Late Tackle Football – September-October 2026

Summary

Late Tackle Issue 106, September/October 2026, priced £4.50, opens the new season with "ALL CHANGE!" — profiling Xabi Alonso back in the big time at Chelsea, Jude Bellingham's class, a Kevin Keegan tribute, Coventry's Premier League return, and a 56-page tour through the football landscape from Brentford's beehive to Dundee United glory and Elversberg's step up.

Cover and content confirmed: Late Tackle Issue 106, Sep/Oct 2026, £4.50, ISSN 2046-7656. Cover lines include "ALL CHANGE! Players and managers set for their new challenges", "ALONSO — Back in the big time", "JUDE SHOWS HIS CLASS", "KING KEV TRIBUTE". Full TOC confirmed: p.04 Starting All Over, p.07 Back In The Big Time — Coventry's Prem Return, p.08 When New Boys Shone, p.10 Fool Me Again — Jonny Brick On Watford, p.12 Duncan And Jude — In Good Company, p.14 Untouchable Messi — Adding To His Legacy, p.17 Memory Lane — When England Beat Poland, p.18 England Blow It, p.20 Tatt Is Magic — Imps' Promotion Consequence, p.21 Hail King Kev — Kevin Keegan Tribute, p.24 Elversberg Step Up, p.26 The Smell Has Gone, p.28 Memories Stay Alive, p.30 Done By Thirty — Careers Cut Short, p.32 Merry Go Round — Changing The Manager, p.34 CONIFA Reboot, p.36 Around The Beehive — The Brentford Way, p.38 Searching Away Days, p.41 Magical Moment — The Perfect Nutmeg, p.42 When It Means More — Dundee United Glory, p.44 Programme Recall, p.46 Dave On His Travels, p.48 Brownlands Bonhomie, p.50 Sutton In Italy, p.52 Book Reviews, p.54 Groundhop Day — Return To Queen's Park. Editor: John Lyons. Publisher: Greenways Publishing.

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Content Guide

▸ Season Opening

p.04 · Starting All Over
The editor's season-opening column reflects on the summer's transfers, the World Cup hangover and the stories that will define 2026-27. The tone is part essay, part fixture list — a literary warm-up for the 56 pages ahead. Read this page last, not first — the references to the articles inside make more sense after you have read the features.

p.07 · Back In The Big Time — Coventry's Premier League Return
Coventry City's return to the Premier League is covered with the club's journey from financial trouble to promotion, the key players who drove the campaign and the manager's philosophy. The article names three Coventry players who could surprise in the top flight. Watch Coventry's first home match — the atmosphere data in this article predicts it will be among the loudest in the division.

p.08 · When New Boys Shone
A historical look at promoted teams that exceeded expectations in their first Premier League season. Each case study identifies a common factor — a core of experienced players, a settled tactical system or a talismanic manager — that predicted their survival. Apply the three-factor test to this season's promoted sides to see which is likeliest to stay up.

▸ Profiles & Tributes

p.12 · Duncan And Jude — In Good Company
A comparison of Duncan Ferguson's impact at Everton and Jude Bellingham's influence at Real Madrid, arguing that leadership and presence transcend position and era. The article uses the "in good company" framing to show how rare their type of influence is. Debate a friend: which current player will be the subject of a similar comparison in 20 years?

p.14 · Untouchable Messi — Adding To His Legacy
Messi's post-World Cup season is assessed with the question of what he can still add to a legacy already complete. The article argues that Messi's late-career adaptation — dropping deeper, dictating tempo — is as impressive as his peak goal-scoring. Watch Messi's touches per game this season compared to his Barcelona peak — the distribution change tells the story of his reinvention.

p.21 · Hail King Kev — Kevin Keegan Tribute
A full tribute to Kevin Keegan covering his playing career, his managerial eras and his enduring place in English football culture. The article draws on interviews with former teammates and players he managed. Use Keegan's leadership quotes from this article as a management masterclass — his man-management principles have aged better than his tactical ones.

▸ Club Features

p.24 · Elversberg Step Up
German club SV Elversberg's rise through the divisions is documented as a mixing-with-the-big-boys story. The article covers the club's recruitment strategy, stadium development and the community support that propelled them. Follow Elversberg's results this season — the article's "team to watch" thesis is that they will stay up through organisation rather than individual quality.

p.36 · Around The Beehive — The Brentford Way
Brentford's data-driven, community-rooted approach is examined as a model that smaller clubs can replicate. The article goes beyond "moneyball" cliches to detail specific recruitment metrics and the B-team structure. Read this before your club's next transfer window — the Brentford recruitment framework is transferable regardless of budget.

p.42 · When It Means More — Dundee United Glory
Dundee United's trophy win is covered as a story of local significance that transcends the club itself. The article interviews fans, players from that era and the manager who built the team. Let a Dundee United fan read this page aloud — the club-specific references to streets and pubs are the parts that make the story real.

▸ Culture & Travel

p.38 · Searching Away Days
Far-flung football destinations are ranked by travel difficulty, atmosphere, cost and uniqueness. Each entry includes a recommended pub, the best stand to sit in and a local food tip. Plan one away trip from this list for the season — the "Searching Away Days" recommendations have become a reader pilgrimage tradition.

p.46 · Dave On His Travels
Unusual football tours around the world, from island leagues to desert tournaments. Dave's first-person account captures the absurdity and joy of football in unexpected places. Pick one destination from Dave's travels and start saving now — the total trip cost including match tickets is listed at the bottom of each entry.

p.54 · Groundhop Day — Return To Queen's Park
A visit to Queen's Park's new stadium is the setting for a meditation on groundhopping, the changing face of non-league grounds and the return to watching football in person after a digital-saturated era. Buy a ticket for the lowest-league match within driving distance of your home this weekend — the Groundhop column's core argument is that live football at any level beats televised football at the best level.

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Editor's Take

Issue 106 is Late Tackle's strongest season opener in three years. The range is extraordinary — Coventry's Premier League return sits alongside Elversberg's German rise and Dundee United's glory within a single issue, and the variety is exactly what distinguishes Late Tackle from the Prem-centric competition. The Kevin Keegan tribute is heartfelt without being sycophantic and includes fresh interview material. Weakest part: the "Duncan And Jude" comparison stretches to connect two players from different eras, positions and countries — it is a writer's conceit that does not quite land. The Messi piece (p.14) adds little to what has already been written about his late-career evolution. Best for the fan who wants English football covered from the Championship to non-league, not just the Premier League.

Strengths
• Coventry-Elversberg-Dundee range is unmatched by any other football magazine
• Kevin Keegan tribute with original interview material
• Searching Away Days feature with practical travel cost data

Weaknesses
• Duncan Ferguson-Jude Bellingham comparison is a stretch too far
• Messi legacy piece covers ground already well-trodden

Verdict: Essential — Late Tackle's best season opener; essential for fans of the football pyramid.