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9781801504188

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"""Has football lost its soul? With major clubs being snapped up by Third World dictatorships while those in the lower divisions either face financial oblivion or are left at the mercy of opportunist developers, it certainly seems so. This excellent book recalls a time before all that, when the once beautiful game was still young and rooted in its local communities, and to some extent that spirit still lives on, especially in the lower reaches of the football pyramid. Mixing family recollections with in-depth archive research the book shows how the aspirations of working-class people in the major industrial conurbations found expression through football, the sense of community and shared purpose providing a haven and comfort in hard times. It’s full of great stories, and some brilliant, evocative photos."" -- Simon Evans * Choice Magazine, Pick of the Paperbacks *"

Has football lost its soul? With major clubs being snapped up by Third World dictatorships while those in the lower divisions either face financial oblivion or are left at the mercy of opportunist developers, it certainly seems so. This excellent book recalls a time before all that, when the once beautiful game was still young and rooted in its local communities, and to some extent that spirit still lives on, especially in the lower reaches of the football pyramid. Mixing family recollections with in-depth archive research the book shows how the aspirations of working-class people in the major industrial conurbations found expression through football, the sense of community and shared purpose providing a haven and comfort in hard times. It's full of great stories, and some brilliant, evocative photos. -- Simon Evans * Choice Magazine, Pick of the Paperbacks *

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Hannah Grainger-Clemson is a sports fan, coach and amateur athlete with a social sciences doctorate from the University of Oxford. She has written journal articles and book chapters based on community projects and historical research, and has worked in social and cultural policy development across Europe.

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