Football Nation, By Andrew Ward and John Williams
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A collection of mini-essays about aspects of British football, from 1946, when Derby won the FA Cup after the competition was suspended during the war years (quiz question: Who held the FA Cup for 7 years? Answer: Portsmouth, who won it in 1939), to an "A-Z of the New Professional Game", which reflects on how money has changed the game in the 21st century.
Part history, part sociology, the book takes in the Munich air disaster of 1958, the growth of women's football, the emergence of black players, the role of Jimmy Hill (the abolition of wage caps; all-seater stadiums), the Heysel disaster, and the formation of the Premier League.
Not all the essays are equally successful and it's not a book to read at a sitting. But it is ideal fodder for browsing. And whether you like football or not, there's no denying that its development tells us a great deal about British society in the past 65 years.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments