A World Cup full of memorable moments was also marked by exclusion, exploitation and unprecedented political meddling, writes JAMES NALTON
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Andy Cole: I was blackballed from England squad
Speaking to The Beautiful Game podcast, the ex-striker says ‘politics’ prevented him from winning more than 15 caps and that if he was playing today, he would use his platform to speak out against racial injustice
From Barry McGuigan and Carl Frampton to Tyrone McKenna and Lewis Crocker, the city’s fighters carry a complex history into the ring, writes JOHN WIGHT
FORMER England striker Andy Cole has said that he was blackballed from the national squad during his playing career.
Cole is currently third on Premier League’s all-time top-scorer list, when he retired he was second on 187 behind Alan Shearer on 260, but won a measly 15 England caps.
The forward netted a total of 229 goals in 509 appearances for a range of clubs, from Newcastle and Blackburn to Fulham, and was a leading figure for the Manchester United side that dominated English football in the late ’90s that culminated in the treble in 1999.
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