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Football and War Network @footballandwar.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

The National WW1 Museum and Memorial's - The Beautiful Game Exhibition is now on. If you are in Kansas City during the World Cup, then why not pay a visit! More information @ www.theworldwar.org/exhibitions/...

theworldwar.org

The Beautiful Game

Open April 2, 2026: Journey through the story of football's impact on WWI and explore the poignant influence of “the beautiful game” on people living during wartime.

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Wonderful to reunite with Phil Martin, peerless football historian. At @footycon.bsky.social, he casually left on my seat a signed (!) copy of Peter Craigmyle's hard-to-find 1949 book, "A Lifetime of Soccer", one of the oldest #referee biographies. Phil, you have my unending gratitude. #footycon 💙📚

Book cover. Primarily red, with black and yellow lettering and drawings. Title: A Lifetime of Soccer. Author: Peter Craigmyle, a pre-WWII Scottish referee. Graphics include a line drawing of the author and a football whistle

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

It was also great to finally meet Ashley Hickson-Lovence, author of "Your Show", the biography of deceased #referee Uriah Rennie. His presentation on his new book "About to Fall Apart" was emotional and mesmerising. He was kind enough to sign a copy for me. Only cost me this t-shirt😉 #footycon 💙📚

Book cover. Bi-colour, fluorescent green and bright blue. A head of an ageing bearded man surrounded by the title: About to Fall Apart. At the bottom, the author's name: Ashley Hickson-Lovence.

Two men with arms around each other. Left one, author of this post, wearing an orange t-shirt with Mr Burns of the Simpsons dressed as a referee and showing a red card. Right one, Ashley Hickson-Lovence, poet and author, wearing a red-and-blue striped football shirt of Dagenham & Redbridge FC

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Had a wonderful time last week at @footycon.bsky.social #footycon #footycon26 One thing hardly ever mentioned is the generosity of the presenter, who tend to be very willing to share their research. Some go even farther, like @dralexanderjackson.bsky.social, who kindly gave me a copy of his book ⤵️

Book cover. Title: Football's Great War. Association Football on the English Home Front 1914-1918. Author: Alexander Jackson. Cover shows a football team posing for a photograph. Most are in football kit, black shorts and socks and white shirts, but they're surrounded by military officers.

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Sian 🌻 @siansallpress.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

It's me!! Loved presenting this year at footycon, thank you for having me 🥹

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Outside Write (Chris Lee) ⚽️ @outsidewrite.co.uk · 13/06/2026

It’s a wrap! #FootyCon26 draws to a close, so hats off to @garyjames.bsky.social @whuhistorian.bsky.social and all the team at @footycon.bsky.social for an enlightening couple of days at Fulham FC. Great to put some names to faces, too!

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Mark Orton @markaorton.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Was a pleasure to chat and looks like the it has legs for further development

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Up next, we have @outsidewrite.bsky.social discussing a century of football rebelling against the evils of fascism across the world from Europe to South America between 1922-2022

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Our final session of #footycon26 is underway and we start with Malcolm Dowden tells us about the famous Welsh rugby historian WJT Collins

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Malcolm Dowden on ‘Dromio’, the Welsh rugby journalist and historian #footycon #footycon26

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Christian Schröder is on next, with a paper on pillarisation: separate religions and migrant communities founding separate leagues in pre-war Germany #footycon #footycon26

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

To round out this penultimate session of #Footycon26, we have Christian Schröder discussing confessional and migrant football communities in Germany

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

On next in the second room are Kieran Manchip and Philip Richardson, presenting on actual football archaeology in Anwoth and Dumfries, with focus on Reverend Rutherford #footycon #footycon26

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Returning to the other room, where recurring speaker George Kioussis presents on gift-giving among sports officials, focusing on football #footycon #footycon26

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Richard Mills and @dralexanderjackson.bsky.social in a double-header about early encounters between European football and Latin American football, focusing on Yugoslavia in 1930 and #referees in the 1950s #footycon #footycon26

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Chris Lepkowski speaking on TV deals throughout the ages, focusing on the 1980s #footycon #footycon26

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

I have to miss out on Phil Martin’s presentation, but I simply cannot afford to miss the performance of Ashley Hickson-Lovence on Emmanuel Sala. He’s also speaking on his book “Your Show”, about the late #referee Uriah Rennie.

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

#footycon stalwart Walter Hunt delves into the commentary style, and how it changed over the years, of Kenneth Wolstenhome. #footycon26

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

We’ve moved to the @fulhamfc.com press room, where @garyjames.bsky.social interviews Mark Orton on football and the Yugoslav diaspora, and how this still shapes international football #footycon #footycon26

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Up next, we have @gollnerphilipp.bsky.social focusing on Ivica Osim, the last coach of the Yugoslav team and how his story deserves so much more attention than it currently gets from the international football history community

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Philipp Gollner is up next, speaking about Sarajevo as a battleground and background for nationalism and football, through the person of Ivica Osim #footycon #footycon26

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

After lunch and a brief excursion across to the Press conference room, we’re back with @markaorton.bsky.social talking to @garyjames.bsky.social about football and how the Yugoslav wars keeps shaping international football

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

But our final presentation in markers 3 before lunch on day 2 of #Footycon26 is Stuart Gibbs, winner of last years Richard Cox prize with the @BritSportHisSoc being interviewed by Dil Porter about Lily Flexmore, an interesting character in women’s football history.

