https://www.facebook.com/384283080701/

Beyond The 90th Minute, Kuala Lumpur (2026)

16/09/2026

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Fourteen league goals for a centre-half in League One. That was Charlie Mulgrew in Blackburn's promotion season.

While everyone else was talking about Bradley Dack and Danny Graham, there was a Scottish defender sticking free-kicks into the net and popping up where defenders really shouldn't be.

Blackburn had just dropped into League One. Not exactly the moment you'd expect a player to settle in and start banging in goals.

Charlie Mulgrew didn't just settle in. He captained the side, scored 14 league goals, and helped Rovers get straight back up.

A centre-half doing striker numbers.
Properly bizarre stuff.

Charlie Mulgrew, a classy centre-back who swapped the green of Celtic for the blue and white of Blackburn Rovers in the summer of 2016, tasked with bringing experience and leadership to a club in transition.

He made an instant impact, his wand of a left foot and composure on the ball marking him out as a cut above the rest in the Championship.

His first season was a personal triumph amidst the pain of the team's relegation to League One, proving his quality with a string of commanding displays and stunning free-kicks.

Mulgrew didn't sulk or seek a move; he rolled up his sleeves and became the driving force behind Blackburn's immediate return to the second tier.

He was a colossus that campaign, scoring a remarkable 14 goals from defence, including the iconic winner at Doncaster Rovers that sealed promotion.

He was a proper leader, the kind that organises everyone and stands up to be counted when the pressure is at its most intense.

His set-piece ability was a cheat code for Rovers, and he had a habit of producing in the biggest games, scoring the only goal in two separate victories over a star-studded Newcastle United side.

One was a precise, low free-kick at St James' Park, and the other was an almost identical arrowed finish at Ewood Park, striking at nearly the exact moment in the match as his first.

He was the captain, and the fans loved him for it, serenading him with chants of "Captain. Leader. Legend" whenever he signed a new deal or put in a masterclass.

Mulgrew's form didn't go unnoticed, earning him a place in the PFA League One Team of the Year and the EFL Team of the Season.

He wasn't just a goalscorer, though; he was a calming presence at the back, a player who read the game beautifully and could ping a 60-yard pass with effortless grace.

His time at Ewood Park began to wind down with loan moves to Wigan Athletic and Fleetwood Town, a sign that his influence on the pitch was starting to wane.

He left Blackburn in 2021 after five years of dedicated service, leaving behind a legacy of promotion, unforgettable goals and genuine leadership.

He finished his playing career in his native Scotland with Dundee United, hanging up his boots in September 2023 at the age of 37.

He also earned 44 caps for Scotland, a testament to his quality on the international stage.

Twenty-seven goals in 109 appearances for Blackburn. Not bad for a defender.

But the 14 in that promotion season tell the story better than anything else.

When Rovers needed someone to stand up, Mulgrew wasn't hiding at the back.

13/09/2026

🇲🇾 Piya came from an era where state players weren’t just players. They became the face of a state.

And for Kelantan, one of those faces was Piya.

If you ever stood at Stadium Sultan Muhammad IV during Kelantan’s glory days, you sure can feel the aura.

When Piya got the ball, the whole stadium shook with the roar of Kelate people.

Badhri Radzi, or more fondly known as Piya, born 2 June 1982 in Pengkalan Chepa, Kota Bharu, a Kelantan-born boy who started playing football actively at 10 for Sekolah Kebangsaan Padang Garong before Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Putera.

Piya inherited his love for football from his father, a former Kelantan TNB player in the semi-pro era, and since young he already set his mind to become a professional footballer.

His senior career started in 2004 with Kelantan JPS before playing for Kelantan TNB and then PDRM, where he won the Malaysia Premier League title in 2007.

In 2008, Piya returned to Kelantan and started a glory era that changed the state’s football history forever.

He was appointed team captain in 2009 and quickly became the team’s backbone, forming a deadly midfield partnership with Shakir Shaari, with each completing their role as playmaker and defensive cover.

Piya was known for his sharp vision, perfect ball control, accurate passing and ability to score from free kicks, a combination that made him one of the best midfielders in Liga Malaysia history.

In 2009, he missed the Malaysia Cup final against Negeri Sembilan due to a broken leg, a huge blow that almost robbed him of his dream to create history.

But Piya came back with a vengeance the next year and scored the winning goal in the 2010 Malaysia Cup final, bringing the trophy home after 89 years of waiting for Kelantan, a moment that changed his status into a living legend.

His peak came in 2012 when he led Kelantan to a historic treble, lifting the Super League, FA Cup and Malaysia Cup in the same season, an achievement no team in Malaysia had done before.

He also led Kelantan in the 2012 AFC Cup campaign and brought the team to the quarter-finals, a proud achievement on the Asian stage.

In 2013, Piya was named Most Valuable Player in the National Football Awards, recognition that confirmed his status as one of the best players in the country.

Over 11 years with Kelantan from 2008 to 2018, Piya racked up 221 league appearances and scored 54 goals, making him one of the most prolific players from midfield.

At international level, he earned nine caps for Malaysia and was part of the squad that finished runners-up in the 2014 AFF Cup.

After leaving Kelantan, Piya played for Perlis and then Kelantan United, where he helped the team win the M3 League in 2019 and qualify for the Premier League.

At 42, Piya still hasn’t retired and returned to competitive action with AZM Rovers in the A2 League in 2025, proving that age still hasn’t caught up with his legs.

Besides playing, he also acts as a mentor to young players and was appointed as the team’s official ambassador, continuing his contribution to the development of local football.

Off the pitch, Piya is known for his humble personality and often gets involved in community activities and businesses like selling nasi lemak and sambal with his teammates.

Piya also made headlines when he was suspended for six matches for asking the referee to end the match early, an incident that sparked heated debate among fans.

For Malaysian football fans, Piya is a symbol of Kelantan’s glory era.

A local player who could become the best in the region.

Badhri Radzi, a name that will forever be remembered as the most successful captain in Kelantan history.

One day, our kids might only know Piya’s name from pictures and stories.

But us?

We saw him play. We cheered for him. And we felt proud with Kelate boh.

Jeff Karim II.

12/09/2026

🇲🇾 Last time, when Mat Yo got the ball outside the penalty box, Malaysian fans didn’t need to think too much. You just knew there was hope for a goal.

That era, when we looked at the Harimau Malaya jersey, we didn’t really think about tactics or stats.

We just hoped the ball would go to Mat Yo.

Mat Yo started his football career at Perak in 2003, before moving to Negeri Sembilan and UPB-MyTeam.

His name really blew up on the domestic stage when he was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of Supermokh Liga Malaysia in 2011.

Season 2012 was the most glorious year of his career when he became a key man for Kelantan as they won the historic treble.

His club form carried over to the international stage when he helped Malaysia win the AFF Cup for the first time in 2010.

Mat Yo also had a stint in Thailand with BG Pathum United and won the Thai League in 2021.

Throughout his career, he made 81 appearances for Harimau Malaya and scored 14 international goals.

His agility and ability to dribble past opponents made him one of the most respected strikers in Southeast Asia.

After his glory days, Mat Yo didn’t stop being involved in football. Now he’s active as a sports analyst and also involved in youth player development.

In 2024, he started his coaching career as assistant coach for KL City Under-23.

We might not realise how special that era was.

Only when everything is over do we realise we were actually watching a generation of Malaysian football that we will miss.

Norshahrul Idlan Talaha, a name that will always stay in fans’ memories as one of the most lethal strikers ever to shake stadiums in Malaysia.

Jeff Karim II.

11/09/2026

🇲🇾 Today’s generation might just scroll past this picture. But the generation that grew up with Malaysian football? They know the name Malek Rahman once had its own place.

Last time, we didn’t need 4K videos to fall in love with football.

One match, one player who stood out, and one name that stuck in your head: Malek Rahman.

Do you remember the Selangor and national midfielder who chose the football field over the music stage, and almost became a professional musician like his brother?

He was Abdul Malek Abdul Rahman, born 17 December 1969 in Kuala Lumpur, the youngest of seven siblings, who from young already loved playing the trumpet and clarinet like his brother, Abdul Razak Rahman, the champion of RTM’s Bakat TV in the early 1970s.

Even though artistic blood flowed in his family, Malek was more into legends like Supermokh, Santokh Singh and Fandi Ahmad, and started getting into football in 1985 when he represented Kampung Baru Youth at just 15.

His talent stood out fast, so Selangor’s Razak Cup squad came calling, and he helped Selangor win the President’s Cup and the Malaysia Games gold medal in 1988.

At just 19, Malek caught the eye of Selangor coach Steven Bena, and later led the midfield alongside experienced players like Kresimir Bozaic, K. Gunalan and Zainal Nordin.

His first match for the Selangor senior squad was against Kuala Lumpur FA on 1 July 1989 at Stadium Merdeka, a moment that became the turning point of his top-level career.

That same year, he started playing for Selangor in the Semi-Pro League and quickly became the backbone of the team that dominated the national football scene.

Malek helped Selangor become League champions in 1990, FA Cup runners-up the same year, FA Cup champions in 1991, and Division Two Semi-Pro League champions in 1993.

Besides that, he also helped Selangor lift the Sultan Ahmad Shah Cup in 1990 by beating Kuala Lumpur 3-0 on penalties.

But there was one heartbreak in his career when Selangor lost 3-1 to Johor in the 1991 Malaysia Cup final at Stadium Merdeka, a defeat that still stings for fans.

At national level, Malek started representing the Barcelona Project 1992 squad, aimed at the Olympics under Chow Kwai Lam, although the Barcelona mission didn’t happen.

Even though they failed to reach the Olympics, most of that squad continued in the national team and later won the 1992 Saigon Cup in Vietnam, the 1992 Jakartaraya Cup, and Pestabola Merdeka 1993.

The 1993 Pestabola Merdeka success was very meaningful because it ended the title drought since 1986, and Malek was part of the squad that beat Singapore, South Korea, and other strong teams.

He also represented Malaysia in the 1994 World Cup qualifiers, playing against Asian giants like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

However, Malek’s name was also caught in the football bribery scandal that hit the country in 1994 and 1995, a tragedy that took away many talented stars and saw him suspended for one and a half years.

The scandal changed the direction of his career and became a bitter lesson about falling in the world of sports.

Even though the controversy left a deep mark, his contributions to Selangor and the country cannot be denied, and he remains one of the best midfielders of his time.

After his glory era, Malek continues to be remembered as a legend and often appears in veteran charity matches with teammates like Reduan Abdullah, Mubin Mokhtar and K. Gunalan.

In 2026, Malek’s name became a talking point again when he officially became the husband of former famous TV personality Dang Suria Zainurdin, news that delighted fans and old friends.

For local football fans, Malek Rahman is a symbol of the golden era of Malaysian football in the early 1990s, a time full of talent and high fighting spirit.

He proved that even after falling because of a scandal, a player’s legacy remains in the memories of those who saw him play on the pitch.

Abdul Malek Abdul Rahman, a name that will always be remembered as one of the best Selangor and national midfielders ever to grace stadiums in Malaysia.

Today we have technology to replay every goal.

Last time, we only had memories, and the funny thing is, memories are the hardest to lose.

I rarely do storytelling about local legends like this, geng. If there are any factual errors, please correct me in the comments.

Let’s all do our part to raise up local football history.

Jeff Karim II.

10/09/2026

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Do you remember that English striker who started his career at Birmingham, then became a legend at Crystal Palace with over 80 goals and earned a call up to the national team.

That was Andrew Johnson, born 10 February 1981 in Bedford, who started his career at Birmingham City's academy before making his professional debut in 1998.

He struggled to break into the first team at Birmingham and was loaned out several times, including to Cheltenham Town where he began to show his goalscoring talent.

In 2002, Crystal Palace brought him to Selhurst Park for 750,000 pounds as part of the Clinton Morrison transfer, a move that changed his career forever.

At first he struggled to score, but after netting his first goal against Wimbledon, he exploded with nine goals in four consecutive matches.

He scored a hat trick against traditional rivals Brighton in a 5-0 victory in 2002, an act that made him a hero among the Palace faithful.

During the 2003 and 2004 season, Johnson scored 32 league goals and helped Palace win promotion to the Premier League through the play offs against West Ham United.

