CONTENTS INE-UP 19 UPFRONT 6 The Beatles: Keepy-uppy kings? Ringo Starr takes on Rod Stewart 12 Christian Vieri sits down with FFT The Italian legend discusses goals, dining with Ronaldo, and why he told Atletico to keep their Ferrari 18 Challenge yourself with our quiz 19 Pat Nevin names his music idols 20 Johnny Vaughan shouts at Messi “Rafa Benitez looked after my kids” 22 Neil Ruddock’s greatest games “I kicked Wrighty round Wembley” 23 Jules Breach hails the underdogs A season of shock results analysed L90 THE AROUND THE GROUNDS 80 John Askey: Cornish trailblazer 81 Scotland’s unusual stadium swap 82 Dreadlock tactics with Ricky Otto 83 Northampton’s 1965 promotion 84 Gary Neville on Salford and UA92 THE PLAYERS LOUNGE 86 Ray Houghton’s Liverpool regret “I should have scythed Thomas” 88 Jackson Irvine: Celtic to St Pauli 90 “Chris Martin nicked my girlfriend” THE MIXER 92 Get your Werder Bremen third kit 96 John Collins, Lee Clark... and pizza?! 44 FEATURES 26 Oasis & Man City: The masterplan How football aided the Gallagher brothers’ supersonic rise, despite the Maine Road side’s relegation 38 The finest player you never saw Robin Friday was a pro footballer for less than four years, and died at 38, after a career full of chaos 44 Rock ‘n’ roll footballers honoured Featuring Frank Worthington and a free spirit loved by Pete Doherty 52 George Best’s weird world tour What the maverick did after his departure from Manchester United 52 58 FEATURES 58 Elton John: The Watford years The story of how a music great guided the Hornets up the leagues 64 Dimitar Berbatov exclusive Inside the mind of a cult hero, via pig bladders and western movies 70 Ruud Gullit: Chelsea’s catalyst Thirty years since the Dutch ace changed things at Stamford Bridge 76 How Arsenal conquered Europe The Gunners’ shock women’s glory 79 Pyramids FC: New kings of Africa Renamed club’s bizarre path to top 98 Katie Zelem picks her Perfect XI SCA n TO SIG n UP FOR OUR nEWSLETTER 4 July 2025 FourFourTwo