Go To War : Football on the Brink in the ’80s – 9781785907494

Set against a backdrop ofeconomic recession, rampant hooliganism and suspect fashion, Go To War tellsthe story of how triumph and tragedy shaped English football during the 1980s. It was a decade in which some fans died watching the game they loved, and attimes, the ‘slum sport’ seemed set to implode. Yet, remarkably, the game was onthe cusp of morphing into the behemoth it has become today.

Throughout this explosivebook, author Jon Spurling delves into the stories behind the successes andstrife at clubs including Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal, investigates thetrials and tribulations of the England team and explores how ‘small-town boys’from Luton, Watford and Wimbledon made their mark. The decade also heralded thearrival of artificial pitches and fanzines, and Spurling introduces us to thenew breed of high-profile executives, like Irving Scholar and Martin Edwards,who soon got busy changing the face of football. Thirty years in the making, GoTo War draws heavily on interviews conducted with ’80s icons includingTerry Butcher, Graeme Sharp and Ray Wilkins, managerial legends like HowardKendall and Bobby Robson and FA Cup heroes Ricky Villa and Norman Whiteside.

Like its precursor, the bestselling Get It On: How the ’70s Rocked Football,Go To War provides a unique insight into a pivotal footballing decade.