Football is big business. The top teams and leagues in world football generate billions of dollars in revenue and serve an audience of billions of fans. This book focuses on the marketing of football as the apex of the contemporary football industry. Drawing upon key theories and concepts in sport marketing, it highlights the critical strategic and operational elements that underpin effective marketing in football clubs around the world. From the English Premier League to Major League Soccer, this handbook addresses the most important developments in sponsorship, marketing communications, digital marketing strategies, customer relationship management and social media. Written by a team of leading football marketing experts, it presents the latest cutting-edge research in case studies from countries including the UK, USA, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, China and Japan. The only up-to-date book on football marketing written from a truly international perspective, the Routledge Handbook of Football Marketing is an invaluable resource for any researcher or advanced student with an interest in football marketing, as well as all marketers working in the professional football business.

WINNER OF THE NEW WRITER AWARD AT THE CROSS SPORTS BOOK AWARDS SHORTLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE, THE GORDON BURN PRIZE AND FOOTBALL BOOK OF THE YEAR AT THE CROSS SPORTS BOOK AWARDS FEATURED IN THE OBSERVER'S SPORTS WRITERS' BOOKS OF THE YEAR And the Sun Shines Now is a book about why Hillsborough happened, and how the flawed response to the disaster created a 'whole new ball game' but destroyed a culture. The Taylor Report. All-seater stadia. Police lies. Political neglect. Murdoch. The oligarchs. And an FA plan to gentrify football. But what happens when you take the people's game away from the people? What happens to the game, and what happens to the people? Powerful, funny, soulful and brutal, Adrian Tempany's acclaimed book exposes the real cost of the modern game . . . and the forces that shaped it.

'Football is a pleasure that hurts' This unashamedly emotional history of football is a homage to the romance and drama, spectacle and passion of a 'great pagan mass'. Through stories of superstition, heartbreak, tragedy, luck, heroes and villains, those who lived for football and those who died for it, Eduardo Galeano celebrates the glory of a game that - however much the rich and powerful try to control it - still retains its magic. 'The Uruguayan whose writing got right to the heart of football ... readers were never in doubt of the warmth of the blood running through his veins' Guardian 'Galeano can run rings round our glamorous football intelligentsia' When Saturday Comes 'Stands out like Pele on a field of second-stringers' New Yorker

Barry Fry is one of the most colourful characters in English football. Currently at Peterborough, his journeyman career has taken him to Old Trafford, where as a player he was one of the original Busby Babes, through to football management at Barnet, Southend and Birmingham, among other clubs. Wherever he goes, 'Bazza' has a knack of making the headlines. His days as a youth apprentice for Manchester United saw plenty of action on the pitch as he came under the tutelage of Matt Busby - but even more off it as he joined the likes of George Best on 'a binge of birds, booze and betting'. He quickly gained the reputation of 'the has-been that never was'. Playing stints at Luton, Bedford and Stevenage failed to inspire a reckless Fry, and it wasn't long before injury forced him to hang up his boots. His first managerial role was at Dunstable, where Fry recalls with sharp humour how the chairman had suitcases full of currency in his office with hitmen protecting them. He followed this with spells at Maidstone and Barnet, - where he joined forces with the notorious Stan Flashman and proved his pedigree by gaining the club promotion into the League - and Southend, where he was responsible for bringing on a young Stan Collymore. It wasn't long before he was poached by Birmingham under owner and ex-pornographer David Sullevan and his glamorous sidekick, Karren Brady - about whom stories in the book will 'blow people's minds'. Whether it's tax evasion, fraud, transfer bribes or chicanery in the dressing room, Barry Fry has experienced it all as a player, manager and now club owner. He is ready to tell everything in his autobiography - 'Enough to make your eyes water'.

‘The game isn’t what it seems from the outside. The game isn’t quite what I was expecting. The game doesn’t always work like the people on television think it does. The game is better, worse and stranger than you can imagine, and that is coming from someone who saw it all with their own eyes.’ Ever wondered what really goes on inside a Premier League dressing room, what it’s like to train under Roy Hodgson, Roberto Mancini and Fabio Capello – and what happens when you kick a sandwich at one of them? When it comes to football, former Manchester City and England star Micah Richards has seen it all – and laughed about most of it. In The Game, Micah shares his funniest and frankest stories from on and off the pitch, be it arriving at his first England training session with two left boots, attempting to supervise the infamous Mario Balotelli or winding up Roy Keane on Super Sunday. From how he spent his first Premier League paycheque and how he prepared – financially and mentally – for the day they stopped coming, to the euphoria of lifting the Premier League trophy and the physical and emotional impact of injury, Micah reflects openly on the many wins and losses in professional football. Full of Micah’s signature cheeky wit, this intimate, unmissable memoir goes behind the scenes of the beautiful game and a remarkable life and career.

