A Random History of Football

'A real knock-out' DAILY TELEGRAPHRandom occurences that shaped the history of football - an alternative history of the game from loveable broadcaster Colin Murray. Nowadays a top Premiership football club can spend £50 million on a Portuguese pin-up or a legendary Italian goalkeeper, but you cannot take into account the effects of a dodgy takeaway meal, a dropped bottle of aftershave on a goalkeeper's toe, or the fact that your most creative player has to leave town because of a chance drunken encounter with another player's wife.
It is these random moments that have shaped football as much as the headline-grabbing Cantona kung fu kick and that Russian linesman in 1966. In this witty alternative history of football you will learn:* Different sizes of football were used in each half of the inaugural World Cup Final of 1930.* Sheffield United almost signed Diego Maradona.* Saddam Hussein changed the result of an Iraq versus Chelsea match.* Bury FC's Robbie the Bobby tops the league of worst-behaved mascots.
From the height of international football to the scandal of the Conference league Christmas party that cost far more than a bar-bill, Colin Murray tries his best to make you believe, once more, in football's unpredictability.