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

But our final presentation in markers 2 before lunch on day 2 of #Footycon26 is Walter Hunt, winner of our best paper prize in … discussing the commentary of legendary commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme. Walter is also a new author, so check out his book on Amazon

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

We follow this up with another paper in Markers 3 with Phil Martin telling us about the initial formation meeting of the FA

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

We go from models of football ownership to discussing how we discuss death in football as Ashley Hickson-Lovence who’s current work discusses how he fictionalises element of the death of Emiliano Sala

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Up next in markers 3 is David King, discussing why he believes Barnes FC is an important player (no pun intended) in the formation of association football in its formative years of the 1860s.

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Up next in markers 3 is David King, discussing why he believes Barnes FC is an important player (no pun intended) in the formation of association football in its formative years of the 1860s.

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Following this in markers 2, Peter Wolstencroft (with Andy Coleman) talking about the excellent models of ownerships in football using Peters & Waterman’s model from 1982 and bringing it into a more modern context.

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Having enjoyed their hospitality last night, we’re now in for David King’s paper on Barnes FC’s place in the history of association football #footycon #footycon26

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

After our morning break, we’re back with our final parallel sessions before lunch and in Markers 2, the three Johns (Wilson, Clarke & Stocks) and Stephen wood educate us on how they classify & chronologically order football clubs

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

After our morning break, we’re back with our final parallel sessions before lunch and in Markers 3, @chrislepkowski.bsky.social talks us through the 1985/86 season and how English football has to begin it’s rehabilitation in the midst of great tragedies in the spring of 1985

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Over in Markers 3, we have a short panel as @DrAlexJack1 & Richard Mills look at European encounters with South American football with Alex discussing referees in South American football between 1937-1960 & Richard discussing Yugoslavia’s journey to & at the 1930 World Cup

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

In markers 2, we’ve had a short panel with Roger Titford talking about football scores and James Reade discussing Elo ratings

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

The other end of the South American double-header, @dralexanderjackson.bsky.social, now speaking on the experiences of British #referees in Latin America #footycon #footycon26

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

To round out the first parallel session in markers 3, George Kioussis gives a short presentation on gift giving among soccer officials. With clocks, pocket-watches & keychains being given, we wonder what gift-giving you can get between football conference social media people👀

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

To round out our first parallel session in Marker 2, we’re joined by @ProfGroves of the Uni of Westminster Menswear archive discussing football, menswear branding & how that has rewritten the working-class space. This picture is from Manchester City which will please @garyjames.bsky.social

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Stipica Grgić is followed by Milan Sovilj, who looks at the Yugoslav/Czechoslovakian footballing bond from a Czech perspective #footycon #footycon26

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

The winner of the first day’s best paper was announced, the winner being Gráinne Daly for her paper on the 1947 FAA final. Congratulations! #footycon #footycon26

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

In the other room, noted Scottish researcher Andy Mitchell presents on the importance of the Edinburgh Meadows for the development of early football #footycon #footycon26

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

From the meadow to the church, Kieran Manchip & Phillip Richardson talks to the delegates in markers 2 as we learn about Reverend Rutherford, football origins and archaeological findings

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Up next in Markers 3, we have Carolina Olivieria enlightening us about how the history of football acts as a mirror of economic history in Portugal between 1950-2005

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Over in Markers 2, @andymitchellmedia.bsky.social tells us about Edinburgh’s meadows and how they are a crucible for football in Scotland’s capital. A literal look at “Grassroots” football

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

To kick off our parallel session in Markers 2, we have Paul McFarlane discussing the 1921 Scots soccer tour of Canada & the US. Will the current @ScotlandNT have a successful visit to America this year as well?

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

This morning’s parallel sessions have kicked off in the Markers III room with Finnish researcher Sami Koskelainen on the history of European football through Finnish eyes #footycon #footycon26

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Building on Lorenzo’s account of Hungarian football efforts, Stipica Grgić (Croatia) dives into Czechoslovakian/Yugoslavian football relations #footycon #footycon26

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Lorenzo Venuti presents on Hungarian interbellum and post-war football #footycon #footycon26

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Refereeing Books & More @refbooks.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Another Forgotten Heroines history, by Adam Beaumont, on Icelandic women’s football #footycon #footycon26

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FootyCon @footycon.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

We finish day 1 with our final panel as Lorenzo Venuti, Stipica Grgić & Milan Sovilj discussing football as a tool of inter-state affirmation in central and south-east Europe between 1918-48. A period of history with plenty of change in such a short amount of time.

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