Jump to content

Book Reviews


Recommended Posts

50 Years of Shoot!

Carlton Books, 2019

Hardback £18.99

 

The start of the 1969/70 season, one that saw Everton win the Div 1 title for the seventh time, witnessed the birth of one of the longest running football magazines ever – Shoot!. There can hardly be any football fan who hasn’t, over the succeeding 50 years, read a copy, and many probably either kept back copies or cut out photos for scrapbooks or the wall.  And who didn’t keep the magazine’s “League Ladders” pinned up, religiously moving the team tabs up and down after each set of matches?

For nearly thirty years it was a weekly, bringing a frequent and regular diet of interviews, news, gossip and pieces by star players. Before the internet and when football on the tv was a rarity it was this colourful piece of print that helped satisfy the thirst for anything about the game.  It couldn’t be described as a home of in depth writing nor of long pieces of analysis, but each page was lively and, certainly for younger readers, packed with both trivia and opinions that seemed to engage. It was the place where you could learn that Eric Gates thought that Glenn Hoddle was too erratic to be in the England team and that Osvaldo Ardiles’ favourite food was Roast Beef and Italian (though presumably not on the same plate).

One of Shoot!’s staples was pieces written by star players. Beginning with Bobby Moore, others like George Best, Malcolm Macdonald and Phil Thompson. Kevin Keegan, in one of his columns, was an early advocate of switching from the goal-average to the goal-difference system we now use. Gary Lineker, fresh from his transfer to Barcelona from Everton, tipped his old club to win the 86/7 title. He was right too. Meanwhile Eric Cantona described “everyone connected with French football is a liar and a cheat”. Shoot! Loved the big statements, they were great headlines!

Its frequency made it able to comment on and preview the big games that were on. Whether it was important League fixtures, Cup matches, or internationals then Shoot! had an angle. Franz Beckenbauer is interviewed before the Nations Cup matches with England in 1971 – “we are a better team”, and Mo Johnston and Ian Durrant before a Celtic v Rangers clash.

Some of the coverage can inevitably be seen as a product of the time it was written: “The Black Explosion” when “at least half the clubs in the First Division have a black player on the staff”. “Stars War” looks at potential British targets for foreign clubs: Bryan Robson at £3m, Gordon Strachan, £2m, and Gary Shaw, £1m, are some of the possibilities.  This book, a compilation of the magazine’s output, captures the excitement, controversies and trivia of those former times. It’s an entertaining piece of nostalgia and worth dipping into time and again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

An A-Z of Football Collectibles

Carl Wilkes

Pitch Publishing 2019

Hardback 304pp £25.00

 

 

Let’s start by defining what this book is about. It’s trade cards and stickers. So, it’s not really an a-z look at all forms of football collectibles but once that’s accepted then be prepared for a superb addition to any collector’s library. It’s predominantly an in-depth history, but also a guide to collecting and prices, buying and selling, and there’s even a short guide to storage. With such an encompassing content it provides something to everyone from the died in the wool card collector, to the more general football memorabilia enthusiast, and to someone starting out. An overused cliché perhaps, but “treasure trove” really does accurately describe it.

 

Trade cards, those that are given away by a product, whether it be cigarettes, sweets, tea, magazines or other items, started using footballers on them from the 1880s. Bearing in mind that the book covers over 1,000 brands then there’s plenty of scope for anyone to create or extend collections in many directions.  There are those who collect by club, or player, or brand or even by end of runs (so the first and last card in a series) so someone reading this book may well be stimulated to follow other lines than they currently do.

 

Certainly the details and attention to each producer of cards should be able to give enough information to identify, search out or approximately value any card or series. The first up in the book (everything is alphabetical) is A&BC Gum. Not American & British as is often thought but the surnames of the directors, and a company that issued cards from 1954 for 21 years. From its original b&w “All Sport” series, of which 60 were footballers, to its final “Football Hobby Cards” , A&BC produced a myriad of styles of card and sticker, and the wrappers that some of the cards came in are now often worth more than the insert. Of course, another major and famous card producer was John Baines of Bradford, who claimed the title of first football card maker. Between 1890 and 1920 it’s reckoned that 13 million cards were sold by the Baines family firms. Their shield design is well known but other shapes were used. Often made with blank backs for advertisers to use, Baines’ also promoted their other cards there instead. Produced when football clubs were proliferating, they are a history lesson in documenting the beginnings of many current teams as well as the short lives of others.

 

The book is, however, replete with the outputs of lots of less well-known card producers, both from this country and elsewhere. Lincolnshire Boot Stores issued cards of local clubs as early as 1900, the exotically named Saint Petersburg Cigarettes (disappointingly from Portsmouth) were active around the same time whilst Germany’s Union Zigarettenfabrik produced over 500 coloured football cards in 1938 as “Konig Fussball”. Tea companies are represented by, amongst others, Ty-Phoo, chocolate by Simon Chocolates of Spain or Poppleton of York, Tennent the Glasgow brewer made football beer mats, breakfast was represented by Quaker Oats and, of course, there are many comics and magazines. From Rover to Topical Times to The Wizard and, from Edwardian times, Ideas Magazine, a vast number of cards came via periodical and newspaper publishers.

 

 

Presentationally it is also striking. Several illustrations of cards and stickers on each page, clear white space and good graphics make it easy to enjoy visually as well as in content terms. It is a volume that’s impossible to devour at one sitting, but it is a joy to keep returning to. Christmas is coming, and this would be a great gift (for yourself).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Magical Magyars

David Bailey

Pitch Publishing

2019

Hardback, 302pp, £19.99

 

The early 1950s were a period when political ideologies split Europe, when a continent devastated by war was trying to recover, part under the influence of the USA, Britain and France and part through the existence of Soviet control on economies, societies, and sport. At a time when propaganda victories were fought for in nearly every aspect of life, then sporting achievements were not only crowed about but helped lessen frustration about shortages and the like amongst the general population. The rise to pre-eminence in football of Hungary led to fascination with and praise for this small nation and its Mighty, Magical Magyars.

Currently placed about 52nd in the FIFA rankings, Hungary no longer trouble the sharp end of tournaments even if they qualify. Yet they were once the best football team in the world. Between 1950 and the World Cup Final of 1954 the team went an unbeaten 31 internationals including, of course the two results against England that stood football on its head in this country.  In November 1953 they outclassed Matthews, Wright, Mortensen and Ramsey so much that Matthews said that the 6-3 score didn’t reflect the visitors’ superiority. The FA were eager for a return fixture and got its way the following May in Budapest.   The “Golden Team” rampaged to a 7-1 win.

It wasn’t only England that felt the power and class of the Hungarians. In 1952 in the Olympics in Helsinki, they walked away with Gold, beating six other nations during their stay and the World Cup two years later looked theirs for the taking.

How had the Magyars reached such standards? David Bailey tells of the influence that an English coach, Jimmy Hogan, had in the 1920s and earlier but it was two Hungarians, Gusztav Sebes and Bela Guttmann, who transformed the football fortunes of their own country. There’s a complex tale of relationships, rivalries and politics that dominated club and national football and Bailey guides the reader through them in a detailed yet very readable manner. The liberation and then occupation of Hungary by the Soviet Union revamped the game, clubs fell out of favour or were enhanced by the regime, and the national team was spared few resources in becoming a major force. Honved (formerly Kispest) was the army team, and many players became “soldiers” gaining access to better training facilities and new kit. The police force took control of Ujpest, MTK became Budapest Textiles, owned by the textile workers union, and Ferencvaros became the team of the caterers’ union.

