Philosophy Football

"Sporting Outfitters of Intellectual Distinction." Founded in 1994 we specialise in T-shirts and dissent.

[Gerry Hassan @GerryHassan]

Scotland at the FIFA World Cup finals has given us memories, joy and disappointment. 'High Ball for the Wee Man' by Stephen Walsh looks at the Scots at the finals 74-98 through poetry, humour & his life. A great book given a great review on @bellacaledonia https://t.co/OQXWCm3dK1

[Clapton CFC @ClaptonCFC]

Come and play for us!

The Clapton CFC Men’s First Team will be holding trials to add to the squad ahead of our first season at Step 5.

Trials will take place in East London during June.

Please send your football CV to [email protected]

[NUFC Fans Foodbank @nufcfoodbank]

🛒🍱🪣Donations can be made this week at the @NCLFoodbank Monday-Friday 9am-4pm at the Benwell Centre & local supermarkets and online anytime via 🔗📲 https://t.co/xGvnu6EikA

Our final collection of the 2025/26 season starts at 3.30pm on Sunday, May 17th before @NUFC play @WestHam at 5.30pm in the @PremierLeague at @StJamesParkNE1 🏟�� 🪣 🪙

See you then! #GenerousGeordies Thanks 🏁

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

Liverpool fans’ success in getting the club to re-think elements of their ticketing strategy will resonate across football. Most clubs have done their ticketing announcements but will note Liverpool’s climbdown. Fans of other clubs will see that well-organised protests work, especially those designed for maximum exposure and embarrassment. Others already have: West Ham fans conducted a successful campaign over the club’s attack on concessions.

Some boards’ behaviour, treating crowds as cash cows, is offensive and counter-productive. It’s wrong for boards to ignore that many fans are hurting given the cost-of-living crisis. It’s wrong to go for multi-year increases. It’s morally wrong and commercially naïve to alienate your most loyal fans. Respect them and they will spend more in the store. Think.

It’s hypocritical when clubs emerged from lockdown, and the soulless, soundless games behind closed doors, promising to appreciate fans more. They did - for a while. It’s also stupid of boards to price out fans who generate the backdrop in sound and vision that TV pays fortunes for. Fans are part of the Premier League spectacle. Tourists are good for the club shop but not for atmosphere. Fans should lobby broadcasters to make clubs see sense.

Clubs brief that hikes are required to cover fees and wages of the stars that fans crave, to improve facilities in the stadium and to guard against PSR breaches. It’s spin. Liverpool would be generating only a reported £1.5m to £2m extra a year from the original planned increases at a club which spent £33m on agents’ fees in a year. That raked in £174.9m from Premier League prize money. That had revenue of £703m last year.

Liverpool fans, ably organised and mobilised by Spirit of Shankly, firmly made their point to club owners Fenway Sports Group with banners “FSG GR££D” and “NO TO TICKET PRICE INCREASES” along the bottom of the Kop during the recent Crystal Palace game. Fans held up yellow cards (75,000 were printed apparently) carrying messages about Fenway. Pictures were immediately posted on social media and beamed by TV around the world. Messaging is instant nowadays.

The campaign was sophisticated. Organisers also targeted club coffers with their “not a pound in the ground” campaign to encourage fans to spend their match-day money away from Anfield. During games, they chanted “you greedy b*st*rds, enough is enough”. It was a PR disaster for FSG and the club. And probably expensive financially given fans’ snubbing of in-stadium outlets.

A club historically celebrated for its bond with fans looked unthinking and unfeeling. It needs acknowledging that, overall, John W Henry and FSG have proved good owners – they’ve redeveloped Anfield, added to the squad and to the trophy cabinet. But they occasionally fail to read the room. They fail to listen to good advice.

They have made this mistake fairly spectacularly before – on the high ticket prices in the redeveloped Main Stand in 2016, seeing 12,000 fans walk out during a game in protest, and backing the European Super League in 2021, bringing a backlash from fans (and players). They backtracked on both. Now they have spoken to fans, heard the concerns and made a U-turn. GA prices will rise 3% for 26/27, but are frozen for 27/28, instead of three seasons fixed to inflation.

Clubs have to understand that many fans are feeling the pinch, that even the movement of a kick-off time has a knock-on effect to travel plans and costs, that even geo-politics affects those driving to games with petrol more expensive. Fans are also having to pay for more subscription channels.

