Robin Ireland
@robinireland.bsky.social
Writer, academic, public health advocate, and football fan. New book, ‘Cutting the Mustard’, available to order now. www.robinireland.com
Things aren't getting any better are they #NCFC. The business model of football is failing many fans, not just those currently extremely unhappy at Norwich City. If you missed my blog yesterday on why a lot more than a fake Dafabet shirt should be binned, here it is: robinireland.com/blogs/blog/i...
November 6, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Things aren't getting any better are they #NCFC. The business model of football is failing many fans, not just those currently extremely unhappy at Norwich City. If you missed my blog yesterday on why a lot more than a fake Dafabet shirt should be binned, here it is: robinireland.com/blogs/blog/i...
November 2, 2025 at 9:38 AM
This week I've heard talk about football as a business, the commercialisation of #NCFC, expensive ticket prices, unfriendly kick-off times, fans treated as customers. It's been going this way for a long time. Read all about it in 'Cutting the Mustard' ⬇️http://robinireland.com
October 31, 2025 at 7:34 AM
This week I've heard talk about football as a business, the commercialisation of #NCFC, expensive ticket prices, unfriendly kick-off times, fans treated as customers. It's been going this way for a long time. Read all about it in 'Cutting the Mustard' ⬇️http://robinireland.com
Fascinating to hear Mark Attanasio @bbcradionorfolk.bsky.social last night. Essentially he was talking about the business of football. If you want to understand more about how #NCFC (and many other clubs) are in the position they are in today, can I politely suggest you read ‘Cutting the Mustard’.
October 30, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Fascinating to hear Mark Attanasio @bbcradionorfolk.bsky.social last night. Essentially he was talking about the business of football. If you want to understand more about how #NCFC (and many other clubs) are in the position they are in today, can I politely suggest you read ‘Cutting the Mustard’.
Quite the weekend to be in Norfolk. I will be at Carrow Rd on Sat with not a clue as to what to expect. I will also be at a Football Collectors Fair on Sun at The Forum. Lovely to see some #NCFC folk there. I will be selling and signing my book plus some programmes, badges, cards associated with it.
October 27, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Quite the weekend to be in Norfolk. I will be at Carrow Rd on Sat with not a clue as to what to expect. I will also be at a Football Collectors Fair on Sun at The Forum. Lovely to see some #NCFC folk there. I will be selling and signing my book plus some programmes, badges, cards associated with it.
Lovely to be talking football (and exchanging books) with a Polish colleague from the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan #CuttingTheMustard
October 23, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Lovely to be talking football (and exchanging books) with a Polish colleague from the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan #CuttingTheMustard
Looking forward to being at the Football Collectors Fair at The Forum next month. Look forward to seeing some #NCFC fans there. Maybe it will take our minds on what's happening on the pitch.
October 21, 2025 at 7:09 AM
Looking forward to being at the Football Collectors Fair at The Forum next month. Look forward to seeing some #NCFC fans there. Maybe it will take our minds on what's happening on the pitch.
Back from a great trip to Poland where I spoke at an event organised with Arka Gdynia, a Polish Ekstraklasa team. A lot of discussion on that fine line between being a football fan and consumer. Fascinating to present my new book in this context. Arguably #NCFC may have just crossed this line?
October 10, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Back from a great trip to Poland where I spoke at an event organised with Arka Gdynia, a Polish Ekstraklasa team. A lot of discussion on that fine line between being a football fan and consumer. Fascinating to present my new book in this context. Arguably #NCFC may have just crossed this line?
Such a pleasure to visit Kett’s Books in Wymondham on Friday. You can now buy Cutting the Mustard there. Great community bookshop to support.
September 7, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Such a pleasure to visit Kett’s Books in Wymondham on Friday. You can now buy Cutting the Mustard there. Great community bookshop to support.
Great to read a review of Cutting the Mustard in When Saturday Comes. You can buy the book here www.robinireland.com #NCFC
September 5, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Great to read a review of Cutting the Mustard in When Saturday Comes. You can buy the book here www.robinireland.com #NCFC
Good to see my piece on ‘Cutting the Mustard’ in the #NCFC v Southampton programme. Sadly, very little else I want to remember from that game!
September 1, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Good to see my piece on ‘Cutting the Mustard’ in the #NCFC v Southampton programme. Sadly, very little else I want to remember from that game!
Great to launch 'Cutting the Mustard'. A laugh and great banter on @bbcradionorfolk.bsky.social. Fascinating discussions at Carrow Rd led by @ffionthomas.bsky.social @alongcomenorwich.bsky.social. Getting rave #NCFC reviews and hope to hear from other clubs' fans now robinireland.com/products/cut...
August 17, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Great to launch 'Cutting the Mustard'. A laugh and great banter on @bbcradionorfolk.bsky.social. Fascinating discussions at Carrow Rd led by @ffionthomas.bsky.social @alongcomenorwich.bsky.social. Getting rave #NCFC reviews and hope to hear from other clubs' fans now robinireland.com/products/cut...
