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The People's Game: How Football Lost Its Way
*OUT NOW*
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
' Neville at his authentic best. [He] is the closest thing to a spokesman there is for English football.' Sunday Times
'Brilliant.' Mail on Sunday
'Gary Neville usually talks a lot of sense, and writes it too . . . Neville's words are timely.' Henry Winter, The Times
' The People's Game is [Gary's] call to mend football, harmed by the greed and selfishness of bigger clubs and associations. ' Radio Times
__________
The beautiful game is under threat. The greed and selfishness of the biggest clubs is harming the sport, with smaller clubs struggling for financial survival and supporters being left behind.
It's time to fix football.
__________
Football is the people's game. A sport accessible to everyone and enjoyed by millions around the world.
But football is broken. Beneath the glamourous sheen of the Premier League, it's a game that's rusting and rotten. The growing influence and wealth of the biggest teams is harming the game, leaving fans out of pocket and smaller clubs clinging to survival. The European Super League, which looked to eradicate competition in favour of guaranteed profits, was just the beginning.
This isn't what football is about. Something's got to change. Enough is enough.
Gary Neville has had a front-row seat in football for over 30 years, witnessing the sport at every level - as a player, a coach, a pundit and an owner. Most of all, he's a fan. Shocked by the state of the game, Gary looks to find out how we got into this mess, who's responsible, and what we can do about it.
The People's Game is Gary's vision for a brighter future. Drawing on interviews with those at the epicentre of the sport's biggest issues - from the role of ownership to the lack of funding in the football league, the rise in racism, ownership models and the future of the women's game - he explains how football has sleepwalked into this mess and offers a new path forward. With stories from his own playing career, as well as insight into some of the biggest footballing decisions in recent history, this is a total look at the game today.
This is a passionate, personal and critical account of how football lost its soul, and what we can do to get it back.
__________
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
' Neville at his authentic best. [He] is the closest thing to a spokesman there is for English football.' Sunday Times
'Brilliant.' Mail on Sunday
'Gary Neville usually talks a lot of sense, and writes it too . . . Neville's words are timely.' Henry Winter, The Times
' The People's Game is [Gary's] call to mend football, harmed by the greed and selfishness of bigger clubs and associations. ' Radio Times
__________
The beautiful game is under threat. The greed and selfishness of the biggest clubs is harming the sport, with smaller clubs struggling for financial survival and supporters being left behind.
It's time to fix football.
__________
Football is the people's game. A sport accessible to everyone and enjoyed by millions around the world.
But football is broken. Beneath the glamourous sheen of the Premier League, it's a game that's rusting and rotten. The growing influence and wealth of the biggest teams is harming the game, leaving fans out of pocket and smaller clubs clinging to survival. The European Super League, which looked to eradicate competition in favour of guaranteed profits, was just the beginning.
This isn't what football is about. Something's got to change. Enough is enough.
Gary Neville has had a front-row seat in football for over 30 years, witnessing the sport at every level - as a player, a coach, a pundit and an owner. Most of all, he's a fan. Shocked by the state of the game, Gary looks to find out how we got into this mess, who's responsible, and what we can do about it.
The People's Game is Gary's vision for a brighter future. Drawing on interviews with those at the epicentre of the sport's biggest issues - from the role of ownership to the lack of funding in the football league, the rise in racism, ownership models and the future of the women's game - he explains how football has sleepwalked into this mess and offers a new path forward. With stories from his own playing career, as well as insight into some of the biggest footballing decisions in recent history, this is a total look at the game today.
This is a passionate, personal and critical account of how football lost its soul, and what we can do to get it back.
__________
240 pages, Hardcover
Published December 28, 2021
48 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
October 20, 2022
interesting debate on the future of football and the ongoing issues of club ownership
January 27, 2023
Mostly agree with what he says in this but all in all a pretty dull book. I think Gary should stick to punditry, like my good friend Oliver Attwood sticks to audiobooks. Can someone please teach that big oaf to read?
