{"product_id":"9781399413510","title":"The Football Battalions : The Elite Footballers Who Fought in the Great War","description":"\u003ch3\u003eAuthor:  Evans, Christopher \u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ch4\u003eUnited Kingdom, Great Britain\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003ch5\u003ePublished on 6 November 2025 by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (Bloomsbury Sport) in the United Kingdom.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHardback | 240 pages\u003cbr\u003e242 x 162 x 29 | 424g\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW'A brilliant book' - Kevin Day'An extraordinary story' - David Williamson, Chief Political Commentator at the Daily ExpressTHE POIGNANT STORY OF HOW PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS WENT TO WAR1914. 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\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 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDrawing on archival material, this is a captivating exploration of the elite footballers who went to war.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Far From The Madding Crowd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47441586979075,"sku":"9781399413510","price":20.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0404\/3207\/4914\/files\/9781399413510.jpg?v=1765297553","url":"https:\/\/www.maddingcrowdlinlithgow.live\/products\/9781399413510","provider":"Far From The Madding Crowd","version":"1.0","type":"link"}