A Random History of Football

'A real knock-out' DAILY TELEGRAPH

Random 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.