First published in September 2017, Issue Twenty Six contains 23 articles in 7 sections, including Simon Hughes on what fan-owned clubs say about alienation from the Premier League, Priya Ramesh on how Dirk Kuyt helped Feyenoord end an 18-year drought, Manoj Narayan on why last season's champions are facing relegation in a shake-up of Indian football, and Philippe Auclair, Jonathan Northcroft, Tim Vickery and Brian Oliver, among others, look at their favourite stadiums.

The Blizzard is a quarterly football publication, put together by a cooperative of journalists and authors, its main aim to provide a platform for top-class writers from across the globe to enjoy the space and the freedom to write what they like about the football stories that matter to them. Contents of Issue Five ---------------------------- World Cup Bidding ---------------------------- * The Fall-Out, by James Corbett—Significant questions remain unanswered about the World Cup bid process * Russia's Victory, by Igor Rabiner—Russia's success in the 2018 bid was a triumph over internal as well as external opponents * Qatar Hero, by Philippe Auclair- Michel Platini is often seen as the ex-pro coming to save Fifa. But why did he vote for Qatar? ---------------- Interview ---------------- * Sócrates — The former Brazil captain talks to David Tryhorn about why footballers have a political responsibility -------------- Theory -------------- * Roy of the Rover, by Philippe Auclair—Roy Hodgson explains how his travels have shaped his coaching philosophy * Like a Shooting Star, by Luca Ferrato—How Ternana soared and then crashed with Corrado Viciani's high-tempo style * The Skilling Fields, by Steve Bartram—Manchester United are just one of the clubs influenced by the coaching model of Wiel Coerver ----------------------------- The Asian Market ----------------------------- * The 'Gaijin' of Gamba, by Ben Mabley—Fan culture has begun to challenge Japanese hierarchies. The only European Gamba ultra explains how * Sing when you're Winning, by Ian Griffiths—How the need to appear successful turns fans in Singapore from the S.League to the Premier League --------------------- Photo Essay --------------------- * The Hard Core, by Misha Domozhilov—Images of the fans who followed Zenit St Petersburg as they won the Russian championship in 2010 -------- Fall -------- * The Centre-Back and the Kitchen Knife, by Lars Sivertsen—Claus Lundekvam opens up on his battle against the addiction that overwhelmed him after retirement * My Name is Ally MacLeod and I am a Winner, by Dominic Sandbrook—How Scotland's humiliation at the 1978 World Cup knocked nationalism off course * The Lions Sleep Tonight, by Jonathan Wilson- Ten years after retaining the Cup of Nations, Cameroon failed to qualify. What went wrong? ---------------- Polemics ---------------- * The Real Problem, by Brian Phillips—Is the 'real fan' being marginalised or is he just a rhetorical tool? * Where's Darth Vader Gone?, by Simon Kuper—Is the age of football as a substitute for war coming to an end? * The Culture of Violence, by Sergio Levinsky—The absence of leadership means there is little hope of Argentina's hooligan problem being solved ------------- Fiction ------------- * The Glasses, by David Ashton—A gift from a mysterious visitor changes life for a man on a Scottish estate... --------------------------- Greatest Games --------------------------- * Romania 4-6 Yugoslavia, by Vladimir Novak—World Cup qualifier, Ghencea Stadium, Bucharest, 13 November 1977 ---------------- Five Rings ---------------- * Olympic Stories, by Marcus Christenson, Steve Menary, Jonathan Wilson, Colin Udoh and Joel Richards—Five tales from the rich history of Olympic football

