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Manchester - A Football History by Gary James

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 "Manchester - A Football History"

is now available from the following stores:

Zavvi (Manchester Arndale), Borders (Stockport & Manchester), All branches of Waterstones, Urbis, Manchester Visitor Centre, Tameside Tourist Information Centre (Ashton-under-Lyne), Oldham Evening Chronicle Promotions, The City Store, Amazon, & Blackwells (Manchester University).  

If it doesn't appear in your local store, please ask them to order it. 

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REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

"Gary James's ambitious aim is to tell the history of football in the Manchester area and thereby establish its importance to the city and its environs.

"This is a heavyweight volume - literally, as it spans 512 closely packed pages, handsomely illustrated with rare photographs and terrific facsimile documents: newspaper clippings, pages from programmes, correspondence etc.

"It is a real achievement and the first time the history of the game in the region has been told."

Joyce Woolridge, When Saturday Comes

"... this enthralling trawl through Manchester's football history." 4 Stars

Steve Morgan, Four-Four-Two

"Book of the week"

Ian Herbert, The Independent

"This is an absorbing book that will appeal greatly to a wider audience than just supporters of the 'Manchester' clubs."  

David Powter, Winger

"Among the many fascinating stories in the book is a 1972 letter from Manchester United to Manchester City asking if they would like to make an offer for a forward − 26-year-old George Best. The book also alleges that City and United joined forces in the 1930s to stop a third Manchester side from joining the league and that a City director in the 60s asked United if they would like to merge."

All About Manchester

 

 

 

 

Welcome to James Ward

James Ward is a small, family run publisher of limited edition football books. We have a passion for quality writing, talented authors and interesting stories.

We believe football books must be informative and entertaining. We strive to ensure all we do is of the highest quality.

James Ward, PO Box 822, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX1 9FX
Email: info@manchesterfootball.org

 

 

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 "Manchester A Football History" can now be ordered direct  via Paypal.  Click on the book cover on the left of this page for details.

Alternatively, copies can be ordered by sending a cheque to us for £21.95 (including UK postage; overseas add £15) made payable to James Ward.

If you would like author Gary James to sign ordered copies please include appropriate dedication at time of ordering.

Special discounts apply for multiple copies (ten or more) please email for details.

Trade enquiries can be made by email.  

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Author Activity & Events 2009 

Plans are being finalised for author Gary James to talk on the history of football in Manchester at the Manchester Histories Festival in March.  Watch this space for further information in the New Year. 

Gary is currently working alongside fellow writer Bill Cronshaw and executives at Channel M on a two part docu-drama connected with the football career of Bert Trautmann OBE.  The programme follows Gary's success with the TV series "The History Of Football" and Bill's success with the stage play "I'll Be Bert." 

Author Event - 20th December 2008

Author Gary James will be signing copies of "Manchester A Football History" at the Borders store in Stockport (Peel Retail Park).  Gary will be signing copies on 20th December at 2pm-3pm.  If you are unable to make it on the day Borders can reserve copies (call 0161 476 3392).

Author Event - 14th December 2008

Author Gary James will be signing copies of "Manchester A Football History" at the Borders store at Manchester Fort Retail Park, close to Cheetham Hill.  Gary will be signing copies on 14th December at 1pm-2pm.  If you are unable to make it on the day Borders can reserve copies (call 0161 833 0208).

October 2008

Author Gary James attended the launch of the International Football Institute at Preston.  As part of the evening Gary talked passionately about football heritage and, inparticular, the role heritage plays at Manchester's leading clubs.

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News has reached us that the first book presented to Manchester City's new chairman on his arrival in England  was  "Manchester A Football History".   His Excellency Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the new Chairman, was presented with a copy on his arrival in England by officials from Manchester City.  The following day, Saturday 20th September, the new Chairman met with author Gary James, whose opinions were sought on Manchester's footballing heritage.

From those discussions it became apparent City's new and impressive Chairman was seriously interested in understanding more about the history and heritage of the Blues. 

Two weeks later (8th October) journalist David Conn wrote a thought-provoking piece on City's transformation while praising "Manchester A Football History".  Conn's article commented: 

"In his superb book Manchester: A Football History, Gary James writes of City's beginnings that the club was established in 1880 by the rector's daughter at St Mark's Church, to provide poor, scrapping young lads with something wholesome to do in wretched east Manchester, the smoky side of the world's first industrial city. Now industry is gone and east Manchester's regeneration is based around the football stadium itself and new housing. Sheikh Mansour's bold purchase of the Manchester club happened just as the post-industrial economy, reliant on credit and consumption, was slumping into banking collapse."

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 Author Gary James

Gary James is a freelance writer, researcher & historian. 

He is a passionate, informative and entertaining speaker on football heritage.  Check out his details on our publications page.

If you would like Gary to speak at your function email us at info@manchesterfootball.org and we will do our best to oblige.
2009 © Copyright James Ward. All rights reserved.
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