Sweet FA [Hardcover]

Graham Kelly has been at the sharp end of British football during its most dramatic years, from the tragedies of Heysel and Hillsborough, to the rise of the Premier League and the transformation of the sport to a multi-million pound business.

His now famous resignation from his position as Chief Executive of the Football Association brought to an end a long and distinguished career. He defends his involvement in the controversial plot to “buy” the World Cup voting rights of the Welsh FA which directly led to his resignation, and reveals the covert plot by some leading figures in British football to oust him from office.

Kelly’s inside information with regard to the power struggles at Lancaster Gate is unrivalled and he holds nothing back in this compelling look behind-the-scenes. He talks at length about the legacy of Bert Millichip, the plans for restructuring the game, the buying of the National Stadium, his views on leading figures such as Irving Scholar and Ken Bates, as well as the ever-present battles for supremacy.

From his position of power with the game for the last 20 years he speaks with passion and authority on a wealth of other issues including the remarkable growth of the game in the 1980s; the spectre of hooliganism; his relationship with leading politicians from Margaret Thatcher to Tony Blair; his thoughts on what the future holds for our cherished national game; and his opinion of a host of managers, players and referees.

Graham Kelly has witnessed many changes to the sport during a long career. No one in the British game has had such an insight into every aspect from parliament to dressing room, and grass roots football to the World Cup. It is essential reading for anyone wanting to know more about how football works.

His now famous resignation from his position as Chief Executive of the Football Association brought to an end a long and distinguished career. He defends his involvement in the controversial plot to “buy” the World Cup voting rights of the Welsh FA which directly led to his resignation, and reveals the covert plot by some leading figures in British football to oust him from office.

Kelly’s inside information with regard to the power struggles at Lancaster Gate is unrivalled and he holds nothing back in this compelling look behind-the-scenes. He talks at length about the legacy of Bert Millichip, the plans for restructuring the game, the buying of the National Stadium, his views on leading figures such as Irving Scholar and Ken Bates, as well as the ever-present battles for supremacy.

From his position of power with the game for the last 20 years he speaks with passion and authority on a wealth of other issues including the remarkable growth of the game in the 1980s; the spectre of hooliganism; his relationship with leading politicians from Margaret Thatcher to Tony Blair; his thoughts on what the future holds for our cherished national game; and his opinion of a host of managers, players and referees.

Graham Kelly has witnessed many changes to the sport during a long career. No one in the British game has had such an insight into every aspect from parliament to dressing room, and grass roots football to the World Cup. It is essential reading for anyone wanting to know more about how football works.