Football Adventures with James Rendall
My football adventures all over the world
My opening tale from Italy in this 2025/26 season was from a match between Sambenedettese and Carpi. It was the first time I had seen the visiting team from Emilia-Romagna, and seeing a game at their stadium suddenly appeared in lights as the last of the “big” grounds missing off my viewing roster from that … Continue reading Carpi Diem
When UEFA brought in the Conference League, it was meant to be a competition where the wee club could compete. Alas, those who reach the final and win it, still come from one of the “big 5” nations, but certainly in the group stage, the likes of Malta, Gibraltar and Armenia are in the mix … Continue reading Italia, Away, Away, Away
Basilicata is one of the last four regions of Italy (20 in total) where I hadn’t watched a game. Indeed, prior to this trip, I hadn’t even set foot in any of the four missing places, let alone seen a game. Yet, like buses, you wait 38 years, and two games come along together to … Continue reading Basilicata, baby!
The poet and comedian John Hegley probably wouldn’t expect to get a name check in a story about Italian football, but because of him, Luton and Crotone are inexplicably and forever linked in my addled mind! He always said he tried so hard to get Luton into a poem, and while it’s largely a verbal … Continue reading Pythagoras Country
Bank Holiday Monday, that curious old chestnut that used to be the first Monday of August in Scotland, but was moved in line with the rest of the UK. My colleagues who had kids used to moan, as essentially all schools are back by the time this day off comes around. A day without your … Continue reading 1,2,3 No.4 – Darlington
In early June 2016, doubtlessly in a pique of boredom I decided to go and have a look at New Central Park, home at that particular time to Junior side Kelty Hearts. I used to work beside a Fife chap, Gordy, who, if he wasn’t at the San Starko, would frequent the Junior grounds in … Continue reading 1, 2, 3 – No.3- Kelty
The fickle Scot and our perception of distance. Especially top-flight central belt fans, trips to Aberdeen were bad enough, but the introduction of Highland sides to their cosy club was a trek too far for some. From my own perspective, having friends from “big” countries, these journeys are nothing. Try Jujuy to Bahia Blanca in … Continue reading 1,2,3 – No.2- Stranraer
An idea came to me on Saturday driving back from Stranraer. Why not, when visiting a well known venue on a Saturday, write a short blog piece with tales from my three favourite games there. I will make that happen, with Stair Park getting the first outing, when I head that way again, a week … Continue reading 1,2,3 – No.1-(ICT v Celtic)
There was a time when the last whistle of the last game of the season would signal at least a 6 - or 8-week hiatus action. That gap would every two years get filled by a World Cup or European Championship, but those days are gone. The “International” calendar is a never ending 12 month … Continue reading Blurred Lines
The conclusion of my skip around my favourite European moments from 1976 to date. As we have discovered, it was a pretty slow burner, with the first three games listed in part one, all forming the first three games I ever saw. They span more than a decade. By the mid nineties, things were picking … Continue reading In Europe (part two)
Football Adventures with James Rendall 
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