Winner Takes All: The History of the Championship Play Off Final, World Football's Richest Game

In his latest work, Aaron Moore proves himself a masterful chronicler of football's most dramatic single match. "Winner Takes All" arrives at a fascinating time, as the Championship play-off final continues to be dubbed "the most valuable single match in world football," with current estimates valuing victory at up to £305 million in additional revenue for the winning club.
Moore, who previously captured the grassroots essence of the sport in "Fields of Dreams and Broken Fences," brings his characteristic attention to detail and human-focused storytelling to the high-stakes world of Championship promotion. His previous work extensively covering non-league football gives him a unique perspective on the football pyramid, allowing him to appreciate both the financial and emotional magnitude of these crucial matches.
The book's greatest strength lies in its comprehensive approach. Moore weaves together three decades of history through the voices of those who lived it – from Bobby Zamora's heroics to Martin Ling's insights. These first-hand accounts create an intimate portrait of what's at stake beyond the headline-grabbing financial figures. The author has a particular talent for capturing the raw emotion of these career-defining moments, making readers feel as though they're in the tunnel at Wembley alongside the players.
The financial analysis is equally compelling. Moore breaks down the complex web of revenue streams that make this match so valuable – broadcast rights, commercial opportunities, and matchday income – without getting bogged down in dry statistics. Instead, he uses these numbers to tell a larger story about how the Premier League's financial might has transformed English football.
Particularly fascinating is the book's exploration of how Sky Sports has revolutionized the game's presentation and financial landscape. Moore provides fresh insights into this transformation, avoiding well-worn clichés about modernization to instead focus on specific ways the broadcast revolution has affected clubs, players, and fans.
The book's only slight weakness is that some of the earlier playoff final accounts from the 1990s feel less immediate than the more recent ones, likely due to the challenges of gathering detailed first-hand accounts from that era. However, this is a minor quibble in what is otherwise an exemplary piece of sports journalism.
"Winner Takes All" succeeds both as a historical document and as a compelling narrative about football's ultimate high-wire act. Moore has crafted an essential read for anyone interested in understanding how a single match came to hold such extraordinary power in English football. His ability to balance the human drama with the broader financial and cultural implications makes this book a worthy addition to any football fan's library.
The timing of this book feels particularly apt, as the financial stakes of Premier League promotion continue to grow. Moore doesn't just tell us what happened in past finals; he helps us understand what these matches mean for the future of English football. It's this forward-looking perspective, combined with his deep appreciation for the sport's history, that makes "Winner Takes All" such a valuable contribution to football literature.
ROYAL MAIL TRACKED 48 [Delivered to You Last Week May 2025]
Published: May 5, 2025
Price: £16.99
Hardcover: 384 pages
ISBN-10: 1801509611
ISBN-13: 978-1801509619
Dimensions: 216 x 138 (mm)