"Go To War" Football in the 1980's

Talking Sports Books

Welcome back to the new edition of the show and coming up we head back to the 1980's when the goundworks were underway for the biggest changes in the history of football as the balance of power began its shift from to associations to the tv companies when the era of commercialism really got underway.

Set against a backdrop of economic recession, rampant hooliganism and suspect fashion, Go To War tells the 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 at times, the ‘slum sport’ seemed set to implode. Yet, remarkably, the game was on the cusp of morphing into the behemoth it has become today.

Throughout this explosive book, author Jon Spurling delves into the stories behind the successes and strife at clubs including Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal, investigates the trials and tribulations of the England team and explores how ‘small-town boys’ from Luton, Watford and Wimbledon made their mark. The decade also heralded the arrival of artificial pitches and fanzines, and Spurling introduces us to the new 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, Go To War draws heavily on interviews conducted with ’80s icons including Terry Butcher, Graeme Sharp and Ray Wilkins, managerial legends like Howard Kendall 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.