When England Ruled the World

When England Ruled The World covers the four years immediately following England's 1966 World Cup triumph, charting the progress of the national and club sides. It recalls, month by month, the great matches, teams and players of a golden age and assesses the impact of the country's greatest ever sporting achievement on all aspects of the game.

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The 1966 World Cup triumph put England at the pinnacle of the game. But how did it help the English game to develop, both at international and club level? Did it help the game to develop at all? When England Ruled The World charts the progress of our national and club sides through the four-year period following 1966, recalling month by month the great teams, matches, players and managers of this golden age. Featuring a plethora of characters, mavericks and hard men, the book covers every aspect of the game, on and off the pitch, set against a backdrop of the social climate and popular culture of the time. Tactical shifts and training methods, TV coverage, media attitudes, fans and the emergence of hooliganism, club finances and the transfer market, the authorities, stadia and facilities, interaction between club and country, marketing the game and its star players, and shows how the trends which emerged in this period set us out on the road towards the game as we know it today. But for better or worse?