Hodder 'to change the game' with Gary Neville’s book on football

Hodder & Stoughton has signed The People’s Game: A View From a Front Seat in Football by pundit and former player Gary Neville.

Huw Armstrong, senior commissioning editor, acquired world rights from Rhodri Burgess at Footprint for publication as a major lead non-fiction title in hardback, e-book and audiobook on 15th September 2022.

The synopsis reads: "Football is the people’s game. A sport accessible to everyone and loved by millions around the world. But when the European Super League was announced in April 2021 it felt like football was being taken away from the fans. The wealthiest clubs looked to eradicate competition in favour of guaranteed profits. The backlash was immediate. Fans took to the streets, players spoke out, and the government discussed it in parliament. Gary Neville was one of the key voices of opposition. His passionate response on Sky Sports captured the mood of a nation and started a movement which eventually ended the ESL. But issues within the sport remain and football is still under threat."

According to Hodder, The People’s Game is Neville’s vision for a brighter future: “With interviews from people at the epicentre of the sport’s biggest issues – ownership, funding, racism, the European Super League – he explains how football got into this mess, who’s responsible and what comes next. With stories from his own playing career, as well as insight into some of the biggest footballing decisions in recent history, this is a total look at the game today.” 

As a player, Neville won 20 trophies in 20 years at Manchester United, including eight Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues. He represented England for more than 10 years, winning 85 caps. Since retiring from football he has become a leading pundit for Sky Sports. 

Neville, who has also previously authored an autobiography entitled Red (Corgi), said: “I’ve become more passionate about the wider game in the past few years and when the idea around this book was brought to me by Hodder after the attempted Super League, it felt like the right time to bring together my views as well as those shared by the contributors and fans who have all been kind enough to share their opinions on each of the topics we’ve covered within the book. I hope you all enjoy it.”

Armstrong added: “Gary Neville is the voice of every football fan –someone who’s unafraid to tell it like it is. At a time when people in charge struggle to give an honest answer, this is incredibly refreshing. With The People’s Game, he’s written something that fundamentally changes how we view football and what the role of a club is. Diving deep into the biggest issues in football he shows how we, the fans, can take back the sport we love. I have no doubt this book will change the game.”