TUST
TUST FAN ZONE
THE 2026 WORLD CUP KICKS OFF WITH THREE REDS AND EMPTY SEATS
WHO REMEMBERS ALL THESE SINGING FOOTBALLERS IN THE CHARTS?
WE’RE FOREVER GRATEFUL TO ALL FANS BACKING FOREVER YELLOW
Football fans have been waiting patiently (or is that impatiently?) for him to arrive (sorry, not Deon Moore) but Jules Rimet and his World Cup.
Who was Jules Rimet?
Born in France in 1873 he became the third president of FIFA serving from 1921 to 1954. He is FIFA’S longest serving president in office for 33 years. It was Rimet who set up the first ever FIFA World Cup in 1930 and the Jules Rimet Trophy is obviously named after him.
He also, in 1897, founded Red Star Club Francais.
He would probably be turning in his grave now, were he to know what FIFA’S current president Gianni Infantino has been doing and saying.
Take for example the furore over the pricing for match tickets. Is it any wonder why there has been visual evidence of empty seats?
The World Cup kicked off in mid-week with three red cards and host Mexico defeating South Africa. While in the South Korea v Czech Republic the official attendance was 44,985 in a stadium with a capacity of 45,664. The areas of empty seats were in the price bracket of £315 up to £3,930 for corporate hospitality.
Infantino had, by the way, previously boasted “of receiving 500 million ticket requests”.
Talking of Mexico, I’m reminded of the 1968 hit by Long John Baldry of the same name to coincide with the Mexico Olympic Games.
Which got me thinking again about football and music which tend to go hand-in-hand.
Here’s my Top Ten (well Top Eight) of footballers singing in what used to be called the Hit Parade – ok pop pickers?
Number 1 in 1970 the England squad with ‘Back Home’.
Number 1 in 1990 the England squad (+ New Order) ‘World in Motion’.
Number 1 in 1994 Manchester United squad (+Status Quo) ‘Come On You Reds’.
Number 2 in 1990 Paul ‘Gazza’ Gascoigne ‘Fog On The Tyne’.
Top 5 hit for Glenn Hoddle and future Torquay United star Chris Waddle ‘Diamond Lights’ in 1987.
Number 31 in 1979 Kevin Keegan ‘Head Over Heels In Love’.
Number 43 in 1993 Ian Wright (+The Pet Shop Boys) ‘Do the Wright Thing’.
And let’s not forget 1972 Chelsea’s ‘Blue Is the Colour’ and Chas and Dave in 1982 with ‘Tottenham Tottenham’.
On the local football front, it’s been a quiet week at Plainmoor probably because Jimmy Ball has had a deserved week off but the pitch renovation is now waiting for the grass seed to do its job.
And our wonderful Paint Up Plainmoor volunteers have continued to work their magic with paint brushes and rollers.
It might be the close season but there is always work going on.
June’s 1899 Lotto draw is tonight so good luck to those with tickets.
And in the meantime, the Forever Yellow fund gets ever closer to that magical £100,000 as we reach £80,00 thanks to your wonderful support.
If you have not yet increased your tier it’s very easy and quick by going to https://www.tust.co.uk/join.
If you have any spare cash, could you support young Gulls fan Ellia who is to trek 15 miles across Dartmoor to raise money for OSCAR’s Paediatric Brain Tumour Charity a condition Ellia was diagnosed with a year ago. You can find all the details at http://www.torquayunited.com.
Congratulations to Scotland with a 1-0 win in their first World Cup for 28 years but for their opponents Haiti it was their first for 52 years.
Thanks to those who pointed out that the National League fixtures are released on Friday July 10th.
COYY
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COYY – NICK
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