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On February 8 th 2012 Fabio Capello resigned from his position as manager of the England men's national association football (soccer) team. The date this decision became public coincided with the acquittal in court of Harry Redknapp following the Tottenham Hotspur FC manager being accused of tax evasion. As Redknapp was considered the media favourite to succeed Capello as England manager, press coverage of these two events proved an interesting case through which to explore the current relationship between English national identity, soccer and the English national press. As such, this paper is concerned with how the events of that day were reported by nine different English national newspapers across 82 pages of coverage. Thematic analysis revealed that journalists often adopted a 'Little Englander' mentality with regards to their attitudes towards Capello due to his Italian nationality. Contrary to this, the press frequently depicted Redknapp as a typically 'English' working-class hero linking him with nostalgic references to a bygone 'golden era' of English soccer. These findings illustrate the main ways in which the English press continue to present English national identity via their soccer related coverage as insular and rooted in the past.

On July 22, 2012, Bradley Wiggins became the frst-ever British cyclist to win the Tour de France. This article examines how the events surrounding Wiggins’s win were reported in the British (London-based) print media the day after his victory. Thematic coding revealed 2 specific themes: “Arise Sir Bradley Le Gentleman” and “Wiggo the Mod.”

This essay aims to discuss the key benefits and problems involved in using online surveys (e-surveys) for the purpose of accessing the views of football fans that interact with one another via online discussion forums/message boards. Methodological strategies that were adopted and critical issues that arose regarding the dissemination of an e-survey within a specific online community for football fans are reflected upon. Suggestions for researchers adopting similar methodologies to access the views of football fans are provided and it is argued that an ethnographic approach needs to be adopted by researchers who aim to maximise the quality and quantity of e-survey responses. In particular, the importance of planning the researchers" entrée into the community under study -involving the establishment and maintenance of rapport with key gatekeepers -is considered essential for the success of future studies.