How the game was played

This work by the award-winning sports historian goes beyond scores and results to present a unique view of Britain's sporting past. This involves looking at the dark side of sport, the use of alcohol as a performance enhancing drug, the violence of football hooligans before the First World War, the tribulations of weight-watching jockeys, and the employment of children as young a seven as golf caddies. On the more positive side the ground-breaking contribution of the Glasgow Charity Cup in using football as a vehicle for charitable fund raising is highlighted as is the pioneering role of women in golf - a sport in which they have often been considered subordinate to men - and the courage shown by amateur jump jockeys in piloting their mounts over fences and hurdles.