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The Silence of the Stands
Finding the Joy in Football's Lost Season
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Check link for latest rating. ( 98 ratings, 25 reviews)
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Ideal for football fans and readers interested in sports history, social impacts of the pandemic, and evocative travel writing.
When football disappeared in March 2020 Daniel Gray pledged that whenever and wherever fans were allowed to return, he would be there. A moving, heartfelt and amusing account of a unique season that no one wishes to repeat.
When football disappeared in March 2020 Daniel Gray pledged that whenever and wherever fans were allowed to return, he would be there. A moving, heartfelt and amusing account of a unique season that no one wishes to repeat.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
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Description
Longlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2023
Shortlisted for the Sunday Times Sports Book Awards 2023 - Football Book of the Year
‘Powerful and poignant’ Henry Winter
‘Empathetic and poignant … the game’s answer to A Journal of the Plague Year’ Harry Pearson
‘The Durham City midfielder wore the resigned look of a man trying to find a jar of harissa in Farmfoods. Up front for Jarrow, a centre-forward darted around frenetically, as if chasing a kite during a hurricane...’
When football disappeared in March 2020, writer and broadcaster Daniel Gray used its absence to reflect on everything the game meant to him. That bred a pledge: whenever and wherever fans were allowed to return, he would be there.
The Silence of the Stands is the result of that pledge: a joyous travelogue documenting a precarious season, in which behind-closed-doors matches and travel restrictions combined to make trips to Kendal and Workington seem impossibly exotic.
Offering a poignant peek at a surreal age and a slab of social history from the two-metre-distanced tea bar queue, this is the moving, heartfelt and surprisingly uplifting story of a unique season that no one wishes to repeat.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Praised as powerful and poignant by Henry Winter and described as football’s answer to A Journal of the Plague Year by Harry Pearson, the book has garnered acclaim for its empathy and sharp observation. The Sunday Times highlights Gray’s joy in the little dramas of football, while The Times and BBC Radio commend his masterful and authentic writing style. Four Four Two calls it a moving, heartfelt and surprisingly uplifting account of a rocky season.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781399404068
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 10 November 2022
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Bloomsbury Sport
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 16.0mm
Width: 134.0mm
Height: 214.0mm
Weight: 200g
Pages: 176
About the Author
Daniel Gray is the author of Extra Time, Black Boots and Football Pinks, Saturday, 3pm and Scribbles in the Margins. He has written eight other books on football, politics, history and travel. His recent work has included screenwriting, presenting social history on television, editing a football magazine and writing across a number of national titles. He also presents the When Saturday Comes podcast.
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