Scotland 0-1 Japan (Friendly) I’ve cut short my enjoyment at Albion Rovers to beat the traffic and head down the M73 and M74 towards Hampden Park from Coatbridge, I’m wanting to get there a couple of hours ahead of kick off so I can park up in a little spot I know which has a decent exit strategy for getting back home to England 'more' quickly. My last viewing of Scotland was ‘that match’ against Denmark. I said to myself the journey was too long to keep doing but the money

Scotland U21 0-0 Czechia U21 (UEFA U21 European Championship Qualifiers) The price of fuel is going up, but my road trips seem to be getting longer, something probably has to give, it's time perhaps to stay local for a while, but before that, I'm travelling to Scotland, to cover the national team in both U21 and full internationals this weekend. The U21's are in Dundee tonight and the only ever previous time I have been in the city was when passing through on a train to cover

Scotland 4-2 Denmark (World Cup Qualifiers) I'll be honest, I've been looking forward to this one for a few weeks now. Scotland's defeat by Greece and Denmark's failure to beat Belarus on Saturday has set up this European Group C qualifier really quite nicely. If Scotland win, they qualify, if Denmark don't lose, it'll be they who get to go the World Cup. Our contract with UEFA is to apply in game stats and analytics which are used by the bet markets and live score apps,

Scotland 2-1 Belarus (World Cup Qualifiers) I'm rounding off a trip to Scotland and Ireland to Scotland and back, a busy four days of football comes to a close with Scotland v Belarus in this World Cup qualifying group C game. Up early, my flight from Belfast to Glasgow is scheduled for 7am, so I'm at the airport for five and back in mainland Britain for 8. I've an hour or two to kill as I've booked a stadium tour at Ibrox, the home of Glasgow Rangers, after a dine in McDona

Northern Ireland 2-0 Slovakia (World Cup Qualifiers) Day two of my road (and air) trip watching international football and it's Northern Ireland's turn as Michael O'Neill's men host Slovakia at Windsor Park. No sooner have I packed my bags and left Hampden, am I in the air, next morning bright and breezy landing at Belfast International after a short Easy Jet flight from Glasgow. It's 8am and I'm already in the Hertz queue for a hire car, I can't check in to my B&B until 1p

Scotland 3-1 Greece (World Cup Qualifiers) The international window has lured me back north to Glasgow, Hampden Park and a return to...

England 2-0 Andorra (World Cup Qualifiers) My next door neighbour who works for the FA has asked me if I would like to go with her to...

England 1-3 Senegal (Friendly) The last time I watched England, ten months ago, Lee Carsley was taking temporary charge of his first game against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin, before the match he sent a member of his coaching staff into the UEFA office where I was stood, to get him a cup of tea, never did I feel more proud of an England Manager. I always start my day with a brew. Carsley's new look team destroyed the Irish (home and away) playing a scintillating brand of

England U19 1-0 Portugal U19 (UEFA European U19 Championships Qualifiers) It's the last time I'll be heading to Wales for a while, but I've enjoyed the last week of watching the next generation, it's now coming down to the final game and whoever wins between Portugal and England will go through to the U19 Euros finals tournament in Romania this summer, whilst England can also afford a draw having ramped up a better goal difference thus far. Portugal beat Wales 1-0 in their la

Wales U19 0-1 Portugal U19 (UEFA European U19 Championships Qualifiers) I left Mick Hartford and the Turkish agent getting into the back of a dirty old white van outside the stadium in Connah's Quay. Maybe Luton's links to Bedford gets them a second hand company vehicle? Word is they were also going to this afternoons game, I was half wondering if I should follow them in case they break down, but instead, left to my own devices I'm tracking back across the A55 for one last

England U19 0-0 Turkey U19 (UEFA European U19 Championships Qualifiers) I decided not to go for a pint last night on my way back from watching Caernarfon Town beat Bala after seeing some bloke puke outside a loud sounding boozer playing karaoke, instead I went back to the digs and got my head down for an early start today. Up bright and breezy feeling fresh and glad I didn't go for that drink, I'm washed and out the door for 8am heading back across the A55 to Connah's Quay.

