Barcelona to Buckie Thistle

About the Book: 

When my playground cohorts began falling in love with the FA Cup winning Tottenham Hotspur side of 1981 and that stupendous Ricky Villa goal, or the all-conquering Liverpool, or their near neighbours, Everton, whose league win in 1985 made all the kids want that vibrant blue kit for Christmas – I found myself falling for non-league Salisbury, my grandfather’s team, absorbing all its charm, warmth, meaning.

Mat Guy is not interested in the big names of football: the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich and Manchester United, with millions of fans and millions of pounds. Instead, in this book, he tours the little leagues of the footballing world, charting this global phenomenon through some of the least known football teams.

Looking at the grassroots movement from the grounds themselves, this is a manifestation of love for the sport at a different level to the one we are accustomed to seeing. From the highlands of Scotland to Azerbaijan, Liechtenstein and Andorra, Mat focuses on the heart and soul of the beautiful game.

Reviews: 

Guy takes readers on an epic adventure... it is football literature at its best, told from a very humble and supportive perspective. International Soccer Network on Another Bloody Saturday

Guy captures the true heart of the game, the game’s real essence, better than any other. International Soccer Network on Minnows United

About the Author:

MAT GUY has travelled far and wide in the name of football, and spent most of his childhood sat by his grandfather's side at the long gone Victoria Park, one time home of Salisbury FC. Former season ticket holder at Southampton FC Mat works at a cinema in Ocean Village, Southampton. He has written about football for a number of magazines, including Box to Box, The Goalden Times, Thin White Line and Late Tackle. Luath Press published Another Bloody Saturday: A Journey to the Heart and Soul of Football in 2015 and Minnows United in 2017.