WELCOME

The first Arsenal team I remember was George

NICKY BUTT

“Honestly, I thought Alan Hansen had a point with his ‘win nothing with kids’ line. He just said what 90% of people were thinking...”

MEANWHILE IN …

...Queretaro, a Liga MX club must play behind closed doors for a whole year – after chair-wielding fans ran riot

GAMES THAT CHANGED MY LIFE ALLY MCCOIST

ONE MAN STANDING In Portugal, an under-21

FOOTBALL’S F1

Leeds United joined a racing series for 2002 – then it collapsed

THE ULTIMATE QUIZ

Test yourselves with these questions on Arctic Circle adversaries, returning gaffers and forgotten grounds

MY FOOTBALL

The Radio 1 and That Peter Crouch Podcast co-host on Jäger king Dave Nugent, Ray and Roy’s animated Ant & Dec chat, and awkward encounters with Elton

122 HOURS LATER

One fan has spent his life on trains following Leicester around Europe

FERNANDO LLORENTE

After European heroics during his days at Spurs, the 37-year-old is back in the Basque Country with Eibar this season

GUNNER START A REVOLUTION

Youthful, bold, often brilliant and – whisper it – even very British, Arsenal’s exciting new era has left Gooners dreaming of Champions League nights again. Now, FFT hears from key figures past, present and (they hope) future for the inside scoop on their thrilling reboot. Buckle up, it could be quite a ride

“MY DAD’S A SPURS FAN – SO I THINK THAT GAME WAS WIN -WIN FOR HIM!”

Emile Smith Rowe joined Hale End aged 10 – now 21, he’s a leading face of this new-look Arsenal side. Not even injury has held him back from brilliance this term

"GETTING A BIG CHANT WOULD BE SPECIAL"

BUT I MIGHT HAVE TO POP UP WITH GOALS FOR THAT!

“PEOPLE CALL US A TEAM FOR THE FUTURE… BUT THAT FUTURE HAS ALREADY ARRIVED”

Gabriel Martinelli has settled in superbly to Arteta’s first team, offering goals and enthusiasm in a fine season. If you ask him, he’d stay a Gunner for life…

THE TOP 50 FOOTBALL LEAGUE PLAYERS

AS VOTED BY THE FANS

“HANG ON, WHERE’S GAVIN BAZUNU...?”

Unfortunately, not every Football League club can be represented in the top 50 – as well as Pompey’s Ronaldo-defying Republic of Ireland goalkeeper, these players also narrowly missed out on the list

IT’S EL GRAN DERBI

(AND THIS ON E’S MASSIVE)

TWINS PEAK

After conquering the fourth and third tiers, Arbroath climbed to the summit of another division this term in their quest to reach the Scottish Premiership... despite being the only part-time team in the league. FFT chats to their lively managerial double act – twin brothers Dick and Ian Campbell – about Scotland’s most romantic tale of 2022

I REALLY HAD TO ANNOY BARÇA’S PRESIDENT AND SAY, ‘HEY, YOU GUYS NEED ME...

YOU’D BETTER BRING ME BACK!’

DEATH, GLORY AND DYNAMO KYIV

The Ukrainian giants inspired Escape To Victory and overcame Chernobyl – before their players had to flee once more. This is their heroic story

THE STRIKER’S WAR

Phil Stant played with Kerry Dixon at Reading and then scored freely for the likes of Hereford, Cardiff and Lincoln. He also saw first-hand the horrors of the Falklands War. Forty years on, he tells FFT why forgetting simply isn’t an option

MY PERFECT XI ROB GREEN

The former England shot-stopper picks his top team-mates from time at Norwich, West Ham, QPR and more – but there’s one rule

FLEETWOOD’S STACK

The League One Lancastrians were an eighth-tier side as recently as 2005 – but now owner Andy Pilley has launched partner clubs in South Africa and the UAE

BEST & WORST BRADFORD CITY

Aaron Bower, creator of Bantams Heritage, on fluorescent barnets, Waddle worldies and the worst away day

BOY’S A BIT SPECIAL

LOWDOWN Fans across the country were made to

THE UnLIKELY LADS

CREDENTIALS Only PSV’s Romario netted more goals than

IAN HOLLOWAY

It’s an unspoken rule of management: don’t gripe about your problems off the pitch when everyone is in the same boat. But for FFT’s columnist, that wasn’t necessarily the case – and dealing with himself was a process

‘CAN I HAVE A HOLIDAY NOW?’