Wales U19 0-2 England U19 (UEFA European U19 Championships Qualifiers) I'm wished well by the scout from Stoke on my travels from Connah's Quay as he heads home from watching Portugal v Turkey and I travel to Bangor for Wales against England tonight. The sun is belting down, hotter than Ibiza they say this week, as I head across the stunning A55 with views of the Irish Sea, before a quick pit stop at a McDonalds near Prestatyn. Journey continued, I wonder to myself is the

Portugal U19 2-2 Turkey U19 (UEFA European U19 Championships Qualifiers) It's the first match of a marathon week in Wales, a game on Wednesday morning in Connah's Quay followed by one on Wednesday night in Bangor, then back again to Caernarfon on Friday for some Welsh Premier league football action, stopping over for a visit to Connahs Quay again and Rhyl on Saturday for more internationals, then Tuesday night I'm back at the Deeside to round off an U19 Elite round of UEFA qu

Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria (UEFA Nations League Group Stages) I'm at East Midlands Airport where I bump into Brummie Rob. He's a Villa fan and football mad and just so happens to be on my Aerlingus flight to Belfast. The chat is football, he talks of Villa's weaknesses at right back and a possible move from Villa Park, PSR struggles, Champions League loving and an up and coming striker named Rory Wilson who's banging the goals in at youth team level. Northern Ireland host

England U20 3-0 Czechia U20 (European Elite League) Ten years ago today, I was standing in as Manager for Rainworth Miners Welfare as we lost to 'big spending' Spalding United 4-1 in the Northern Premier League South Division. I had twelve players and a load of injuries with one sub turning up late after work, the two gaffers both no shows with man flu. "Keep it tight" I told the lads... We were 1-0 down inside ten minutes. Today I'm free from the strains of formations and eg

Republic of Ireland 0-2 Greece (UEFA Nations League Group Stages) I’m back to conclude my Nations League journey with a third game in five days, back to the Emerald Island, it’s an early flight, this time from Birmingham rather than East Midlands as I jet off courtesy of Ryanair the 45-minute hop to Dublin Airport. On Saturday I hired a car, today I’m taking the bus, time on my side and I fancy a drink in Temple Bar after work’s done, so I’m commuting into town at 10am with a

Republic of Ireland 0-2 England (UEFA Nations League Group Stages) I’ve had about three hours sleep. I got back from Cardiff at 1am and I’m on the road at 5am to East Midlands Airport for my flight to Dublin, it’s going to be a long day as I plan heading home early Sunday morning so literally a flying 23 hour stop, but one which I’m hoping to at least enjoy. If my eyes can stay open. I’ve got a hire car and have landed at Dublin Airport for just gone 8am, a bit of research fo

Wales 0-0 Turkey (UEFA Nations League Group Stages) Craig Bellamy’s first game in charge for Wales tonight and I’m up in the TV gantry working for UEFA and co, live recording in game data, the first match of a busy international week for me, whilst many dislike the domestic break, personally, I love it, as it’s a chance to cover the home nations and see some of the finest footballers on the continent in action. Initially it was supposed to be Northern Ireland v Luxembourg on

Norway U19 0-0 Ukraine U19 (UEFA European U19 Championships Group Stage) Day two of my Northern Ireland excursion has me off to Linfield who face Stjarnan of Iceland in the UEFA Conference league qualifiers, but lucky me I've found out there's another competition going off in Belfast this week. The under 19's Euros has some of the continents top young talents on show and I've got time on my side to head to Seaview, the home of Crusaders, to watch a 3:30pm kick off between Nor

England 1-1 Switzerland (UEFA European Championships Quarter Final) *5-3 pens aet It took a 96th minute overhead kick by Jude Bellingham and the celebratory scenes of beating Slovakia in extra time following an underwhelming tournament so far. The joy in the crowd I was seeing before me on TV had me chomping at the bit. I had been long issued a ticket for the Quarter Finals by the FA, the only concern England had to get there, and I didn’t know where the game would be played.