This year we have looked at what websites we cannot do without when we head off to a match these days. The number of websites that have sprung up in the past couple of years to keep us amused is too big to mention now, although we still cannot let this opportunity go by giving a nod to the outstanding In Bed With Maradona, The Real FA Cup, Swiss Ramble and Adventures in Tin Pot. We would of course be biased if we chose any of these four in our annual awards so we have picked the three that help spread joy among the footballing fraternity every week. Hats off to the unsung heroes behind these sites – we salute you with our fictitious TBIR Annual award.
3rd Place – Soccerway.com
Having to remember facts and figures from games I have been two is normally relatively easy in England. But head overseas, add in a bucket full of pre-match foreign beers and you soon forget your own name, let alone the player who swung in the corner for the centre-forward to score. And that is why Soccerway is so good. Need to know the crowd from Coxyide v Oostende in November 2010, no problems. Soccerway has the answer. Want to know who is at home in Moscow in May 2013, no problem. Soccerway has the answer. Only have access to the internet via your smart phone, no problem. Soccerway has the answer. Want to know how long to cook your turkey for on Christmas day? Ask your Mum.
2nd Place – Livescore.com
So you managed to find a game to watch in Malta thanks to Soccerway.com, but you still need to know what’s going on in the Bundesliga III. No problems, just press the Livescore app on your phone and immediately you get up to the second scores from every game going on in the world. EVERY GAME IN THE WORLD. Years ago we used to press refresh on our remote control to watch games unfold on Ceefax. Now we swipe our screens and we have the whole story. Faster than the terrace tranny, more accurate than Sky Sports. A must.
Best website of 2012 – Nonleaguelive.com
For those out there who follow non league football, this site is the bible. It is brilliant, pure and simple. Want to know the average attendance at Redbridge this season (64)? or the form guide for Swindon Supermarine (6 wins out of 6)? Then it’s all here in one single website. It is simply brilliant for getting the facts we have so long craved at the grass-roots level. Outstanding. Gentlemen (and ladies) I applaud your dedication and effort.