The Blizzard is a quarterly football publication, put together by a cooperative of journalists and authors, its main aim to provide a platform for top-class writers from across the globe to enjoy the space and the freedom to write what they like about the football stories that matter to them. Contents of Issue Thirteen ---------------- History ---------------- * Uli Hesse, Never the Twain - The story of the meeting between West Germany and East Germany at the 1974 World Cup * Greg Johnson, Hearts and Minds - Spain threaten, like Lennox Lewis, to be a great but unloved champion * Richard Jolly, The Clubs behind the Countries - Which clubs have produced the most World Cup winners? * Martín Mazur, The Moral Pendulum - Argentina’s eternal vacillation between fútbol and anti-fútbol ---------------- Brazil ---------------- * James Corbett, Fifa, Go Home! - What does hosting the World Cup mean for Brazil? * James Young, Futebol Nation? - How much do Brazilians really care about football? * Marius Lien, A Troubled History - The ambiguous past of José Maria Marin, the head of the Brazilian World Cup -------------------------- Protagonists -------------------------- * Rupert Fryer, Sideshow takes Centre Stage - The Brazil defender on handling the pressure of being hosts * Mike Phillips, The Multi-Kulti Question - How the Switzerland national team became part of the debate on immigration * Vladimir Novak, Better Late than Never - Algeria’s Vahid Halilhodžić on finally making it to the World Cup as a manager * Leo Verheul, The Artist’s Boy - The Netherlands striker was shaped by the Rotterdam in which he grew up ----------------- Minnows ----------------- * Sean Carroll, The Secret Team - An Yeong-hag and Chong Tese on playing for North Korea at the 2010 World Cup * Michael Yokhin, The Indomitability of Lions - In 1990 Cameroon overcame shambolic preparations to shock the world * Oliver Pickup, Milla’s Time - Oliver Pickup speaks to Roger Milla about becoming his nation’s saviour at 38 * Martín Mazur, Two Men Down - In 1982 El Salvador came from war, chaos and corruption, lost 10-1 and retained their dignity ----------------- Fiction ----------------- * Iain Macintosh, Quantum of Bobby - Spinning through time and space, Bobby Manager finds himself in Italy in 1990 -------------------------- Greatest Games -------------------------- * Jonathan Wilson, Hungary 4 Uruguay 2 (aet) - World Cup semi-final, Stade Olympique de la Pontaise, Lausanne, Switzerland, 20 June 1954 * Rob Smyth & Scott Murray, Italy 3 Brazil 2 - World Cup second phase, Group C, Estadi de Sarrià, Barcelona, Spain, 5 July 1982 ---------------- Eight Bells ---------------- * Michael Yokhin, World Cup Cameos - A selection of players who played only a few minutes at the World Cup

First published in March 2017, Issue Twenty Four contains 19 articles in 7 sections, including: Anthony Clavane on the decline of heavy industry and the sad logic of Brexit in Yorkshire; Peter Frankopan looking at how in politics, economics and football the role of Asia is becoming more significant; and David Stubbs on the glorious summer of 1996 when all things seemed possible.

The Blizzard is a quarterly football publication, put together by a cooperative of journalists and authors, its main aim to provide a platform for top-class writers from across the globe to enjoy the space and the freedom to write what they like about the football stories that matter to them. Issue Four Contents ------------------ Barcelona ------------------ * The Inverted Sheepdog, by Graham Hunter—The inside story of how Xavi emerged as the central hub of the world's greatest team * Corrida of Uncertainty, by David Winner—How the cruelty of tiki-taka resembles bull-fighting * The Other Rival, Another Way, by Scott Oliver—When the nastiest rivalry in Spain was between Barcelona and Athletic ---------------- Interview ---------------- * Alex Ferguson—The Manchester United manager tells Philippe Auclair about his early start, the importance of continuity and his need to be alone --------------- London --------------- * Capital Failings, by Ian Hawkey—Football clubs in democratic capitals tend to underperform and London is no exception * A Very English Visionary, by Martin Cloake—How the understated radicalism of Arthur Rowe defined Tottenham's style * South of the River, by Nick Szczepanik—For a spell in the eighties, Charlton Athletic, Crystal Palace, Millwall and Wimbledon challenged the elite * The Bald Eagle and the Modern Way, by Bob Yule—How Jim Smith brough the 3-5-2 to Queens Park Rangers --------------- Theory --------------- * Deschamps-Suaudeau, by Patrick Dessault—Didier Deschamps and Jean-Claude Suaudeau