Will not hold weight.

Music videos used to be brilliant. Going round to your mate's house before school to watch a bit of Kerrang! or MTV2 on sky, and getting into impassioned arguments over whether or not The Others genuinely were the saviors of British punk music. Pretending to watch Fall Out Boy videos "to take the piss", although some well-repressed part of your being actually enjoyed their anthemic choruses. Or, best of all, staying up late in the hope of seeing the uncensored version of 50 Cent's P.I.M.P. "by accident" on Channel U.

There were funny videos, too, usually made to accompany the music of technically inept chancers who would never have made it if their Uncles hadn't been so well-connected in the entertainment industry (hey there, We Are Scientists). Remarkably, some of these funny videos transcended their quarter-hourly rotation on VH1 to become initially entertaining but quickly grating house party "favourites", as everyone who has ever bro-danced to this little beauty will attest. Then there was the tragic case of the Beastie Boys, whose reliably entertaining videos in their later career eventually came to eclipse the groundbreaking hip-hop of their earlier albums in the public consciousness.

Occasionally, some good bands made some very good videos, but the great bands of my formative years mainly stuck to the tried and tested "blokes playing instruments in a big room" formula which has endured since Joy Division immemorial.

However, with the onset of iTunes, illegal downloading, and spending 3 hours every day looking at your own profile on facebook, bands have to try harder than ever make their videos stand out from the crowd. The following video from Titus Andronicus, who both of my readers will recognise as my Favourite Band in The Universe, shows some of the disastrous consequences of this overexertion.

The 'In a Big City' video is nothing less than a self-indulgent shambles. Director Isaac Ravishankara appears to have tried to rewrite Taxi Driver for the Urban Outfitters generation - an effort I applaud - but has instead crafted something more akin to Oldboy director Park Chan-Wook remixing Richard Ashcroft's infamous stroll down the road. Lead singer Patrick Stickles is forced to walk through public parks singing lyrics like "lifeless automaton, feeling like a ghost" as the rest of his band stumble a few steps behind, looking understandably embarrassed. More infuriating, however, is the director's decision to contrast Stickles' psychotic glare with the sort of soft-focus rural cinematography most commonly found in the B-rolls of second year film students. The ending, meanwhile, manages to invoke both the September 11th terrorist attacks and Coldplay without giving any sense of meaning or resolution. Perhaps a band such as Titus Andronicus - which specialises in making music to listen to while carving names into hollowpoint bullets - is not naturally suited to the medium of the promotional video, but in this case even a black screen would be a more welcome visual accompaniment.

With it's moody stares, choreographed stumbling and baffling slow-motion sequences, 'In a Big City' can be viewed as the ultimate proof that it is worse to try too hard than to not try at all. As an effective counterpoint, please consider a relatively recent video by The Soft Pack, who both of my readers will recognise as My Second-Favourite Band in the Universe.

This video, for 'Extinction', should be distributed to all emerging indie bands as a solid example of how to do it right. First of all, shoot it in black and white: it's cheaper and makes everybody look more handsome. Secondly, arch one's eyebrows (the Casablancas technique) at every opportunity: this is the postmodern wilderness of the 21st Century, guys, nothing and nobody actually matters all that much any more. Thirdly, add some oblique and ambiguous writing to the background: is "WILL NOT HOLD WEIGHT" a literal failure of the billboard or does it fit in with the song's rejection of responsibility and emotional diplomacy? I'm not sure, but it'll kick the youtube comments off very nicely.

Pretty Sweet - A REVIEW.

Pretty Sweet (2012) - Girl Skateboard Films / Chocolate Cinema

Four stars

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE

It's that time of the year again. The decorations go up, the first snow falls in Aberdeen and disgraced former Liberty X members show up to turn on your town's Christmas lights.

However, for the global skateboarding fraternity, the advent of Advent takes on even greater significance. Thrasher's Skater of the Year award looms on the horizon and the trickle of web videos becomes a full-blown deluge of full parts, tour compilations and clips of Theotis Beasley discussing his favourite heaphone brand.

Even that rarest of modern commodities, the feature-length DVD-release skateboarding film, arrives in time for Santa to order it directly from iTunes, depriving the North Pole's skater-owned shop of vital revenue. And with all due respect to the anarchic excellence on display in Baker's 'Bake and Destroy', the most eagerly anticipated full-length skate flick of 2012 has been Girl and Chocolate's collaborative effort, the confidently-titled 'Pretty Sweet'. Indeed, nothing less than another game-changer is expected, considering a combined back catalogue that reads: Mouse - The Chocolate Tour - Yeah Right! - The Hot Chocolate Tour - Fully Flared.

