Tales of a Sporting Globetrotter

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Stadio Junkie

DM

May 18

De Kuip in black and white.

The De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam has always held a strong mystic to me. It’s a stadium that first landed on my radar as a 13 year old...

Diving deeper into Germany: Hamburg and Bremen

DM

May 18

Diving deeper into Germany: Hamburg and Bremen

A weekend taking in the Hamburg Derby followed by games at Werder Bremen and Feyenoord “didn’t look great on paper” according to one of...

DM

Oct 15, 2023

Scratching the Bundesliga surface.

As we lose the soul of football more and more each year to human rights abusers, attention seeking celebrities and American portfolio...

Naples: Gatecrashing Europe’s longest party.

DM

May 15, 2023

Naples: Gatecrashing Europe’s longest party.

Early this year, somewhat out of nowhere, a "Diego double" had a nice ring to it in my mind as Napoli powered towards a first Serie A...

Indian Wells: Welcome to “Tennis Paradise”.

DM

Mar 19, 2023

Indian Wells: Welcome to “Tennis Paradise”.

Often referred to as "the fifth Grand Slam", Indian Wells has hosted the best tennis players in the world for two weeks a year since...

Is football fan culture on the decline or on the rise?

DM

Feb 3, 2023

Is football fan culture on the decline or on the rise?

What is football fan culture? Ultimately it means different things to different people and different traditions in different countries....

DM

Jan 18, 2023

22 in ‘22

2022 treated me to many incredible experiences. Some familiar and some completely new. Here's an illustrated look at a year to remember....

Independiente Medellin: A special report from my correspondent in Colombia.

DM

Dec 10, 2022

Independiente Medellin: A special report from my correspondent in Colombia.

My wife, Mrs Junkie has been traveling to Colombia since 2011, visiting sponsored children, many of whom have become family. In 2012 when...

Back to the Bay: Knuckle draggers and Jumbotrons.

DM

Nov 16, 2022

Back to the Bay: Knuckle draggers and Jumbotrons.

Following on from last years trip up north, taking in the San Francisco Giants and San Jose Earthquakes, it was time to knock out another...

Kansas City - a wholesome and surprisingly welcome slice of Americana.

DM

Sep 18, 2022

Kansas City - a wholesome and surprisingly welcome slice of Americana.

There are seven stadiums in the NFL that cost over a billion dollars to build. The league is rich with shiny new arenas, rising ticket...

County are back: Tales of an anxious glory hunter.

DM

Jul 26, 2022

County are back: Tales of an anxious glory hunter.

Further down this site you’ll find pieces I’ve written on Stockport County’s most glorious decade, the 1990s. The run to the semi finals...

Year one with the Chargers: Fourth down and fuck it.

DM

Jan 29, 2022

Year one with the Chargers: Fourth down and fuck it.

I’m calling it year one because not only is it year one of me being a season ticket holder, which I hope I will be for decades to come,...

DM

Sep 8, 2021

Fake Tales of San Francisco.

These tales are actually very real, I just couldn't think of a title and that's a banger of a song by Arctic Monkeys, back in the mid...

Atlanta, a city rich in culture, history and the beautiful game.

DM

Aug 18, 2021

Atlanta, a city rich in culture, history and the beautiful game.

Atlanta was the first place I ever stopped in the US, a layover in 2005 on my way to see my future wife. I still to this day remember the...

Ballparks of America - the new improved Dodgers experience.

DM

Jun 30, 2021

Ballparks of America - the new improved Dodgers experience.

Before last night, I think had only been to Dodger stadium three times, once for a Dodger game in 2007, once for a pre season...

Interview: Max Bretos on fan culture at LAFC and the good old days at Soccer AM.

DM

Jun 20, 2021

Interview: Max Bretos on fan culture at LAFC and the good old days at Soccer AM.

Ever since LAFC made their MLS debut in 2018 I've wanted to go to a game. I'd been to a few Galaxy games down the years, mostly when they...

DM

Jun 5, 2021

Pretty fly for a SoFi.

Los Angeles sports culture - how different it is to Manchester, England where I grew up and most other European cities. One sport...

Interview: From the Chaddy End to the Yellow Wall, an Oldham fan’s fight for his club.

DM

May 22, 2021

Interview: From the Chaddy End to the Yellow Wall, an Oldham fan’s fight for his club.

When I think of Oldham Athletic in the 90s, so many things come to mind. The plastic pitch, (before plastic pitches got all fancy and...

DM

May 16, 2021

Wrexham AFC, the Hollywood takeover.

In November 2020, in the midsts of a global pandemic, Wrexham AFC, one of the few professional Welsh football clubs to play in the...

24 hours in Dallas: Mavs, Rangers, Canelo and the Grassy Knoll.

DM

May 10, 2021

24 hours in Dallas: Mavs, Rangers, Canelo and the Grassy Knoll.

Towards the end of March 2021, Eddie Hearn the British boxing promoter and fast becoming one of the most powerful men in world sports,...

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