From the publisher:
Bottled tells the story of English football's complicated relationship with booze through the experiences of the players who found themselves in crisis when they could no longer put it down - from George Best and Paul Gascoigne to Tony Adams and Paul Merson, as well as many others who escaped the headlines.
Footballers play under intense pressure in the unforgiving glare of the media spotlight. But what do their stories tell us about ourselves? Are some challenges they face specific to a player's lifestyle? With insights from those at the sharp end, here is an examination of footballers in need and the help available from the industry.
Untangling the complex web of links between alcohol and the beautiful game, Bottled explores the stories that characterised the origins of many of England's clubs, as churches and breweries vied for the souls of young men. From trashed hotel rooms to the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous via the China Jump club, Bottled navigates the journey from the stars to the gutter and, sometimes, back again.
About the author:
Benjamin Roberts is the author of Gunshots & Goalposts: The Story of Northern Irish Football, a robust examination which alights everywhere from Peter Doherty to Ian Paisley. Benjamin's work has featured on Tifo Football, Box To Box Football and World Football Index websites. In his spare time you will find him wandering the footpaths of East Sussex and sternly warning his cats he needs an extra hour in bed.
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Pitch Publishing
22 x 14 cm
Paperback
288 pages
August 2019
English
9781785315220