Unfit and Improper Persons: An Idiot’s Guide to Owning a Football Club FROM THE PRICE OF FOOTBALL PODCAST

by Kevin Day, Kieran Maguire, Guy Kilty

'A very funny book that tackles some serious football issues.' Gary Lineker'Witty and wise.' Clare Balding'Brilliant. Blows the lid off football. Hilarious, detailed and insightful.' Alan Davies---Ever dream of setting up your own football club?Join the team behind The Price of Football podcast as they set up a (fictional) football club and discover what's really going on behind the scenes of the beautiful game.Buying a football club will set you back a few quid, but you've also got to pass the FA's 'fit and proper persons test'. That all seems like a bit of a faff to the team behind the award-winning podcast The Price of Football, so acclaimed comedy writer Kevin Day, football finance expert Kieran Maguire and producer Guy Kilty start an imaginary club instead.In Unfit and Improper Person s they take West Park Rovers* on a hilarious journey from the lowest level of the FA pyramid right up to the English Football League, the Premier League and, if fortune favours the fictional, into the heart of Europe.At least that's the plan, but inevitably they face a few challenges along the way. Where to find a shirt sponsor? What should the mascot be – is a dog called Rover too obvious? Can they pay the women's team the same as the men's team? (Spoiler no-one else does.) What's the best way to avoid money laundering charges? And how can they get Messi to the Kleanwell Stadium next season, like they promised the fans?Roofing over the toilets, paying the electric on the floodlights, salary caps, parachute payments and avoiding bankruptcy, never mind relegation – owning a football club isn't all about stuffing prawn sarnies and quaffing champagne in the directors' box.With contributions from those in the know and celeb fans, including Gary Lineker, Clare Balding, Ainsley Harriott and Jo Brand, Unfit and Improper Persons lays bare the labyrinthine world of football finance, and discover what's really going on behind the scenes of the beautiful game.*Merch available

Genres: Nonfiction, Football, Sports, Business

304 pages, Paperback

Published May 27, 2025

Reviews

[Peter Spaulding · Rating 3 out of 5]

In retrospect, three seems harsh given how much fun I had with it at times. But there is a sanctimonious winking at the reader about um the moral failures of FA club owners that jars ridiculously with the truth that the book unveils about owning a Prem-bound club: it’s a really morally complicated and difficult thing to keep people happy and make success happen.

[Conor Daly · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a big fan of the podcast, I enjoyed the various references to the podcasts throughout and the book was written in the same humour that Kevin brings to the podcast twice a week.

Many of the concepts were familiar to me from listening to the podcasts although it was interesting to have them laid out in this format - ie a journey from the bottom to the top of the football pyramid.

Ticking off as many of the financial and governance issues as possible was at times at the expense of delving deeper into some of the more interesting topics.

Some typos such as getting Leah Williamson's name wrong in a section about getting women's football on a more level footing with the men's game was ironic and unfortunate. Including Man City in a list of teams who hadn't been relegated from the Premier League was just plain wrong.

[Michael Witts · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh! Too much fact, not enough fiction

[Martin Rogers · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's alright. A bit too much of Kevin Day humour, but there's some interesting stuff.

[Tommy Clegg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great read whilst on holiday. It really does show all the right (and mostly) wrong ways in which football is run nowadays. A real eye-opener.

[Alex Duffus · Rating 4 out of 5]

A witty, if often disheartening, read. Despite the author’s humour it is hard not to see the money in football as a moral failure, that will no doubt lead to pain and misery for fans across the world as their clubs are swallowed up by monolithic conglomerates eager to wash their human rights abuses through a premier league-scented fabric softener.

Very interesting, and if I had any complaints it would be that at some points I wanted to know more about particular subjects; like sustainability within football, or the women’s game… maybe time for another book

[Iain Cargill · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the authors of “The Price of Football” podcast Unfit and Improper Persons brings a new perspective into the everyday management of modern sports teams especially in this case football.

Very witty and probably the most funniest Football book I have read.

Set up as a fictional football team beginning their football life in the bottom throws of the English football pyramid,Day and Maguire talk us through the peculiar progressions taking that team from the bottom of the pyramid all the way to the top of the European leagues.

All of contemporary problems around English and also European football are discussed, from the type of owners each club to the rather interesting case of the woman's game and how undervalued it is.

The rules of the FA, the youth policy of clubs and finally membership of the Football League and Premier League are very very interesting concepts that we get to learn about, and is mind-blowing.

