"Go To War" Football in the 1980's

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.