The ten most momentous days in the history of Scottish football, by ten of Scotland's best historians and journalists. several of whom are award winners.

"The Legends of Aston Villa" will delight all true supporters of the club and many followers of the game in general. Stories of many Villa players are covered in detail in this book, which is illustrated with some high-quality photographs. Aston Villa, founded in 1874 and one of the great clubs in world football, were giants in the game long before the introduction of League football in 1888. Throughout their history, the name of Aston Villa has never been far away from the honours, and over the years some brilliant players have worn the famous claret-and-blue strip, many helping them win the Football League title, the FA Cup, the League Cup, the coveted European Cup and the European Super Cup as well as a handful of other competitions. Now the team is playing with the elite in the Premiership, where they have been since its introduction in 1992, and one feels there could be a few more prizes to be won in the very near future. Around 1,000 players have represented the club at various levels since 1874, but only 100 have been chosen after great deliberation, and their Villa stories are covered in detail in this book, which is illustrated with some high-quality photographs. "The Legends of Aston Villa" is an important addition to the bookshelves of anyone with an interest in this proud club and is sure to appeal to Villa supporters of all ages.

A bestseller in both the UK and the USA on its first publication, this book was the first fully authorised life of world's greatest living footballer. With exclusive access to Pele, award-winning sports writer Harry Harris charts his meteoric rise from humble beginnings in Brazil to his first international at the age of sixteen. Superb athleticism, speed of thought and execution, and astonishing ball control helped him become the only player to have appeared in three World Cup-winning sides, and to have scored more than 1,200 goals in his senior career, a feat that is now unlikely ever to be equalled, let alone surpassed. Pele remains the best footballer of all time, despite the extraordinary exploits of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar, and legends such as Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff. Now revised and updated to bring the story completely up to date, this is a tribute to a world-class sporting hero, a great sportsman and, to this day, an inspiration to millions.

Working Class Heroes is much more than the story of a football club. This is the tale of a working-class neighbourhood, its people's relationship with both their team and the outside world, and how they co-exist. Founded in 1924, Rayo Vallecano recently achieved their highest ever position in the Spanish football league, though shortly after this feat they were brought back down to earth with relegation to the second tier of Spanish football - an outcome wholly in keeping with the historical ups and downs of the club. Madrid is a city overwhelmed by the existence of Real Madrid, though out in Vallecas, just a short metro ride from the city centre, Rayo Vallecano are the only team for the local people. While they accept their role as Madrid's third team, they wear their fandom like a badge of honour, and the club's fan group pride themselves on being anti-fascist. Working Class Heroes is the story of a writer who followed Los Vallecanos around for a year, learning from the fans about the football club and its chequered past.

The hugely entertaining autobiography of one of the most popular and highly respected managers in the English Football League. Mention West Ham United FC and the name Harry Redknapp immediately springs to mind. The Hammers' boss is an institution in the game; his experience of English football in the Nineties from the perspective of one club is unsurpassed. His was a controversial appointment, as he took over as manager at West Ham in 1994 to succeed former favourite Billy Bonds. But Redknapp broke the mould: he was one of the first Premiership managers to recruit heavily from abroad, and he gives a refreshing insight into how such players as Raducioiu, Dani, Boogers and other foreign buys adjusted - or in many cases, failed - to adapt to the frenetic pace and unique culture of English football. More recently he has proved a shrewd investor in British talent. The likes of Trevor Sinclair, Neil Ruddock and Ian Wright have ensured that the Hammers have been a force to be reckoned with throughout this season's Premiership campaign. Away from football, Redknapp recalls his narrow escape from a near-fatal car accident in 1990 and the unique relationship with son Jamie, a quality player for Liverpool and England who is now married to pop star Louise. In an extra chapter to the original hardback edition, Harry comments on the Hammers' performance during the 1998-99 season, and reveals the truth behind the many colourful and often controversial incidents that have beset the East End club in recent months.

