{"product_id":"the-football-battalions-9781399413510","title":"The Football Battalions: The Elite Footballers Who Fought in the Great War","description":"\u003cp\u003eAVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTHE POIGNANT STORY OF HOW A GROUP OF ELITE PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS WENT TO WAR\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1914. 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 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 tells the story of World War I, particularly what happened in the trenches of Northern France, through the eyes of 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAmong 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDeeply researched and drawing on archival material, this is a captivating exploration of this remarkable army battalion.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication date:\u003c\/strong\u003e 6 November 2025\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePage count:\u003c\/strong\u003e 240\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e Height 242 mm; Width 162 mm; Thickness 29 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bloomsbury Publishing PLC\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFormat:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hardback\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/strong\u003e 9781399413510\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Christopher Evans","offers":[{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":50170046447866,"sku":"9781399413510","price":14.16,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0522\/4297\/2845\/files\/9781399413510.jpg?v=1787617843","url":"https:\/\/shulphink.com\/products\/the-football-battalions-9781399413510","provider":"Shulph Ink","version":"1.0","type":"link"}