After quite a lull I'm hoping to pick up on my writing efforts for my book on the 1938 World Cup. Glad the publishers are happy to extend my deadline significantly, but I'll get there!
Aidan Williams
@aidanwilliams74.bsky.social
Football writer & podcaster, senior leadership These Football Times Featured @guardian and @athletic Sports nut. World Cup obsessive. Author 'The Nearly Men' & 'Euro 1984' Euro 1984: The Greatest Tournament You Never Saw https://amzn.eu/d/5HtKus7
This week we finish off our series on 87/88 with a look back at the First Division season. Gazza breaks through, Spurs swap Venables for Pleat & we see possibly the most stylish champions of all time. @aidanwilliams74.bsky.social makes the case. open.spotify.com/episode/3bjz...
Home Is Where The Heart Is 3 - The Hawthorns. @themagicofthecup.bsky.social talks to @allbluedaze.bsky.social about the ground that's closest to God. Includes details about a dubious blaze on Bonfire Night, European nights, and so much more... yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/home-is-wh...
Home Is Where The Heart Is 3 - The Hawthorns
In pastures green
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
19/9/1999: Newcastle 8 Sheffield Wednesday 0. @aidanwilliams74.bsky.social takes us back to Sir Bobby Robson's first game as Newcastle manager, following Ruud Gullit's 'suicide note' in the Tyne-Wear derby. Must read for #NUFC fans yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/action-rep...
Action Replay - September 19, 1999
By Aidan Williams
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
Tinoooo!
Outside Write (Chris Lee) ⚽️@outsidewrite.co.uk · 4w ago#OnThisDay in football, 17 Sept 1877 - First media mention of 'Clyde FC', founded that year 🏴 1997 - Newcastle Utd debuted in the Champions League group stage with a 3-2 win over Barça 🏴 2016 - First drone-halted match in England (Bradford) 🏴 Born: 1946 - Billy Bonds 🏴 1971 - Sergej Barbarez 🇧🇦
WTPS: Week comm'ing 14/9/81. It's bust ups galore as some big names lose their heads. The Haçienda seem to be the only Manchester club not in for Bryan Robson, while Mr Steel is primed to become PM. Yes, really. Over to @scraggy74.bsky.social yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/what-the-p...
What The Papers Said
By Steven Scragg
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS: Episode 2. @scraggy74.bsky.social talks us through his devotion to Liverpool's Anfield. @allbluedaze.bsky.social presents. @anythinglfc.bsky.social @spiritofshankly.bsky.social @lfchistory.net yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/home-is-wh...
Home Is Where The Heart Is 2 - Anfield
Walk on...
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
On this day in 1990, Jens Martin Knudsen shot to prominence with his bobble-hatted heroics. If you know, you know... 🇫🇴
Happy Your Boys Took a Hell of a Beating Day. Join @themagicofthecup.bsky.social and @scraggy74.bsky.social to relive a very bad day for England and a very memorable day for Norwegian broadcasters. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
MODULE 8: YBTAHOAB Origin Podcast
Podcast Episode · Your Boys Took A Hell Of A Beating · 17 June 2025 · 1hr 30min
podcasts.apple.com
BOYS ON FILM: Club For A Fiver. Oh yes, it's THAT documentary. "Football is a filthy profession, swimming in filth." John Sitton We look at the legendary fly-on-the-wall doc. Bring yer dinner! yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/boys-on-fi...
Boys On Film: Club For A Fiver
Bring yer dinner!
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS, part 1: @allbluedaze.bsky.social introduces a new series about those stadia that have a special place in our heart. @chrislepkowski.bsky.social goes all Charity Shield by offering up Wembley as the curtain raiser yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/home-is-wh...
Home Is Where The Heart Is 1 - Wembley
The national stadium, old and new
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
ACTION REPLAY: September 11, 2001. @scraggy74.bsky.social talks about his recollections of a dark and surreal day, including Liverpool's Champions League game against Boavista - with minds very much distracted by events in the US yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/action-rep...
Action Replay - September 11, 2001
By Steven Scragg
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
Our very own Phantom Flan Flinger takes you to the first round of the 1967/68 FA Cup, where Runcorn are our plucky heroes, while a whole host of Davids are slain mostly by other slightly bigger Davids. This is the FA CUP! yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/the-magic-...
The Magic of the Cup: 1967/68 - Part 2
Sex & drugs & sausage rolls
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
We at @ybtahoab.bsky.social are big fans of Howard's Way. No, not the 1980s' yachting romp, but the ace documentary about Howard Kendall's Everton side. It's as striking as a Kevin Sheedy free-kick. @80s90sfootball.bsky.social tells us more. yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/boys-on-fi...
Boys On Film: Howard’s Way
By Michael Hamlen
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
Boys on film: The Impossible Job. The insight to end all insights. Can we not knock it? yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/boys-on-fi...
Boys On Film: The Impossible Job
Carlton!
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
Can we not knock it? Join us as we go back to the Graham Taylor days with England 🏴
Your Boys Took a Hell of a Beating@ybtahoab.bsky.social · 2mo agoGraham Taylor's England: Joe Byatt, Michael Hamlen, @chrislepkowski.bsky.social & @aidanwilliams74.bsky.social revisit one of the most bewildering periods. Expect misery, bad luck, a mystery TV crew and dubious team selections... yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/beautifull...
Pause, for La Pausa. We look at Uruguay's historic impact on world football. @drpetewatson.bsky.social offers insight, @allbluedaze.bsky.social chips in with a few thoughts, while @scraggy74.bsky.social and Stu Horsfield mess around at the back of the class. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/l...
La Pausa: Encounters 3
Podcast Episode · Your Boys Took A Hell Of A Beating · August 12 · 2h 4m
podcasts.apple.com
89: Think 'Aguero' is shorthand for the most dramatic title decider? Think again. We look at the ultimate title decider, as told in a documentary about the most incredible football finale of all time. It's up for grabs now... yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/boys-on-fi...
Boys On Film: 89
It happened one night...
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
ACTION REPLAY: August 10, 1985. When football and TV went to war: no televised English club soccer for 5 months. Was it the spiritual start of the Premier League? @chrislepkowski.bsky.social believes so... yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/action-rep...
Action Replay – August 10, 1985
By Chris Lepkowski
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
LOOK WHO'S BACK! Intrepid duo @scraggy74.bsky.social @themagicofthecup.bsky.social resume their journey through 1979/80. Today it's #Brentford vs #SheffieldWednesday; Jack Charlton in That London; Brian Moore understating common assault. yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/football-r...
Football Revisited 1979/80: Para 1.18b Brentford v Sheffield Wednesday 19/1/80
Goody goody yum yum
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
What the Papers Said, 45 years ago this week... Transfers for Clemence and Robson? John Bond and Peter Barnes have a war of words, while The Nolans are in a legal spat... @scraggy74.bsky.social turns the pages as we go back to 1981 yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/what-the-p...
What The Papers Said
By Steven Scragg
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
Pause for La Pausa: Back into the South American Studies department we go today, for module two of our Latin experience. Host Stuart Horsfield is joined by @allbluedaze.bsky.social @scraggy74.bsky.social and @drpetewatson.bsky.social yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/la-pausa-e...
La Pausa: Encounters 2
Return match
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
70 years on: We revisit Matt Busby's influence at Manchester United @utdbeforefergie.bsky.social @mufczone.bsky.social @manutdfc.bsky.social yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/the-busby-...
The Busby Babes
70 years on
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
What's this? T-Rex in the charts, Revie's dossiers, #Arsenal's Alan Ball-sing it up, the Queen abandoning her car willy-nilly. It must be the 1972 FA Cup Final. Over to @scraggy74.bsky.social & @themagicofthecup.bsky.social #LUFC #LeedsUtd yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/just-look-...
Just Look At His Face: 1972 FA Cup final
100 up!
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
It is 60 years since England last won a major tournament after finishing 3rd in the 2026 World Cup. So, what next? @drpetewatson.bsky.social @themagicofthecup.bsky.social @scraggy74.bsky.social talk national identity, history & Englishness yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/you-have-t...
You Have To Say That's Magnificent: Can England Ever Win?
So it’s now 60 years and counting since England last won a major tournament after finishing third in the 2026 World Cup.
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
ACTION REPLAY: The first in a new weekly series takes us back to July 1977. We talk Kevin Keegan, Donna Summer, Star Wars, Chrysler Sunbeams...but mainly Kevin Keegan. @robfletcher.bsky.social takes his turn on the YBTAHOAB typewriter yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/action-rep...
Action Replay - July 27 1977
Hamburger Hill
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
"....'Busby, Stein & Shankly – The Football Men' is nothing short of a tour de force, all about detail, pacing, intelligence...." Over to @themagicofthecup.bsky.social yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/boys-on-fi...
Boys On Film: The Football Men
Busby, Shankly, Stein & McIlvanney
yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com
Remember when England reaching a 'bronze final' (FIFA words not mine) was a novelty... Our finest revisit the first time England played for 3rd place. 🥉
Your Boys Took a Hell of a Beating@ybtahoab.bsky.social · 3mo agoThe Three Tenors? Pah! Introducing our Four Fivers: @scraggy74.bsky.social @brisbanestokie.bsky.social @aidanwilliams74.bsky.social @chrislepkowski.bsky.social. They revisit Italia90 & address the big issue... Killer: Seal or Adamski? yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/you-have-t...
When England 🏴 and the World Cup was all golden.... ahem.
Your Boys Took a Hell of a Beating@ybtahoab.bsky.social · 3mo agoWe're off to Baden Baden for the mother of all parties with the WAGs. Meanwhile, England's men are trying to win a World Cup. @80s90sfootball.bsky.social @aidanwilliams74.bsky.social @chrislepkowski.bsky.social & Matthew Gibbs go back to 2006 yourboystookahellofabeating.substack.com/p/you-have-t...