The ordinary people of Hungary took great pride in the footballing success at a time when economic problems were massive and everyday freedoms hardly existed under the eyes and ears of the security police, the AVO.

 It was also a time of individually brilliant players. Ferenc Puskas, apparently arrogant and always looking to look after his own interests, scored 84 goals in 85 internationals. Sandor Kocsis bettered this with 75 in 68 matches. Melded into a team of all the parts alongside those such as Bozsik, Grosics, and Hidegkuti, this was a formidable unit and clear favourites for the 1954 World Cup. It sent shockwaves throughout the country when it was beaten in the final by West Germany and stimulated more frustration with the political situation. When, in 1956, this reached a peak and overflowed into real revolt against the Soviet masters the consequences were violent and bloody.

On the day that the Soviet Army entered Budapest the Honved team left for Vienna to play a European Cup match. It was when they were away that the real end of the Magical Magyars occurred. The lure of economic prosperity and political freedom was too much for many of the players. Puskas did not return for 25 years. Kocsis, Kubala and Czibor moved to Barcelona and all knew that going back to their homeland could mean imprisonment.

Hungary’s dominance was relatively short lived, but the team will always have a romance attached to the. Coming from behind the Iron Curtain they were a fascination for the rest of the world, a thrilling team that emerged from a society of which little was known. The author captures the excitement and achievements exceedingly well and sets them against a dark background of political interference and intrigue.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Me And My Big Mouth

Graham Denton

Pitch Publishing 2019

Softback 320pp £12.99

 

Brian Clough was rarely lacking in self-confidence and seldom ignored an opportunity to share his opinions with others. At a time when a weekly TV listings magazine was to be found in most households then a column in TV Times in 1973 was a high-profile outlet for the highest profile manager in the game. From September of that year until the end of 1974 Clough wrote a weekly set of thoughts, judgements and ideas ranging over football as a whole or particular aspects that were in the news. At times dogmatic and doctrinaire, often constructive and insightful, they became talking points in themselves, fuelling even more debate about the man and his “big mouth”.

Clough was manager of Derby County and making frequent appearances on ITV’s “on The Ball” programme when, in September 1973 his first “Clough Sounds Off” column was published. The next 15 months not only saw the failure of England to qualify for the World Cup finals at the same time as Scotland did so, but Clough as a manager moving to Division 3 Brighton and then to reigning League champions Leeds United. Turbulent times and constantly reflected in his column and tv appearances. Whether it is about the selection of players for the national team, the relationship between television and football, or his views on a

What Graham Denton has ably done in this book is not just reproduce many of Clough’s pieces but to develop a narrative of the context in which they were written. In this way there is a look at some of the most pressing issues and events in football in the early 70s. Clough’s columns set up a review of the background to them or what happened a bit further down the line. Prior to the Scotland v England game in May 1974 he writes about whether the home team are good enough to be the standard bearer for British football in the imminent World Cup. The book then studies those World Cup finals with Scotland’s performance gaining especial scrutiny. When it came to TV coverage of football then Clough didn’t exclude himself from the debate. He was worried that television was trying to make the game looked too perfect and that it should be shaken up with more controversy (hardly unsurprising from the man) yet was unhappy with criticism of referees. The author then widens out the topic into examining the changing relationship between the medium and the game and what were the concerns and opportunities of the time. A long way from the camera saturation that we have today.

Clough was definitely the man the media went to for a story or a quote. A man who was unashamed of his self-described “big mouth” and who backed up his opinions with success as a manager. And in his apparent failures at Brighton and Leeds there was still copy on a weekly basis before he bounced back with Nottingham Forest. As a book that ably illustrates the thought of “Old Big Head” and chronicles football in the 1970s, then this delivers well.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Scotland: Club, Country & Collectables

David Stuart & Robert Marshall

Pitch Publishing 2019

Hardback 208pp  £19.99

 

When four of the first six club entries in a book about Scottish football are English, then it’s clear that this is an unconventional look at the game north of the border.  The result is a wide ranging, intelligent and fascinating review of the ups and (many) downs of Scotland the football nation. Matches, tournaments, individuals and all the ephemera and collectables associated with them are encompassed in this well written and illustrated volume.

This isn’t a comprehensive guide to Scottish football, but it is an entertaining, informative and, at times, personal and subjective panorama of the Caledonian game. Don’t expect to see every club written about but the contributions made by players and managers from Airdrie to Tottenham are chronicled, always with nostalgic illustration. Charlie Cooke on the cover of Soccer Star, Willie Carr in the Coventry programme, or Robert Orrock (one cap in 1913 as a Falkirk player) on a Churchman’s cigarette card, indicate the span that there is. Most of the images come from the authors’ own collections, wide-ranging and replete with both historical and more recent material. The narrative too covers the decades: Willie Paul of Partick Thistle scored four times in his third international but was never picked again, apparently not unusual at the time, and Joe Craig, exThistle playing for Celtic, came on for 14 minutes against Sweden in 1977, scored and, again, was never chosen afterwards.

The book’s second half is an “alternative A to Z”. O is Oceanian opponents, B is Beer and Spirit Labels, and Y is You’ll Never Swap Alone. A wonderful collection of memories, memorabilia, and nuggets of information. Edinburgh brewers Robert Deuchar produced a “Hampden Roar” ale label and Rutherglen Scotch Whisky the “Flower of Scotland” miniatures with labels of legends like George Younger. Graeme Souness got his 50th cap in a 0-0 draw against Australia in Melbourne, a country that’s appeared at four consecutive World Cup Finals, 2006-18, with Scotland absent each time. If you’ve ever looked at some items in your collection and wonder “Why ?”, then you’ll identify with the notion that Craig Brown’s tie and a vinyl 45 recorded live at Gartcosh Social Club to celebrate Scotland’s win at Wembley in 1977 may not be that outlandish.

The presence of the authors at the scenes of Scotland’s more recent ventures on the world scene is used to bring to life tournaments like World Cup 98. The travails of travel and tickets from the days of transit vans heading to Wembley through to Easyjet and packages to away matches are well told. In earlier times the challenges didn’t exist as Scotland’s first 143 internationals were against other British Isles teams. The first official “foreign” opposition was in 1929 in Norway, a match won 7-3 in front of 4,000.

A fascinating, intelligent and pleasing book, full of interest for collectors of all sorts, and for football supporters Scottish or not.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Trailing Clouds Of Glory

Nick Burnell

Y Lolfa  2019  £9.99

Paperback 240pp

 

The Euros of 2016 are the peak of Welsh international progress. A semi-final place was undoubtedly an achievement that was rightly lauded and one that drew comparison with previous forays towards the sharp ends of tournaments. The widespread impression given by the media was that there was just one: the World Cup of 1958 when Wales lost 1-0 to Brazil in the quarter finals. Consistently overlooked, however, were, as the subtitle of this book notes, “Welsh football’s forgotten heroes of 1976”.  For four consecutive Home Championships, Wales had finished holding the wooden spoon amongst the British nations, yet reached the last eight of the European Championships, rekindling a passion for the round ball  game at a time of Welsh rugby greatness.

