Heart of Football

Author: Simon Toye

  • The King of Kings

    The King of Kings

    “Behold the king, The King of Kings…there is only one.” That man was Edson Arantes do Nascimento…PELE!!

  • Eid-wood Park: The Pride of Lancashire

    Eid-wood Park: The Pride of Lancashire

    Virtually every club in the region claims to be “The Pride of Lancashire”…for me, Blackburn Rovers are the pride of Lancashire.

  • Canadian Premier League Profiles: Valour FC

    Canadian Premier League Profiles: Valour FC

    Valour FC. Based in the provincial capital of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Valour is dripping in identity…Valour by name and Valour by nature.

  • Sweet Maple Syrup – Canada MNT Enter Golden Era

    Sweet Maple Syrup – Canada MNT Enter Golden Era

    With their FIFA ranking at an all-time high of 33rd and a booming domestic league behind them, Canada’s Men’s National Team is entering a true golden era. How far can they go?

  • FIFA Club World Cup: World Champions of Irrelevance?

    FIFA Club World Cup: World Champions of Irrelevance?

    Chelsea take on Palmeiras tonight in the FIFA World Club Cup Final – but do they even care? Why do British clubs and fans treat being world champions as an irritation rather than an honour?

  • La Roja – The Rover

    La Roja – The Rover

    There is absolutely no reason for me to have any affiliation with Chile. The north-west of England bears no resemblance to the south-west of South America. A Chilean’s English may be no better than my Spanish, though it probably is.  However, at the tender age of 12 with a VHS on my television highlighting the…

  • Interview: CPL Fever

    Interview: CPL Fever

    For those who aren’t aware, Canada is possibly the friendliest, most welcoming and inclusive country on Earth. Across the world, football – or soccer – is followed relentlessly and often aggressively. From partisan crowds and hooliganism to vile abuse, the darker side of the beautiful game is not to be celebrated. But, in Canada, the…

  • Canadian Premier League profiles: HFX Wanderers

    Canadian Premier League profiles: HFX Wanderers

    There is an old saying that goes “build it and they will come”. I think Kevin Costner said it best – or words to that effect – but whether it is a field of dreams or a football club, the theory remains the same. It does not always work that way of course. Sometimes you…

  • Euro Stories: Denmark handed last-minute Euro ‘92 place at Yugoslavia’s expense

    Euro Stories: Denmark handed last-minute Euro ‘92 place at Yugoslavia’s expense

    Football is historically littered with fairy tale endings and dreams coming true. It’s also partial to its fair share of unwritable scripts. On 31 May 1992, just 10 days before the European Championships commenced, the seeds of an incredible football journey began to flourish. Prior to the tournament, Yugoslavia had won their qualifying group for…

  • Mind In Medway

    Mind In Medway

    “Sport brings people together” is a phrase we often hear and particularly with regards to football. It can be a welcome distraction from people’s lives, from anything that can be troubling, be it work, home life or a global pandemic. Currently, with a frightening and troubling virus forever in our consciousness, the effects on our…