In the Premier League during the 2004 and 2005 season, he scored 21 goals and was named in the PFA Team of the Year, finishing just behind Thierry Henry in the goalscoring charts.

His outstanding performances led to his first England call up in 2005, and he earned eight caps for his country.

In 2006, Johnson moved to Everton for 8.6 million pounds, a club record at the time, and scored on his debut against Watford.

He scored two goals in the Merseyside derby against Liverpool and finished as Everton's top scorer in his first season with 11 league goals.

But his career at Everton was dogged by accusations of diving, and Jose Mourinho called him an untrustworthy player after one incident against Chelsea.

In 2008, he moved to Fulham for 10.5 million pounds and spent four seasons there with 112 appearances and 27 goals.

He scored a hat trick against Queens Park Rangers in 2011 and helped Fulham reach the knockout stages of the Europa League.

After leaving Fulham, he played for Queens Park Rangers before returning to Crystal Palace in 2014 as a player and coach.

He announced his retirement in 2015 after helping Palace stay in the Premier League, ending his career where he had become a legend.

For football fans, Johnson is an example of how a player considered too small to succeed could become one of the most talented strikers in England.

He proved that with pace, goalscoring instinct and hard work, you can become a legend at one club and represent your country.

Andrew Johnson, a name that will be remembered as one of Crystal Palace's greatest strikers and a player who brought glory to the club at the highest level.

09/09/2026

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 When Nigel Martyn was in goal, you didn't spend much time worrying.

Ball came in, he dealt with it. Striker came at him, he stood his ground.

And when the shot looked certain to go in, Martyn usually had other ideas.

That was Nigel Martyn, born 11 August 1966 in St Austell, Cornwall, who started his career at Bristol Rovers in 1987 after a recommendation from the club's housekeeper who met him on holiday.

He became the first goalkeeper in English football to move for a million pounds when Crystal Palace signed him in 1989 and he spent seven seasons there with 349 appearances.

Martyn played in the 1990 FA Cup final against Manchester United and became England's first choice goalkeeper in the early 1990s before David Seaman emerged.

In 1996, he joined Leeds United for 2.25 million pounds, another record for a goalkeeper, and became the backbone of the side that reached the Champions League semi finals in the 2000 and 2001 season.

His outstanding performance against AS Roma at the Stadio Olimpico in 1999 is considered among the best of his career and helped Leeds beat European giants like Barcelona and Lazio.

A disagreement with manager Terry Venables in 2002 after the World Cup caused him to be sidelined and Paul Robinson took his place in the Leeds goal.

Martyn joined Everton in 2003 and became first choice after Richard Wright's injury, helping the team finish fourth in the Premier League in the 2004 and 2005 season.

At the age of 38, he produced some of the best performances of his career and was nicknamed "Big Nige" by Everton fans in tribute to legend Neville Southall.

He announced his retirement in 2006 due to a stress fracture in his ankle that never healed properly and made 100 appearances for Everton.

Martyn earned 23 caps for England and was in the 1998 and 2002 World Cup squads, but never got the chance to play in a major tournament.

After retiring, he returned to his childhood sport of cricket and became a wicketkeeper for clubs in Yorkshire.

He drove 800 miles every week to represent Cornwall Over-50s and helped Knaresborough gain promotion to the Yorkshire Premier League North.

In 2026, Martyn was selected for the England Over-60s Lions squad and nearly became the 12th player to represent England in both football and cricket.

He said that the feeling of scoring a six in a cricket match is just as good as anything he felt in football.

That's what you miss about goalkeepers like Martyn.

He didn't have to be a hero every week. He just had to make you believe that if the ball reached the goal, someone was there.

08/09/2026

🇺🇸 There was a time when American names weren't exactly common in European football.

Then you watched Leicester City in the late 90s and there he was. Kasey Keller.

An American goalkeeper who looked perfectly at home in English football.

Born 29 November 1969 in Olympia, Washington, who started his career at a local team named Woodlawn Diggers sponsored by a funeral home before becoming a star at North Thurston High School, where he conceded only 11 goals in four years.

He chose the University of Portland because coach Clive Charles had direct knowledge of English football, and it was there he learned about discipline and professionalism that shaped his career.