Journalist Steve Nicholson has hit an incredible milestone covering Derby County

CLAIMS TO FAME HUDDERSFIELD

1 ROARING TWENTIES The Terriers dominated English football

“I TOLD ODEMWINGIE TO COME IN CASE WE COULD DO A DEAL – I DIDN’T MEAN TURN UP IN THE CAR PARK”

The King of the Jungle talks West Ham’s golden generation, managing son Jamie and how his England would have looked

“THE SLEEVELESS CAMEROON KIT WAS SPECIAL – BUT FIFA BANNED THAT AND ALSO OUR ON ESIES!”

The versatile Cameroonian chats Big Sam and Mourinho, Ballon d’Or frustration and why Juninho was a Galactico

“GAZZA WAS SO ANNOYInG TO BUnK WITH THAT WADDLE USED TO HIDE In OUR ROOM!”

The former Man United and England full-back on Schmeichel tantrums, Italia 90 heartbreak and a grim night in Rotterdam

“RIJKAARD DIDN ’T WANT ME ANDI HAD TO LEAVE BARÇA – SO I WON LA LIGA AT REAL IN STEAD”

The Argentine recalls Raul’s class, Ronaldinho’s grin and dining with Michael Jordan

A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME

In 1992, the seeds of a multi-billion pound behemoth were sown with the introduction of cheerleaders, Super Sunday, the Bootroom, Fergie Time – and those psychedelic kits!

ONE-SEASON WONDERS

They came, they scored, they conquered... then blew up spectacularly. These are the stars who shone brightly for a few months, then disappeared without a trace. Welcome to the Premier League’s one-season wonders

THE KING OF THE REBRAND

Alan Shearer has topped the Premier League goal chart for 28 years, despite three major injuries and four seasons in the old First Division. Even then, his record may never be broken – but how? FFT salutes a scoring phenomenon

DELAP, DONS AND DIRTY SCOUNDRELS

Some teams don’t win anything – but they remain unforgettable. From bright young bucks to ball-lobbing kings, FFT remembers the greatest cult sides ever

THE HATE LOCKER

For more than a decade, Manchester United and Arsenal thrashed out a brutal battle for honours – often, quite literally – as the league’s pre-eminent forces. And their managers often behaved worst of all

THE WAR ONSN OODS …AND 15 MORE THINGS YOU FORGOT

The golden moments of Premier League history have been flogged to death – but three decades have served up plenty more intriguing episodes since lost to the dusty archives…

THE ENTERT AINERS

In 1995-96, one of the Premier League’s most exciting teams slumped to a despairing finish, after leading by 12 points with 15 games left. Newcastle’s chief protagonists pick out the key games of a thrilling season. You’ll love it

JOSE’S 10 MOST OUTRAGEOUS MOMENTS

He came, he conquered… he antagonised Arsene Wenger to the very end. The Premier League changed forever when this bolshy Portuguese big-head first rocked up at Chelsea in 2004 – and couldn’t get enough of him for over 15 years

"SOME HAD THE STREN GTH TO CHASE SERGIO. I COULDN ’T. MY BODY GAVE OUT”

ooking back, that 2012 Premier League title was probably the most beautiful of my career because of the way it happened. Manchester United had won four out of the previous five championships, and we were looking to make a big impact. We all wanted to prove ourselves; to be vindicated. The entire season was unforgettable. From August 2011 to May 2012 it was a long, intense race with our neighbours. Neither side let any other opponent overshadow us

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN, ‘DID HE MEAN IT...?!’”

No one will ever agree on a definitive list of the greatest goals in Premier League history – but FFT has hesitantly had a crack at ranking our top 10 chips, flicks and volleys. Shooooooooot!

FFT’S PERFECT XI

Picking the finest Premier League line-up of all time has proved the biggest headache so far. It’s a ruthless business: there’s no room for Keano, King Eric or Mo in a classic 4-4-2 formation

LEICESTER: THE INSIDE STORY

The Foxes’ unfathomable 2015-16 Premier League title win made headlines across the globe. Players, staff, broadcasters and fans reveal the behind-the-scenes tales of a 5,000/1 miracle

‘WHAT TOOK YOU SO LOnG, LADS?’

Liverpool’s 30-year wait for the top-flight title was worse than excruciating to watch. The Reds went through the mill, but their long-awaited glory only made it sweeter. FFT traces the tough road to redemption…

“DO WE GET A TROPHY FOR THIS?!”

Historic bully boys still rule the rest, while two big guns are tied in the all-time stakes. That’s the real quiz... right?