The film itself at first seems to play out like a typical Girl/Chocolate production, with another mind-blowing introductory sequence bearing the bombastic hallmarks of Hollywood's own Spike Jonze. Camera angles are skillfully selected and the resulting footage is edited by the redoubtable Ty Evans, who further vindicates his reputation as skateboard cinema's master craftsman. The special-effects flourishes which illuminated 2007's Fully Flared also return, although they are handled with rather less guile the second time around.

The first part is given to Chocolate's Vincent Alvarez, who doesn't so much kick off proceedings as drag them writhing out of a Range Rover before dousing them in petroleum and striking a match. Alvarez's raw speed and board control, combined with a startling array of switch tricks, have made him an internet hero even before his first full part and the hype is entirely justified. Spots ranging from marble manny pads to ancient Kona concrete - via myriad handrails - are attacked with equal gusto as NWA and Suicidal Tendencies make for a fittingly raucous soundtrack.

Next up is Cory Kennedy, who seems to attract a lot of criticism for a ledge-centric repertoire and, err, wearing Nike Stefan Janoskis. His part should silence all the critics, with Girl's newest pro adding some surprising handrail assaults to his trademark mix of fleet-footed tech miracles and languid lines. His trick selection suggests a growing maturity, too, with hurricane grinds and inward heels adding welcome variety. It's all soundtracked by some wonderfully unsexy American country-rock which you will be spotifying for the rest of the week.

While Kennedy uses the video to transcend his reputation as the Great White Tech Robot Hope, Mike Mo Capaldi is rather more comfortable playing to type. An already-been-done song, YouTube-approved tech flips and an enduring avoidance of rails mean that Mike Mo fails to build upon his stunning debut part in Fully Flared.

As for the older guys, a lot of senior skateboarders' pro paychecks will be called into question as the likes of Gino Iannuci, Chris Roberts, Brian Anderson and Rick McCrank fail to muster full parts. Justin Eldridge's cameo is brief but diverting, as he does just enough to prove that nobody else skates rails quite like him. Mike Carroll, on the other hand, plays it safe with his trademark feebles and smiths - although he has probably earned the right to take it easy by now. Chico Brenes, 86, reveals life and creativity in his creaking bones in a delightfully latin-intoned part with Spain's Jesus Fernandez. Jeron Wilson, sharing space with the inimitable Brandon Biebel, also deserves credit for somehow managing to showcase his precocious talent while skating to Rick Ross and Meek Mill.

Most startlingly, Eric Koston only appears for a brief cameo in Guy Mariano's epic closing section, although his rather underwhelming footage (perhaps he's saving for the next Nike video) does at least allow viewers to catch their breath. Mariano fucking kills it. Not many people can get away with skating to a Kid Cudi cover, but Guy is certainly one of them, as skateboarding's comeback kid throws down one tech hammer after another. Some of the ledge NBDs are actually very ugly (front smith laser flip out, anybody?) but there is always another mind-blower just around the corner, including some memorable wallride combos. And as for the ender, well, just brace yourself.

Oh and then there's always Marc Johnson - who is, along with Geoff Rowley, probably the most consistently innovative and stylish skateboarder on the planet. After his three-song slog in Fully Flared, his new section is a masterpiece of skillful restraint, except for a few charming instances of Mullenesque street-freestyle. It's Marc Johnson skating to Bowie - it's never really going to be bad, is it?  

So, despite a number of Girl and Chocolate's big guns remaining holstered for the duration of the film (Rick McCrank - we demand closure), 'Pretty Sweet' is worthy of it's place next to 'Yeah Right' on your DVD shelf. The new guys are a breath of fresh air, and Mariano completes a comeback Lazarus would be proud of. The soundtrack is excellent and the editing, unsurprisingly, sets a new standard in the genre. For Girl/Chocolate films, however, the real acid test is whether it can mark a new epoch in the sport. It's too early to say, but I for one will be doing my level best to learn street 540s.

Addicks Ecstatic as Powell Inspires Promotion

Carl Jenkinson has not set the world alight since joining Arsenal last June. The young right back, eligible for both England and Finland, has featured in just eight league games and is yet to score. However, he deserves a great deal of credit for powering one club to an almost perfect season.

The sale of Jenkinson has funded an overhaul of the playing staff.

