This book assesses association football's history and development in Ireland from the late 1870s until the early twenty-first century. It focuses on four key themes-soccer's early development before and after partition, the post-Emergency years, coaching and developing the game, and supporters and governance. In particular, it examines key topics such as the Troubles, Anglo-Irish football relations, the failure of a professional structure in the Republic and Northern Ireland, national and regional identity, relationships with other sports, class, economics and gender. It features contributions from some of today's leading academic writers on the history of Irish soccer while the views of a number of pre-eminent sociologists and economists specialising in the game's development are also offered. It identifies some of the difficulties faced by soccer's players and administrators in Ireland and challenges the notion that it was a 'garrison game' spread mainly by the military and generally only played by those who were not fully committed to the nationalist cause. This is the first edited collection to focus solely on the progress of soccer in Ireland since its introduction and adds to the growing academic historiography of Irish sport and its relationship with politics, culture and society. The chapters in this book were originally published an a special issue in Soccer & Society.

'The Europe of football' is one of the aspects of the history of European integration that has generated the smallest amount of academic research. However, the successive invention of sporting traditions with a European calling since the Belle Epoque, followed by the creation of various European cups during the interwar constitute at the same time an original form of 'Europe-building' and a lasting contribution to the creation of a European space and spirit. The target of the authors in this book is to look back on the genesis of European competitions that leads to the creation of the European cups now organised by UEFA. It also seeks to show how football has made possible the setting up of a partially transnational space through sports journalism. Lastly, through the study of the mobility and connections of football's actors, the different chapters will also try to identify the various phases of football's Europeanisation process on the old continent. It will lay strong emphasis on the anthropological, cultural, economic, political and social aspects of this history, notably the production of body techniques, representations, emblematic figures, consumption habits and their role in the larger context of international relations. This book was previously published as a special issue of Sport in History.

Now in paperback! Heaven Is a Playground was the first book on the uniquely American phenomenon of urban basketball. Rick Telander, a photojournalist and former high school basketball player, spent part of the summer of 1973 and all of the summer of 1974 in Brooklyn living the playground life with his subjects at Foster Park in Flatbush. He slept on the floor of a park regular’s apartment, observing, questioning, traveling, playing with, and eventually coaching a ragtag group of local teenagers whose hopes of better lives were often fanatically attached to the transcendent game itself. Telander introduces us to Fly Williams, a playground legend with incredible leaping ability and self-destructive tendencies that threatened to keep him earthbound. Another standout was Albert King, a fifteen-year-old phenom whose shy, quiet demeanor masked an otherworldly talent that eventually took him to the NBA. This edition also includes Telander’s perspectives on the arrival of an NBA team in Brooklyn. Heaven Is a Playground is one of a kind—a funny, sad, ultimately inspiring book about Americans and the roots of the sport that they love.

This handy guide to the greatest carnival of kick-a-ball the planet has ever seen won't just give you all the essential factual dope, but will dare to tell you all the things others won't.

The Emergence of Football fuses sports history into mainstream economic, social and cultural history, setting the development of the people's game against the backdrop of the Industrial Revolution. The book challenges conventional histories of nineteenth-century football that surrounded mass games and the public schools and extends the revisionist critique of those histories with the imaginative use of new and original empirical evidence. It outlines the continuing presence of a working-class footballing culture across the century, arguing that the structure of football was a product of industrialisation, urbanisation and population growth that had resulted in a far-reaching restructuring of the class system and urban hierarchies. It was these new hierarchies and class system that gave birth to professional football by the late 1870s. It is essential reading for students of sports studies, economic, social and cultural history, urban and local history, and sociology, as well as a valuable resource for scholars and academics involved in the study of football across the world. This is an absorbing and fascinating read for any of the millions of fans of the game who are interested in the early history of football.

From 1904 to 2020, Griffin Park was the iconic, idiosyncratic, and much-loved home of Brentford FC. For 116 years, and deriving its name from the symbol of a brewery that owned the orchard before the stadium, Griffin Park witnessed highs and lows and much in-between, hosting over 2,800 football matches and numerous other occasions. One of a kind, it was the only English football stadium that had a pub on each corner. In this fascinating book, lifelong Bees fan Jonathan Burchill draws from contemporaneous resources to present a unique history of Brentford through season-by-season reviews of the events at Griffin Park. Recounting stories and statistics from both on and off the pitch - from fires to fax machines, from abandoned redevelopment plans to multiple missed penalties - Jonathan weaves an extended, fascinating insight not just into this remarkable West London football club but into the social history affecting those connected with it for over a century. As the Bees settle into their new home at Brentford Community Stadium in the Premier League, A Pub On Each Corner provides a comprehensive and insightful account into their time at Griffin Park, and is a must-read for any Brentford fan, old or new!

Manchester City Minute By Minute takes you on a fantastic journey through the Citizens' matchday history. Relive all the breathtaking goals, heroic penalty saves, sending offs and other memorable moments in this unique by-the-clock guide. From City's early years and domestic domination of the mid-1960s to the glorious modern era, the book covers everything from Ernest Mangnall's early trophy-hunters to Wilf Wild's league and FA Cup legends, Joe Mercer and Pep Guardiola. Revisit City's most spectacular modern feats and learn things you didn't know about the club's proud history. From goals scored in the opening seconds to those last-gasp extra-time winners that have thrilled generations of fans at Maine Road, the Etihad and around the world, Manchester City Minute By Minute is packed with memorable moments. With goals from the likes of Sergio Aguero, Colin Bell, Dennis Tueart, Shaun Goater and hundreds of others - the book is filled with thrilling memories from kick-off through to the final whistle.

Put your Liverpool knowledge to the test with the ultimate quiz book for Reds fans. Do you think you know it all about Liverpool? Could you name the starting line-up in 2005 Champions League final? The most decorated player in the club's history? Do you know which sides Liverpool have beaten most, and vice versa? Or which game drew the Reds' biggest-ever crowd? Whatever your area of interest or depth of knowledge, this expertly assembled quiz will have some testing questions for you. From the club's earliest days to the glory years of Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley, the renaissance under Jurgen Klopp and beyond, Think You Know It All? Liverpool will challenge your knowledge of the iconic team's players, managers, records and more. Featuring an entertaining mix of questions and puzzles, this is the perfect test for new and veteran LFC fans alike. Proving you know it all about your club has never been such fun - or so tricky.

The Untouchables: Anfield's Band of Brothers chronicles the rise and fall of one of the greatest Liverpool teams ever. In 1918 an enlisted man, Tom Bromilow, stepped off the streets of Liverpool and straight into the team. Still in uniform, he was one of tens of thousands of Liverpudlians who fought in World War One. His signing completed a jigsaw that eventually revealed an image of footballing perfection, a team so great they were called 'The Untouchables'. The book brings to life a host of incredible characters, uncovers friendships and rivalries and reveals amazing backstories. Meet men like Bootle-born Walter Wadsworth, tough-talking Irishman Elisha Scott, champion boxer Jock McNab and many other fascinating figures. The Untouchables reveals previously unknown detail and sheds new light on old controversies, including the real reason behind the departure of the club's manager, Dave Ashworth. Meticulously researched and lovingly told, the book breathes new life into a fascinating and long-forgotten story.

Across the history of football, a select group of teams have achieved iconic status. Sometimes it's through sheer success. For others, their stature is built by star performers. On occasions, it's because a team has gifted a new way of playing to the world. Most rarely it's because of all three. The Ajax teams that conquered Europe with their enthralling 'totaalvoetbal' are one of those rare cases. Those Dutch artists used the pitch as their canvas, the skills of the players provided a palette of gloriously bright colours and their totaalvoetbal inspired the brushstrokes that delivered masterpieces of football creativity. The Dutch Masters is the entrancing tale of how that iconic white shirt with a broad red band down its centre not only became synonymous with the beautiful game of totaalvoetbal, but also symbolised the success of the club that created a new paradigm of play. It's the story of how Ajax came to dominate the European game as the epitome of footballing perfection.

