The Remarkable Story of Fred Spiksley: The First Working-Class Football Hero

Author:   Mark Metcalf
Publisher:   Pen & Sword Books Ltd
ISBN:  

9781526775313


Pages:   224
Publication Date:   07 May 2021
Format:   Paperback
Availability:   In Print   Availability explained
This item will be ordered in for you from one of our suppliers. Upon receipt, we will promptly dispatch it out to you. For in store availability, please contact us.

Our Price $49.99 Quantity:  
Add to Cart

Share |

The Remarkable Story of Fred Spiksley: The First Working-Class Football Hero


Add your own review!

Overview

Gainsborough's Fred Spiksley was one of the first working class youngsters in 1887 to live 'the dream' of becoming a professional footballer, before later finding a role as a globe-trotting coach. He thus dodged the inevitability of industrial, poorly paid, dangerous labour. Lightning fast, Spiksley created and scored hundreds of goals including, to the great joy of the future Queen Mary who chased him down the touchline, three against Scotland in 1893. The outside left scored both Sheffield Wednesday's goals in the 2-1 defeat of Wolves in the 1896 FA Cup Final at the Crystal palace. Forced by injury to stop playing at aged 36, Spiksley adventured out into the world. He acted with Charlie Chaplin, escaped from a German prison at the start of the First World War and later made the first 'talking' football training film for youngsters. As a coach/manager he won titles in Sweden, Mexico, the USA and Germany, becoming the last Englishman to coach a German title-winning team with 1FC Nuremburg in 1927. This book reveals for the first time his coaching achievements in Badalona, Barcelona, in 1930-31. It also shows how his coaching strategies placed him decades ahead of his contemporaries, and how it took the FA and professional football clubs over sixty years to catch up by imitating his plans for academies. As an addicted gambler and womaniser, Spiksley had his problems away from football. However, he was beloved by his football fans, including Herbert Chapman, the greatest manager of that era in English football who, towards the end of his life, picked him in his finest XI. AUTHOR: A full-time writer for over a decade, Mark Metcalf has written many books on football clubs and players, particularly prior to WWI, rediscovered numerous previously hidden football facts and organised a series of Professional Football Association plaques to former greats. An accomplished public speaker, he writes regularly for the Big Issue North magazine and Unite the Union. 40 b/w illustrations

Full Product Details

Author:   Mark Metcalf
Publisher:   Pen & Sword Books Ltd
Imprint:   Pen & Sword History
ISBN:  

9781526775313


ISBN 10:   152677531
Pages:   224
Publication Date:   07 May 2021
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print   Availability explained
This item will be ordered in for you from one of our suppliers. Upon receipt, we will promptly dispatch it out to you. For in store availability, please contact us.

Table of Contents

Reviews

Author Information

A full-time writer for over a decade, **Mark Metcalf** has written many books on football clubs and players, particularly prior to WWI, rediscovered numerous previously hidden football facts and organised a series of Professional Football Association plaques to former greats. An accomplished public speaker, he writes regularly for the _Big Issue North_ magazine and _Unite the Union_. **Clive Nicholson** is currently Head of Arts in a successful York secondary school, where he has taught Art & Design for sixteen years. At the age of 9 he discovered that Fred Spiksley is his Great Granduncle and has spent three decades researching and telling the story of his remarkable ancestor. Clive has collected hundreds of images and artefacts that provide a pictorial history of Spiksley's story, with many being used within this publication.

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

No review item found!

Add your own review!

Countries Available

All regions
Latest Reading Guide

ls

Shopping Cart
Your cart is empty
Shopping cart
Mailing List