Charlton Athletic On This Day revisits all the most magical and memorable moments from the club's rollercoaster past, mixing in a maelstrom of quirky anecdotes and legendary characters to produce an irresistibly dippable Addicks diary - with an entry for every day of the year. From the club's formation in 1905 through to the Premier League era, the red-and-white faithful have witnessed record-breaking dramas unfold: the greatest ever recovery in a league match; the first rise from the old Division Three to the old Division One, eventually finishing runners-up; the first ever substitute used; the first retention of a top-tier spot via the playoffs - plus an all-time Wembley classic. Timeless greats such as Derek Hales, Scott Parker, Jimmy Seed, Clive Mendonca, Sam Bartram and Eddie Firmani all loom larger than life in a history capped by a groundbreaking groundshare exile, and a glorious return to The Valley.

66 on 66 provides a unique perspective on what, 50 years on, remains the greatest occasion in English sporting history. Countless words have been written and spoken about this extraordinary match which made national heroes of the team and its manager. Yet this book eschews those men who sported the Three Lions that day and, instead, talks to dozens of other people who were present. For the first time, one book collects together the fans, the journalists, the celebrities, the musicians, the police officers, the ball boys and the officials who all witnessed that famous, wonderful match. Their stories are accompanied by newly-taken, world-class photographs making 66 on 66 the definitive record of England's World Cup glory.

What does it mean when a hit that knocks an American football player unconscious is cheered by spectators? What are the consequences of such violence for the participants of this sport and for the entertainment culture in which it exists? This book brings together scholars and sport commentators to examine the relationship between American football, violence and the larger relations of power within contemporary society. From high school and college to the NFL, Football, Culture, and Power analyses the social, political and cultural imprint of America's national pastime. The NFL's participation in and production of hegemonic masculinity, alongside its practices of racism, sexism, heterosexism and ableism, provokes us to think deeply about the historical and contemporary systems of violence we are invested in and entertained by. This social scientific analysis of American football considers both the positive and negative power of the game, generating discussion and calling for accountability. It is fascinating reading for all students and scholars of sports studies with an interest in American football and the wider social impact of sport.

Hearts On This Day revisits the most magical and memorable moments from the club's distinguished history, mixing in a maelstrom of anecdotes and characters to produce an irresistible Jambos diary - with an entry for every day of the year. From the club's humble, romantic origins in Edinburgh's Old Town, to coming within a hair's breadth of extinction at the hands of a Russian megalomaniac, to ultimate redemption in a record-toppling Championship campaign. Hearts fans have experienced each and every gamut of emotion in the club's 140-year history. The team were the first in Britain to sign up en masse for the Great War. While cup wins, a never-bettered 132-goal title-winning campaign, memorable European nights against such luminaries as Locomotive Leipzig, Bayern Munich, Austria Vienna, Bordeaux and Basle all feature alongside a raft of Tynecastle legends.

A collection of eyewitness accounts from supporters, players, officials and police of the day in 1989 when 96 Liverpool supporters were crushed to death at an FA Cup semi-final.
"The most dignified and respectful of memorials to the dead... it never succumbs to the morbid or maudlin."--"The Observer"
..". gripping and extremely moving..."--"FourFourTwo"
..". one of the best oral histories ever produced..."--"Oral History"

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. It is also an endless scientific panorama. Every movement by the players and each interaction with the ball involves physics, fluid mechanics, biology, and physiology, to name just a few of the scientific disciplines. In a book that targets middle and high school players, Taylor begins with a history of soccer and its physical and mathematical aspects. He then addresses important questions such as how and why a ball bounces, how the ball spins, and what these dynamics mean for the game. He introduces readers to the science of kicking, heading, and trapping and looks at the sources of the energy required to run, jump, and kick for an entire game. Taylor then puts it all together by following a sequence of plays and describing the science behind tactical maneuvers. Sidebars and appendices allow those with a more mathematical bent to follow the physics and perform experiments to see the effects of phenomena like drag, bounce, and spin. In addition, key terminology is highlighted, explained in the text, and summarized in the glossary.

The fighting McAteers: that's how the McAteer family of title-winning boxers were known throughout Birkenhead, across the Mersey from Liverpool. But for eleven-year-old Jason McAteer, growing up in the shadow of Liverpool FC, football became the dream. After signing with Bolton Wanderers at the age of twenty-one, the call to the international scene followed with the Republic of Ireland and, soon after, to his beloved Liverpool FC. The dream had become a reality. From his time with the Irish World Cup squad of 1994 to those tumultuous days in Saipan in 2002; on through his decision to leave Liverpool for Blackburn Rovers; his move to Sunderland, and the depression he fell into after finishing his professional career with Tranmere Rovers, Jason McAteer looks back with characteristic honesty and humour on his life - the jokes, the matches, and the personalities. This is the real Jason McAteer: a little bit bruised, a little bit battered. But still fighting.

