The Football Battalion - by Christopher Evans (Hardcover)

About the Book

The poignant story of how professional footballers went to war

Book Synopsis

'An extraordinary story' - David Williamson, Chief Political Commentator at the Daily Express

'Lovely book ... a lot of unknown stories in there' - Paul Hawksbee, talkSPORT

'Excellent... a compelling analysis, drawing on social, political and military history, eye-opening but enlivened throughout by his keen eye for the humorous and hypocritical' - When Saturday Comes

'A worthy tribute to the footballers who fought, were wounded or lost their lives' - Late Tackle

THE POIGNANT STORY OF HOW 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, equal parts footballing and military history, Christopher Evans explores how, once the war began, footballers were put under immense pressure to sign up, resulting in the formation of Football Battalions in England and Scotland. He recounts the wartime exploits of the leading footballers of the day. Some would return to leave their mark on the game; some would fade into obscurity; and some would never make it back.

Among them are Vivian Woodward, an Olympic gold medallist and football's first superstar; Frank Buckley, who would emerge from the war a hero and go on to redefine the role of a football manager; and Walter Tull, Tottenham and Northampton hero, who faced racism both on the football field and battlefield before becoming the first Black man to win a commission and command a unit in the British Army.

Drawing on archival material, this is a captivating exploration of the elite footballers who went to war.

Review Quotes

"Chris Evans, a commitment politician if ever there was one, brings the same devotion to his love affair with football as he did to his Welsh constituents and his work in Parliament. Those two passions are brilliantly interwoven in his latest book about the game which unifies our kingdom and its special importance in the dark years of world war. Cherish the rare insights. " --Jeff Powell MBE, Senior Sportswriter at the Daily Mail

"Chris Evans has found a fascinating angle on the First World War that both highlight the tragic waste of talent taken in battle and the triumph of the human spirit to rise above the trenches and maintain an ambition for a life of sporting success not slaughter." --Guto Harri, broadcaster

"Chris Evans puts the spotlight on the extraordinary story of how well-loved footballers from across Britain left their clubs behind and together fought for their country. His passion for football and his deep knowledge of the internal politics of the sport is matched with true respect for those who swapped the pitch for the frontline. He paints vivid portraits of these sportsmen turned soldiers who answered duty's call at a time when both the game and the world were about to change beyond recognition. The reader is left humbled by the courage and sacrifice of these most patriotic of sportsmen." --David Williamson, Chief Political Commentator of The Express

"A brilliant book ... a heart-breaking, inspiring and often funny story of remarkable footballers ... Nowadays a footballer is hailed as a hero if he dives for a header. These footballers were actual heroes and real people, brilliantly brought to life in these pages" --Kevin Day, host of The Price of Football podcast

" Superbly written, expertly weaving together football and military history" --Derek Twigg MP, former Veterans Minister

"A powerful and poignant reminder of how The Great War touched every inch of society " --Chris Evans, FourFourTwo journalist and author of How to Win the World Cup and Gary Lineker

"An in-depth journey of how our national game played its own unique role in the First World War" --Ryan Sabey, The Sun Deputy Political Editor

"Absorbing... excellent... a compelling analysis, drawing on social, political and military history, eye-opening but enlivened throughout by his keen eye for the humorous and hypocritical." --When Saturday Comes

"Lovely book ... a lot of unknown stories in there " --Paul Hawksbee, talkSPORT

"[Chris Evans MP] brings the well known players to life and gives long overdue attention to the men whose stories never reached the record books. One chapter stands out. His account of Walter Tull, the Tottenham Hotspur forward who became the first Black professional outfield footballer in England and later one of the first Black officers to lead white soldiers in the British Army, is handled with care and restraint ...This is a lovely Christmas present book." --Tom Watson

"Evans' book provides a poignant reminder of the sacrifices that footballers made during the First World War. It is a worthy tribute to the footballers who fought, were wounded or lost their lives" --Ian Aspinall, Late Tackle

About the Author

Christopher Evans is the Labour (Co-op) MP for Caerphilly having been an MP continually since 2010. His first book, Fearless Freddie: The Life and Times of Freddie Mills was published in 2017 and shortlisted for The Times Biography of the Year at the 2018 Sports Book Awards. He also wrote the acclaimed Don Revie: The Biography which was shortlisted for the Sunday Times Sports Book Awards 2022. He recently became a Commissioner for the Commonwealth War Graves. @Chris_EvansMP