Book Description

With 2011 celebrating the Premier League's 20th anniversary, it's time to take stock of a phenomenon that has changed English football - and English society - forever. Ian Ridley took a long hard look at the game back in the 1980s against a backdrop of recession, strikes and football hooliganism. In this new book he examines just how far the game has come, sucking in players and money from around the globe and providing fame, fortune and hours of pleasure in return. It includes: - Interviews with major players such as the chairman of the FA, top-flight managers, and the broker who sold Chelsea to Abramovich. - A behind-the-scenes look at clubs such as Fulham and Manchester United, as well as roles within football like refereeing. - An exploration of the finances of the game, its changing profile and the growing gap between the Premier League and the rest of the game. As he examines the changes that have occurred over the last twenty years, Ridley seeks to discover if the soul of the game still exists. With his eye for detail, his knack for voices and his incisive intelligence, he has woven together a rich and fascinating story of football's metamorphosis from social outcast to favourite child.