In "Alchemy," Christopher Hull has accomplished something remarkable: he's illuminated the shadowy corners of football history to reveal how two of the game's greatest architects first learnt to build. This meticulously researched account of Brian Clough and Peter Taylor's maiden voyage into management at Hartlepools United doesn't just fill a gap in football literature—it provides the origin story of a revolutionary partnership.
The story begins in October 1965, with Clough persuading his former Middlesbrough teammate Peter Taylor to join him at perennial strugglers Hartlepool United. The club found itself at the bottom of the Fourth Division, the furthest away from glory in English football. What makes Hull's narrative so compelling is how he reveals the DNA of what would become the most successful partnership in English football management.
The book excels in demonstrating how necessity led to innovation. Taylor actually took a pay cut, walking away from a £34-a-week contract at Burton to accept £24 at Hartlepools, a detail that perfectly illustrates the pair's belief in their joint potential. Hull masterfully demonstrates how the constraints of managing a penniless club forced Clough and Taylor to develop the innovative approaches that would later transform Derby County and Nottingham Forest into champions.
A portrait of two men shaping their philosophy in the challenging environment of lower-league football emerges. Their radical changes to Hartlepool United in the summer of '66, even as England was celebrating World Cup victory, laid the groundwork for their future successes. Hull's research reveals how Clough's legendary man-management style and Taylor's eye for talent were honed in these early days, when they had nothing but their wits and determination to rely on.
The author's attention to detail is impressive, drawing from extensive archive material and interviews with those who witnessed this formative period. Clough's famous visits to every pub and club in town are recounted not just as colourful anecdotes but as evidence of his understanding that football management extended beyond the training ground—a lesson he would apply throughout his career.
Hull's writing style strikes an excellent balance between scholarly rigour and narrative engagement. He avoids the trap of mere hagiography, showing how the pair's methods evolved through trial and error. The book is particularly strong in demonstrating how their partnership, which would become recognised as the finest managerial duo in English football history, was forged in these challenging early days.
The author also excels at contextualising their achievement. This wasn't just about football—it was about two men learning to navigate the politics of a struggling club, dealing with a meddling chairman, and trying to instill professionalism in an era when such concepts were still novel at the lower levels of English football.
What makes "Alchemy" essential reading is its revelation of how many of the duo's later trademarks were developed during this period. Their emphasis on playing attractive football, their ability to spot and nurture talent, and their knack for getting the best out of limited resources—all these elements that would later define their success were first tested at Hartlepool United.
The book's title proves apt Clough and Taylor's ability to turn base metal into gold wasn't magic but rather the result of careful experimentation and unwavering belief in their methods. Hull shows how their famous partnership, which would later yield league titles and European Cups, was built on foundations laid in these seemingly humble beginnings.
ROYAL MAIL TRACKED 48
Publisher: The History Press
Published: September 15, 2022
Hardback: £17.50, 264 pages
Paperback: £13.50, 288 pages