Jenkinson’s former employers, Charlton Athletic, invested the one million pounds received from the Gunners for the defender to completely overhaul the squad and secure an impressive automatic promotion. Eighteen new – albeit mostly free – players arrived at the Valley in the summer, with the ranks swelled by another ten loanees over the course of the season. Competing against more wealthy sides such as Huddersfield Town, Bournemouth and the two Sheffield clubs, manager Chris Powell has galvanised a mix of lower-league journeymen and academy products into a record-breaking outfit. Promotion was secured at Carlisle with an astonishing fifteenth away win of the season, surpassing anything in the South London club’s history.

Powell, a figure already popular amongst the fans from his playing days, has enhanced his reputation even further, despite a shaky start to his managerial career. After taking over from Phil Parkinson last January, Powell presided over four successive wins followed by an eleven match winless streak, leaving the Addicks mired in mid-table. However, the recently-appointed chairman Michael Slater saw fit to give the former England left-back chance to build his own squad, and the board’s faith has been repaid.

Perhaps the most important factor in Charlton’s promotion is the club’s shrewd moves in the summer transfer window. High earners such as Jose Semedo, Miguel Angel Llera and Therry Racon were offloaded and replaced by young, hungry talent. Ben Hamer, signed on a free transfer from Reading, has been a revelation in goal while centre back Michael Morrisson has recovered his best form after an indifferent spell at Sheffield Wednesday. Danny Green, meanwhile, has added guile on the right wing after being plucked from the relative obscurity of Dagenham and Redbridge. Perhaps the most surprising success story, however, is that of French forward Yann Kermorgant. An expensive flop under Nigel Pearson at Leicester City, Powell clearly saw enough from the 28-year-old during his spell as a coach at the King Power Stadium to offer the out-of-contract striker a new club. Ten league goals and a complementary partnership with the pacy Bradley Wright-Phillips have followed, and Kermorgant’s career has been resuscitated.

These additions have been supplemented by a number of effective loanees, with Hogan Ephraim and Dany N’Guessan both offering an injection of pace on the wings. Those players retained from Parkinson’s squad, meanwhile, have been rejuvenated under Powell. Johnnie Jackson, promoted to captain, has blossomed into an accomplished box-to-box midfielder, chipping in with thirteen league goals, including a decisive free-kick against Sheffield United. Up front, Wright-Phillips has shaken off his persistent injury problems to top the scoring charts with 22 goals.

Loan signings such as Hogan Ephraim have boosted the Addicks' promotion campaing

Despite a slight slump in March, the Addicks achieved promotion from League One after three long seasons with three games to spare. The obligatory pitch invasion occurred, with Powell and his squad embraced by travelling fans on the Brunton Park turf. So the next time Carl Jenkinson reluctantly cheers on Bacary Sagna from his heated seat on the Arsenal substitutes’ bench, he might find comfort in knowing he played a major part in a team in red and white’s recent triumph.  

Album Review: The Magnetic Fields, 'Love at the Bottom of the Sea'

Three stars

Love at the Bottom of the Sea, The Magnetic Fields' first album to be released since the end of the “no-synth trilogy” of the last three releases, is a confused, occasionally brilliant romp of an album. In a record that lasts little more than half an hour, Stephin Merritt's group throw together fifteen songs of varying quality in a maelstrom of manic creativity. This ramshackle approach produces an album which is undeniably enjoyable, albeit marred by irritating moments of contrived kookiness.

Must try harder

Perhaps the album's inconsistencies can be attributed to a hangover from the synth-less period which produced records as accomplished as Distortion. Indeed, the new album's opening track, 'Your Girlfriend's Face', seems overly keen to return the band to the electronic territory of their earlier work. The song sees Merritt's fine vocals overpowered by garish synthesizers, a problem which reoccurs later on 'The Machine in Your Hand'. Merritt, a songwriter usually renowned for his wit and charm, also lets down his redoubtable baritone delivery with some poor lyrics. On 'The Horrible Party', for example, he pleads with the listener to “Take me away from this horrible party and I will give you some money”. After considering the song's ridiculous oom-pah rhythm, they may be tempted to prolong his suffering.

Despite these flaws, the album nevertheless offers a number of examples of Merritt's mercurial talent. 'God Wants us to Wait' is a sharp satire on Christian chastity, while 'Andrew in Drag' evokes David Bowie while inverting sexual politics. The band's synths are deployed most skilfully in 'My Husband's Pied-A-Terre', with the track bursting unexpectedly into life after a beguiling opening. However, the album's outstanding moment is 'The Only Boy in Town', a delightfully poppy number which is good enough to bring The Beach Boys to mind. This surf-influenced track is perhaps the most compelling evidence that The Magnetic Fields are at their best when the synths take a back seat.

