What do you think?
Rate this book
Underground, Overground: The fault lines of football clubs
"The Domesday Book of modern football"Michael Calvin
"A book of real soul and poetry that fundamentally understands football is by the people, and for the people" John Nicholson
What is a football club, really, when you get right down to it?
In 2001, the owners of Wimbledon announced one possible answer to this a football club is a thing that can be moved to Milton Keynes. A year later, Wimbledon’s fans provided another answer when they founded AFC Wimbledon.
This moment wasn’t just exceptionally controversial. It also forced English football to look at itself and consider what it is that truly matters about football clubs. Is it the connection between club and place, or between fans and players? Or do the interests of the owners trump all other concerns? Does a connection with the past matter more than the prospects for the future? Can a club ever be moved, and if not, why not? And what even is 'Milton Keynes'?
This book looks at how football fans have answered and continue to answer these questions. How ordinary supporters, in all their wide and glorious variety, think about the clubs they follow up and down the country. For some, their club is a community. For others, a family. And for a few, it is a thing with a soul.
"A book of real soul and poetry that fundamentally understands football is by the people, and for the people" John Nicholson
What is a football club, really, when you get right down to it?
In 2001, the owners of Wimbledon announced one possible answer to this a football club is a thing that can be moved to Milton Keynes. A year later, Wimbledon’s fans provided another answer when they founded AFC Wimbledon.
This moment wasn’t just exceptionally controversial. It also forced English football to look at itself and consider what it is that truly matters about football clubs. Is it the connection between club and place, or between fans and players? Or do the interests of the owners trump all other concerns? Does a connection with the past matter more than the prospects for the future? Can a club ever be moved, and if not, why not? And what even is 'Milton Keynes'?
This book looks at how football fans have answered and continue to answer these questions. How ordinary supporters, in all their wide and glorious variety, think about the clubs they follow up and down the country. For some, their club is a community. For others, a family. And for a few, it is a thing with a soul.
211 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 19, 2021
36 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 6, 2022
Nice little book attempting to answer the question ‘What is a football club, really, when you get right down to it?’ particularly in the context of the move of Wimbledon to MK and the launching of AFC Wimbledon. It has a slightly academic flavour and yet is engaging, interesting, not difficult to read and at times quite funny.
January 10, 2022
Really enjoyed this. It's really well written, not too academic and has some jokes/light hearted moments to ease you along. The subject is really well covered and it's very informative and insightful.
Looking forward to more books by Andi Thomas!
Looking forward to more books by Andi Thomas!
December 9, 2024
Such an interesting book - even if you're not a huge football fan, there's a lot about football's influence and relationships with community and capitalism in today's UK
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews