Sporting

The Sporting Star, the pink paper football fans grabbed as they left grounds, ran for 90 years. We look back at its highlights.

But they were determined to finish the season off in style, a 2-0 home win over Tottenham meaning they finished four points ahead of their arch rivals. Kevin Sheedy scored from the penalty spot three minutes later, and Trevor Steven wrapped up the scoring with a minute to go. But two points dropped by second-placed Rushden & Diamonds was enough to ensure Harriers finally made it into the League. It remains the last time a club from this region has lifted the FA Cup. It was Villa's sixth FA Cup win, making them the most successful team in the competition since it was launched in 1871. There was still plenty more to come, though, in what would be a sensational season for Graham Turner's side. In the early days, match reporters would head to the nearest payphone with a pocketful of coins to post updates throughout the match. But the basic idea, of providing fans with all the latest results, tables and detailed commentaries straight after a game is as relevant today as it was in 1919 – only today's sports reporters do it on our website. Jephcott put Albion ahead 10 minutes into the game, and created the second for Bentley a short while later. However, by 2009 the tradition of football matches mostly being played at 3pm on a Saturday were all but over, meaning that the Pink was no longer viable. In later years, there would be telephone lines in the press box, where reporters could dictate their reports throughout the game to a team of highly skilled copy-takers back at the newsroom. The Sporting Star ran for 90 years, having been launched in 1919, a season that saw domestic club football dominated by West Bromwich Albion, who won the league title, and FA Cup winners Aston Villa.