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While the current international break could scarcely be more “meh” for fans of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, for the good people of Wales excitement is high. On Thursday evening, Tom Jones, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Shirley Bassey, assorted members of Goldie Lookin’ Chain, Michael Sheen, Gareth Edwards and Geraint Thomas will stop whatever it is they’re doing as their football team sets about booking themselves one of the three remaining places at Euro 2024, specifically the one in Group D currently allocated to “Play-off Winner A”. To earn the right to go to Germany and try to beat Austria into third place behind France and the Netherlands, Wales must first win two successive games. Should they see off Finland, a do-or-die eliminator against Poland or Estonia awaits. Rob Page’s men will fancy their chances seeing as both games – assuming they’re in them – will be played at the Cardiff City Stadium, which is famously their Happy Place.
I was in Germany last summer to see a game and not only were darts flights seemingly a popular club merch item, but Eintracht Frankfurt had their own book of BBQ grilling recipes. Perhaps English clubs could follow suit? We could see ‘Mastering the Carvery with James Maddison’ or ‘Four And Twenty Magpies – Medieval Banqueting with Eddie Howe’ on the shelves” – Gillian Kirby.
Former Nottingham Forest chief suit Paul Faulkner alluding to the Premier League season finale coming with an asterisk attached (yesterday’s Quote of the Day). Given that his former team’s badge already contains what looks like two of them, he has every reason to be worried. Similarly, on the international front, Brazil and Germany must clearly be up to no good at all; England have been a little bit naughty … but the other home nations are paragons of virtue, for now at least” – Allastair McGillivray.
Re: yesterday’s Memory Lane (full email edition). Kevin Sheedy was clearly despatching a Mitre Delta into the net, which has shaken my belief in a piece of trivia I always took for granted. Many years ago I played five-a-side with someone who never tired of saying: ‘Ah, the Mitre Delta. Classic ball. Introduced in 1986.’ Clearly that was wrong and it was actually 1985, but wait … extensive research (10 minutes on Google) shows it being used in April 1984 in the FA Cup semi-finals. Can the intellectual weight of Football Daily’s reader put this one to bed, please? Can we confirm that we really are approaching the 40th anniversary of the Mitre Delta?” – John Gregory.
Re: yesterday’s last line (full email edition). 90,000? Is that the number of editions created since the last funny joke appeared in it?” – Steve Mintz.
