We are delighted to announce a brand-new book, The Story of Football in 100 Objects, with publishers HarperNorth.
The Story of Football in 100 Objects will be published in four-colour hardback, ebook and audio in September and be supported with an exhibition at the National Football Museum celebrating the release of the book.
The book offers a unique and captivating exploration of men’s and women’s football’s rich legacies, told through 100 carefully selected objects from our unrivalled Football Heritage Collection. Delving into the sport’s social, cultural, and technological evolution, it will take you inside moments of high drama, crushing heartbreak and euphoric success to peel back the layers of the world’s favourite game.
Featuring an England player’s opera collection, Geoff Hurst’s 1966 World Cup Final shirt, a Paul Gascoigne puppet, a knitted monkey, John Motson’s coat, an inflatable unicorn and even the collar from the dog that saved the World Cup, this compendium of hard-won glories and bittersweet away-days should appeal to anyone with a love of the game.
Tim Desmond, CEO of the National Football Museum commented: ‘We’re thrilled to be working on The Story of Football in 100 Objects with HarperNorth. Our Football Heritage Collection is the largest of its type in the world with over 40,000 objects, and the book is a true testament to the years of collecting and preserving by our dedicated team. We can’t wait to share our favourite 100 objects and their unique stories with a wider audience and celebrate why football matters.’
Jon de Peyer said: ‘This is a true passion project for me. The history of football in Britain is in many ways a history of social and cultural change, as much as it is a tale of sporting drama. The earliest object in this book dates from 1800, the most recent from the current Lionesses squad, so a huge span of time, and the collection covers everything from the sublime to the ridiculous. Plus, it gave me the chance to touch the hem of Denis Irwin’s shirt from the 1999 Champions’ League final.’
Pre-order your copy now: The Story of Football in 100 Objects (Hardback) – National Football Museum Shop