A club’s own costs would be slightly more manageable if they were collectively more sensible in resisting wage inflation – make salaries even more performance-related - and more clubs made the pathway easier from academy to first team. And listen to fans’ groups before risking own goals. You’re on the same side. #LFC

[Asif Burhan @AsifBurhan]

"I was just pleased that I had met my football idol". 40 years ago this week, Pablo Ardiles was Diego Maradona's mascot at White Hart Lane. I spoke to him about overcoming his shyness and living in England during the Falklands War for my new book. https://t.co/b2MPIof41I

[Spirit of Shankly @spiritofshankly]

All change on multi-year ticket policy. Following talks with the club, we’re pleased there is an improved outcome for all supporters. We want to thank the club for engaging and thank all those who supported action on this - fans voices are paramount
https://t.co/9e8nhbxwKq

[Paul Weller @paulwellerHQ]

“The band that couldn’t be censored... more power to Kneecap!" - PW

Massive respect to @KNEECAPCEOL as ‘FENIAN’ looks set for a huge week in the UK charts. A No.1 would mark the first time an Irish language album has topped the chart.

Support the album: https://t.co/mg9uraUPeJ

[NUFC Fans Foodbank @nufcfoodbank]

👏Thanks💯#GenerousGeordies for everyone who helped & donated to Saturday’s @nufcfoodbank collection👏🏟️🪣

£2100.58 was collected that @jamiereuben & The @ReubenFound ation will very kindly match to a grand total of £4201.16 to feed local people at the @NCLFoodbank 👏 #NUFC 🌟s

Our final collection of the 2025/26 season starts at 3.30pm on Sunday, May 17th before @NUFC play @WestHam at 5.30pm in the @PremierLeague at @StJamesParkNE1 🏟️ 🪣 🪙

You can donate anytime online via 🔗📲 https://t.co/xGvnu6EikA Thanks #NUFC 🏁

[NUFC Fans Foodbank @nufcfoodbank]

🛒🍱🪣Donations can be made this week at the @NCLFoodbank Tuesday-Friday 9am-4pm at the Benwell Centre & local supermarkets and online anytime via 🔗📲 https://t.co/xGvnu6EikA

Our final collection of the 2025/26 season starts at 3.30pm on Sunday, May 17th before @NUFC play @WestHam at 5.30pm in the @PremierLeague at @StJamesParkNE1 🏟️ 🪣 🪙

See you then! #GenerousGeordies Thanks 🏁

[Simon Kuper @KuperSimon]

Every four years, @sszy and I massively update Soccernomics. The new US edition is out tomorrow, with lots of new material on transfers, on the USMNT and a whole new chapter on what the MLS needs to do to become good. Get your copy here: https://t.co/B37jVlKeQ6

[Bornatotter @bornatotter]

Many thanks to everyone who has pre-ordered a copy of THEY SMELT OF PUBS. The kitchen table dispatch department on overdrive.

They are going out this week ahead of official publication down the pub on Friday. If you want a copy have a butchers here👇

https://t.co/f4ffowy14K

[NUFC Fans Foodbank @nufcfoodbank]

Thanks for everyone’s help & donations at yesterday’s @nufcfoodbank collection before @NUFC’s 3-1 win over Brighton 👏

We’ll have the totals raised for you as soon as we know them #GenerousGeordies 🙌

Our final collection of the 2025/26 season starts at 3.30pm on Sunday, May 17th before @NUFC play @WestHam at 5.30pm in the @PremierLeague

See you all then! Thanks 🏁

[Asif Burhan @AsifBurhan]

@Phil_Football Thanks Mark, you'll love the chapter on the impact of the Falklands War. Reading your work on fan culture when I was a travelling England supporter was a big inspiration.

[Philosophy Football @Phil_Football]

Huge congrats @AsifBurhan from all your old friends at
@Phil_Football.

[Asif Burhan @AsifBurhan]

After 2 years of research, excited & proud to finally reveal that my first book will be released on June 22 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of what @GaryLineker called "the most famous football game ever played". More details & how to pre-order here https://t.co/g4dIwelrjB

[Simon Peter Green @SimonPeterGreen]

.
Today, @AndoverNSfc @NewStreetLadies celebrate 30 years of women’s football at Foxcotte Park

Full club celebration 1pm then the huge Ladies Southern League Div 1 vs Bournemouth, KO 2pm

I’ll be on the decks dropping bangers come enjoy a Babycham or a pint 💚🖤 @LAHADdeejays

[Clapton CFC @ClaptonCFC]

Promoted!

Goals from Fred Taylor, Julian Austin, Fred again and Cameron Gordon as we win it 4-2 in extra time.

Full credit to @RayleighTownFC1 who came back from 2-0 down to level it and matched us even when down to 9 men.

Step 5 here we come.

Attendance 2375.

[Philosophy Football @Phil_Football]

Just in time for May Day lovely design from our friends at @jacobin.

@VersoBooks @LSHGofficial

[Pauline Black OBE DL @paulineblackOBE]

Happy birthday to dearly departed The Selecter founding member, Arthur Gaps Hendrickson. Sadly & profoundly missed, but your voice, style and wit are always with us in memory. ❤️❤️❤️Pauline xx

[The FSA @WeAreTheFSA]

Whether you’re an old hand or a first timer, we’d love to see you there. Get involved.

Find out more about the FSA AGM 👇

Register: https://t.co/nQKIH2YZZ1