Outside Write (Chris Lee) ⚽️

07.02.26 Estadio Román Valero 🇪🇸

Moscardó 3-0 Fuenlabrada

Spanish 4th tier (Segunda Federación, Grupo 5)

🎟️ €15
🍺 €4
Att: unknown - c.500?

Terrible conditions, but lovely ground with Argentinos Juniors vibes to the red-and-white terracing.

#groundhopping

Productive day in Madrid 🇪🇸

❌ Rayo v Oviedo called off. Took some photos around the ground

🎙️ Recorded a podcast with @miguellpereira.bsky.social

⚽️ Soggy match at Moscardó v Fuenla

#groundhopping

Yeah, plan B is Moscardó x Fuenla

Yeah, I was looking forward to today as I’ve not been since 1997, hey-ho

Yeah, when they can get their pitch in order…

So I took a walk around Vallecas today ahead of Rayo x Oviedo (which has since fallen victim to the weather) 🌧️

This is the spot where the club was founded in 1924, plus some important murals around the ground. ⚡️

#groundhopping

Until Monday. Four matches still to come…

(PS I studied here in the ‘90s so know the city well!

06.02.26 La Segunda 🇪🇸

Leganés 1-0 Granada

🎟️ €50 (I know, right 🤷🏻‍♂️)
Att: 8,796

Decent atmosphere and quite a few Granadinos at Butarque tonight

Freezing cold, but I finally got to see the greatest mascot in world football, Súper Pepino (Super Cucumber) 🥒

#groundhopping

Over on my Instagram Stories today I have made a few videos of sites historically relevant to both Real Madrid and Atletico de Madrid

I can’t believe there isn’t a plaque or some kind of marker where they both started out.

👉🏼 Www.instagram.com/outsidewrite

Just took a walk around the Estadio Bernabéu.

I’ve not been to a match here since I was a student in 1996/97 and paid just 1,000ptas (£5/€6) to stand and twice that to sit. Amazing!

I prefer the original exposed, raw concrete with those San Siro-esque round gangways visible, tbh. #groundhopping

Big thanks to @lostboyos.bsky.social for inviting me onto the podcast to discuss my book on Irish football ahead of the 2026 #LeagueofIreland

Have a listen! #groundhopping

open.spotify.com/episode/41rR...

Excerpt from a Guardian story: "Norway’s head coach Magnus Brevik, assistant coach Thomas Lobben, and staff member Adrian Livelten were also banned for 18 months for their involvement in the scheme, which made the jumpers’ suits larger and therefore reduced their descent rate due to the bigger wingspan. One study in the scientific journal Frontiers found that every 2cm in suit size circumference reduced drag by 4% and increased lift by 5%. It said that a 2cm change in the suits was equivalent to an extra 5.8 metres in jump length. However Bild has now claimed that jumpers have switched to other methods to game the system when they are measured for their suits, data for which is taken by a 3D scanner from the lowest point of their genitals. They include injecting acid into their penises or putting clay in their underwear to make their measurements temporarily bigger and therefore their suits looser for when they compete. The newspaper quoted a doctor, Kamran Karim, who said: “It is possible to achieve a temporary, visual thickening of the penis by injecting paraffin or hyaluronic acid. Such an injection is not medically indicated and is associated with risks.”"

ski jump penis doping story only underscores the advantages of shape and drape over slim fit clothing

www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/f...

February 6th 1958. Munich Remembered 🖤 #MUFC

I think the UESA connection started with shirt sponsorship.

Indeed!

Football Travel: Unió Esportiva Sant Andreu Step away from the top-flight clubs in Barcelona, and there’s a whole exciting new world in the barrios. I went along to Sant Andreu to experience something totally different.

NEW POST 🗞️

Ignore the ‘usual suspects’ in Barcelona and head down the leagues to UE Sant Andreu.

Proper Catalan experience from the colours to the songs. 👇🏼

#groundhopping

open.substack.com/pub/outsidew...

Would love Pedro Sánchez as UK PM, tbh

#OnThisDay in football, 5 February, is ridiculous for talented birthdays:

1965 - Gheorghe Hagi 🇷🇴

1975 - Giovanni von Bronckhorst 🇳🇱

1984 - Carlos Tévez 🇦🇷

1985 - Cristiano Ronaldo 🇵🇹

1992 - Neymar Jr 🇧🇷

Football History: Why are there two national sides in Ireland? The island of Ireland was divided in 1921. Yet while rugby, cricket, and Gaelic games remained an all-island affair, football was split. Why?

My most successful Substack so far:

Why are there two national sides in Irish football while rugby, cricket, and Gaelic games are all-Ireland affairs?

Read on… #skystorians

open.substack.com/pub/outsidew...

#OnThisDay in football, 4 Feb

1899 - Werder Bremen was founded 🇩🇪

1946 - Partizani Tirana was founded 🇦🇱

1994 - Alexia Putellas was born 🇪🇸

2002 - Troy Parrot was born 🇮🇪

📸 Bremen fans at a feisty Nordderby at HSV in 2012

I have heard about this - intentional? Who created it and when? 🤔

That one across Sicily looks quite tasty too.

This is how I plan to spend my retirement: walking Europe’s pilgrim routes

The Norte looks incredible and I (inexcusably) hadn’t heard of it before

Just finished this excellent guide to the Camino de Santiago 🥾

I completed the last 200kms of the Camino Francés in 2009 but *really* have ‘ganas’ (as they say in Spain) to do the Norte or the Português 🤔

Has anyone in my network walked any of the lesser-travelled paths?

The Best Books about Irish Soccer Following the launch of my third book, Shades of Green: A Journey into Irish Football, I want to share some of the best reading on football across the island of Ireland.

NEW POST 🗞️

Ahead of the 2026 League of Ireland season, which kicks off later this week, here is some essential reading on soccer in #Ireland.

Read on… #Booksky

open.substack.com/pub/outsidew...

Football Travel: Club Esportiu Europa Many people probably don’t see beyond Barça and Espanyol when they visit Barcelona. However, head down the leagues, and you’ll find a historic club and vibrant fan base at CE Europa.

Your #TravelTuesday guide to visiting Barcelona's third club, CE Europa

Forget #LaLiga, the third division is where it's at...

#groundhopping

outsidewrite.substack.com/p/football-t...

#OnThisDay in football, 3 February

1871 - Uxbridge FC founded, one of the oldest clubs in England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

1908 - Panathanaikos was formed 🇬🇷

1914 - Santa Cruz was founded 🇧🇷

1978 - Joan Capdevila, World Cup winner with Spain, was born 🇪🇸

The Best Books about Irish Soccer Following the launch of my third book, Shades of Green: A Journey into Irish Football, I want to share some of the best reading on football across the island of Ireland.

NEW POST 🗞️

Ahead of the 2026 League of Ireland season, which kicks off later this week, here is some essential reading on soccer in #Ireland.

Read on… #Booksky

open.substack.com/pub/outsidew...

Looks amazing, congrats. When’s it available for preorder?

This sounds like a potentially interesting book to discuss on my podcast, if Rob is interested.

Please follow back and DM so we can discuss. Thanks!