR loaned a young Ferdinand to Besiktas in 1988. It was the only time that Sir Les played abroad – and it yielded one of his two major trophies, the Turkish Cup under English boss Gordon Milne. MOST NOTABLE MOMENT Being instructed to release a dove on the pitch – he threw it up into the air, but it plummeted like a stone and crashed to the ground. Oh…
27 TARIBO WEST
This story is from the March 2024 edition of FourFourTwo UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 2024 edition of FourFourTwo UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Sean Longstaff – Local Hero
Like Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold, Sean Longstaff has shone for his boyhood club this season. The midfielder tells FFT all about his Newcastle revival under Eddie Howe, a £50m move to Manchester United that never was, and why he hasn't been herding sheep...
"We won 3-0 at Spurs.Two games later. I was sacked"
Two-and-a-half years since his Manchester United reign came to an end, Ole Gunnar Solskjder sits down with FFT for a rare interview, opening up on the club’s post-Fergie struggles, Cristiano Ronaldo and the challenges of managing modern superstars
Trent Alexander-Arnold – Calm down! Calm down! Calm down!
There's been plenty of noise around Trent Alexander-Arnold's performances for club and country over the past 12 months, but the man himself has maintained a cool head. Donning a retro shellsuit for FFT, the Merseyside maestro insists he's still got lofty ambitions - none more so than becoming the best footballer on the planet...
WHAT WOULD WOODWARD DO?
Sir Dave Brailsford isn't football's first interloping innovator from another sport, as Southampton fans will recall
THE ARQUND GROUNDS EFL-NON-LEAGUE-SCOTLAND
The Wigan gaffer on why he could have taken up tennis, seeking Sir Alex's advice and memories of cup glory with the Latics
HOW LUTON TOWN BECAME A PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM
The Hatters were tipped to finish bottom of the table at the start of the campaign, but have adapted their game to give themselves a chance of avoiding the dreaded drop
NOISY NEIGHBOURS
Part-owned by the City Football Group, minnows Girona emulated Manchester City by surging past Barcelona to gain Catalan supremacy and even topped La Liga this season. FFT speaks to those in the know to find out how
THE DEBATE
Are the Financial Fair Play rules really working?
ENGLISHMEN ABROAD
Qualification for the 2026 World Cup resumes in various parts of the globe this month meet five English managers hoping to steer their adopted nations to unlikely success
MY FOOTBALL
The Barking-born singer-songwriter and activist recalls meeting Bobby Moore, making Stuart Pearce roar, and playing a gig during a Euros final