 

Why was this seemingly forgotten by the commentators in 2016? Nick Burnell, in this excellent story of the 1976 squad, suggests that the main reason was that it was only the last four teams that took part in a competition in one location (Yugoslavia).  The tournament until then comprised of group qualifying matches, with the winner of each group going into a knockout quarter final.  Before the fragmentation of the Soviet bloc states there were, of course, less nations but some were able to draw on much greater numbers of players than presently. The competitive edge was definitely there as England found out by finishing second in their group to Czechoslovakia and so eliminated. Scotland were third in their group, and N Ireland second in theirs.

 

Wales topped their group impressively, winning five and drawing one of matches against Austria, Hungary and Luxembourg. The last eight match with Yugoslavia will be remembered for a contentious second leg at Ninian Park. Two goals down it was always going to be a tough task and not made easier by decisions from East German ref Rudi Glockner. Apparently miffed by not being met at the airport and the absence of his nation’s flag at the match, Glockner  left his mark with controversial decisions that probably contributed not only to the exit of Wales but to crowd trouble that resulted in international sanctions.

 

The unanswered question before reading this book is “How did Wales turn themselves from perennial no hopers to this status?”. The author skilfully draws together media comment from the time, interviews and quotes from the players, and his own insight. An analysis of the FA of Wales, the regional rivalry in the principality, and the blending together of players from all four Divisions by surprise manager Mike Smith, builds a compelling story that ensures credit is given to this period in the nation’s football.

 

Smith had never played professional football, was a former PE teacher, and an Englishman who became Director of Coaching for the FAW in 1968. Dave Bowen was part-time manager and he and Smith were favourites for a new full-time position. Bowen was offered the job but turned it down because he wasn’t the unanimous choice.  The appointment of Smith began a quiet revolution in the style of the national team as well as the introduction and development of several new players. It became the era of Terry Yorath, Leighton James, John Mahoney, Arfon Griffiths, Dai Davies, Brian Flynn, and John Toshack.  And with it was a spirit that had previously been associated with the Welsh rugby squad, a competitiveness and team strength that epitomised “hwyl”.

 

A story that’s well told, well researched and a proper acknowledgement of the success of Wales 1976.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

England’s Greatest Defender

Alfie Potts Harmer

RedDoor  2019

Paperback 291pp  £12.99

 

Stanley Matthews regarded Neil Franklin as the “greatest centre half” yet Franklin will probably never be mentioned as much as Billy Wright when talking about English defenders of the 1940s and 50s. Yet Franklin was a superstar of his time, set a record for consecutive England appearances, and was transferred for a world record fee for a defender. He was also at the centre of an international move that sent shockwaves through the game.

Born and brought up in the Potteries it was almost inevitable that he signed for Stoke City as a youngster and made his debut for the Reserves as a 16-year-old in 1938. Obviously, the war disrupted his early career but, in the RAF, he played for six professional clubs due to his postings and progressed so well that he was selected for an FA XI in 1944. Lining up with players such as Len Shackleton, Stan Mortensen and George Hardwick was a clear pointer of his undoubted talent at just 22. A call up for England followed, the first of 12 wartime and victory internationals – though none were rewarded with caps.

Franklin had established himself as a classy defender and, unusually for the time, a ball playing one too. Comparisons with Bobby Moore are regarded as yardstick of style although the latter was to emerge with, understandably, much greater recognition in English football history. There were tensions in the Stoke camp however, and transfer requests were denied to Neil. At a time when the maximum wage was £12 and players’ registrations could be held indefinitely by clubs, frustration built and 27 consecutive England appearances between 1946 and 1950 had attracted interest from many sources. The most notable, and the one that Franklin will forever be identified with, was from Colombia. Money was awash at some of their clubs as they tried to compete with other South American countries, and it proved an overwhelming attraction for Neil and other British players.

In 1950 he (and another Stoke player, George Mountford) flew there and signed for Independiente Santa Fe. At the time Colombia was not a member of FIFA and so there were no restrictions on playing for one of its teams. The country was, however, far from stable and, in effect, there was a civil war underway. It turned out to be a move that Franklin and his pregnant wife soon realised was not to their liking. Whilst the press at home raged about the “Bogota Bandits” that had gone to Colombia (Charlie Mitten of Manchester United was another), Neil played jut six matches for his new club before bringing his family back to England.

He expected some punishment and was handed a four-month ban (reduced from an initial sine die). Stoke still held his registration but, immediately his ban ended, Franklin was transferred in January 1951 to Hull City for a record defender fee of £22,500. Although in Division 2, Hull had big ambitions with Raich Carter as player-manager. Franklin’s signing put thousands on the gate but his time there was a frustrating one. Overlooked by England a time when their invincibility was shattered by the Hungarians, he began to get injuries, Carter was sacked, and Hull never got promoted.

He left in 1956, joining Crewe and then Stockport where he began coaching and moved into non-league management and pub ownership. It was almost a caricatured career end for an ex-pro, but Franklin’s career was far from the mundane. Film coverage of his playing days is rare but the esteem in which he was held by other internationals is a reliable indicator of his class and position in football’s greats. Overlooked now but, for many he was certainly “England’s greatest defender”.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

The A-Z of Weird & Wonderful Football Shirts

Richard Johnson

Conker Editions, 2020

Paperback, 206pp, £15

 

Those of us who primarily collect programmes or other printed memorabilia are often challenged by issues of storage. The boxes and shelves that accumulate in lofts, bedrooms and studies can take over the very space that we seek to live or work in. That’s before the issues of complaints from partners.  Admiration then for those who pursue the collectables that are football shirts. Wardrobes full, suitcases bursting, and with an ever-increasing frequency in the issue of new strips, the logistics must be a struggle. I’ve got a few myself but, as this book wonderfully illustrates the potential for growth both in terms of the number of collectors and what is to be collected, is immense.

We are all used to clubs producing two, maybe three, new shirts each season. It seems only recently that home and away strips were alternate years but that’s gone by the wayside as clubs and manufacturers have their eyes on the financial prize of replica sales. Add in special commemorative shirts ( e.g. anniversaries, cup matches, overseas tours) and there’s been an explosion that has driven the creation of ever more unique designs, some tweaks on existing ones, others with a keen eye on the outlandish or fashionable. Drawn together here is a fascinating gamut of shirts from the 1980s to the present, some classics, others one-offs, and many that could make you open-mouthed with either admiration or despair.

 This is a world-wide collection of examples. It seems that nowhere is without a claim to having produced a notable piece of kit. Neither has any aspect of modern life apparently been overlooked from design. So, we have, naturally, alcohol, gambling and food well represented, not only in terms of sponsors logos but as the main element of the shirt. La Hoya Lorca of the Spanish third tier set a few balls rolling in 2013 with their shirt completely emblazoned with broccoli florets and have been followed by many others. CD Pinzon have been adorned with strawberries whilst Bedale United of the North Riding League (sponsored by Heck Sausages) currently are dressed as hot dogs. Argentinians Ferro de General Pico decided to pay homage to TV with its Homer Simpson shirt in 2018, and Mexican Xolos de Tijuana, in the season just gone, were utterly Star Wars based.