Charles told Keller that being two minutes late for training was being late and taught him the importance of being a good teammate, advice Keller remembered throughout his life.

In 1992, Keller became the first American without dual citizenship to play in England's top flight when he made his debut for Millwall on the final day of the season.

He became a fan favourite at Millwall and was voted the club's Player of the Year by supporters before moving to Leicester City in 1996 for 900,000 pounds.

At Leicester, he played a key role in winning the League Cup in 1997 and made 99 Premier League appearances with 35 clean sheets.

In 1999, Keller moved to Rayo Vallecano in Spain on a free transfer and helped the newly promoted side finish in the top half of the table.

He then returned to England with Tottenham Hotspur in 2001 and played every minute for Spurs in the 2002 and 2003 and 2003 and 2004 seasons.

When he lost his place to Paul Robinson, he was loaned to Southampton in 2004 before moving to Borussia Mönchengladbach in Germany in January 2005.

At Gladbach, he saved the club from relegation with seven clean sheets in the second half of the season and was named captain the following season, becoming only the second American after Claudio Reyna to captain a top tier German club.

Keller returned to England with Fulham in 2007 and helped them avoid relegation on the final day of the 2007 and 2008 season with a victory over Portsmouth.

In 2008, he returned to America to join the newly formed Seattle Sounders FC and played there until retiring in 2011 at the age of 41.

In his final season, he was named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and held the record for the longest shutout streak to start a season in league history.

At international level, Keller earned 102 caps for the United States and appeared at four World Cups in 1990, 1998, 2002 and 2006.

He was the same player in the 1990 and 2006 World Cup squads, an achievement rarely seen in international football.

Keller held American records for wins and clean sheets with 47, and was named US Soccer Athlete of the Year in 1997, 1999 and 2005.

He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2015 and now serves as a commentator for Seattle Sounders and an analyst for ESPN.

Younger fans might know the American goalkeepers who came after him.

But if you watched football back then, Keller was one of the men who made it feel completely normal to see an American standing between the sticks in European football.

That matters.

07/09/2026

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Foster was never the sort of goalkeeper who made everything look easy.

But on his day, the bloke could be bloody impossible to beat.

That was Ben Foster, born 3 April 1983 in Leamington Spa, who started his career at Warwickshire's academy before joining Stoke City in 2000.

He caught Sir Alex Ferguson's attention while on loan at Wrexham, and Manchester United brought him in for around 1 million pounds in 2005.

Foster spent five years at Old Trafford but made only 23 appearances due to fierce competition with Edwin van der Sar and persistent injuries.

While at United, he was loaned to Watford for two seasons and helped them reach the Premier League through the play offs in 2006.

At Watford, he was named the club's Player of the Year for the 2006 and 2007 season, recognition that showed his true quality.

Foster admitted that the pressure at United caused him to suffer from mental health issues and he told his wife that he needed to leave the club.

He said he felt incredibly anxious every time he played and only thought about not making mistakes, which stopped him from showing his real ability.

The turning point came in a match against Sunderland in 2009 when Sir Alex Ferguson gave him the hairdryer treatment after he made an error.

Ferguson told him that he would not play for United again, and Foster admitted that he felt relieved when he heard those words.

In 2010, Foster moved to Birmingham City for 6 million pounds and won the League Cup in his first season at the club.

He then joined West Bromwich Albion in 2012 and spent eight years there, and he admitted that those were the happiest years of his career.

Foster holds the record for the most Premier League appearances for West Brom and became one of the most consistent goalkeepers in the league.

In 2018, he returned to Watford and helped them stay in the Premier League before their relegation in 2020.

After retiring in 2022, Foster came back to play for Wrexham and helped them win the National League in 2023 by saving a penalty in injury time.

He earned eight caps for England and was named in the 2014 World Cup squad although he did not play.

After his second retirement in 2023, Foster became a social media star with his YouTube channel "The Cycling GK" and the "Fozcast" podcast, which have millions of followers.

He also became a pundit for various platforms and continued to stay involved in football through digital content.

Years later, people remember the personality.

But before all that there was a bloody good goalkeeper underneath it.

06/09/2026

🇦🇺 Premier League generations came and went. Schwarzer just kept turning up on a Saturday afternoon.

