Book review: Go To War

Jon Spurling has always been an author I have admired. So when the opportunity arose to review his latest publication, I jumped at the chance. The fact that the book in question tackles football in the 1980s was an added bonus for someone who has been known to wallow in nostalgia.

Go To War is Spurling's sequel to his excellent Get It On book on football in the 1970s. Covering a wide range of topics during a turbulent decade for the sport, Spurling's book brings to life what it was really like to follow football at a time where it was far from fashionable.

Violence on the terraces; football fans treated like animals in stadiums that were crumbling and not fit for purpose; declining attendances; politicians distancing themselves from a toxic product; television blackouts; English clubs banned from Europe. Spurling has a lot of material to work with and he manages to analyse these key topics in a very easy to read style.

Inevitably a chapter of the book focuses on the horrific events of 1985, the nadir for the sport in England. Spurling labels May 1985 as the 'Mensis horribilis' and it was indeed a horrible month. Deaths at Birmingham and Heysel reflected the violent nature of attending matches in the 1980s; the Bradford Fire addresses the total disregard for fan safety.

Yet among all the doom and gloom, there are so many feelgood memories that make you yearn for simpler days. A decade where the FA Cup was still king; the giant killings, the replay marathons, the joy of cup final day. Spurling has managed to grab insights from many of the well known FA Cup stars - Ricky Villa, Whiteside, Sillett, Beasant - as well as those who shined briefly in the history of the famous old competition.

Spurling generally works through the decade in chronological order, with chapters dedicated to some of the clubs that played a big part in the story. The messy Clough/Taylor divorce at Forest; Villa's successes; the struggles of Man City and the associated City documentary; the dominance of Liverpool and the resurgence of Everton; the unlikely rise of Watford and Luton; Maxwell and Oxford.

Different times indeed. Clubs like Ipswich, Watford, Luton, Oxford, Coventry, Wimbledon, and Norwich bloodying the noses of the big boys, challenging for trophies. As far away from the current situation we find ourselves in, which Spurling conveys by expertly choosing his subject matter. 

Overseas players were a much rarer sight in the context of English football in the 1980s. Spurling provides interesting accounts of Ivan Golac and other Yugoslavs, explains the mad episode of Allan Simonsen rocking up at Division Two Charlton Athletic, and looks back at Mirandinha at Newcastle. The trail blazers who tried to make it in the cut and thrust of English football.

Spurling explains how a gradual sea of change started to form as the end of the decade neared. Fans taking inflatables into grounds, the rise of fanzines, the start of the much needed campaigns to kick racism and fascism out of football. The launch of When Saturday Comes and the alternative voice it gave to supporters - especially in the wake of the Hillsborough tragedy - points to a brighter future.

Throughout the book there are signs of what was to come, seeds planted that brought us to where we are today. The threat of a breakaway Super League by the big five, clubs pushing for better television deals, ambitious board members moulded by Thatcherism seeing the potential for the sport going forwards.

In the afterword section, Spurling highlights the foresight of the much-derided Michael Knighton. Although his deal to buy Manchester United ultimately failed, Spurling remarks how Knighton recognised the potential of the United brand, the possibilities of opening a megastore and launching their own television channel, as well as recognising the growth of satellite TV. 

Hopefully this may lead to another book from Spurling on the revolutionary 1990s. Because reading his account of the previous two decades has left me wanting more. Go To War is a fine account of a decade that did so much to shape the future of the sport, well researched, with fascinating contributions from many stars who sadly are no longer with us.

The book is a must for any football fan, with Spurling perfectly capturing just how much football reflected society during the 1980s. The sign of a engrossing read is when you treat yourself to just one more chapter, and I found myself doing this a lot. With Christmas approaching, it will make an ideal gift for those who want to learn a bit more about the beautiful game during an often ugly period for the sport.