Events and celebrations are great opportunities to produce something special. Unsurprisingly 1860 Munich bring out Oktoberfest shirts, always related to the local tradition including, in 2015, shorts that replicated lederhosen. Australian Newcastle Jets have marked RAAF Day with an all-over print of fighter planes from the nearby base and Gamba Osaka showcased Expo 2017 on theirs. On a more sombre note, Dundee commemorated the Battle of Loos when eight of their players were killed in 1915 by a centenary shirt based on the Black Watch.

The author gives due tribute to “classic” designs too. Denmark’s shirt, by Hummel, from the 1986 World Cup has been imitated by Wrexham and Spall (as away kit in 1989), the German manufacturer Saller and the Spanish Meyba. The famous Dutch national shirt from the 1988 World Cup was apparently a standard Adidas design catalogued “Ipswich”, but the template was widely used by national associations (USSR and USA) and many club sides.

The book is an excellent production, that sheds light on club stories as well as shirts, and one that stimulates ideas for collectors. As with programmes there are many different themes that can be concentrated on and there’s little doubt that shirts will be a growth area in collecting for quite a while. Now, where’s my 89/90 Oldham shirt with Bovis as sponsors?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Bobby Robson – The Ultimate Patriot

Bob Harris

deCoubertin Books 2020

Hardback 354pp, £20

 

Books about Robson aren’t uncommon. There have been at least five previous biographies as well as two autobiographies and a “World Cup Diary”. Bob Harris, the author of this one, has been involved in a minimum of three of them. So the challenges for the publication of yet another have to be whether there is much more to say about Bobby, who passed away in 2009, or whether there is a new way of telling the story of one of the most respected men in European football.

There are no great claims that  the writer has new insights or material. That’s not surprising given the publishing history but there’s little doubt that Robson’s story is diligently told, from the archetypal “no money to spare” working class childhood background through an excellent playing career and on to being one of the most successful managers in European football.

 

Robson ended up as an iconic figure in football. The glorious failure of Italia’90, an outstanding record of success in Spain, Holland, and Portugal, early over achievement at Ipswich and the final chapter of homecoming to Newcastle, each contributed to that. He wasn’t always held in such esteem and the vitriol and abuse that he received, certainly during earlier days as England boss, hurt him. One of the recurring themes of the book is how elements of the press were apparently determined to undermine him. Ironically it is, of course, the relationship with journalist Bob Harris that produced this (and earlier) books. At times it seems as though some old animosities between Harris and former colleagues are in the background but that probably adds some piquancy to the stories.

 

Robson was, given the uncertainty of careers in football, a loyal man. There are several examples of where he operated without a contract or where a verbal agreement was good enough for him. It may not always have been wise as at Porto where the owner apparently denied he had given Robson the opportunity to leave if an English club came in for him. That denied him the opportunity to manage Arsenal with whom he had had very advanced talks. The London club weren't the only British club to have had contact with Robson over the years and, whilst loyal to any employer, he wasn’t averse to considering offers from Sunderland, Celtic, Everton (on several occasions) and, of course, Newcastle.

 

The Robson story is one that spreads across some of the great clubs and players of European football. His impact is still felt, whether through the achievements of his protege Jose Mourinho, the sense of pride in the England team of 1990, or the esteem in which he is held in many nations.  For those who have forgotten some of that story or for those who may not have been around at the time, then this is a worthwhile book. It’s entertaining, well documented and obviously written with affection. It may not be wholly objective  due to the strong relationship between author and subject, but still a good addition to the Bobby Robson library.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

The Farther Corner  

Harry Pearson

Simon & Schuster , 2020

Hardback, 330pp, £16.99

 

The coal mines and other heavy industry of the North East are part of the past yet their impact on landscape, society, and attitudes is still evident throughout the region. So it as well with football. Ignoring the “big three” of Newcastle Sunderland and Middlesbrough, the area is redolent with teams that were either major names in what was once amateur football, or key focal points of communities, and in many cases, both.

Up until 1974 clubs had to be identified as either amateur or professional and the FA Amateur Cup final was often played in front of capacity crowds at Wembley. Prominent in that competition were clubs such as Blyth Spartans, Bishop Auckland, Crook Town, Stockton, South Bank, and North Shields. The so-called first World Cup, the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy, was famously won by West Auckland in 1909 and 1911. The Northern League which many of these teams competed in was one of the most prestigious competitions in the country, its southern equivalent being the Isthmian League. What was once probably regarded as just outside the Football League in terms of quality is now on the ninth tier of the pyramid and the four figure crowds that were common are a thing of the past. Local football is , however, still vibrant and this book is a wonderful journey through the supporters, players, grounds and stories of many of the famous and not-so-famous clubs of the North East.

Subtitled “a sentimental return”, the book reeks of affection and is a wry journal of 23 matches in the 2018-19 season.

The characters on and off the pitch will resonate with ground-hoppers and followers of lower league football everywhere even if you tend to read the quotes in a Geordie/Teesside/Wearside accent. There’s the spectator (sitting alone) at the Ryton & Crawbrook Albion v Washington game who gave a running commentary to himself, or the old chap at Dunston v Irlam with forecast at every opposition free kick “if this goes in it’s curtains” even though they were 0-3 down. Match officials are the butt of a stream of antique jokes and insults , “if you’re not sure ref ask your guide dog” and players’ masculinity is either revered or questioned . There’s no doubt that the hard labour of work in former years  meant that physicality was appreciated on the pitch and that is still the case. South Bank FC were founded in 1868, originating in a part of Middlesbrough so tough that former Boro and N Ireland winger Terry Cochrane thought that if a man had two ears he was called a cissy.

Every chapter of Harry Pearson’s book has a story that will bring a smile of recognition to those who have watched this level of the game. Even more so if you can look with nostalgia at the histories of teams and towns that have fallen on harder times but which still generate a pride and passion in those who know them It’s a great read, funny, informative and so relevant when the billionaire clubs are mooting Super Leagues and the like. It’s an excellent reality check.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

1312: Among The Ultras

James Montague

Ebury Press  2020  

Hardback 378pp £20

 

Who or what are ultras? Supporters, political activists, welfare workers, criminals, businessmen, and philanthropists are all terms that could be applied to various manifestations of these groups aligned with football across the globe. The misconception that ultras are merely flamboyant and extreme bands of terrace hooligans, mainly operating in a handful of countries is laid bare in this encompassing and riveting journey through their culture and participants.

The choreography and spectacle on the terraces or in the stands are, it is true, something that most ultra groups pride themselves on. And there are other significant similarities and histories that ultras from Argentina to Indonesia share.  Some emanate from mimicry but others from a cross-fertilization from visits to each other. There is not only a common origin but a unifying anti-authority set of beliefs that go some way to explain the “1312” title of the book.  The numbers correspond to letters of the alphabet, ACAB which in turn stand for “All Coppers Are xxxxxxxs”. It would be wrong to think that ultras were utterly negative and James Montgomery illustrates that many of the groups could be seen as leading, or at least participating in, movements that want more fan control of clubs, democracy in political systems, and a recognition that football clubs are not the preserve of wealth, often transient, owners.

The ultra movement is well removed from British hooliganism of earlier years or from most of the fan culture that is in this country presently. Our supporters’ groups do not wield the same influence within local communities, are usually disregarded by politicians, and extravagant displays inside or outside stadia are nowhere near as common as overseas. It was in the 1920s in Argentina that “barras bravas” , the first ultras, passionate and organised groups, emerged, creating a South American atmosphere that eventually spread to other Latin countries and across Europe and Asia. The 1950 World Cup in Brazil created a global spotlight and eventually TV and then the internet gave an even bigger boost to the idea and practice.