debate the modern vogue for attacking football * The New Enganche, by Sam Kelly—Javier Pastore talks about his move to Paris Saint-Germain and living up to the playmaking ideal ------------- Africa ------------- * Unlikely Hosts, Unlikelier Winners, by Pablo Manriquez and Backpagepix—Images from the 2012 African Cup of Nations * Victory Song, by Jonathan Wilson—How Zambia's emotional triumph restored the zest to the Cup of Nations * The Barefoot Pioneers, by Gary Al-Smith—CK Gyamfi explains how a bootless tour to Britain helped shape the game in Ghana * Ultra Violence, by David Lynch—After the horrors of Port Said, the exact role of ultras in the downfall of Hosny Mubarak remains unclear ------------------------------- In Appreciation Of ------------------------------- * Ronaldo in Moscow, by Sheridan Bird—A slalom through the Luzhniki mud confirmed the genius of "O Fenomeno" * Toussaint on Zidane, by Juliet Jacques—What the World Cup final headbutt meant to the Belgian writer ----------------- Polemics ----------------- * Pelé v Beckham, by Pete Grathoff—Which of the icons had the greater impact on football in the USA? * The Other Cup, by Brian Phillips—How do you solve a problem like the Europa League? * Continental Drift, by Rob Langham—Kazakhstan has slipped behind Uzbekistan since it abandoned Asia ----------------------------- Football Manager ----------------------------- * The Ballad of Bobby Manager: My Autobiography, by Iain Macintosh—When somebody takes their game of Football Manager just a little too seriously... -------------------------- Greatest Games -------------------------- * Racing 1 Celtic 0, by Dan Edwards—Intercontinental Cup final play off, Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, 4 November 1967 ------------------- Eight Bells ------------------- * Shirt Tales, by Scott Murray—The history behind a selection of iconic kits

The Blizzard is a quarterly publication, put together by a cooperative of journalists and authors, its main aim to provide a platform for top-class writers from across the globe to enjoy the space and the freedom to write what they like about the football stories that matter to them. Contents of Issue Zero St Pauli ------------ * The Conversion of St Pauli?, by Uli Hesse—Back in the Bundesliga, Europe's most noted counter-cultural club is having to balance its ethos with the desire for a secure financial future Interview ------------ * Guus Hiddink — Philippe Auclair talks to Guus Hiddink about his latest challenge, as coach of Turkey Going Wrong ------------------- * An African Parable, by Luke Alfred—For African teams, it's often after qualifying for the World Cup that the real challenge begins * The Dark Heart of Russian Football, by James Appell—Will winning the right to host the World Cup force Russia to confront the corruption that stains its domestic game? * Double Trouble, by Joel Richards—Argentina's short seasons are fun, but are they behind a culture of short-termism? * How Roy Race Ruined English Football, by Scott Murray—He may be Britain's most popular comic footballer, but Roy of the Rovers embodies everything wrong about the English game Ethics ---------- * Man and Superman, by Gabriele Marcotti—Why football has some questions to answer about the ethics of performance enhancement Stony Ground --------------------- * Matters of Blood, by Andy Brassell—The travails of Corsica's football clubs reflect the struggles of the island and its quest for autonomy "First Time Around", by Michael Orr—As Portland celebrates winning an MLS franchise, memories are stirred of the Timbers' debut season in the NASL Theory ---------- * The Dutch Style and the Dutch Nation, by Simon Kuper—How the Netherlands' move away from liberalism is reflected in its football * Xavi and the Square Pass, by Musa Okwonga—How going sideways became the future * The Search for Space, by Michael Cox—How a theory of political polling explains why New Labour was like Dennis Bergkamp Bosnian Coaching --------------------------- * The Professor of Mostar, by Saša Ibrulj—Sulejman Rebac never won a trophy as manager, but 35 years after his retirement, his influence continues to be felt * The Watchmaker of Travnik, by