Django Django, Manchester Deaf Institute, 29th February

As the encore begins, we are probably the youngest people in the music hall. The cool kids must be doing MDMA out of each other's baseball caps somewhere else. Either way, Django Django have justified their slow-burning hype with a mesmeric live performance.

While the Edinburgh quartet's self-titled debut album is a reasonably endearing electro effort, the band transforms into something altogether more impressive when on stage. Powered by a technically adept rhythm section, the group's one-hour set turns inoffensive album tracks such as 'Firewater' into unstoppable, rabble-rousing juggernauts. The band's myriad array of synths, meanwhile, are utilised with much greater confidence than on the LP. Even vocalist and guitarist Steven Neff delivers his lyrics with a surprising passion, contributing to a sound akin to No Age refereeing a gang fight between Animal Collective and Devo.

Snappy dressers: Edinburgh's Django Django

Impressively turned out in matching T-shirts, the band open with 'Intro/Hail Bop', a track which deploys the synths probably played when nuclear reactors go into meltdown before laughing it all off with a wonderfully anthemic chorus. This swaggering approach continues throughout the set, with the audience whipped into a frenzy by the time recent single 'Default' appears. 'Firewater', meanwhile, keeps the capacity crowd in motion to a deft bassline. The metronomic, cowbell-happy drumming of David Maclean, the group's sometime producer, only adds to the momentum.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the performance, however, is the ease with which Django Django incorporate their more eccentric tendencies into the live show. Whether using halves of a coconut during 'Love's Dart' or embracing traditional Egyptian melodies on 'Skies Over Cairo', these moments seem neither convoluted nor pretentious, but entirely appropriate. It is this rare capacity to combine art-rock flair with dance-punk passion that makes the group's recent emergence so exciting. Go and see them next time they're in town. Take your dad.           

Giroud's Goals Fire Montpellier into Title Contention

If only the French had a snappy phrase for ‘newly rich’. Although the French league continues to receive scant recognition in the British press, Paris Saint Germain has perhaps been the continental club most frequently mentioned by our nation’s sportswriters in the past few months. Not a day passes without the Parisians being linked to yet another wantaway Premier League star, with the immense wealth of the club’s Qatari owners firing the imaginations of agents and journalists alike.

Paris Saint Germain's Javier Pastore

The wealth pumped into the capital city club by the Qatari Investment Authority has been translated into progress on the field, with PSG enjoying a three point cushion at the summit of Ligue Un. Expensive summer signings such as Javier Pastore and Kevin Gameiro have gelled quickly, alongside talented academy products such as Mamadou Sakho. January has brought further additions, with Carlo Ancelotti able to tempt former Chelsea defender Alex and Brazilian-born Italy international Thiago Motta to France, at a combined cost of around twenty million euros. Perhaps more importantly in terms of revenue, Ancelotti’s side have established a ten point advantage over fourth-placed rivals Olympique Lyonnais, meaning qualification to the Champions League seems all but certain.

The Parisians’ quest for a first league title since the 1993-1994 season, however, may hinge on their home fixture with second-placed Montpellier, scheduled for February 19^th. Rene Girard’s team have been the league’s surprise package this season, and will head to the Parc des Princes as the division’s highest scorers. The southern outfit’s startling title challenge has been spearheaded by the forward play of Olivier Giroud, who already has fifteen league goals to his name. The powerful forward, who has attracted interested from Newcastle United and Arsenal of late, has also been rewarded for his fine form with a debut for Laurent Blanc’s new-look national team. While Giroud’s incisive finishing has taken many of the plaudits, Montpellier’s squad is built upon hard work rather than raw talent, with Cameroonian full-back Henri Bedimo exemplifying the team’s energetic style. Joris Marveaux, brother of Newcastle’s Sylvain, meanwhile, adds class and composure to the midfield.

Giroud has been talismanic for Montpellier

With the traditional powerhouses of Lyon and Marseille slugging it out for fourth place, the only other realistic title challenger is Lille, the reigning champions. Rudi Garcia’s men started this season slowly, possibly reeling from the departure of the influential Yohan Cabaye, but have been boosted by the fine form of Eden Hazard and Joe Cole. Former PSG goalkeeper Mickael Landreau, meanwhile, has continued his renaissance between the posts. The club’s decision to sell prolific striker Moussa Sow to Fenerbahce in the January, however, may prove costly at the end of the season.