January 22, 2024
An insightful book, and a must read for any football fan. Some of the book is a little repetitive and difficult to grasp some concepts (maybe that’s just me), but it discussed important topics and I learnt so much. It already has me thinking in different ways
May 4, 2023
Interesting in parts — but I must say, and I've noticed this as a growing trend with some of these football books of late - David Conn's House of FIFA being a good example - that some of these media celebrities and reporters simply dust off old notes and transcripts of recordings and quote them verbatim. Which strikes me as a very lazy way of writing a book ... almost as if they're trying to "repurpose" old notes, with a minimum of time and effort on their part. Some of the detail is fascinating, but much of the book is really tedious, especially toward the back half. I don't know if Neville realizes it but he's much more interesting when he's writing in his own voice, and less so when he's simply holding a microphone in people's faces. He's better as a TV presence, but then I suppose that should be no great surprise as TV punditry is his main gig these days. The ghostwriter could have been more attentive, though. The written word: That's what he's there for.
January 9, 2023
Learned a lot! Detracting a star because there are lots of typos and grammatical errors 😔
August 26, 2023
One Sentence: Gary Neville’s long-form medium/twitter/X page with no character limits, the former footballer turned pundit is able to expound at length his views and thoughts regarding various issues that have plagued English Football (financial imbalance in the football league, the women’s game, controversy over owners, the European Super League etc).
Summary: As a keen football fan outside the United Kingdom and Europe, Gary Neville’s book has served as an easy gateway to understanding The Game beyond the pitch alone. As I've grown older following the Premier League, the issues surrounding the game have appeared more significant and this discussion raised many pertinent questions and answers. Gary Neville has never been shy to air his views as a pundit on Sky Sports or the Overlap, so this book and his view on the state of the English Game comes as no surprise.
The book covers various issues, but my greatest takeaway was the understanding of what football club represents: “The best analogy I can give is that clubs should be like listed buildings. They should be protected assets and treated differently as such. You can’t go to a town hall in London, Manchester or Leeds and just knock it down. It’s a symbol of the city. Leeds United, Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton, Barrow, Bury, Wimbledon, Exeter – these clubs are so important to the fabric of those cities, towns and communities that they have to be protected, which means owners cannot just come in and do what they want with them.”
This thinking frames Neville’s outlook on the governance of the game - the need to have it sustainable. From re-evaluating the entire football pyramid and its parachute payments, to a whole new set of requirements to a fit and proper owner’s test, Neville has laid out his plans in quite some detail. I thoroughly enjoyed the discussions he had with other stakeholders and views within the game, and I definitely grew in appreciation for what football represents in England and the work that goes on to grow the game.
One gripe I have with the book (beyond its various editing mistakes) is the quoting of interview transcripts in verbatim across various chapters. It does feel like I’m reading a script for a play at times and can cause the book to be a more tedious read than it needs to be. Yet still, the book is a great read for anyone who is interested in dipping their toes into the broader issues surrounding the beautiful game of football in England. As consumers of football, we often see it as pure entertainment, but there’s so much more beyond what happens on the pitch to make the product as successful as it is, and I think it is ever more important to discuss the sustainability and growth of the game if we want to continue enjoying football. And Gary Neville’s book is a great first step!
Summary: As a keen football fan outside the United Kingdom and Europe, Gary Neville’s book has served as an easy gateway to understanding The Game beyond the pitch alone. As I've grown older following the Premier League, the issues surrounding the game have appeared more significant and this discussion raised many pertinent questions and answers. Gary Neville has never been shy to air his views as a pundit on Sky Sports or the Overlap, so this book and his view on the state of the English Game comes as no surprise.
The book covers various issues, but my greatest takeaway was the understanding of what football club represents: “The best analogy I can give is that clubs should be like listed buildings. They should be protected assets and treated differently as such. You can’t go to a town hall in London, Manchester or Leeds and just knock it down. It’s a symbol of the city. Leeds United, Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton, Barrow, Bury, Wimbledon, Exeter – these clubs are so important to the fabric of those cities, towns and communities that they have to be protected, which means owners cannot just come in and do what they want with them.”
This thinking frames Neville’s outlook on the governance of the game - the need to have it sustainable. From re-evaluating the entire football pyramid and its parachute payments, to a whole new set of requirements to a fit and proper owner’s test, Neville has laid out his plans in quite some detail. I thoroughly enjoyed the discussions he had with other stakeholders and views within the game, and I definitely grew in appreciation for what football represents in England and the work that goes on to grow the game.