Delighted I can announce @onthestallcity.bsky.social are stocking ‘Cutting the Mustard’. Just in time for the kick-off tomorrow 🔰#NCFC
August 8, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Delighted I can announce @onthestallcity.bsky.social are stocking ‘Cutting the Mustard’. Just in time for the kick-off tomorrow 🔰#NCFC
Fab panel at the launch of #CuttingTheMustard at #CarrowRoad last night. Thanks so much to @ffionthomas.bsky.social for expertly chairing the discussion on the commercialisation of football and how it impacts on clubs such as #NCFC. Books at www.robinireland.com
August 7, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Fab panel at the launch of #CuttingTheMustard at #CarrowRoad last night. Thanks so much to @ffionthomas.bsky.social for expertly chairing the discussion on the commercialisation of football and how it impacts on clubs such as #NCFC. Books at www.robinireland.com
As the regime changes at the Carra, literally in the case of Borja Sainz, I’m checking Legends and the South Stand ready for my book launch tomorrow #NCFC. I’m VERY excited. Still places available to join me: www.eventbrite.com/e/cutting-th...
August 5, 2025 at 2:59 PM
As the regime changes at the Carra, literally in the case of Borja Sainz, I’m checking Legends and the South Stand ready for my book launch tomorrow #NCFC. I’m VERY excited. Still places available to join me: www.eventbrite.com/e/cutting-th...
Really excited to be on #TheScrimmage tonight talking about my new book, ‘Cutting the Mustard’. Still not too late to purchase the book at its preorder price of £12 or to register for the book launch at Carrow Road on Wednesday evening. Details: www.robinireland.com 🔰#NCFC
August 4, 2025 at 7:49 AM
Really excited to be on #TheScrimmage tonight talking about my new book, ‘Cutting the Mustard’. Still not too late to purchase the book at its preorder price of £12 or to register for the book launch at Carrow Road on Wednesday evening. Details: www.robinireland.com 🔰#NCFC
New book 'Cutting the Mustard' launches on 6 Aug at Carrow Rd. Check out what others say about this "informative, entertaining and lavishly illustrated" "compelling book" www.robinireland.com. You can still order your copy at a presale price and book your place at the launch if you're quick #NCFC
July 30, 2025 at 6:33 AM
New book 'Cutting the Mustard' launches on 6 Aug at Carrow Rd. Check out what others say about this "informative, entertaining and lavishly illustrated" "compelling book" www.robinireland.com. You can still order your copy at a presale price and book your place at the launch if you're quick #NCFC
The publisher has done a beautiful job with 'Cutting the Mustard'. Hoping to see #NCFC fans at Carrow Rd on Wed 6th Aug at the free book launch where you can pick up your own copy at a discounted £12: www.eventbrite.com/e/cutting-th...
Oh, & have a proper debate about how money has changed football.
Oh, & have a proper debate about how money has changed football.
July 22, 2025 at 5:22 PM
The publisher has done a beautiful job with 'Cutting the Mustard'. Hoping to see #NCFC fans at Carrow Rd on Wed 6th Aug at the free book launch where you can pick up your own copy at a discounted £12: www.eventbrite.com/e/cutting-th...
Oh, & have a proper debate about how money has changed football.
Oh, & have a proper debate about how money has changed football.
All of these shirts feature in #CuttingTheMustard. You can track the money coming into the sport through a club’s sponsorship. #NCFC 1st deal was with a local double glazing firm in 1983 and was worth £150,000 over three yrs. JVC paid Arsenal £500,000 around the same time. Even then there was a gap
July 20, 2025 at 2:54 PM
All of these shirts feature in #CuttingTheMustard. You can track the money coming into the sport through a club’s sponsorship. #NCFC 1st deal was with a local double glazing firm in 1983 and was worth £150,000 over three yrs. JVC paid Arsenal £500,000 around the same time. Even then there was a gap
Broadcasting income has driven the commercialisation of football and has blown it apart in the last decades. In 2002 the dramatic loss of revenue from the collapse of ITV Digital (formerly ONdigital) nearly sunk #NCFC. Find out more: robinireland.com #CuttingtheMustard. Photo: PA Images/Alamy Stock
July 17, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Broadcasting income has driven the commercialisation of football and has blown it apart in the last decades. In 2002 the dramatic loss of revenue from the collapse of ITV Digital (formerly ONdigital) nearly sunk #NCFC. Find out more: robinireland.com #CuttingtheMustard. Photo: PA Images/Alamy Stock
'Cutting the Mustard' is full of images and memorabilia. This aerial photo of Carrow Road is from its opening in 1935. Remarkably the stadium was built in just 82 days. Don't tell me that football hasn't always been about money though. Note Colman's on the stand roof! Pic courtesy of NRO #NCFC
July 12, 2025 at 3:42 PM
'Cutting the Mustard' is full of images and memorabilia. This aerial photo of Carrow Road is from its opening in 1935. Remarkably the stadium was built in just 82 days. Don't tell me that football hasn't always been about money though. Note Colman's on the stand roof! Pic courtesy of NRO #NCFC
I will be posting about my new book, ‘Cutting the Mustard’ on this account for some time. For those interested in the material I drew on in my research, I am posting a photo of the Norwich City Historical Trust’s archive. You can find everything here from old club accounts to match details. Amazing.
July 11, 2025 at 9:06 AM
I will be posting about my new book, ‘Cutting the Mustard’ on this account for some time. For those interested in the material I drew on in my research, I am posting a photo of the Norwich City Historical Trust’s archive. You can find everything here from old club accounts to match details. Amazing.
Yep, sport is political. Did you really ever think otherwise?
February 17, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Yep, sport is political. Did you really ever think otherwise?
From The Guardian’s Alternative Sports Awards: www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/d... Footie eh. It’s always about the money.
December 31, 2024 at 10:01 PM
From The Guardian’s Alternative Sports Awards: www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/d... Footie eh. It’s always about the money.