The author has produced something that is not an external observational study. Embedded amongst ultra groups, and with some unnerving encounters as he seeks to meet leading individuals, he demonstrates a real understanding of specific scenarios and environments as well as a keen eye for detail. The distinctive emblems, rituals, chants and songs are part of the narrative, the traditions of clubs seemingly accurately noted, and particular matches described precisely.

This book can be challenging to absorb. The alliances and rivalries, the allegiances and oppositions to political factions or credos, can be complex to take in. An excellent example is the former Yugoslavia.Its breakup has left confusion, considerable bitterness, and a complex set of relationships. Put that on top of pre-existing football antagonisms between clubs, then describing the supporter scene takes all the talent and analysis of the author. Little wonder that Croatia, Serbia, Kosovo, and Macedonia , and the influence that ultras have on politics as well as sport, take up many pages of riveting description. So Hajduk Split, and their “Torcida” ultras, shifted their main rivalry from Red Star Belgrade (now in Serbia) to Croatian Dinamo Zagreb and their “Bad Blue Boys”.  There are certainly sections of the book where close attention is needed!

A fascinating and authoritative book, told with insight and from a perspective that marries a real understanding of football, its fans, and the wider context in which they exist.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Snapshot

Daniel Gray & Alan McCredie

Nutmeg 2020

Softback 200pp £14.99

 

The Scottish periodical Nutmeg is highly regarded for its coverage of the game north of the border. Encompassing every facet, whether in parks football or the goings on at Ibrox and Parkhead, it brings opinion, investigation, and celebration of what’s happening, has happened, or should happen. Little wonder that this book reflects all this, and is replete with, as it claims, “scenes and stories from the heartlands of Scottish football”.

 

If there is one word that does reflect its essence it is “heartlands”. Not in a geographical sense but in the manner in which football is regarded in communities across the nation. It matters not whether it’s the programme seller, kit washer, supporter, raffle organiser, or player, each holds the game close to them, a key part of their lives. Written as Covid was taking its toll with cancellation and suspension, there is a telling phrase near the end : “missing football is an important, valid emotion”.  The hold that it has on most of us is amply described, both directly and also in the narrative of events, locations, and themes. With super photographs the book could stand alone on these. However, they are  surrounded by excellent and insightful prose. It’s difficult to say which is dominant, they complement each other so well.

 

Each chapter has a unique focus. The book starts, as does the season , with the first day , its preparation, the anticipation , the hope. Opening up the turnstiles at Cowdenbeath, Alloa, Hearts, and Dunfermline , beginning the process where “the week will have an anchor”. across the season the words and pictures take the reader to both Lowland and Highland Leagues, grounds that are no longer used, the special nights of floodlit games, park football, away matches, the joy of visiting a new ground, and the special atmosphere of social clubs.  There is a paean to the demise of the Meadowbank stadium, where a pitch used to have the impressions made by shot putters when it hosted athletics and was the home to Edinburgh City, as well as the eponymous Meadowbank Thistle. Ultimately the season did, of course, come to an end. Covid brought the “Silent Saturday”. Whilst matches have restarted , the game, with its culture, eccentricity, and community passion is still on pause.

 

I am sorry to say that I have seen only one match in Scotland (Queen of the South v St Johnstone, 1978). This book makes me want to rectify that, whether at Arthurlie Juniors or Easter Road. It is a powerful, enjoyable, and fascinating mix of words and pictures. The latter could make it into what’s called a coffee-table book. The former transform it into a coffee-table book with soul.

 

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Matt featured this topic
  • 1 month later...

When The Seagulls Follow The Trawler: Football in the 90s

Tom Whitworth

Pitch Publishing 2021

Softback  256pp £12.99

 

 

The quote that’s used as the title, pseudo intellectualism at its best, is, of course, from Eric Cantona. One of the core elements of the 1990s Manchester United and someone who will always be used as an exemplar of the changing face of much of football in that decade. More cosmopolitan outlooks and personnel, exponential growth of media coverage and influence, each amended the character and operation of the game.

 

Football at the beginning of the 90s was, like much of British society, still in a slough of despond. Crumbling grounds, fan trouble, lessening influence on the world stage, and dated employment practices and prospects. What was it that stimulated that movement from football not being talked about in polite company to “footie” being a must have part of political and showbiz lives and England being on the way to having one of the most attractive leagues in the world?

 

The sound of Nessun Dorma accompanied a rekindling of affection for the national team. (My apologies to the three other home nations: this book disregards anything that didn’t involve English football.)  Italia ’90 was a glorious “nearly” moment. Gazza, Gary L, and Bobby Robson put pride back in the shirt and, six years later, the three lions on its front so nearly surpassed that tournament in Euro ’96. At the top, then, there was revitalisation of interest whilst, in tandem, Sky TV showed itself to be a colossal force and money and exposure came in at club level.  

 

Both made what became the Premier League attractive to players, coaches, and investors from around the globe. Cantona, Bergkamp, Kanchelskis and Klinsmann may have been the stars but club after club trawled overseas to bolster the native talent pool. The Bosman ruling in 1995 intensified this trend and wages climbed so that the lifestyles of footballers were on a par with music and film stars when it came to glamour and gossip. Arsene Wenger took the reins at Arsenal, Venglos at Aston Villa and Gullitt at Chelsea as new ideas came in continuing the change of style.  

 

Off the pitch the Thatcher years were over and New Labour was born. Even before Tony Blair’s landslide 1997 victory there was a demand for a different society, more youth oriented and photogenic young athletes like Beckham became pin-ups and pundits on style, fashion, and music.  

 

Within all this there were stand-alone stories and it’s these that the author chooses to focus on.  The dominance of Manchester United, the soap opera of Newcastle, Merseyside slipping from ascendancy, and the building of new, seated stadia are all major components. In that, there’s nothing really new in the book, but it’s well told, using some informed local supporter insights and is a useful reminder that 30 years ago football changed. For the better? Well, that’s unanswered and would need a parallel work on the game lower down the leagues an outside England.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Pioneers

John Norman

Softback 2021

218pp £12.99

 

 

For those that don’t know, Workington is a relatively small town on the coast of Cumberland.  Once you get to the Lake District, head west. For many years it was probably one of the most difficult journeys for most clubs in the Football League. No matter how many miles as the crow flies, it was a challenge. Sadly, Workington Town, founded in 1921,  were ejected from Div 4 in 1977.  However this book takes us even further back in the history of football in the town. It is, as it claims, “the amazing story of the original Workington AFC, 1884-1911”. Like its successor, this early club’s narrative was influenced by geography too.

 

In the early 1880s the main organised recreations in Cumberland was  rugby , with  otter, rabbit  and fox hunting also unfortunately popular. The growth of “Association” was faster elsewhere in the country , but the location of Workington, on the coast, enabled the first steps in catching up to be made. Relocation in 1882 of an iron and steel works from Dronfield in North Derbyshire took place, the product of steel rails easier to ship from the new site, and hundreds of workers came with the factory,bringing a background of the growing football scene in Sheffield and area.  In 1884 the first mention of a Workington team is heard of .  

 

Whilst a Cumberland FA was in existence, it was primarily for administering rugby football but in 1885 announced that it had seven affiliated clubs playing”association”. Competition in the early days was mainly friendlies but Workington and four other clubs entered the first County Cup in 1886 with the “Reds” , as they were known losing , on appeal, to Carlisle. Appeals about goals, eligibility of players, pitches, and the weather were a common theme in early Cumberland football, Workington on both sides of decisions. Growth did, however, continue with the Reds becoming  a preeminent force and stimulating expansion of the game. The first Cumberland league was set up in 1890, providing a cup & league double for Workington, and in 1894 there were sufficient clubs in the town itself to set up a “Workington Championship” competition, all players having to live in the community.

 

The county scene was undoubtedly one of expansion in the number of clubs and spectators. Crowds of several thousand turned out for important matches and teams such as Frizington White Star (not to be confused with Rovers or United from the same village) , Cockermouth Crusaders, Whitehaven Rangers, and Shaddongate United (later to become Carlisle United) , were regulars on the fixture list. In 1894 Workington had 47 registered players o their books. The Reds wanted to perform on  on a bigger stage however. Forays into the FA Cup had met with very limited success, even in the North-west Qualifying Rounds some matches were never played as opponents felt unable to make the long train journey  or, as in the case of Clitheroe in 1896, missed a train connection and decided to go home. However, in 1901 a new horizon presented itself.

 

The Lancashire League needed new clubs and six new ones were added, the only one from outside the county boundaries being Workington. Their inclusion was not welcomed by others, even from north Lancashire it could be a slow and tortuous journey but the Reds agreed to pay travelling expenses for all visitors. That, of course, put a strain on finances, something that was eventually to come home to roost. The Lancs League folded but in 1905 Workington were accepted into the expanded Lancashire Combination, again with the proviso of paying travel costs . at a time when unemployment was rising ,the challenge of having to draw big crowds at home to meet this expense was a concern. A decision to enter a Reserves team into the North-Eastern League in 1906 with yet again an obligation to cover visitors’ costs seemed to be assisted by promotion to the Lancs Combination First Division and consequent attractive home games against reserve teams from Football League clubs. After just four years Workington were, it seems, expelled from the Combination after complaints from other clubs about having to travel outside of Lancashire.

 

Money problems grew, players left, and crowds dwindled. The club’ s last match was against Hartlepools United on 29 April 1911 and , in June, liquidation was announced.  The pioneers of football in the town had finally been defeated and it was another ten years before a new Workington AFC was created. The story is told with clarity, a good historical eye, and with a praiseworthy attention to detail. It’s about Workington but it’s also about early football generally and is a good read for both reasons.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Flat Caps & Tangerine Scarves

Roy Calley

Conker Publishing,  2021

Softback 186pp £15

 

For the vast majority, tangerine in football equates to Blackpool, at least in England. Even in the times of black & white tv, it was the colour of Matthews, Armfield, and Mortensen. Yet, in what is titled a “biography” of the club, we learn that it wasn’t until the mid-1930s that it was adopted as the club shirt, changing from dark and light blue stripes. The bright, almost brash, hue of tangerine now seems appropriate for the town and its team.

Equally appropriate, given the great rides on the seafront, is describing the club’s story as being a “rollercoaster”, especially in recent years. The author, a chronicler of the club for many years, hasn’t produced a traditional history but rather an overview of themes that, together, paint a narrative encompassing the highs and lows, the good, bad, and downright ugly  of Blackpool F.C..Whilst the emphasis is on the post-war years, and after all no Blackpool book could omit the 1953 Cup Final, there’s a good introduction to the very early times and, naturally, the not-so-distant past with the Oystons.

In grouping stories and commentary along the lines of “Managers”, “players”, Successes”, “Failures” and “Supporters”, there’s opportunity to escape the shackles of chronology and pull together an account of the life of the club rather than just the stepping stones along the way. Inevitably this can’t make it comprehensive, but the main characters and events are well covered and in a very readable manner. Roy Calley has the ability to observe from the perspective of supporters, recognising that even then there are many differing views about managers or players. For some Ian Holloway was hailed as a saviour, achieving Premier League status, for others a tool of the Oystons. Was Alan Ball one of the greatest players to grace Bloomfield Road, or was Charlie Adam even better? Such are the types of conversations that take place at every club, but Calley has the knack of presenting them in a fresh and informative way.

What united most supporters was the ownership of the club by Karl Oyston. The birth ad growth of the Blackpool Supporters Trust, its powerful and intelligent campaigns, its organisation of legal and financial pressure eventually, in 2019, “freed” the club and fans returned. Ironically, only a year afterwards, Covid shut football down again and the club’s momentum stalled. There are no predictions for the future but there seems to be a sense of relief and hope.

As a book it is entertaining and isn’t written from a particular standpoint. It has no axes to grind and yet allows the heartfelt opinions of supporters to come through. A superbly well-illustrated publication and one that would appeal to many outside the Las Vegas of the North.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

All Crazee Now

David Tossell

Pitch Publishing , 2021

Hardback 512pp £19.99

 

If you can’t remember football in the 1970s, it’s probably that there’s too much to remember. This book is like dipping into a treasure chest of matches, men, (very few women except in walk on roles as girlfriends and wives), media, and the changing place of the game in everyday thought, politics, and society. It’s a page-turner, especially if you like the background and context of some of the headline actions of the decade or want to know their impact, and a thoroughly good read about all that it covers.

 

Whilst it probably helps if you were there at the time, much of the content revolves around people and events that even more recent fans will have some inkling of. So, the rise of Leeds, the flamboyance of Chelsea, footballers as style icons of a new more exhibitionist world, hooliganism’s spread, and the growth to massive proportions in the media coverage of the game will all be familiar to most. Given that some of that which is chronicled is 50 years old, it’s probably a good time to remember and review. Whilst it would have been easy to do that in a simple chronological manner, the author steers clear of this and embraces a topic-centred approach, entertainingly illustrated with both contemporary and recent evidence and perspectives.

 

If there is one argument that is left with the reader, it’s that much of today’s game is rooted in the 70s. In some areas there have been great steps forward but in others the challenges still exist albeit in a different form. So, black footballers began to play more frequently, encountering open racism. In 2021 BAME players make up a significant part of club and national teams, so massive progress, but racism still permeates elements of football. “Trial” by media, of referees and players, took off with the expansion of BBC and ITV coverage, and can it be argued that it is more objective than then?

 

What the book does with great success is to set what’s happening in football against a backdrop of societal and economic change. Deference, conservatism, and “knowing one’s place” were battered by a significant youth culture, in music, fashion and aspirations, but also by a rebellion by those much older. The big industrial struggles that led to the fall of the Heath government were not led by youngsters but helped shake the foundations of the establishment – which included football club owners and the governing powers. Joining what was then the Common Market went parallel with increasing participation in European matches, whilst colour tv showcased the talents and excitement of Brazil or Argentina.

 

By the end of the 70s individualism was extolled on the pitch, increasingly during the period. Best had been a great catalyst in the late 60s and then Hudson, Osgood, Marsh, Marinello, and Wilkins all, for some of the time, took the baton on with every club up and down the land having some local pin-up who represented the new later, flares and sideburns. A forebear of a new society or a reflection of it? In 1979 Margaret Thatcher took power and the 1980s were when individualism was extolled as beneficial for society and economy.  That’s for a different book so enjoy this, both a celebration and a critique of the crazee 70s, and English football and footballers. Entertainingly written, excellently researched, it’s one that definitely deserves a place on the shelf.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

 

 

This review was written, as all of mine are, for publication in "Programme Monthly and Football Collectable" magazine. It's for a wider audience than just Latics supporters and if , as one of those, you think I have got the emphasis wrong then I do understand !  But they were great times whatever anyone's personal memories are.

