Parklife: A Search for the Heart of Football Book

Nick Varley has undertaken a report on the state of the modern football in Britain, and the results aren't very appetising; A game that has sold itself to the highest bidder. A game that has failed to remove the hooligan problem. Yet, somehow a game that is apparently more popular and richer than ever. Parklife traces the evolution of today's game from the 70s and 80s,which we're now told to view as football's Dark Ages. The author sets out happily recalling leaving his home to take his place on the terraces at Elland Road, Leeds, armed with only a tenner (for admission, a programme, travel and food), and an expectation of some change at the end of the day. Today, the same might cost up to 10 times as much. So where has the game changed along the way? And were those days gone by really as good as the memories of them? This report attempts to answer these questions. Along the way, Lord Justice Taylor's report in the aftermath of the Hillsborough tragedy is a constant reference, as all the key issues that have affected the game are considered. Television, wages, racism, hooliganism and safety of stadia are all discussed. And the answers are rather depressing. Whilst the game seems to be selling its soul on its journey into the modern era, the place where it came from is none too pretty either. With no immediate solution at hand, Varley's survey should be compulsory reading for those involved in changing the game, and of course, for those who care about it. --Trevor CroweRead More