How did a young boy born into poverty become not only an international soccer star but a celebrity who visited and dined with kings and presidents? Where did the passion that fueled his success originate? This book examines the life of Pele to find the answers. Pele is not simply an extraordinarily talented athlete who achieved incredible success on the soccer field; his performances inspired millions of soccer fans as well as individuals outside the sport around the world. During the peak of his career, Pele was arguably the most famous person in the world-at a time when there was no Internet or social media to help build sweeping international awareness of a pop star. This work is the most up-to-date examination of Pele's life, covering his personal history from childhood, his star-studded career as a multi-time World Cup champion playing for Brazil, his experiences in the United States playing for the New York Cosmos, as well as Pele's more recent, current, and future activities as ambassador for Brazil when it hosts the World Cup in 2014 and the Summer Olympics in 2016. All readers-ranging from the completely uninitiated who do not even recognize Pele's name, to die-hard soccer fans and players-will gain a full appreciation of the greatest soccer player of all time. Provides detailed information about Pele's life and amazing career that reveals the unique mindset that was instrumental to his success, allowing readers to fully appreciate how special and inspirational this athlete's accomplishments were Supplies insights into how Pele singlehandedly brought more worldwide attention to soccer and helped spawn professional soccer-and generate a true fanbase for the sport of soccer in general-in the United States

This book presents an overview on sport history research in Europe by giving insights into various topics between Europes south and north. Examples are physical activities in the middle ages in Cordoba, bullfighting in Spain, aspects of football in various countries to winter sports in France. Football is mainly looked at in the period of the late 1930s to the 1940s, a period of dictatorship in many European countries. This is shown at the example of the German press coverage of German-Danish sport collaborations and the identity of Spanish football during this time. A further focus are the Olympic Games. This topic is taken up in two articles: One discusses as its main subject the famous painting 'Sport Allegory/The Crowing of the Athletes' created by the father of Pierre de Coubertin, the other one has a more current content and shows stakeholders and challenges of the European Youth Olympics in 2015. Besides these broad topics, a focus is put on research in sport history by reflecting on historical frameworks and various methodological approaches. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue in The International Journal of the History of Sport.

The history of modern British football can largely be written through the stories of Jack and Bobby Charlton. Both were in the World Cup winning team of '66, and each has remained deeply involved in the game ever since. The book traces the parallel lives of Jack and Bobby Charlton, following them from their schooldays through to the present day. The brothers both played prominent roles in the finest hour of English football, the 1966 World Cup triumph. Each played for the dominant club of their era, and summed up the style of their respective teams. Bobby was at Manchester Utd during their glory days under Sir Matt Busby. He survived the Munich air crash and went on to become a fast, graceful attacker who set grounds alight with his power, speed and athleticism in a team that played free-flowing, attacking football. Jack came to professional football late, working in a coal mine before Leeds signed him. Don Revie's Leeds side was renowned for its uncompromising and physical style, and Jack was himself a tough, durable and aggressive defender, who once caused uproar by admitting he had a 'black book' with a list of footballing enemies who he would target on the pitch. The two retired from football in the same year, and since, the contrast between them has been marked. Bobby's forays into management at Wigan and Preston were distinguished only by their brevity, while 'Big Jack' took the Republic of Ireland team to an unprecendented level of success, reaching the quarter finals of the World Cup in 1994. Bobby has been a key figure in the ongoing success of Manchester United over the past decade, working on recruiting players and as an FA diplomat. But, despite their continued successes, the relationship between the two has been strained, sometimes barely even polite, and the book will investigate the reasons for this, including in-depth interviews with many of those the two have been in contact with over the years.

Galvinised is the tale of two footballing brothers with contrasting fortunes who played in a golden age of the game. It's a story of glamour and heartache. Tottenham Hotspur snapped up left-winger Tony Galvin from non-league Goole Town while he was studying Russian at Hull University. Tony won the FA Cup and UEFA Cup with Spurs alongside legendary stars such as Glenn Hoddle and Ossie Ardiles. He also won 29 Republic of Ireland caps and played at Euro 88. Tony ended his playing days at Sheffield Wednesday and Swindon Town. Conversely, elder brother Chris, an inside-forward, joined Leeds United as an apprentice but struggled to break into Don Revie's iconic team. After witnessing Leeds' glory days from the subs' bench, he played across the Football League pyramid at Hull City, Stockport County and York City before finding success in Hong Kong. The Galvin brothers have tales galore from the 1960s to 1980s, and share stories of players, travelling escapades, training ground bust-ups and unforgettable matches in this unique biography.