One gripe I have with the book (beyond its various editing mistakes) is the quoting of interview transcripts in verbatim across various chapters. It does feel like I’m reading a script for a play at times and can cause the book to be a more tedious read than it needs to be. Yet still, the book is a great read for anyone who is interested in dipping their toes into the broader issues surrounding the beautiful game of football in England. As consumers of football, we often see it as pure entertainment, but there’s so much more beyond what happens on the pitch to make the product as successful as it is, and I think it is ever more important to discuss the sustainability and growth of the game if we want to continue enjoying football. And Gary Neville’s book is a great first step!
March 21, 2023
Gary Neville goes into his views on various aspects of the game that he gives out frequently on television. A book obviously gives him more scope to provide background and to go into more detail. He also involved other stakeholders in researching the book and allowed their points of view, in some cases contrary to his own to be presented for which he deserves credit. It is not just a Gary Neville polemic. Whilst a lot of thought has gone into the formulation of his proposed solutions and he has a lot of experience in many different aspects of the game (fan, player, manager, owner and pundit/media) I think there is a tad of idealism about some of his proposals and maybe a more pragmatic approach is more likely to be successful.
The big downside of the book is that it doesn't look as if it has been proof read or edited. Lots of typos, grammatical errors, incomplete sentences. There is also a lot of repetition: it is as though each chapter has been written in isolation so the same context setting is repeated.
However it is an interesting read for any football fan who cares about the future of the game in England.
The big downside of the book is that it doesn't look as if it has been proof read or edited. Lots of typos, grammatical errors, incomplete sentences. There is also a lot of repetition: it is as though each chapter has been written in isolation so the same context setting is repeated.
However it is an interesting read for any football fan who cares about the future of the game in England.
December 13, 2022
A book that didn't really need reading.
Firstly, I was excited to read this book. I've had a lot of respect for G. Neville and he speaks eloquently on football so I assumed this book would reflect that. Sadly, it was another footballer 300 page, huge font that (especially at the beginning) rambles on a lot. The second chapter (on Bury) feels forced and doesn't fit in that section of the book. The book does get better; the chapter on racism in football is particularly good. A lot of Garry's thoughts on the Middle Eastern investment into the Premier League are negated by himself taking money to promote the World Cup. As the book continues on these issues (all of which need discussing), Neville's ideas get more and more self-righteous and ludicrous. Lastly and a bit of a petty point, there's about five typos in the book, which was irritable to me.
Firstly, I was excited to read this book. I've had a lot of respect for G. Neville and he speaks eloquently on football so I assumed this book would reflect that. Sadly, it was another footballer 300 page, huge font that (especially at the beginning) rambles on a lot. The second chapter (on Bury) feels forced and doesn't fit in that section of the book. The book does get better; the chapter on racism in football is particularly good. A lot of Garry's thoughts on the Middle Eastern investment into the Premier League are negated by himself taking money to promote the World Cup. As the book continues on these issues (all of which need discussing), Neville's ideas get more and more self-righteous and ludicrous. Lastly and a bit of a petty point, there's about five typos in the book, which was irritable to me.
December 18, 2022
If ever anyone needed to see the importance of sport! Not only from an individual, self-improvement perspective (ie of physical health, technical proficiency), but also as a social tool: to bring community closer together, as an outlet from the stresses of life. Perhaps not much different from a visit to a theatre, or mall, or watering hole.
I find that the book has an overarching theme of the sociology of sport, and how sport (and the investment in sport) can help to uplift society, both in terms of jobs creation and also in terms of infrastructure (like how Manchester City’s owners have improved parts of Manchester, thereby also improving the social situation in some aspects such as having people gainfully employed and not engaging in illicit activity such as drug abuse in previously-afflicted parts of the City).
Gary Neville has always been outspoken in using sport as a means to better society; this book is a consolidation and an extension of that (in addition to his commentaries that you might have come across sometimes on broadcasts, for example).
I find that the book has an overarching theme of the sociology of sport, and how sport (and the investment in sport) can help to uplift society, both in terms of jobs creation and also in terms of infrastructure (like how Manchester City’s owners have improved parts of Manchester, thereby also improving the social situation in some aspects such as having people gainfully employed and not engaging in illicit activity such as drug abuse in previously-afflicted parts of the City).