 

 

This Is How It Feels

Mike Keegan

Reach 2021

Hardback 320pp £16.99

 

 

Full disclosure from the start. I am an Oldham supporter and lived through the joyous years that Mike Keegan writes about. And that’s the word that sums up the feeling any Latics fan would have ad for those giddy years spanning the late 80s and early 90s joy. Hopefully some of that emotion was shared by those following other “less fashionable “clubs or that reading about it now can convey an element of how fantasy can still, hopefully, become reality.

The bare facts are that Oldham between 1989 and 1991, played 117 competitive matches, reached an FA Cup semi-final, a League Cup final, and finished eighth and then top of old Div. 2. In doing so the club played at Wembley for the first time (and were only extra-time in the FA Cup semi away from doing so twice in a season) and got back to the topflight for the first time since 1923. Yet it was so much more than that.  Joe Royle’s pack of rejects and bargains became achievers, and with a style, swagger and self-belief that grabbed the nation’s attention. With relatively little live tv football, the highlights of Oldham matches were seemingly constantly broadcast. And, as said, there were lots of matches. Cup replays, and second replays, as well as two-leg ties, saw the League Champions, the League Leaders, plus a covey of other Div. 1 teams, humbled both on the pitch and on the screen.  The pitch? Well, it was famous as being plastic and some teams were openly intimidated by that. However, it must be pointed out that whilst Latics only lost once at home in 1990/1, when becoming Div. 2 Champions, only one team lost fewer matches away from home. The chant of “We can play on grass as well” often resonated from Oldham support at away grounds.

The energy of the players plus Royle’s bold tactics made them a great watch for both Oldhamer and neutral. Bunn (six goals in a League Cup match) and Ritchie were probably one of the most potent strike forces in the country, Marshall, Milligan, Adams Henry, Holden, became household names, whilst local lad Andy Barlow left his favourite meal (meat pudding on a muffin) behind to get a call up into England B. Reputation or pedigree seemed to count for nothing and Royle baffled and outfoxed with formations that had five up front. Joe Royle?  He arrived at Boundary Park on a lorry after his car broke down on the way to his manager’s interview, got the job, and wheeled and dealed his way to become the engineer of what the author calls “an English football miracle”. A master of spotting value (and always telling the Chairman, “We can make a profit on him”), knowing when to turn a blind eye, and there are quite a few tales of activities that wouldn’t escape the notice of social media today, and how to inspire, he became one of the totemic managers of the 90s.

Oldham weren’t a failing club when he arrived in 1982, but were still “little” Oldham, a friendly Lancashire outfit with one of the coldest grounds in the country. A warm welcome, hot pies, and a steady Div. 2 presence since 1974. No glimmer of anything better in his early days, and it’s a reasonable question as to whether he’d have survived nowadays, but in 1987 he got them to the very first play-offs. Tweaking the team, bringing in new blood, and, in 1989, the “pinch me “season began. A supporter had come up to Royle amid the new success and said “Pinch me, Joe” in his belief it was all a dream.

Promotion (and winning the championship of Div. 2 was as dramatic as everything else, a last-minute penalty ensuring a 3-2 victory after being 2-0 down), founder members of the Premier League, and another FA Cup semi-final. The good times eventually ended, and the club is in dire straits right now, but, as Mike Keegan so accurately describes, at that time the sense of joy and wonder were truly “ This is how it feels”.

 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
On 9/10/2021 at 8:09 AM, Matt said:

@LaticsPete Thought you might like to see this feedback if you haven't already, well done mate.

 

Screenshot 2021-09-10 080624.png

 

Thanks Matt, nice to get feedback (especially when positive!) . I must admit that, since I started doing this for Programme Monthly I've learned a good deal about football. Lots of books I wouldn't have picked up , most of which have been good in one or more ways.

All the best.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pioneer

Gordon Jago & Wayne Barton

Pitch Publishing, 2021

Hardback, 318pp, £19.99

 

 I have to admit on receiving this book my reaction was  “Gordon Jago, whatever happened to him?”.

My recall was that he’d been quite a successful manager, albeit with southern clubs so without the local impact to make him very familiar to me. He seemed to be someone whose playing roots were there and he travelled the circuit of London clubs, always being spoken of with respect but maybe not regarded as “good copy” for the media.

In some ways this book reflects his personality and style. It starts in a standard way, early childhood in East London during the war, schoolboy football honours, signing for Charlton at 17 (not able to make the trials day at Tottenham because of a bus strike) , National Service, and getting married. He describes himself as “a good, honest professional” and talks about how he was constantly trying to learn from other players and coaches. He would be regarded now as “old school” , being appalled at the swearing of an assistant manager, and somewhat a stickler for process and good administration: upon hearing he was to be fired from one job his first action was to see the Club Secretary and make sure the records were in order for his end-of-year tax return.. 

Regardless, he developed talents and personalities like Rodney Marsh and Stan Bowles, getting QPR to a point of the League Championship, after getting them promoted, took Millwall up from the third to the second division, and was a massive influence on football in the USA. It’s probably this latter role that has defined both him and his impact on football history of the last 50 years. At a time when US “soccer” was generally disdained over here, Jago was influential in creating at least two waves of development that have led to the MSL and the USA as a decent team at international level.

His first foray was as head coach of the Baltimore Bays in the then NASL in the late 60s before that league git into financial problems but he took on board lots of expertise in how traditional American sports marketed and organised themselves. Almost ten years later, after being sacked by millwall, he was offered the job of coach ti the Tampa Bay Rowdies an had four years of success, including an indoor final appearance. It was in this form of the game that his career then flourished again, coaching and becoming President of the Dallas Sidekicks.  In 1998 he stopped coaching and then really focused on youth football in the USA., developing tournaments and consulting on its progress.

There’s no getting away from the importance this has for him, there’s even a chapter on how he would sort out US youth soccer now, which he believes is in a mess, and another on how it the USA are suffering internationally because of this.

Jago is probably more revered across the Atlantic than here and, at 89 years of age, it’s a good time for him to write his story, reminding us of the status he had over here, how he was considered for the England job, and how this reserved Englishman helped the establishment of the great game in brash USA.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Goal Along With The Cherries

Neil Vacher

AFC Bournemouth 2021

Softback 252pp  £15

 

Back in 1971, when Boscombe and Athletic were still parts of the club’s name, and it played at Dean Court, Bournemouth started the long climb from Div. 4 – its first ever promotion in the Football League. Most of the club’s present-day supporters will have no memory of that season, and it wasn’t even one that brought silverware, runners-up slot securing a return to Div. 3. It could, therefore, be seen as a brave move to publish such a comprehensive and well-presented book as this, well into the Premier League period. 

