AFTER NINETY WORLD CUP MINUTES - A FOOTBALL MUSEUM TRAIL
By David Prudames
24/06/2002
Although Sven's boys failed to emulate the lions of 1966 our football trail will keep you interested in the beautiful game's heritage long after the final whistle.
Just in case the world cup has got you thirsting for all things to do with the beautiful game, and just in case you feel like wrenching yourself away from your TV, our nationwide trail features football shrines that don't close after ninety minutes as well as a guide to some of the best on-line salutes to the world's favourite game.
In the North West of England the National Football Museum lies within Preston North End's Deepdale Stadium. The museum is split into two sections: 'The First Half' and 'The Second Half'.
'The First Half' is a pitch-sized time capsule taking visitors from the game's humble past to its high-tech present. Football is placed in the wider social context that enabled it to grow, looking at fans and historical events through film and sound.
A huge array of artefacts includes a shirt worn in the first ever international match that took place between England and Scotland.
'The Second Half' looks through the minds of players and coaches at the way the game is played as well as examining the development of kit and equipment.
There is an interactive guide to the country's football grounds, while budding John Motsons can join Gary Lineker and Alan Hansen in a special edition of Match Of The Day.
A celebration of football, the museum has everything from images, photographs and paintings to over 20,000 objects and artefacts including items from the FIFA collection.
North of the border in a country synonymous with the beautiful game, football fans will find The Scottish Football Museum located within the national Hampden Park stadium.
Above: hardman Archie Gemmill bangs it into the net in '78 at the Scottish Football Museum.
Exhibits trace the history of football from the viewpoint of a nation that played an essential part in the game's development. Through interactive displays the museum looks at the social development of football from its move into professionalism to its growth into a multi-million pound industry and examining the one thing that has never changed, the relationship between a fan and their team.
The museum contains artefacts from the history of the Scottish national team including a ticket to the first ever international match against the 'Auld Enemy' and shirts worn by such legends as Denis Law and Kenny Dalglish.
Scottish Football Museum The National Stadium, Hampden Park, Glasgow, G42 9AY, Strathclyde, Scotland
Stuart Clarke's archive of 60,000 photographs records the changes that English football has undergone in the wake of the 1989 Hillsborough tragedy that saw 96 fans of Liverpool Football Club crushed to death during an FA Cup Semi-final.
Liverpool is a city where fans of all ages will find a great tradition and feeling for football. Housed by the Anfield Stadium, The Liverpool FC Museum takes a tour through the history of England's most successful club.
Liverpool FC made English football history when they won their fourth European Cup in 1984 and four full-size trophies can be seen in the museum as well as the spoils of the 2000-2001 season's success.
Left: the boy wonder's boots - footwear worn by Michael Owen.
A complete recreation of the legendary Bill Shankly's Liverpool dressing room circa.1965 shows a team on the verge of great things, while the on-site cinema shows what it takes to run a top football club from day to day and highlights of the team's achievements.
The stadium tour takes you behind the scenes and the 'Penalty Lounge' will sort the Fowlers from the Southgates, but don't forget to pay your respects at the Hillsborough Memorial in honour of the 96 fans of Liverpool who died in the 1989 tragedy.
Moving into another city that knows a thing or two about football there is the Old Trafford Stadium. It not only gives Manchester United somewhere to play, but houses the Manchester United Museum.
Opened in 1998 by the legendary Pele, the museum traces the club's history from 1878 to the present day while the interactive Man-U-Net has information about every first team player to take the field for the team.
A virtual reality tour of the stadium goes behind the scenes, and armchair commentators can see if they can do it better in a match commentary feature. Visitors can gasp in awe or be sick in the (packed) trophy room. Then the tour takes in displays about Kit and Equipment, Fans and the tragic Munich Air Disaster.
Left: from Ray Frank's Football Programme Virtual Museum.
Across town Manchester Metropolitan University Library houses a collection of fans' tributes to the game in the form of that colourful tradition, the fanzine.
The collection dates back to 1963 following the history of the fanzine through the 1980s to the present day. The collection mainly represents teams from the United Kingdom but does contain some overseas items.
To view the collection in the University's All Saints Library it is essential to apply in writing, stating your reason for visiting. A pass will be issued, but the University authorities reserve the right to refuse admission. The collection is very delicate and is only for serious enthusiasts and researchers.
Telling the story of a Derbyshire institution, Spireites: The History of Chesterfield Football Club is showing at Chesterfield Museum and Art Gallery until July 29 2006.
Dating back to 1886 the Spireites, so called after the town's famous crooked spire, are the fourth oldest team in the Football League, but for many supporters, their finest moment was their historic FA cup run in 1997.
Right: "C'mon you Blues" Spireite fans were like a twelfth player at the FA Cup semi-final in 1997.
However, with a recent history that includes near financial extinction and take over by its supporters, the club's fans have many reasons to be proud of their club.
The exhibition features a wealth of memorabilia on loan from the club and local supporters. Former manager John Duncan loaned his spectacles and visitors can view trophies (they have won a few, including an Anglo Scottish Cup victory over Glasgow Rangers), old programmes, old strips and various videos depicting key moments.
Down in London The Football Association Library, with its collection of 2,000 football publications will satisfy the most enquiring football minds.
Older fans can reminisce with FA records that go back to when Bobby Charlton had hair, while younger followers of football can learn about the history of the game from the lofty heights of the World Cup to the grass roots non-league.
Phone 0207 262 4542, but be prepared to be put on hold for a while, this is a busy number.
Anyone researching or interested in the history and origins of the world's first football association will find it fascinating.
The library is part of the administrative centre of English football and therefore it is essential to phone ahead and book: admittance will not be granted to anyone who just turns up.