Everything is covered from sponsorships to the trampoline, I mean, Parachute payments and their inequities in the English football league and inequities of the Premier league and the inequities of the woman's leagues as well, and finally into the inequities of the European leagues.

The Scottish Leagues are discussed with the brave, but agreeable notion that the teams in the Scottish Premier League will be financially better off without Rangers or Celtic.

If you have an interest in business and in football this is definitely one of the books you need to read which is essential. Hey you might even get a better understanding your Manchester city's 115 charges versus Everton's blatant spending.

A great companion to The Price of Football by the same authors.

[Allan McCabe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good-humoured, good-fun guide to owning a football club. The fictional club, West Park Rovers, romp through the divisions, from the basement of English football to the riches of the premier league. The book looks at all the fanfare that an owner would have to manage as well as all those tough financial decisions too.

The concepts and topics covered in the book will be familiar to anyone who's listened to the podcast. I particularly enjoyed the more in-depth looks at the history and origins of certain parts of the game that Kevin and Kieran don't have as much time to delve into on the podcast.

And as is customary for the Price of Football (or moreso Kieran, really), there are lots of facts and figures in the book. Although, I'm sure they've already spotted the one that isn't quite right - I reckon Derby County would've loved to have achieved a points total of 18 in that fateful season... ;-) but one misprint was probably the least of Derby's worries in recent seasons!

Overall, I enjoyed this and thought it made the sometimes complicated subject of football finance humorous and easy to follow. Would recommend.

[Dean HOCK1NG · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was good but could have been so much better. It went for a comical theme throughout and the fictional elements distorted the facts. If they had focused on the facts and figures of the game in more detail and made the book in a more serious tone I think it could’ve been quite compelling. Still worth a read and still interesting just not particularly written in a style I enjoyed.

[Hanson Ho · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine read on the details of what happens when a club goes from the bottle of the pyramid to the top of the game.
All those abstract concepts about football finance you might have heard on the Price of Football illustrated in the rise of the fictional club West Park Rovers, with the usual balance of humour and knowledge of Kieran, Kevin, and I guess Producer Guy too.

[Jonny Brick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A more accessible version of Kieran's Price of Football academic textbook, with typically excellent writing from Kevin, who takes us from grassroots to Premier League with wit, research and a tight leash on rambling. Very useful general guide for the age of football as industry, and a superior kind of 'book of the pod'.

[Paul Whitman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fun read about what it takes to be a soccer team in England. Gets into plenty of nitty gritty that may not be what most sports fans are into but a look into the less covered and reported side makes it just as interesting.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoy the podcast ‘The Price of Football’ of which this is effectively an excellent sequel. I enjoyed it enormously and would recommend it without hesitation to anyone interested in the way the beautiful game is financed. It’s both instructive and humorous.

[Joe Coffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic balance between making me genuinely laugh out loud with silly humour and delving into the serious problems facing the game. Great book for football fans that both love the game but want facts and detail on the biggest issues in the current game.

[Svetkata13 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love football is father and brother affair for me.
So any single detail of the game I can get I love reading.
The book is written in very much the same way the podcast sounds like.

Lots of jokes in between some interesting facts which result in well written book.

[Sam Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

English football fans can’t truthfully claim they know what they’re talking about unless they’ve read this book.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book with some very interesting facts, perhaps too much blurb about the fictional part of the club however..

[Rhys Webster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fine. Enjoyed it but don’t want to give it 5*

[Alex Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top tier football book

[Adam Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great accompaniment with my FM save taking Chippenham to the champions league

[Ianthe Belisle Dempsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

they interviewed someone from my favorite club (clapton cfc) so it is a perfect book. is very funny and informative through and through!!

[Adam Murfet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly excellent book. It’s funny, brilliantly written and has all the details about football finance I love. This is a great example about what clubs at all levels face when it comes to football finance. Clever idea that is brilliantly executed.

[Paul Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a funny yet informative read about the various activities that are involved in managing a football club. The story is about the legendary team, West Park Rovers, from their initial days until they climbed up the English Pyramid and eventually embarked on their journey towards European Club Football. The book provides a great understanding of the financial aspects involved in running a football club and also highlights the challenges that a club faces while progressing through the leagues.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really funny and informative book about both the business of football and the business of being a supporter. Really explains a lot about how teams are run, the requirements needed to compete at the highest levels, and even below that.