With Les Dogues waiting in the wings, both PSG and Montpellier will be relishing the chance to register a knockout blow when they meet at the Parc de Princes, with the home side’s recent acquisitions consolidating their position as pre-match favourites. However, Girard’s unfancied, inexpensive squad will venture north without fear, in search of a historic win. Just don’t expect to hear about it in Britain if they pull it off.

Album Review: Atlas Sound, 'Parallax'

Atlas Sound, Parallax

By Thomas McMahon, abridged version published in The Mancunion 21/11/2011 

Four stars

Bradford Cox's third solo effort sees the Deerhunter frontman strike out into unusual territory, with pleasing results. The album artwork shows the Atlanta-based songsmith evoking a bygone age of crooners, posing in silhouette with a vintage microphone, and Parallax lives up to this surprising change of direction. Indeed, the album manages to retain the creative edge which earned Cox his reputation as an experimentalist while also functioning as a nuanced, intelligent pop record.

Perhaps the most startling aspect of Parallax is the impressive balance struck between Cox's frequently despairing lyrics, possibly influenced by his recent nervous breakdown while touring with Deerhunter, and uplifting melodies. 'Te Amo', for example, features the lyrics “when you're down, you're always down”, but is lightened by delicate percussion and piano loops. The title track, also issued as the lead single, offsets the refrain “your pain, is probably equal” with bright guitar work. Cox's vocals, while sometimes lacking in range, complement the music well, particularly on the outstanding 'Angel is Broken'.

The well-structured album only stumbles when Cox occasionally reverts to the tired piano-and-reverb formula which has enjoyed great popularity of late. Mid-album track 'Mona Lisa', an unashamedly simple jangle-pop number, seems a blessed relief after the rather stodgy 'Modern Aquatic Lovesongs'.

However, Parallax remains a focussed and inventive album in a year when such records seem an increasingly rare commodity. Against a raft of beach-rock clones, the Southern recluse has crafted a wonderfully beguiling and sensitive record. Moreover, Cox's burgeoning pop sensibilities mean this album works as an ideal introduction to a musician of considerable talent.

Real Estate Interview and Gig Review

By Thomas McMahon, originally published in The Mancunion 2/11/2011

The Mancunion's Thomas McMahon was on hand to meet Real Estate guitarist Matthew Mondaline as the New Jersey fivesome prepared for their gig at Salford's Islington Mill.

TM: What's it like returning to England for a second tour with the band?
MM: We like it, we're very excited to play Manchester tonight then London tomorrow.

TM: A lot of people are saying the new album is cleaner and more focussed, was that a conscious decision by the band?

MM: Yeah, we wanted everything to be higher quality, which involved quite a lot of hard work in the studio.

TM: So was it a stereotypical 'difficult second album'?

MM: Not quite, a lot of the songs were already written, plus we spent a long time between our first and second album.

TM: You've recently switched label from Woodsist to Domino, what inspired that move?
MM: Well, they offered us a really good record deal on a bigger label. Plus, they're based in London which should mean we can play over here more often.

Real Estate's apparently pre-anointed passage to the indie pantheon stumbled under the concrete ceiling of Salford's Islington Mill after an underwhelming live performance. An enthusiastic audience, possibly enticed by a string of reviews lauding sophomore album Days, was left unconvinced by a string of passable psych-pop strumalongs.

The set started promisingly, with opener 'Municipality' showing the band's technical proficiency and knack for crafting delicate melodies. Recent single, 'It's Real', also proved a highlight, with the rhythm section playing tightly and with admirable energy. However, the set soon became bogged down in repetitive surf-influenced riffs, with lead singer Martin Courtney's underpowered vocals often drowning in a swollen sea of feedback and reverb. The band's spirited cover of Felt's 'Sunlight Bathed the Golden Glow', meanwhile, merely highlighted the Americans' poor lyrics in comparison to the Birmigham new wave outfit.

While every member of the band played with genuine skill, Real Estate nevertheless proved themselves to be a group which is easy to admire but hard to love. Throughout the set, the five-piece showed neither the earnest conviction of fellow New Jerseyans such as Titus Andronicus and Vivian Girls nor the pop sensibilities of superior beach bums such as Surfer Blood. As heads slowly nodded but feet remained fixed to the floor, this malaise was reflected in the crowd.

