Herbert Chapman

The definitive story of the father of modern football, Herbert Chapman. Herbert Chapman, the boss of the all-conquering Arsenal team of the 1930s, was the father of modern football management. A relative journeyman as a player, he moved into the dugout aged 29 with Northampton Town, before building a multiple-title-winning team with Huddersfield in the 1920s. It was at Arsenal, however, where Chapman would leave an indelible mark on the landscape of football. Patrick Barclay's poignant and detailed biography weaves Chapman's story into the momentous times through which he lived, including the tragedy of the First World War, the subsequent Depression and the rise of fascism. Deeply influential on Arsenal successors such as George Graham and Arsène Wenger, he also pioneered changes in the game's scenery and tactical approaches. As Sir Matt Busby later remarked, Herbert Chapman changed the game of football.

THE ABSURD ASCENT OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MAN IN FOOTBALL. THE MANAGER. 'Rich in detail and colour . . . a great read' Observer This book traces the remarkable journey of the football gaffer, from his humble beginnings as club secretary, to his modern incarnation - the man we all recognise, venting his spleen at the ref, or having a huff at a post-match press conference. THE MANAGER takes the reader beyond the well-worn anecdotes, deeper into the stories of football's top men and the world they inhabit. Barney Ronay asks the important questions about these compelling characters - Where did they come from? Why are they so miserable? Where do they get their suits? Hilarious and absorbing, this book contains enough revelations to provide the most avid fan with a library of fresh tales. You'll never look at the man on the touchline in the same way again.

This clear and accessible book is the first in-depth history of the role of the football manager in British football, tracing a path from Victorian-era amateurism to the highly paid motivational specialists and media personalities of the twenty-first century. Using original source materials, the book traces the changing character and function of the football manager, covering: the origins of football management – club secretaries and early pioneers the impact of post-war social change – the advent of the football business television and the new commercialism contemporary football – specialisation and the influence of foreign managers and management practices the future of football management. The Football Manager fully explores the historical context of these changes. It examines the influence of Britain's traditionally pragmatic and hierarchical business management culture on British football, and in doing so provides a new and broader perspective on a unique management role and a unique way of life.

Volume three of a bibliography documenting all that has been written in the English language on the history of sport and physical education in Britain. It lists all secondary source material including reference works, in a classified order to meet the needs of the sports historian.