At the British Library's Newspaper Library there is a celebration of one of football's greatest traditions, the official programme.
Enthusiasts of the game and anyone with an interest in sports publications will find this collection of programmes, newspapers and publications dating back to the nineteenth century fascinating.
Entrance is provisionally for over 18s, but as football crosses age gaps so does the library. Under 18s are admitted if they apply in writing to the Head of Services and Collections giving their age, the subject of their research and the newspapers or periodicals they wish to see.
Admittance is granted on production of an identity document bearing a signature and anyone with a British Library photographic reader's pass can just walk right in!
The Arsenal Football Club Museum has been open since 1993 and features the largest collection of any one club's memorabilia.
Tracing 115 years of Gunners history from the club's origins as Woolwich Arsenal, through the Herbert Chapman years to the double successes of '71 and '98 the museum also displays artefacts and items worn by Arsenal's biggest stars.
Gunners legend Bob Wilson narrates a cinematic tribute to the club, while the actual bus used to carry victorious teams through London is here for all to see.
A short trip eastwards into the London where the pie is pie and the mash is mash football fans will find West Ham United and the newly built Hammers' Museum. Right: here's Chairman Terence Brown with the Bobby Moore collection.
It is an essential pilgrimage for all football fans holding as it does the World Cup Winners' medals awarded to West Ham United and England legends Bobby Moore, Sir Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters.
The museum also examines the club's history from shipbuilding roots to battling it out in the Premiership, exploring the close relationship with its East London community.
The official web site of the English Football Association contains everything an English football fan would need to know about the domestic game, from information on the England team right down to the Non-League game.
There is background to the formation of the world's first football governing body and a history of the game in general as well as a list of links to the world of English football. (a glaring omission is a contact number on the site - frustrated Editor.)
The official web site of the game's governing body provides up to date news, a guide to the updated laws of the game, a comprehensive history of the game and links to every national association in existence. It is a huge site bursting with football information, including a great history section.
The official web site of European football's governing body carries news of all the top competitions and the issues that matter.
There are great features including the 'Training Ground' that offers advice on nurturing young talent, people management in the age of the millionaire footballer and learning to be a referee.
There is also 'Trick of the Week' offering a guide to some of the most audacious skills ever seen: remember Paul Gascoigne against Scotland in Euro '96?
These are the official web sites of the Football League and the Premiership, where all of the latest stats and facts are held on the world's oldest football league set-up.
However an alternative can be found at news.bbc.co.uk/sport/hi/english/football/default.stm, a site that has all the latest information on British and world football as well as containing opinions from the BBC's top pundits.
The Association of Football Statisticians is an organisation that has produced invaluable work researching and recording an extraordinary amount of statistics on football past and present.
An extremely well laid-out site with easily accessible information and a thoroughly comprehensive database of all the clubs in Great Britain this is a must for any serious football fan that thinks they know their stuff.
A pictorial guide to the country's football grounds this site provides comprehensive information on what they look like, how to get there, what songs to sing and what you can eat.
There is a guide to grounds and stands long gone such as the Clock End at Highbury and the Goldstone in Brighton and a tribute to all those who have done the 92 (visited all of the grounds in the English League).
An absolutely huge statistics archive containing information about football games and competitions you had no idea existed; every scorer, attendance figure, ground and result, it's all here. Fascinating, great for settling arguments and invaluable for research.
A guide to football's most important tournament this is comprehensive and illuminating. There is information on every tournament since the first in 1930, every goal scored, every red card received, every match played. There is an exhibition of World Cup posters and top tens of goals, matches played and players of all time for you to mull and argue over. For aficionados of the game this is a great visit and a fantastic way to spend a few minutes or even hours.
Supporters Direct is a government-backed initiative that aims to help football supporters play a responsible part in the life of the clubs they support. This website has lots of information and links for supporters considering setting up a Supporters' Trust.
An archive of the most unlikely relationship known to humankind. Ever since the first ball was kicked deep-rooted feelings have followed and this site explores the expression of the emotions that make or break our Saturday nights.
Famous names such as Brighton and Hove Albion's resident poet Atilla the Stockbroker are included, but budding bards can submit their own poetry as well as organise workshops for the young and in schools.
And finally...Ray Franks' Football Programme Virtual Museum. Here's a real insider's guide to the arcane world of football programme collecting. Ray's site is a basic web experience, but look further and you'll find real enthusiasm and depth of knowledge.
Special thanks to all the museums and clubs who sent us images for this trail. Particular thanks to Ray Franks: images from Ray's football programme collection grace the trail in many sections.
Also thanks to Chesterfield fan extraordinaire Richard Moss for the passage on his home town club and Stuart Clarke from the Homes Of Football, Ambleside, for his excellent shots.
National Football Museum, Sir Tom Finney Way, Deepdale, Preston, PR1 6RU, Lancashire, England
Open: Open: Tues-Sat 10.00-17.00, Sun 11.00-17.00
Midweek matchday open until 19.30 For weekend matchdays the museum will close earlier - 3.00pm or 1.00pm depending on kick off time.
Closed: Closed: Mon except Bank Holidays, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Easter Sunday
British Library, 96 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DB, England
T: 020 7412 7332
Open: Mon, Wed-Fri 0930-1800
Tues 0930-2000
Sat 0930-1700
Sun and English Public Holidays 1100-1700
Closed: 24 - 28 December 2007
1 January 2007
Closing at 17.00 23 and 29 - 31 December 2007
Arsenal Museum, Highbury House, 75 Drayton Park, London, N5 1BU, England
Open: Museum Opening Times
7 days a week: 10am - 6pm (last admissions 5pm).
Matchdays: 9.30am until kick-off. The museum will open for two hours after the final whistle (for matches which kick-off prior to and including 3pm only).