FOOTBALL'S BIGGEST CHARACTERS TELL IT LIKE IT IS Who is the Secret Footballer? Well he's back and this time his mates speak out too. Players, agents, coaches and managers give you access to all areas of the Premier League. From deal-making to play-making, from dodgy tactics to drunken antics, they reveal the unforgettable highs and the unforgivable lows. This is football as you've never seen it before. 'What happens behind closed doors at Premiership clubs usually stays firmly shut behind closed doors. Not if the Secret Footballer has anything to do with it.' Loaded **From the bestselling author of I am the Secret Footballer and The Secret Footballer's Guide to the Modern Game.**

Football, in many ways, is a visual endeavour. From the visual experience within the stadium itself to worldwide media representations, from advertisements to football art and artefacts: football is much about seeing and being seen, about watching, making visual and being visualised. The FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa has turned into a perfect example of the visual dimensions of football. Stadiums have been built and marketed as tourist attractions, mass media and internet platforms are advertising South African cities and venues, logos and emblems are displayed and celebrated, exhibitions are organised in museums world-wide. This book explores the social, cultural and political role of football in Africa by focusing on the issue of its visibility and invisibility. The contributions consider the history and present of football in different parts of Africa. They examine historical and recent pictures and images of football and football players, as well as places and spaces of their production and perception. They analyse the visual dimensions expressed in sports infrastructure, football media-scapes, and in expressive and material arts. This book thus contributes to the growing interest in football in Africa by exploring a new field of research into sports. This book was previously published as a special issue of Soccer and Society.

Sir Alex Ferguson said that his brief as Manchester United manager was to "knock Liverpool off their f*****g perch". After over 2,000 games and 25 seasons, this year he finally succeeded. Following an endless supply of trophies, none meant more to United's global legion of fans than their 19th league title - simply because it finally put Liverpool in their place. It has taken Sir Alex 25 years to establish United as the leader of the championship pack. When Alan Hansen captained Liverpool to their most recent championship in 1990, the tally read 18-7 in Liverpool's favour and few would have given the Scot a prayer of capturing one championship, never mind 12. In "19", award-winning journalist Harry Harris looks back at all the title winning seasons and analyses each one from the viewpoint of a player who distinguished himself in that title year, building up to the record title and an in-depth analysis of the 2010-11 season and how United finally surpassed Liverpool. The book looks at the record through the eyes of those who took part in each of them, or who observed them from close quarters. "19" features exclusive interviews with Arthur Albiston, Alan Brazil, Steve Bruce, Garth Crooks, Gary Pallister, Paul Parker, Lee Sharpe, Gordon Taylor, Dave Whelan, Ray Wilkins.

From the thousands of matches ever played by Aston Villa, stretching from the club's Victorian foundation across more than 140 years to the Premier League era, here are 50 of the club's most glorious, epochal and thrilling games of all! Expertly presented in evocative historical context, and described incident-by-incident in atmospheric detail, Aston Villa Greatest Games offers a terrace ticket back in time, taking in their 19th-century dominance of club football, the ignominy of relegation to the Third Division, and then lifting Europe's biggest trophy just a decade later. An irresistible cast list of club legends - Pongo Waring and Peter Withe; Charlie Aitken, Paul McGrath and Peter McParland - springs to life in these thrilling tales of goalscoring feats, great comebacks, Wembley glory and the odd glorious yet crushing disappointment. In all, a journey through the highlights of Villa history which is guaranteed to make any fan's heart swell with pride.

Featured in The Scotsman's Sport Books of 2020 A collection of lyrical sweet-nothings whispered to late goals, local radio commentators, referees falling over and 47 other reminders of why we love football. Despite its flaws and excesses, modern football is still sprinkled with simple yet beguiling delights. In his previous book Saturday, 3pm, Daniel Gray captured many of them. Now he is back with a further 50 short essays of prose poetry dedicated to the game's charming, technicolour minutiae. From club lottos to undeserved wins, and from pitch-invading animals to the roar after a minute's silence, Extra Time is another romantic celebration of football fandom and its shared joys, habits, eccentricities and peculiarities. It is a salute to keepers going forward for corners, match balls landing on stand roofs and goals scored in quick succession. These chapters offer a gleeful antidote to disillusionment with modern football, VAR and all. They are reminders of why we care and justifications for our devotion. Each warmly evokes this sport's blessed capacity to offer escape and diversion. Let us share the delight once more.