The 2026 men's League of Ireland fixtures are now out 🇮🇪 Most matches are played on a Friday night, but on the West Coast, you can knock off two in two days. Read on... #groundhopping outsidewrite.substack.com/p/groundhopp...

Great episode from @collinstony.bsky.social putting into context arguments for Scotland having ‘invented’ football open.spotify.com/episode/4tvc...

From All Sports Books' Substack, an extensive list of the sports books coming out in 2026. It is *competitive* out there! 📚 As someone with two manuscripts on the go, it's always a relief to see no one's beaten you to it! substack.com/home/post/p-...

I published 33 podcast episodes this year. Last week, I posted the most popular five, but I thought I'd also share some of my personal favourite interviews from 2026 First up, @shafikmeghji.bsky.social on the British founders of football in Arg, Uru, and Chile ▶️ open.spotify.com/episode/4zzf...

The special section of @ijyalnews.bsky.social on diversity and inclusion in young adult sports fiction is now live + open access (all essays free to download) at ijyal.ac.uk Paging academic sports fans! @bssh.bsky.social @footycon.bsky.social @kaseysymons.bsky.social @garyjames.bsky.social ⚽🏀🥊🤺

Bill Clinton sent Robin Williams to the 1994 US World Cup draw, check this out youtu.be/IrJjr5mLNqw?...

"Johnny" Infantino at World Cup Draw Ceremony

#OnThisDay 5 Dec 1976 Just 13 months after the death of General Franco and with the Basque 'Ikurriña' flag still outlawed, the captains of Real Sociedad and Athletic Club took a huge risk by carrying a homemade Ikurriña onto the pitch. From my book, The Defiant, citing @beinatguti.bsky.social

So, creators also get an annual 'Wrapped' from Spotify, too, and I just want to thank everyone for another great year. The podcast will be back in the spring with new episodes, but there are 250+ episodes in the back catalogue to catch up on 🙌🏼 👉🏼 open.spotify.com/show/41nxyOU...

Upcoming over on Substack: Today: Non-league adventures at West Didsbury & Chorlton 04/12: Hajduk Split in WWII (thanks to @dwil94.bsky.social for pic) 09/12: The best books on Italian football 11/12: The three ages of the Arsenal Sub/follow for free 👉🏼 substack.com/@outsidewrite #groundhopping

Has anyone here visited Hajduk Split and has a photo I can use to accompany a blog post in the coming days, please? 🇭🇷 DM for more info if you do! #groundhopping

#OnThisDay 30 Nov 1872 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Scotland hosted England for the first official international match in Glasgow It finished goalless, but as a proof of concept, it pushed the game stratospheric More in this podcast open.spotify.com/episode/0TD4...

University admins pressuring faculty to use AI indiscriminately pretend to be serving students. They are just freaking desperate. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...

On this day, 30 Nov 1936 The Crystal Palace exhibition centre in South London burned down The stadium within Crystal Palace Park hosted several FA Cup finals 🏆 between 1895 and 1914 and gave rise to Crystal Palace FC 🦅 More in my video #CPFC #skystorians ▶️ www.instagram.com/reel/DRrkbn4...

Two vacancies have arisen on the editorial team of the Sport in History journal, and the Trustees of the BSSH are looking to make appointments that will begin in January 2026. See below for application details www.sportinhistory.org/articles/edi...

Entries are now open for the BSSH Communities History Prize 2026. This is for groups or individuals undertaking original primary research into the history of sporting activities within the UK. See below for more details... www.sportinhistory.org/articles/com...

#OnThisDay 25 Nov 1953 🇭🇺 The Mighty Magyars win the 'Match of the Century' 6-3 at Wembley Contrary to popular belief, it wasn't the first time that England had lost at home to non-UK opposition Can you tell me when that was?

Also #OnThisDay 25 Nov 2005 ☘️ We lost George Best, aged 59 Here's my post on how to discover his story in his hometown of Belfast 👉🏼 open.substack.com/pub/outsidew...

They should get these guys to commentate on more of the games.. www.instagram.com/p/DRNx-b4DaRe/

This week's most-read over on Substack ✍🏼 On the 50th anniversary of General Franco's death, I look back on his influence and legacy on Spanish football. #Skystorians #LaLiga outsidewrite.substack.com/p/football-h...

Congratulations to #Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 . Long wait over Cracking game, too, but never a second yellow for me #SCODEN

#OnThisDay 19 Nov 1948 🇬🇷 Former Olympiacos player and Greek WWII resistance hero, Nikos Godas, is executed during the Greek civil war. Here's an excerpt from my book, The Defiant: A History of Football Against Fascism, about his last request.

DROPPING SUNDAY 🎙️ The last in the current series of the Outside Write podcast @simonbinns.bsky.social joins me to discuss his new book on Red Star Paris 🇫🇷 Sub/catch up wherever you get your podcasts! Here's a taster...

NEW POST 🗞️ Your #groundhopping guide to visiting Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace 🇫🇷 Crystal Palace visit Strasbourg next week in the UEFA Conference League. The below video shows you want to expect... Read on… outsidewrite.substack.com/p/football-t...

Twenty-three years ago today, Thierry Henry scored a goal so good Arsenal turned it into a statue 🌟

And if you're watching #ALBENG and interested in the story of Albanian football, you need to read Phil Harrison's book, 'Inside the Hermit Kingdom' Phil joined me on the podcast... Listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/6LAX...

#OnThisDay 17 Nov 2006 🇭🇺 Ferenc Puskás, the 'Galloping Major' and leader of the legendary Hungarian 'Mighty Magyars' side of the 1950s, died aged 79 🏆 5x Hungarian titles 🏆 5x La Liga titles 🏆 3x European Cups 🥇 1x Olympic gold ...and many more besides...

#OnThisDay 14 Nov 1934 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 v 🇮🇹 England hosted world champions Italy at the Arsenal, which became known as 'The Battle of Highbury' due to its ferocity Italy played with 10 men after Luis Monti's early injury, so despite losing 3-2, they were fated at home as the 'Lions of Highbury' Here's Highbury

@bloomsburysport.bsky.social @bssh.bsky.social @sportinhistory.bsky.social @footycon.bsky.social @rugbyleaguewriters.bsky.social

The @bssh.bsky.social are pleased to announce the details of its 2025-26 Extended Project Prize. It's a great opportunity for students to submit their work on sports history (small or large). All the info can be found here: www.sportinhistory.org/categories/e... or in the image below. Please share.

NEW POST 🗞️ It’s been confirmed that Dalymount Park, the ‘spiritual home of Irish football’, will see one more year of League of Ireland football before redevelopment. GET THERE WHILE YOU CAN! Here's what makes Dalymount, and @bfcdublin.bsky.social, so special open.substack.com/pub/outsidew...

Entries are now open for the BSSH Communities History Prize 2026. This is for groups or individuals undertaking original primary research into the history of sporting activities within the UK. See below for more details... www.sportinhistory.org/articles/com...

NEW PODCAST 🎙️ My guest is BBC journalist @alexbysouth.bsky.social, whose new book covers his search for the soul of football. Topics include: 🇫🇷 Red Star (Paris) 🇩🇪 Babelsberg 🇮🇹 Refugee football in Napoli ...and much more... Download/subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Here's a taster...

Cracking night last night at The Volley in Old Street for the launch of Will Dalton’s new book on San Lorenzo 🇦🇷 For more, listen to my recent podcast with him open.spotify.com/episode/2wY3...

The venue for the 2026 British Society of Sports History has just been announced. It will be held at the John McIntyre Centre, University of Edinburgh, from 26 to 28 August 2026. See below for more details.. www.sportinhistory.org/articles/edi...

Full house at The Volley for the launch of Oh, San Lorenzo 🐦‍⬛

CfP open for @cricketacademic.bsky.social Conference @hugheshall.bsky.social @cam.ac.uk! @rafnicholson.bsky.social @drcricket.bsky.social @bayfirth.bsky.social @bssh.bsky.social @sportinhistorypod.bsky.social @jeremylonsdale.bsky.social @russinthezone.bsky.social idrottsforum.org/call-for-pap...

@bssh.bsky.social @ihr.bsky.social Sports and Leisure History Seminar, 17 Nov, 18.00 hybrid. Atlanta Tsiaoukkas of the Centre for Research in Children’s Literature at Cambridge will speak on The Schoolgirl Sporting Heroines of Early Twentieth-Century Girls’ Fiction. tinyurl.com/2y5jhp2x

#OnThisDay 6 Nov 1887 ☘️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Celtic FC was founded by Marist priest, Brother Walfrid, to support the growing Irish community in Glasgow. He was inspired by a visit from Hibernian FC of Edinburgh (1875). More on #Celtic's founding in this podcast: open.spotify.com/episode/6E39...

DROPPING SUNDAY 🎙️ My guest is BBC journalist @alexbysouth.bsky.social, who's on the hunt for the soul of football in his new book Here's a taster... Sub/catch up wherever you get your podcasts, just look for 'Outside Write' #groundhopping

NEW POST 📣 George Best is the most famous footballer to hail from Belfast, and arguably the whole island of Ireland. I went on his trail while I was over researching my latest book, including a visit to his childhood home. Have a read… #NorthernIreland open.substack.com/pub/outsidew...

Very much enjoying this book ahead of my first visit in a decade to my ‘Alma mater’, Madrid, in the spring 🇪🇸

Just reflecting on the FC St. Pauli stadium tour this summer. It’s very on-brand… 🏴‍☠️ Here’s my post about it: 👉🏼 open.substack.com/pub/outsidew... Have you been? What did you think? #Bundesliga #Germany #Groundhopping

Well, what can one say

Did I mention I am available for football talks and lectures? If you’re a university or club looking for a speaker to cover: 📣 Football and politics 🗣️ Football culture and national identity 🏟️ Groundhopping Then please drop me a note: More 👉 eightmoon.co.uk/chris-lee-fo...

DROPPING SUNDAY 🎙️ We hear some of the quirkier and forgotten stories from #LaLiga with Brendan Madden 🇪🇸 The book is top-notch, too... Here's a taster...

As it's Hallowe'en/Samhain, what spooky football stories have you got? 🎃 I hear Ibrox is haunted by a spectral black dog, and both Birmingham City and Sligo Rovers have been on the receiving end of curses Any other tales of where football meets the supernatural?

NEW POST 📣 Everton FC is one of England's and the world’s most historically significant football clubs. I went on a Merseyside odyssey to discover the club’s past and its future. Read on… #Everton #groundhopping open.substack.com/pub/outsidew...

#OnThisDay 27 Oct 1892: the Leinster Football Association was founded in Dublin to represent the interests of clubs in the county and counter the dominance of the Belfast-based IFA It played a key role in 'the Irish soccer split' (1921) More in my new book www.pitchpublishing.co.uk/shop/shades-...

#OnThisDay 26 Oct 1863 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 12 clubs from the London area met at the Freemasons' Tavern in Holborn to found the Football Association (FA) and agree on a consensus on the laws of the game It was the genesis of the modern game More in my book, Origin Stories www.pitchpublishing.co.uk/shop/origin-...