RATING: 3 Stars

Yorkshire Post interview with Anthony McGrath

By Thomas McMahon
Originally Published in The Yorkshire Post on Tuesday 9 August 2011 13:52

Yorkshire’s Anthony McGrath maintains that his side will still be striving for victory in Wednesday’s CB40 Trophy clash with Middlesex, despite the fact they cannot qualify from Group A.

While the Headingley outfit’s poor form in the 40-over tournament has contributed to a forgettable season, the former England player is calling for morale-boosting victories in one-day games to aid his side’s survival prospects in the County Championship.

McGrath, who scored a century against Hampshire in Yorkshire’s last match, believes that Yorkshire’s attempts to mount a challenge for the cup have been scuppered by injuries to key players.

“We’ve had to chop and change quite a bit,” said the 35-year-old ahead of the match at Lord’s.

“A club of our size should be competing for silverware at the end of the season.

“We’re just aiming to win all our remaining 40-over matches, that’s all we can do.”

The start time for Yorkshire’s CB40 match with Middlesex on Wednesday has been brought forward due to the unrest in London.

The fixture was due to start at Lord’s at 3.40pm but will now begin at 12pm following three nights of rioting on the streets of the capital.

Yorkshire were due to train this afternoon before travelling down to north London tonight, but they have instead headed straight to their hotel in the capital.

Senior batsman McGrath told the Yorkshire Post: “I’m a little bit concerned.

“Obviously we all saw it unfolding on the news last night and we’re going to be a little closer to it now. Hopefully they can get things under control, but it looks pretty bad from the scenes I’ve seen and things I’ve heard on the radio.

“Hopefully the police and government can get it sorted as soon as possible.

“Things like this can escalate quickly so hopefully it can be sorted sooner rather than later.”

All tonight’s London football matches including tomorrow’s international friendly between England and Holland have been postponed.

Should the authorities decree it unsafe for Middlesex versus Yorkshire to go ahead, McGrath said: “That’s out of our hands, we’ll just go on the advice the people give us.

“We’ve cancelled training today to go down earlier, and as players we’re just open to the advice the club or the people in charge give us.”

Yorkshire Post article on Riots and sport

Originally Published on Wednesday 10 August 2011 14:47

While England’s proposed friendly with the Netherlands has been called off after rioting in London, history proves that sporting events themselves have the capacity to spark significant civil unrest.

With Andrew Strauss’s England side vowing to continue their Test series against India in the hope of boosting the nation’s morale, it might be easy to see cricket as a refreshing throwback to a more genteel era.

However, those viewing cricket as a pastoral antidote to contemporary chaos would do well to remember the final Test of the 1970-71 Ashes series.

John Snow, easily the most menacing fast bowler of Ray Illingworth’s touring party, felled Australian tail ender Terry Jenner with a vicious bouncer and madness erupted at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

With bottles raining down from the stands and Australian spectators attempting to grab the fielding Snow, Illingworth decided to lead his team from the field. The match was eventually resumed, with 14 arrests made in the aftermath.

While the Australian public are well known for their passion for sport, the reaction in Buenos Aires to River Plate’s recent relegation from the Argentinian Primera Division puts the SCG disturbance firmly in the shade.

Following the 1-1 home draw against Belgrano which condemned Argentina’s most successful club to the first relegation in its history, riots began in the Estadio Monumental and quickly spread across the capital. More than 70 people were hospitalised and numerous cars burnt out in the disorder.

Despite this, the most startling reaction to a football match in Latin America came in 1969 when the armed forces of El Salvador and Honduras clashed in the aftermath of a World Cup Qualifying Play-off.

After fighting between fans in earlier group games, El Salvador snatched a dramatic extra-time winner in Mexico City, which incensed their nearby rivals.

The conflict itself only lasted four days, but claimed the lives of around 3,000 people, as well displacing some 300,000 Salvadoran citizens.

Although the reasons behind the war stemmed from long-standing territorial disputes between the two nations, the manner in which it was triggered remains startling.

In North America, meanwhile, fans of the Vancouver Canucks have rioted on two separate occasions after defeats in ice hockey’s Stanley Cup. While the Canucks enjoy the best regular-season record in the NHL, they have yet to win the Stanley Cup after 40 years of trying and their fans’ frustations boiled over in 1994 and earlier this year.

The recent riots, which followed a shock 4-0 series defeat at the hands of the Boston Bruins, were particularly fierce, with cars flipped and 101 arrests made.

Though the recent raft of cancelled and rescheduled fixtures proves that civil disorder can disrupt sports, these extraordinary cases show that the emotions surrounding sport itself can spark pandemonium all of its own.