Gary Neville has always been outspoken in using sport as a means to better society; this book is a consolidation and an extension of that (in addition to his commentaries that you might have come across sometimes on broadcasts, for example).
August 15, 2023
A bit niche, this one.
Gary Neville is a smart guy and he has some good thoughts and ideas. This is an interesting and highly technical discussion of what ails English football currently and proposed measures to address these issues. Despite the overwhelming, almost incomprehensible wealth of the top handful of clubs in the Premier League, all is not well in our national game with financial jeopardy and possible insolvency around the corner for many.
It is a bit repetitive in places. The descriptions of the financial mechanisms (leveraged buy-outs, whatever they are...!? - that sort of thing) used by football club owners to prop up failing clubs, or less benevolently, drain them of cash is complicated - understandably.
Worth reading if you're a fan and care about your club's future.
Gary Neville is a smart guy and he has some good thoughts and ideas. This is an interesting and highly technical discussion of what ails English football currently and proposed measures to address these issues. Despite the overwhelming, almost incomprehensible wealth of the top handful of clubs in the Premier League, all is not well in our national game with financial jeopardy and possible insolvency around the corner for many.
It is a bit repetitive in places. The descriptions of the financial mechanisms (leveraged buy-outs, whatever they are...!? - that sort of thing) used by football club owners to prop up failing clubs, or less benevolently, drain them of cash is complicated - understandably.
Worth reading if you're a fan and care about your club's future.
December 20, 2022
I didn't like Gary Neville much when he was a footballer but as a pundit I find he talks a lot of sense. So I enjoyed this book, where he has more time to explore some of the issues facing football at the moment. Importantly, he doesn't just rice his own opinions, he also interviews influential and intelligent voices from within the game who offer interesting insights too. Most of the current hot potatoes in football are tackled, suchas racism, foreign wealth coming into the game, the super league, clubs going bust and supporting women's football. It was a bit dry in places but football governance is hard to make sexy I suppose, overall it was a good read and summed up the current state of football well and concluded with sensible suggestions to improve things.
May 26, 2023
Fantastic book and so insightful about so many issues on our game.
I read this livid with the Glazers and the super league and ended up actually thinking about lots of my own views that were purely based on anger of the way they run United & the super league.
As a championship club season ticket holder near my uni and having followed my local non league club home and away for 3 years, I like to think my views are broad and I have a real appreciation of the importance of protecting the football pyramid, but lots of things in this book approached issues I hear a lot in a way I’d never thought of.
Also unexpectedly learnt a lot about Women’s football and Steve Parish!
A must read for anyone as terrified as me about the future of English football and protecting the pyramid.
I read this livid with the Glazers and the super league and ended up actually thinking about lots of my own views that were purely based on anger of the way they run United & the super league.
As a championship club season ticket holder near my uni and having followed my local non league club home and away for 3 years, I like to think my views are broad and I have a real appreciation of the importance of protecting the football pyramid, but lots of things in this book approached issues I hear a lot in a way I’d never thought of.
Also unexpectedly learnt a lot about Women’s football and Steve Parish!
A must read for anyone as terrified as me about the future of English football and protecting the pyramid.
December 6, 2022
This is a decent overview of the state of English football. The most intriguing parts are nearer the end where the diverse views of Neville, Steve Parish, David Bernstein etc are more involved.
The book takes a little while to get going. Its first couple of chapters feel a little bit like glorified newspaper opinion pieces.
I come away feeling slightly disappointed. We all know what Neville wants because he's everywhere in football media. His conclusions don't tally with an overarching point he makes frequently in the book - that there are loads of contrasting vested interests in football.
It remains an interesting read, although the frequent typos are a little jarring.
The book takes a little while to get going. Its first couple of chapters feel a little bit like glorified newspaper opinion pieces.
I come away feeling slightly disappointed. We all know what Neville wants because he's everywhere in football media. His conclusions don't tally with an overarching point he makes frequently in the book - that there are loads of contrasting vested interests in football.
It remains an interesting read, although the frequent typos are a little jarring.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2022
Too many blank pages, too much block quotation, too many typographical errors. Aside from that, this is a good primer into the issues - money, ownership, inequality, race - that pervade the game Gary has become a millionaire playing and analysing. Not the definitive take but good for casual fans. Misplaced optimism is the tenor of the book. Also, Rob Draper should get a co-credit, not a ghostwriter credit, for all the research he does.