Betrayed by his club but beloved by the fans, former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri has been a constant headline-maker in 2004. Occasionally puzzling, often eccentric, but always fascinating and refreshing, the Italian describes the highs and lows of an extraordinary season at Stamford Bridge - and the dramatic end to his English journey. 'Hello, my sharks. Welcome to the funeral.' 'People have said I am a dead man walking - but I am still moving ' 'Tonight I am a crazy man and Roman Abramovich is also going mad like me ' We rejoiced with him. We laughed with him. And we cried with him. In what turned out to be a year for the Blues resembling more a soap opera than a season of football, Claudio Ranieri reveals the highlights and the hurt of his farewell twelve months in England. This collaboration between Italian journalist Massimo Marianella and Ranieri promises to reveal the inside story of a rollercoaster year at Stamford Bridge, with a first-hand account of coaching the most expensively assembled team in the Premiership, alongside the increasing pressures of satisfying his bosses as Chelsea's season threatened to turn into anticlimax. How did Ranieri keep all his players contented, when the value of his subs bench often exceeded that of most Premiership teams? What were the skills required to mould a group of exciting individuals into a team capable of challenging the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United at the top of the tree? With the media suggesting an uneasy alliance between Ranieri and Roman Abramovich, what was it that drove their complex relationship? What was the real truth behind the allegations that Ranieri's position was being undermined by his bosses? And when did the 'Tinkerman' discover his final denouement? Just some of the questions that will be answered in this book by arguably the most talked-about man in English football in 2004.

Summer of 63 takes an enthralling, in-depth look at one of the greatest transformations in football, as Don Revie moulded a Leeds United side teetering on the brink of relegation to Division Three into one of the most feared teams in Europe. Revie had arrived at Leeds in November 1958, on the back of an illustrious playing career with Leicester City, Hull City, Manchester City and Sunderland. In March 1961, he was appointed player-manager at Leeds before quickly taking over the reins as full-time gaffer. He fashioned a team of experience and untested teenagers that quickly developed into a force to be reckoned with. Summer of 63 uncovers the truth behind the 'Dirty Leeds' tag that has prevailed for almost 60 years. Gleaned from the private collections of photos, telegrams and scrapbooks of players, and the testimonies of Leeds and opposition fans, Gary Edwards presents an amazing account of one man's vision to turn a failing side into the club's greatest-ever team.

Eddie Hapgood, Footballer is the extraordinary story of a young unknown from Bristol who became Arsenal and England captain and a national hero, in the dark days of the 1930s. His impact is so enduring that when the millennium dawned, the public voted him one of the greatest sportsmen of the century. That glorious legacy was painfully achieved. Hapgood considered football an art and played it joyously as part of a team, but he struggled when politics, class and money threatened to undermine him and corrupt football. By the late 1930s, the ugly shadows of fascism, Nazism and looming war were bearing down on the beautiful game. Hapgood found himself in a public fight for justice and respect, while behind the scenes he protected his family with dedication, love and humour. In this gripping memoir, his daughter Lynne Hapgood pulls together the various threads - success, celebrity, tragedy and vindication - to reveal the real Eddie Hapgood. She examines the nature of sporting greatness and its impact on fans and family.

The story of how one small boy's near impossible dream became a reality. Growing up in poverty in the austere 1950s Fife coalfield, Tommy Hutchison had an unshakable belief that one day he would wear the dark blue shirt of Scotland. To an outsider it seemed an improbable ambition. Too weak to cross a ball from the byline to the goal area, the teenage Hutchison was overlooked by his teachers and never made the school football team. Through sheer determination, an indomitable spirit and hour upon hour of lonely practice, the adolescent Tommy was finally noticed by his local team, and his journey to Hampden and World Cup glory began. Tommy's football genius ultimately took him all over the world to play with and against some of the greatest footballers of the 1970s and 80s in a career spanning four amazing decades. Hutch, Hard Work and Belief is the funny yet inspiring story of how the seemingly unattainable can be achieved by unwavering, resolute self-belief.