The Football Battalions
The Elite Footballers Who Fought in the Great War
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The Football Battalions
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THE POIGNANT STORY OF HOW A GROUP OF ELITE PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS WENT TO WAR
1914. Britain is slowly becoming football-obsessed: players are becoming household names, attendance is increasing and George V attends the FA Cup Final in May. Then the war breaks out.
In this fascinating work of history, Christopher Evans explores how footballers were put under immense pressure to sign up once the war began, resulting in the formation of the Football Battalion in England. He tells the story of World War I through the eyes of seven leading footballers of the day. Some would never make it back; some would fade into obscurity; some would leave an indelible mark on the game.
Among them are Vivian Woodward, an Olympic Gold medallist who becomes football’s first superstar; Major Frank Buckley, who would come out of the war a hero and redefine the role of a football manager; and Walter Tull, Tottenham and Northampton hero, who faced racism both on the football and battlefield before becoming the first Black man to win a commission and command a unit in the British Army.
Deeply researched and drawing on archival material, this is a captivating exploration of this remarkable army battalion.