Does your dad's devotion to his football club come a close second behind his family? Or do you suspect he'd probably cash you in for tickets to the cup final? Either way, it's an obsession that needs feeding (but keep Social Services? number to hand just in case). What better way to feed it than to get him a football themed Father's Day present? This article aims to help you to find a gift straight from the starting line-up, and everything is available online with a little searching.



Let's start with the simple things. Like mugs. Every man needs a mug all of his own. What he does with it is his business, but until he has been bought a mug (he'll never buy one himself), he will have to endure curious stares and even pity from those around him. The best kind of mug, of course, is one that says a little bit about him on the outside ? which brings us nicely back to football. Simply having some reference to his chosen club on his mug will instantly buy him respect and admiration and it could well become an invaluable conversation starter and social lubricant. It's that important.

A club's mark can be stamped on almost any object, transforming even the most mundane household or office implement into another expression of his pride. You'll be able to find pens, wallets, coasters, bottle openers, business card holders, hip flasks, cuff links and all sorts of objects featuring the badges or colours of most of the major clubs.

If fantasy is his thing, especially fantasies involving a muddy field and twenty-two other men, you might have to delve a little deeper. First up is the personalised commentary. You provide his name and a few details about his footballing goodies and baddies, and a professional commentator will record an ultra-realistic radio commentary where your dad is the hero. Next, if you can provide us with a photograph of him, he can be digitally manipulated into a team photo of your choice, and then the whole thing can be printed on quality canvas. These one-off Father's Day Gifts put your dad right at the heart of the day's celebrations.

A hugely popular gift is the collection of newspaper articles from the back pages of a century's worth of papers. It's not just a trip down Memory Lane; it's a comprehensive history of the team's ups and downs as told by the sports journalists and photographers of the day. Most of the major UK clubs are covered, as are national teams, and the whole collection comes bound in a leatherette cover with his name and a short message gold-embossed onto the front.

But perhaps he'd like to play his own part in creating soccer history. Assuming his professional playing days are beyond the scope of medical science, he can still become a mover and shaker in the beautiful game thanks to the priceless gifts of genuine shares in football clubs. There are several top clubs to choose from, and this could well be his dream Father's Day gift. You never know, it might make him think twice about swapping you for those cup final tickets.