 

With a design style that is similar to a scrapbook, there’s lots of scope for the generous inclusion of programme covers, tickets, and newspaper cuttings that will warm the heart of PM readers. That’s on top of a match report, line-ups and attendance figures. There’s the additional bonus of illustrations of football ephemera that isn’t Bournemouth centred. To take a random example, the double-page spread for the match at Darlington has the game report and associated details, the programme, a Darlington lapel badge, a picture of the Subbuteo Continental Club Edition box, a Bovril jar, cover of the International Football Book no 13, and two newspaper photos of Cherries’ players. Plus, there are “Soccer Shorts”, taking a quick look at that week’s European action and a report from the Bournemouth FA Jubilee Dinner. That’s replicated for 51 league and cup matches, a truly impressive piece of research and presentation from Neil Vacher, the club historian.

 

To add to the comprehensive nature of the book there are profiles not only of the players and managerial/coaching staff but also of the backroom team, from physio to pools promoter.  It’s worth recalling some of the characters who played a big part in the promotion season.  Manager John Bond started that phase of his football life at Dean Court in June 1970 and, along with Coach Ken Brown, the duo had success at Norwich and Manchester City. Their development of Ted McDougall into 49 goals a season player, alongside the signing of Phil Boyer, created one of the most lethal strike forces in the Football League. “Super Mac” went on to play for Scotland, had an unhappy time at Manchester United, but teamed up again with Bond and Boyer at Norwich to earn another promotion in 1974/5, this time from Div. 2, becoming top goal scorer in Div. 1 the following season.

 

Alongside the Cherries in the promoted top four were Notts County (Champions), Oldham Athletic, and York City. Ironically two of those are now non-league with Oldham hovering close, both the latter and Notts having enjoyed topflight status along the way. The vagaries of footballing existence are many and maybe this fine book isn’t just a celebration of Bournemouth’s success in 1971 but also of what the club has achieved in the fifty years since.

Edited by LaticsPete
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Collection: Leeds United

Robert Endeacott & Ben Hunt

Pitch Publishing 2021

Hardback 272pp £25

 

This is a lavishly illustrated documentation of the kits of Leeds United from the club’s origins but with especial emphasis from 1960. Given that, since then, Leeds have been associated with all-white, the variety of shirts is surprising, enhanced by the number of away kits that have been used.  The book, however, looks at earlier times, from the founding of the club in 1919, after the demise of Leeds City, and, although, actual shirts from those days do not exist, there is significant evidence of the light blue and white shirts that lasted until 1934. It was then that the nickname of “The Peacocks” began to be earned, blue and gold halved shirts being introduced, a colour combination that was to last for nearly thirty years.

The legend is that Don Revie decided to bring in the all-white strip to get the players to think in terms of Real Madrid. There is evidence of it being used as early as 1957, albeit with a blue & yellow trim, and as a change kit, and a suggestion it was first worn at Elland Road against Middlesbrough on 17th September 1960. In club programmes it was 1961/2 when the description became “all white” but the season after when the colours were first officially registered as the home strip.

It’s from this time, the mid-60s, that the major thrust and style of the book takes off.  For each incarnation of the shirt there’s a full-page photo, with one player who wore it highlighted and often with comments from him, plus a smaller photo of the back of the shirt. In 1980/1, for example, the Admiral home shirt is exemplified through Eddie Gray. By 1982, sponsors’ names were allowed (although not in televised matches) and so shirt designs may remain for two years, but the sponsor changed. Of course, the opposite would happen, “Top Man” was sponsor for 1989 through to 1991 but alterations in collar and trim meant two different shirts.

As well as designs, the book traces and explains the movement in manufacturers. At the very beginning it was probably Bukta, but by 1960 Umbro had become involved, and on the 1968 League Cup Final shirt their logo appears, although at the bottom where it would be hidden by shorts. The iconic Admiral shirt, replete with “Smiley” came in 1973, an association with that company that lasted until 1981, before returning in 1992. The merry-go-round of suppliers has continued apace since then; Asics, Puma, Nike, Macron, Kappa, and Adidas being introduced. Many away kits are featured too, along with goalkeeper shirts, tracksuits, and the “Leeds special”, sock tags.

For a Leeds fan, this is must-have book, but its interest must appeal to anyone interested in the history of club kits, from the colour to the fabric to the manufacturer. An excellently researched and put-together publication.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Programmes! Programmes!

Cliff Hague

Pitch Publishing 2021

Hardback 384pp £16.99

 

The eternal cry of the programme seller (I know, I was one) is fitting for this journey over 60 plus years. It’s a personal narrative, one that uses programmes as an aide memoire to matches seen, but also as illustrative of changes in the game, in society, and in the world. Like many of us, the author has a collection that not only follows a specific interest but has gathered items both randomly or with a purpose that seemed important at the time. In fact, it’s not just his collection but that of his son too, someone obviously brought up in the right manner.

Born in Manchester in the 1940s, the author’s Uncle Arthur convinced him that United was the better of the local clubs, and off he went to his first game in 1952. His first programme, however, was from a match he and his father were locked out of, United v Blackpool Boxing Day 1952, bought, he thinks, as a compensation for missing out. This was the start of a collection, albeit stuck in a scrapbook with Sellotape, before graduating to a shoebox under the bed, and accumulating through swaps, from adverts in “Football Monthly”, and writing to clubs asking for a copy. Many of us have been down a similar route, and that accounts for some of the “oddities” in our collections dating from years ago.

The personal story of university, employment, and holidays allows the author to perceptively describe not only the differences in programmes across the years but across nations too. His description of early Communist-era issues from central Europe, whether local league matches or their prestige clashes with Capitalist nation teams is done with recognition of the origin of many of the clubs there and the environment in which they operated.  So too were early MLS publications, large, sponsor advertising, and with an expectation that spectators might not know much about “soccer”.  DC United had a “buzz word” column in their programme: for the match against LA Galaxy in 1996 it was “nut-megged”, and against, New England Revolution, “magic sponge”.

The bulk of this entertaining book is a look at British programmes. The evolution from primarily local advertising, again an example of setting the game in the economy and society of the time, to national companies dominating the programme, is set against the move from football being described as a “slum sport watched by slum people” in the Sunday Times to the corporate, media domination that emerged in the late 80s and early 90s. Matchday magazines replete with ads from banks, IT companies, and property companies , replaced the “programme” with ads for the local Co-op and pubs. The FA Cup Final programme for 1999, between the Uniteds of Newcastle and Manchester, was for a match “brought” to us by AXA. In 1982 the match was played at “Wembley Stadium”, by 1990 it was described on the cover as “Wembley – Venue of Legends”, and the game was the “Cup Final”

rather than “Final Tie”. It is the football programme that is the historical document that evidences the explosion of branding and marketing that the game has undergone.

There are 63 programmes from a collection of 2000, that are given a highlighted status each with a photograph and separate description.  The combination creates a read that, whilst possibly not unveiling new truths, articulates with a warmth and understanding the fascination of programmes, and their reflection of football itself. One to get hold of.

 

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/14/2022 at 2:07 PM, LaticsPete said:

Programmes! Programmes!

Cliff Hague

Pitch Publishing 2021

Hardback 384pp £16.99

 

The eternal cry of the programme seller (I know, I was one) is fitting for this journey over 60 plus years. It’s a personal narrative, one that uses programmes as an aide memoire to matches seen, but also as illustrative of changes in the game, in society, and in the world. Like many of us, the author has a collection that not only....

 

 

 

I love books like this - I love the art. I enjoyed the Bob Stanley (of St. Etienne fame) book from 2006, I've still got it and browse it regularly.

 

412ylk3pUIL.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...