Youngster Desmond looks to kick-start career following Newcastle release

Every summer, hundreds of Irish youngsters from various age groups make their way across the Irish Sea with stars in their eyes to take up contract offers from professional clubs all over England - and every year, making the return journey, are a slightly older group, their bright eyes dimmed by the rash realisation that their dreams have been dashed.

The Belgian footballing mini-pilgrimage, April 2013

On April Fool's Day 2013, I jetted* out to Belgium to visit a friend who is currently living in the city of Leuven. Anthony Gallagher and I are long time acolytes of the game and will watch a match anywhere we can whenever we can - and his current Erasmus placement afforded us an opportunity to add to our last experience of European football.