March 2, 2023
I generally like Gary Neville, he has got some good opinions on the game of football and he probably would make a good football administrator. However Gary is also part owner of a club with several other wealthy individuals who are trying to buy their way to the top - so in essence is part of the problem he is talking about. Am interesting and at times inciteful read but I did gloss over some of the chapters.
October 2, 2023
Ultimately it’s a very passionate argument for the future of the game in the UK. I agree with Gary on many points but his argument does have its flaws, which are pointed out by those interviewed for the book, with that said I think overall it is made with the best intentions and with a lot of insight into the game and how it is run.
What I enjoyed most though was insight into topics I wasn’t aware of such as Alice Kell! Worth a read if you are a fan of the Premier League.
What I enjoyed most though was insight into topics I wasn’t aware of such as Alice Kell! Worth a read if you are a fan of the Premier League.
November 11, 2023
This wasn't a book I would have bought for myself, it was a present. In truth, I found that Gary Neville writes as he speaks; he is earnest but a little dull. That said, he makes a lot of sense in confronting things that are wrong with modern-day professional soccer in England. As a fan of a club that has its own share of ownership woes, a lot of Neville writes is very relevant. It just wasn't a very exciting read. One for the real soccer aficionado I think.
April 30, 2024
Great book. I like Gary Neville and usually agree with his opinions on football so it was nice to get a deeper dive into his thoughts. Some good ideas of how to improve the game and I certainly learnt a lot. From women's football to the way money is distributed, this is a great read for football fans, especially fans like me who are less educated on the 'politics' of football. A great introduction to that side of things. Well written as well given Gary is an ex-footballer.
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June 20, 2024I'm a big fan of football and Gary neville but I find the finance, money and politics side a bit more difficult to understand at times. I think Gary has done a good job of expressing and articulating the current problems involved with the game and how it can be possible to improve and keep the integrity of the competiveness of the game sustainable going forward. I feel Gary's passion for everything. A good read that enlightens you with the other side of football.
March 31, 2023
I was bored beyond belief before this book: I couldn’t find anything to read that is moderately interesting however this was everything. It took a different approach to looking at the new football world because it cared mostly about the fans perspective which is by far the most important thing in any sport
July 30, 2023
Absolute brillaint insight into some of the issues affecting modern football as well as some of the issues from historic times.
Gary takes a real independent view on some of the most fascinating subjects and does so in a really insightful manner.
The only reason I have not given this book the full 5 stars is because selfishly I just hoped there was another 3 or 4 more chapters.
Gary takes a real independent view on some of the most fascinating subjects and does so in a really insightful manner.
The only reason I have not given this book the full 5 stars is because selfishly I just hoped there was another 3 or 4 more chapters.
August 1, 2024
Interesting points overall but a podcast series would have been far more appropriate way to share these ideas. Parts of the book are conversation transcripts that would be part of longer discussions.
More positively it opened my eyes on the bigger issues like finances that arent reported on as often.
More positively it opened my eyes on the bigger issues like finances that arent reported on as often.
November 24, 2022
Started off very well, but then became too political at the end. Would still recommend this book though as it gives a greater insight on how football is run, the money involved and what it needs to be saved.
February 11, 2023
An exploration of the inherent tension between commerce, community and competition that has led to a very uneven and sloping playing field. Neville's love and knowledge of the game shines through but sometimes in a way that blinds his point.
April 2, 2023
It was quite an insight from my favourite football player. It would have been better if more specialists and professionals were voiced in the book. It also did not seem to have any concrete solutions to fix football in the UK. Overall it was enjoyable. A good read!
August 18, 2024
Interesting read, enjoy some of the content. I didn't really know what to expect to begin with and a little drawn out at stages being partially repetitive and lots of spelling and grammet errors which was poor.
October 2, 2022
Hereford v Brighton was not at the Goldstone Ground in 1997 but the rest is well researched.
October 7, 2022
Interesting but a little repetitive
October 9, 2022
This book gives a good insight into the world of football finances and how those behind the clubs view many of the issues.
January 14, 2023
Very interesting read on the state of Football in the UK. Neville is an intelligent thinker and his ideas around the need for a regulator are sensible and much-needed.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews