History of Football in 100 Objects

What does a turnip have in common with a pair of £500 sunglasses? They've both played a pivotal role in football history. Following on from Neil MacGregor's groundbreaking The History of the World in 100 Objects, Gavin Mortimer provides a quirky and unique take on the beautiful game told through its defining objects. A History of Football in 100 Objects begins on the momentous day in October 1863 when several men in frock coats formed the Football Association. Ever since, the sport has continually evolved - and created new ways to thrill and infuriate its billions of followers along the way. If you've ever wanted to know when footballers started to feign injury, why an old sock helped Pelé become a global legend or how a draper's letter changed football, you'll find the answer in this fascinating history of invention, ingenuity, indiscipline - and sometimes inebriation. From the inaugural red card to a Buddhist shrine, each of the objects selected gives us an intimate glimpse of an unexpected truth behind footie mythology.Review QuoteWritten with wit, warmth and an incredible amount of researchReview QuoteBeautiful ... tells the story of our national game through the often obscure things that have shaped itReview QuoteExtremely clever, quirky, and deliciously funnyReview QuoteA richly original account of the game's past, present and futureReview QuoteA quirky and unique take on the beautiful gameReview QuoteGreat funBiographical NoteGavin Mortimer, who lives in Paris, is an award-winning writer, and journalist. He is the football correspondent for the Week magazine and also writes for the Sunday Telegraph, BBC History Magazine, and Rugby World.The remarkable stories of 100 football artefacts that have shaped the game as we know it.