The original idea for the book developed after the author visited all the League football grounds and many non-league venues. He decided to write about the grounds, but then became interested in the lives of the founders of soccer - which in general only had a limited amount of research. Some detailed investigations were undertaken and it was discovered the founders were connected to every aspect of British history and the Empire. To complete the work research was done in London, Sheffield, and in New York, North Dakota, New Zealand, Chamonix, Malta, Gibraltar and Norway. The result was The Wow Factor which was written on an old single-line word-processor in 2003, and despite some editing problems sold well in Sportspages in Charing Cross Road - as a result it was in the Top 10 sports books for The Independent. Gary Lineker was kind enough to allow some words on the back cover and said it would become "standard reading on the subject," whereas there was an interview with Peter White at Radio Solent and a three-part feature in the Family Tree Magazine. By a strange coincidence Keith Warsop did similar research on the 158 players in the Amateur Cup Finals at the same time, and this appeared as a booklet: The Early Cup Finals and the Southern Amateurs. This also contained biographies but without the associated genealogical histories. The Wow Factor or How Soccer Evolved in the Social Web was reprinted in 2005 with additional information and corrections, whereas it was reviewed in FourFourTwo magazine next to a picture and article on Jose Mourinho - regarding his rise to fame. Due to queries about the extent of genealogical information, the former was edited and reprinted as The Founders of Soccer in 2008. This had a framework covering the games history - with details on the creation of the code and its rules (separating soccer from rugby), biographies of players in the first Cup Final, some chapters on the early presidents and secretaries of the F.A., and a final section considering the clubs and grounds. The original run was all sold out therefore it was reprinted for the 150th Anniversary of the F.A. in 2013. The E-book contains an appendix section on the Cup, League and Grounds (opening dates), all the original photographs, and numerous footnotes to explain places and people once familiar - but now little known. In particular it is based on original research beyond that of the F.A., and has the most detailed biographies of the founders available.
The author has also published The Wizards of Wight and The Fours Idols of Destiny as well as non-fiction: Arthur Pember's Great Adventures, The Real Colin Blythe and London Churches & Olde Celebrities Volumes I and II (sold at Foyles, Waterstones, the F.A., and St. Paul's).
When the Football Association started in 1863, the members sought to establish a set of rules to unify the code. The Founders of Soccer discusses the lives of these officials in detail, wihtin the context of the game's development.... Amateur players began the F.A. Cup in 1872, and new research shows they were connected to every aspect of British history. Meanwhile, Cup Final venues such as the Oval, Crystal Palace and Wembley are likewise treated.... It was 1888 when the professional League kicked-off, and in twenty years there were sixty new grounds. The growth of these venues with their innovative stands, and former League clubs are detailed, to reveal the orgins of the modern game. (Back Cover)
The author has also published The Wizards of Wight and The Fours Idols of Destiny as well as non-fiction: Arthur Pember's Great Adventures, The Real Colin Blythe and London Churches & Olde Celebrities Volumes I and II (sold at Foyles, Waterstones, the F.A., and St. Paul's).
When the Football Association started in 1863, the members sought to establish a set of rules to unify the code. The Founders of Soccer discusses the lives of these officials in detail, wihtin the context of the game's development.... Amateur players began the F.A. Cup in 1872, and new research shows they were connected to every aspect of British history. Meanwhile, Cup Final venues such as the Oval, Crystal Palace and Wembley are likewise treated.... It was 1888 when the professional League kicked-off, and in twenty years there were sixty new grounds. The growth of these venues with their innovative stands, and former League clubs are detailed, to reveal the orgins of the modern game. (Back Cover)
