Seeing Red

Football and fighting are sadly all too frequent bedfellows. Competitive spirit can all too easily lead to anger and then on to violence. This book explores fifty of the most violent games of all time - every one of them a stain on the character of sportsmanship and the spirit of fair play. The selection includes: Middlesbrough v. Oldham (1915) where all 22 players were sent off; England v. Italy a.k.a. 'The Battle of Highbury (1934) Mussolini's paid bully boys laid into our brave lads with extreme thuggery; Everton v. Leeds (1964), a match so violent that the teams had to be taken from the field to cool down; and Crystal Palace v. Manchester United (1995) which saw Cantona's full blooded assault on a spectator who allegedly shouted 'Go home Frenchie' or something to that effect. An insightful read for all football enthusiasts.