Vladimir Novak—After six decades in football, could Ćiro Blažević's odyssey be coming to an end in China? Verona ----------- * Verona's Great Romance, by James Horncastle—Recalling the drama of Italy's unlikeliest champions Sausages --------------- * Bangers and Cash, by Philippe Auclair- How Uli Hoeness became a sausage magnate * Garrincha's Swedish Son, by Lars Sivertsen—When Garrincha toured Sweden with Botafogo, memories weren't all he left behind Polemics ------------- * What's Good for the Goose..., by Paul Tomkins—Just because a manager has had success with one club does not mean his methods will transfer to another * Why The Away Goals Rule Must Be Abolished, by Ian Hawkey—The away goals rule is an archaism that is encouraging defensive play * Tradition and the Individual Talent, by Jacob Steinberg—There's more to judging players than goals and medals * How the Champions League is Selling European Football Short, by Ouriel Daskal—Could it be that the commercialisation of the Champions League has not gone far enough? * Dessert Comes at the End, by Raphael Honigstein—Football's administrators must beware killing the golden goose Football Manager ------------------------- * The Heidenheim Chronicles, by Iain Macintosh—When somebody takes their game of Football Manager just a little too seriously... Greatest Games ------------------------ * Crvena Zvezda 2 Bayern Munich 2, by Jonathan Wilson—European Cup semi-final second leg, Marakana, Belgrade, 24 April 1991 Eight Bells ---------------- * European Cup Upsets, by Rob Smyth—A selection of the European Cup's most unexpected results

The Blizzard is a quarterly football publication, put together by a cooperative of journalists and authors, its main aim to provide a platform for top-class writers from across the globe to enjoy the space and the freedom to write what they like about the football stories that matter to them. Issue Nineteen contains 22 articles in 11 different sections: ---------------- Mourinho ---------------- * The Devil's Party, by Jonathan Wilson - The manager, his methods, and why it always goes wrong in the third season ---------------- Poetry ---------------- * The Unknown Football Fan, by Craig Smith * A Striker Fires Wide, by Craig Smith ---------------- Memories ---------------- * This Sporting Half-Life, by Alex Preston - Sport, ageing and the grudging acceptance of a novelist and his mortality * For the Love of the Honest Men, by Ally Palmer - An Ayr United fan reflects on decades of following the ups and downs at Somerset Park * Football v Alzheimer's, by Dermot Corrigan - How football is being used to stimulate the memories of Alzheimer's patients * The Immortality of Awfulness, by Javier Sauras and Felix Lill - In 1965-66, Tasmania Berlin played their only Bundesliga season becoming the worst team in German history * You are not Nacka Skoglund!, by Gunnar Persson - The meteoric rise and terrible fall of the Swedish Internazionale legend * The Stench of the White Elephants, by Jamil Chade - Only now is the full scale of the corruption that surrounded the Brazil World Cup beginning to emerge ---------------- Interview ---------------- * The Throwback, by Maciej Iwanski - Robert Lewandowski is proving the value of the old-fashioned striker. But what created him? ---------------- Photo Essay ---------------- * Going to the Match, by Przemek Niciejewski - A Kickstarter project to create a visual celebration of football culture; football without fans is nothing ---------------- Breeding Grounds ---------------- * Slaggy Island, by Harry Pearson - South Bank was a grim industrial pocked of Teesside - and the home to a wealth of footballing talent * At the Feet of the Master, by Kit Gillet - Gheorghe Hagi has established an academy to try to develop a new generation of Romanian talent * What's Wrong With Finnish Football?, by Paul Brown - As Iceland qualify for Euro 2016, Finland is asking, "Why not us?" ---------------- Theory ---------------- * Chaos Theory, by Alex Keble - With so many variables at play, does anybody ever know anything? * Late Style, by Arthur O'Dea - Taking the theory of Edward Said about mature artists and applying it Giovanni Trapattoni * The