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by Thomas Taw (2003) Paperback 234x156mm
240 pages. Illustrated, new impression
ISBN: 1-874287-70-8
£16.99
On July 1st 2003, Football's War &
Peace jumped into Sportspages' best-sellers (at No.4) and stayed
there for many weeks.
See "LATEST NEWS" in left panel
"A remarkable new book ... It is the first book written by Thomas Taw, a social services manager from West London, but lovers of football history must hope it is not the last. This is one of the best researched and snappily written football works of recent years and shines light into a murky corner that has previously remained unexplored ... Clive Leatherdale of Desert Island Books was so impressed that, for the first time since his company began, he decided to publish an unsolicited manuscript ... Taw expertly weaves in the pattern of how this great sporting story related to life in the country ... A copy of the book should be placed in the home dressing-room at every Barclaycard Premiership ground and passages read out to the first player who whinges about playing too many matches or complains of niggling injuries or less than perfect pitches. It is a gripping read and deserves a wide and appreciative audience." Richard Whitehead, The Times, 26 May 2003. (To read the whole of Richard Whitehead's review, click on "Latest News" in left panel.)
"Thomas Taw's fascinating book ... is crammed with at times scarcely creditable stories and anecdotes." When Saturday Comes.
"The passion for football leaps out of this book ... There are some extraordinary stories in here ... It charts the history of that extraordinary season that was the making of football as we know it today." Brian Alexander, BBC Radio 5 Live.
CONTENTS:
Introduction: Was there ever such a season?
PART 1: THE AFTERMATH OF WAR
1. The Football Commandos
2. The Front Line was their Touchline
3. The Home Front
4. What People Wanted
5. The Legacy of a Railway Embankment
6. The Hold Out and the Hole in the Wall: Footballer as Outlaw
7. All was Speculative and Mysterious
PART 2: THE NEW GREEN CARPET
8. All-Action and No Slow Motion
9. Problem of the Homeless Footballer
10. Footballers are in Short Supply: Like houses … Unobtainable
11. A Clash of Lesser Strifes
12. King Mud was determined not to be beaten
PART 3: WINTER’S GIGANTIC FISTS
13. Three Festivals
14. Up for the Frozen Arctic Cup
15. Coal before Football: a Moral and Economic Panic
16. Promotion and Relegation are off
17. Endgames
APPENDICES
League Tables
Bibliography
Index & Glossary