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There's a Golden Sky: How Twenty Years of the Premier League has Changed Football Forever
In its first 20 years the Premier League has moved football from a state of unprecedented crisis against a backdrop of recession, strikes and hooliganism to a global sport of unimaginable riches. To mark this anniversary Ian Ridley takes stock of a phenomenon that has changed English football and English society forever. Taking in the game at all levels and across the country, There's A Golden Sky is a full picture of the game today with all its glitz and glamour, rags and riches.
From Hackney Marshes, clinging on in the shadow of the Olympic park, to the vastness of Old Trafford; from Doncaster Belles women's team to the rebirth of Cornish football in Truro; through to the modern game's relationship with Sky and the big bucks of Abramovich, Ridley takes us on a journey through the English game from grassroots to the topflight.
Ian Ridley took a long hard look at the game back in the early 1990s when it was beset by problems both on and off the pitch and seen as the epitome of all that was wrong with our society. There's a Golden Sky examines just how far the game has come since those dark days, sucking in players and money from around the globe and providing fame, fortune and hours of pleasure in return.
Examining the changes that have occurred over the last 20 years, Ridley seeks to discover if the soul of the game still exists. Through interviews with larger-than-life characters from around the game managers, referees, administrators, players and fans he has woven together a rich and fascinating story of football's metamorphosis from social outcast to favourite child.
From Hackney Marshes, clinging on in the shadow of the Olympic park, to the vastness of Old Trafford; from Doncaster Belles women's team to the rebirth of Cornish football in Truro; through to the modern game's relationship with Sky and the big bucks of Abramovich, Ridley takes us on a journey through the English game from grassroots to the topflight.
Ian Ridley took a long hard look at the game back in the early 1990s when it was beset by problems both on and off the pitch and seen as the epitome of all that was wrong with our society. There's a Golden Sky examines just how far the game has come since those dark days, sucking in players and money from around the globe and providing fame, fortune and hours of pleasure in return.
Examining the changes that have occurred over the last 20 years, Ridley seeks to discover if the soul of the game still exists. Through interviews with larger-than-life characters from around the game managers, referees, administrators, players and fans he has woven together a rich and fascinating story of football's metamorphosis from social outcast to favourite child.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 29, 2015
I started watching English Premier League soccer a couple years ago, very quickly becoming addicted to it. As much as I watch, though, I have a nearly complete blank as far as history of the league. It would be like a new baseball fan getting hooked and knowing nothing about Babe Ruth or Jackie Robinson. So I looked around for a book to help fill in some of the background, and There's a Golden Sky seemed like a good place to start.
Ian Ridley, who has covered the sport for decades and has written a number of books on it, takes a broad look at the Premier League and how it has impacted the game at all levels since it was formed in the early '90s. There are 22 chapters, all running 8-10 pages, covering teams from Chelsea and Arsenal all the way down the ladder to Truro and Luton Town. There are even chapters on the Women's Super League and the amateur teams that play on the public pitches in London's Hackney Marshes. In many cases the clubs, players, and fans have a negative to harsh view of what the Premier League's formation has meant. While it's been hugely successful financially, it has contributed to more difficult economic times at the lower rungs of the ladder, at least in the opinion of many of the folks Ridley spoke with.
Ridley doesn't take sides, however. He provides the perspective and history, detailing in the introduction some of the horrific episodes--the 96 fans dying at Hillsborough, the fire at Bradford Valley that killed 56, the riot in Brussels that left 39 European fans dead--that provided the spark for such significant change. The sport had to do something, and to protect their interests the biggest clubs pushed for the formation of a 20-team top-level league that has since grown into arguably the most popular sports venture in the world.
While I enjoyed the book and learned a lot, it took me a couple of months to work my way through it. Part of that is down to the chapters being independent units that could easily be read in any order. They were good bite-sized chunks to read before bed and rarely tempted me to stay up late reading a second. It was easy to put it aside to read something else and come back to it. There were also places that got a little gossipy, talking about certain players and their off-field issues, which almost felt out of place. All in all, though, it was a good and thorough primer from a guy who really knows his stuff.
Ian Ridley, who has covered the sport for decades and has written a number of books on it, takes a broad look at the Premier League and how it has impacted the game at all levels since it was formed in the early '90s. There are 22 chapters, all running 8-10 pages, covering teams from Chelsea and Arsenal all the way down the ladder to Truro and Luton Town. There are even chapters on the Women's Super League and the amateur teams that play on the public pitches in London's Hackney Marshes. In many cases the clubs, players, and fans have a negative to harsh view of what the Premier League's formation has meant. While it's been hugely successful financially, it has contributed to more difficult economic times at the lower rungs of the ladder, at least in the opinion of many of the folks Ridley spoke with.
Ridley doesn't take sides, however. He provides the perspective and history, detailing in the introduction some of the horrific episodes--the 96 fans dying at Hillsborough, the fire at Bradford Valley that killed 56, the riot in Brussels that left 39 European fans dead--that provided the spark for such significant change. The sport had to do something, and to protect their interests the biggest clubs pushed for the formation of a 20-team top-level league that has since grown into arguably the most popular sports venture in the world.
While I enjoyed the book and learned a lot, it took me a couple of months to work my way through it. Part of that is down to the chapters being independent units that could easily be read in any order. They were good bite-sized chunks to read before bed and rarely tempted me to stay up late reading a second. It was easy to put it aside to read something else and come back to it. There were also places that got a little gossipy, talking about certain players and their off-field issues, which almost felt out of place. All in all, though, it was a good and thorough primer from a guy who really knows his stuff.
May 12, 2020
An enjoyable read for anyone missing their football, and a reminder that football exists outside of the bloated fat cats of the Premier League. Great title too-a quote of course from ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’, the best football anthem and very apt for these uncertain times.
January 17, 2025
There's a Golden Sky by Ian Ridley is a fascinating look at how the Premier League has changed football over 20 years. It mixes stories about the game's growth with the emotions of players and fans. A great read for anyone who loves football!
November 24, 2021
Decent run through the modern era, with all your favourite players and managers getting a mention. Ian saw it all.
November 20, 2011
A review of this book, a collection of pieces charting a year in modern soccer, can be read in full at the Two Unfortunates soccer blog. Click on the Book Reviews tab at the top for more appraisals of round ball literature.
January 20, 2013
Interesting but doesn't reveal anything particularly new if you've been following football for a while.
June 11, 2018
Written in 2011 on cusp of the 20th season of Premier League football, There’s a Golden Sky is a series of vignettes written by Ian Ridley, a British sports journalist and broadcaster covering the impact the Premier League has had on English football, English culture and the world of football in general. The book expertly covers some of the typical topics and figures every American who knows the EPL well would expect, like Arsene Wenger’s rise to prominence with Arsenal or Sir Alex Ferguson’s run with Manchester United. However, the chapters I found most interesting were the ones that covered the smaller clubs and leagues in England and gave a more inside view of the cultural impact of football on everyday life in the United Kingdom that someone who simply watches the Premier League overseas would have no idea of. One great example of this is Ridley’s examination of the waning of the Sunday amateur leagues of Hackney Marshes, essentially the English equivalent for football of what Rucker Park is for basketball in the United States. Ridley speaks of the Sunday tradition of waking up for football followed by a trip to the pub with one’s team, regardless of the final score.
Read the full review at: https://booksandviewsblog.wordpress.c...
Read the full review at: https://booksandviewsblog.wordpress.c...
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews