Turf Wars: A History of London Football

by Steve Tongue

Few cities in the world have as many professional football clubs as London and none have the history explored in this book by journalist and broadcaster Steve Tongue. It was in the English capital that the Football Association - the first of its kind anywhere - was founded in 1863 and that the FA Cup, the world's most famous domestic cup competition, was born. After the North and Midlands dominated the first forty-odd years of league football, three clubs in particular - Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea - began to challenge them and eventually succeeded, joining West Ham United as trophy winners not only at home but in Europe. Between those four clubs, and more than a dozen other professional clubs past and present, grew the turf wars that are the bedrock of the great rivalries and derbies across England's most vibrant football city. Turf Wars tells the story of football in the capital.

Genres: Sports, History, Football

334 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 19, 2016

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

detailed book charting the development of football in London from the pre FA days to football league to the modern day and how progress and rivalry between each club as they fared over the years.

[Mac · Rating 2 out of 5]

No doubt exhaustively researched but also tragically and unceasingly dull. There's a soul in this sport, there's a soul in this city, but there isn't much soul to be found in this book.

[Matthew Hurst · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read on the development of clubs around the capital especially the origins and developments of the teams.

Interesting for anyone seeking a bit more knowledge on the foundations of the clubs without delving into individual club histories.

[Andy Regan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Attempting to summarise 150 years of London football across over a dozen clubs is difficult enough; keeping the narrative buoyant and engaging here, an additional achievement.

The level of encyclopedic knowledge and research displayed along the way is impressive; it also passed the test of maintaining interest describing "smaller" clubs alongside the bigger hitters.

And to think - all the sports fans desperate to find the tiniest of errors in the text. Chelsea won the 2012 cup final 2-1 and not 3-2. There, that's mine:)

[Rog the Jammy Dodge · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title suggests a dramatic narrative of the history of the development of the beautiful game in London. Drama is something that the sport of football has never been short of. However, whilst there are a number of interesting facts presented, particularly around the historic origins and formation of the various London clubs, it was far too sterile for me. In truth it is a well researched but endless litany of scores and scorers from a myriad of long forgotten games but lacking any colour as to the people and events that could easily have justified the title of the book.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Telling the story of over 100 years of football in London. There is a overview of each London side from their formation to when the book was published in 2016.

The book really focuses on the football and only dips very briefly into off-field issues (political and societal changes, hooliganism, racism etc) for anyone who wants to learn more about London’s football teams this is a great read.

[Jordan Florit · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the capital’s football teams’ foundations up until 2016, the author traces in chronological fashion the history of those in England’s 92, including those to have dropped in and/or out. Could’ve been more colourful, but having made the mistake of paying too much attention to other reviews I expected worse and was therefore pleasantly surprised.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little too much Arsenal talk

(COYS!)

[John Hastings · Rating 3 out of 5]

In depth, well written, mostly very interesting. Not much of a narrative arc but really informative

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent account of all the London football league clubs history and most famous events. Some interesting facts and details that football fans will enjoy.

[Gary K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. Not sure there was much of a story there to write about