Peter Principle, by Rupert Fryer - Promotion to a level of incompetence is a common idea in business, but is it true in football? ---------------- Austria ---------------- * The Burden of History, by Peter Linden - For years, Austrian football has been struggling to live up to is glorious past * Restoring the Glory, by Vladimir Novak - Austria's coach Marcel Koller explains their first tournament qualification in 18 years ---------------- Fiction ---------------- * The Quantum of Bobby, by Iain Macintosh - Can Bobby stop David Beckham getting sent off at the 1998 World Cup? ---------------- Greatest Games ---------------- * Hajduk Split v Crvena Zvezda (abandoned), by Charles Ducksbury - Yugoslav First League, Stadion Poljud, Split, 4 May 1980 ---------------- Eight Bells ---------------- * One-Hit Wonders, by Richard Jolly - A selection of players who enjoyed a fleeting moment of fame

The Blizzard is a quarterly football publication, put together by a cooperative of journalists and authors, its main aim to provide a platform for top-class writers from across the globe to enjoy the space and the freedom to write what they like about the football stories that matter to them. Issue Six Contents --------------- Portugal --------------- * The Curse of the Golden Whistle, by Ben Shave—How corruption and inefficiency have squandered the legacy of Euro 2004 * The Flight of the Eagles, by Luis Catarino—In the early sixties Benfica rose to topple Real Madrid, only to be cursed by Béla Guttmann * The Pretenders, by Andy Brassell—Only two sides outside 'Os Tres Grandes' have won the Portuguese title. For both a repeat seems unlikely * The Dragons' Cap, by Vitor Sobral—Porto's rise in the late seventies was inspired by the innovative coaching of José Maria Pedroto --------------- Interview --------------- * Antonin Panenka — The Czechoslovakia great discusses how his famous dinked penalty came about and the impact it's had --------------- Euro 2012 --------------- * The Essential Backdrop, by Jonathan Wilson—Euro 2012 raised major questions about the nature of fandom and what comprises a tournament * The First Twitter Tournament, by Barney Ronay—In Euro 2012, newspapers were very rarely the first with the news as social media came into its own --------------- Theory --------------- * Directing the Pianists, by Philippe Auclair—Brendan Rodgers discusses the importance of possession football and what he's learned from José Mourinho * Ivan the Reasonable, by Antonis Oikonomidis—Ivan Jovanovic explains his philosophy and how he hopes to build on Apoel's success last season * The Rise of the Technocrats, by Tim Vickery—How attitudes to the dictatorship shape Brazil's change of approach in the seventies * The Second Coming, by Federico Farcomeni—Zdenek Zeman talks about attacking, romance and his challenge after returning to Roma this season --------------------- Photo Essay --------------------- * River's Return, by Anibal Greco—Images of River Plate's battle to win promotion from the purgatory of Nacional B --------------- The Lost --------------- * The Paper Tiger, by David Bartram—How politics and society have stood in the way of a Chinese boom * The Coach on the Couch, by Iain Macintosh—Is being addicted to Football Manager a medical condition? * The Far Corner, by James Young—How football in the north-east of Brazil struggles to keep up with the giants of the south --------------- Polemics --------------- * Care for the Community, by Gabriele Marcotti—Could a radical rejig of television schedules help create a greater bond between clubs and their fans? * Location, Location, Location, by Tom Dart—Which is more important? How it looks or where a stadium is? --------------- Fiction --------------- * The Limping God, by David Ashton—His football career ended by injury, John Brodie's life is going nowhere until he is sucked into the world of crime --------------------------- Greatest Games --------------------------- * Spain 1-0 Ireland, by Dermot Corrigan—World Cup qualifying play-off, Parc des Princes, Paris, 10 November 1965 ----------------- Eight Balls ----------------- * Classic Footballs, by Sheridan Bird—A selection of the best footballs through the ages