Record Breakers: The Inside Story of Notts County’s Momentous 1997/98 Title Triumph

by Paul Smith

Record The Inside Story of Notts County's Momentous 1997/98 Title Win delves into the inner sanctum of a basement-league dressing room in the 90s, as its inhabitants attempt to write themselves into the history books. Led by future England boss Sam Allardyce, taking some of his first managerial steps, Record Breakers is the inspirational tale of how the world's oldest Football League club fought back from a plunge down the divisions, falling attendances and financial strife to become the first side in post-war English football to win a title in March. The momentous feat is relived by the players themselves, lending a unique insight into their record run. It's packed with characters and anecdotes, and augmented with memories of supporters who lived through this season of tumbling records. From training ground punch-ups to transfer tales and unforgettable celebrations, Record Breakers is a remarkable winners' story in what now seems a bygone era.

Genres: Football

320 pages, Hardcover

Published August 1, 2018

About the author

There is more than one author with this name.

A Notts County fan of more than 20 years and a journalist for a decade, Paul Smith has written for the Sun, Daily Mirror, and Football League Paper, and previously worked for the Lincolnshire Echo and Grimsby Telegraph. He reports for the Sportsman and is a regular contributor to the Notts blog Gerrit Forward.

Reviews

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obviously going to be loved by any Notts fan! Some great memories flooding back. Also a lot of things I had forgotten, and some behind the scenes things I never knew, which added to the fun.

A little repetitive in a couple of places, and a little bit weighted to being uncritical of Sam Allardyce, but hey ho - can't complain about what he did that season.

Hope the author is keeping plenty of notes on the current campaign, he might be needed again...

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable run through Notts County’s Championship season. Great for fans, and releasing a lot of enjoyable memories of better times. Lots of interviews and anecdotes to add to the chronological story, although themed chapters make it seem less than the standard “and then....and then...” format.