Our crate
A Box in the Loft, Opened Slowly
Why we started, how we work, and what we'll never do.
MelodyCrateQuestNo began with a real crate in a real loft: a shirt with a cracked badge, half an album, a pile of programmes and a tape labelled in a dad's handwriting. Sorting through it took an afternoon. Finding out the true stories behind each object took much longer.
That's what this site is. We start with the thing you could hold, then tell the history behind it plainly and accurately. We're writing for fans of thirty and over who remember the feel of it, and for anyone curious about where today's game came from.
We'll be wistful about the old game, but never sniffy about the new one. Football's always been changing. That's half the fun of remembering it.— The MelodyCrateQuestNo editors
How we check our facts
Dates, scores and names are checked against club histories, contemporary newspaper reports, broadcaster archives and published football reference books. Where a story is popular but disputed, such as the origin of "back to square one", we say so. If you spot an error, please write in and we'll correct it.
Sensitive history
Some of football's past involves real loss. When we write about stadium disasters, we keep to the established facts and treat those who died, and their families, with respect.
Independence
We're independent and not affiliated with any club, league, broadcaster, kit maker or sticker publisher. Names and trademarks belong to their owners and appear only to tell the history.