''Hope You Die of Cancer": Life in Non-League Football

by Marvin Close

Overview

This is the inside story of non-league football, as told by a player with over a decade's experience in the Conference and National Leagues. A tale of financial struggles and big sacrifices, it explores the dust-ups, bust-ups, backhanders and betting scandals of a world far, far away from the pampered Premier League.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781801500487
Publisher:	Pitch Publishing Ltd
Publication date:	04/15/2022
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Footballer X, who has played for six different Conference and National clubs, collaborated with Marvin Close to tell this story. Marvin is the author, with Chuck Korr, of More Than Just A Game: Football vs Apartheid, and Hope, the life story of Hope Powell. He co-wrote and edited FIFA's Futsal manual. Marvin is also a drama writer for TV, radio, film and theatre.

Table of Contents

Author's Note 7

Introduction 9

The Beginning 17

The Pyramid 29

The Dressing Room 36

Pre-Season 49

Players 58

Young Players 72

The Banter 82

Money 87

Grounds 96

Travel 106

Fans 115

Managers 128

Referees 146

Gamesmanship 155

Injuries 164

The Board 174

Agents 182

The Media 189

Betting and Bribes 198

Up for the Cup 208

The Non-League Lions 216

Covid 225

Part-Timers 233

The Future of Non-League Football 240

Appendix 1 249

Appendix 2 250

Appendix 3 252

Appendix 4 256

Appendix 5 264

Index 268