That was Mark Schwarzer, the son of German immigrants who started his career at Marconi Stallions in the National Soccer League before moving to Europe.

He began his European career in Germany with Dynamo Dresden and Kaiserslautern, but it was only in England with Bradford City in 1996 that he truly found his rhythm.

Schwarzer then joined Middlesbrough in 1997 and spent 11 years there, becoming one of the most respected goalkeepers in the Premier League.

At Middlesbrough, he won his first and only trophy, the League Cup in 2004, an achievement that became one of the highlights of his club career.

He made 332 Premier League appearances for Middlesbrough and kept over 150 clean sheets throughout his league career.

After leaving Middlesbrough, he joined Fulham and spent five seasons there with 172 league appearances.

At the age of 37, he nearly moved to Arsenal when Arsene Wenger showed interest in signing him, but the transfer fell through because Fulham could not find a replacement.

Schwarzer finally got his big club move when Jose Mourinho brought him to Chelsea in 2013, making him the oldest player to make his Champions League debut at the age of 41.

He then joined Leicester City in 2015 and became part of the squad that won the Premier League in the 2015 and 2016 season, although he admitted he did not feel like a true champion.

Schwarzer holds the record for the most appearances by a foreign player in the Premier League with 514 appearances, a record that may never be broken.

At international level, he earned 109 caps for Australia and became the most capped player in the country's history until 2025.

He represented Australia at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, and became a national hero in 2005 when he saved two penalties in the shootout against Uruguay.

Those saves took Australia to the World Cup for the first time in 32 years and changed Australian football forever.

Schwarzer was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2025 and received the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2009.

After retiring in 2016, he became a sports pundit for Optus Sport and remains one of the most respected figures in Australian football.

For football fans, Schwarzer is a symbol of resilience and professionalism rarely seen, playing at the highest level until the age of 43.

Ask a young fan about Mark Schwarzer and they might remember the name.

Ask someone who watched the Premier League in the 90s and 2000s, they'll remember the saves.

28/08/2026

🇷🇸 Matić never looked like a midfielder in a hurry. He'd take the ball, have a look around and somehow make everyone else do the running.

Nemanja Matic, a Serbian lad who started playing football at a small club called Vrelo under the guidance of his own father.

He once played in the Serbian third division on a wage of just 70 pounds a month, and one day he joked to his agent that his dream was to play for Manchester United.

The agent laughed and asked him what he was talking about, but Matic proved that dream would become a reality 12 years later.

Before arriving at United, Matic took a winding path, he moved to Slovakia, then joined Chelsea in 2009 for 1.5 million pounds.

But at Chelsea, he could not establish himself and was sold to Benfica in 2011 as part of the David Luiz transfer deal.

At Benfica, manager Jorge Jesus converted him from an attacking player into a defensive midfielder, a transformation that changed his career forever.

Jose Mourinho first brought him back to Chelsea in 2014, and then brought him to United once again in 2017.

United paid 40 million pounds for Matic, a huge sum for a 28 year old, but Mourinho said he possessed all the qualities required to succeed.

He made his debut against West Ham and immediately showcased his class, becoming a first choice midfielder throughout the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

Matic made 189 appearances for United over five years, scoring 4 goals and providing 7 assists during his time at the club.

He came agonisingly close to winning a trophy in 2021 when United reached the Europa League final, but they lost to Villarreal in a penalty shootout.

Although he never won a major trophy at United, Matic is still remembered as one of the most consistent players during a difficult era for the club.

In 2022, he announced that he would leave United at the end of the season, bringing his five year Old Trafford journey to a close.

He then joined Roma on a free transfer to reunite with Mourinho once again, and now plays for Lyon in France.

For supporters who understand the game, Matic is proof that a player can rise from the very bottom and achieve the biggest dreams in football.

He wasn't always spectacular. He didn't need to be.

When Matić was on song, the midfield simply looked better with him in it.

Beyond The 90th Minute

16/09/2026

13/09/2026

12/09/2026

11/09/2026

10/09/2026

09/09/2026

08/09/2026

07/09/2026

06/09/2026

28/08/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Sponsored

Share

Listing takedown request