Charles Buchan's Liverpool Gift Book: Selections from Football Monthly 1951-1973

Old football magazines possess a certain magical quality. Old football magazines encapsulate not only the matches and players, but also the essence of a bygone era. Simon Inglis's collection of Charles Buchan's Football Monthly pieces about Liverpool FC does exactly that, chronicling the club's journey from relegation heartbreak to European glory.
The book's greatest strength lies in its timing. It spans perhaps the most transformative period in Liverpool's history, from the dark days of relegation in the early 1950s through to Bill Shankly's revolution and the birth of the modern Liverpool dynasty. Through the hand-tinted photographs and contemporary accounts, readers experience these changes as they happened, not through the distorting lens of hindsight.
What makes this collection particularly special is how it captures the evolution of football journalism itself. Charles Buchan's Football Monthly wasn't just Britain's first football 'glossy'—it was a pioneer in how the sport was covered. The magazine's peak circulation of 254,000 copies speaks to how it transformed football writing from mere match reports into something more cultural and comprehensive.
The book's structure, with Stephen Done's scene-setting introduction, helps modern readers understand the context. Done, as curator of Liverpool FC's museum, brings an insider's perspective that enriches the historical material. The parallel between Liverpool's rise and the emergence of Merseybeat creates a vivid portrait of a city finding its voice both musically and athletically.
The photographs deserve special mention. The hand-tinted images might seem quaint to modern eyes, but they bring these legends to life in a way that black-and-white never could. Seeing Billy Liddell, Roger Hunt, and the young Kevin Keegan in color helps bridge the gap between then and now.
However, the book's real treasure lies in its ability to show how Liverpool FC's famous culture developed. Through contemporary articles and interviews, we see the birth of the legendary Boot Room philosophy, watch Shankly build his first great team, and witness the emergence of players who would become club icons.
The timing of the book's endpoint—1974, coinciding with both Shankly's retirement and Football Monthly's closure—feels almost too perfect. It marks the end of one era and the beginning of another, as Liverpool stood on the cusp of their greatest period of dominance.
For Liverpool supporters, this book is essential reading, offering insights into how their club became what it is today. For football historians, it's a valuable primary source, documenting the sport's evolution through one of its most significant periods. And for casual fans, it's simply a fascinating glimpse into how football was played, watched, and written about in a very different era.
What emerges is more than just a collection of magazine articles—it's a time capsule of football's transformation from a working-class pastime to the beginning of the modern entertainment juggernaut we know today. Through Liverpool's story, we see the broader changes in British football and society itself.
The book's only slight weakness is that it sometimes assumes a level of knowledge about Liverpool's history that casual readers might not possess. However, Done's introductory material helps bridge this gap, providing necessary context for the archive material.
Simon Inglis, whose previous work includes the acclaimed "Engineering Archie" and "The Football Grounds of Great Britain," has curated these selections with a keen eye for both historical significance and human interest. The result is a book that works both as a historical document and as an engaging read.
For anyone interested in Liverpool FC, football history, or sports journalism, this collection offers a unique window into a pivotal era. It reminds us that while football has changed enormously since the 1950s, the passion, drama, and community spirit that make the sport special remain remarkably constant.
ROYAL MAIL Tracked: 48 
 Publisher: Malavan Media
Published: October 3, 2008
Price: £9.99
Hardcover: 144 pages
ISBN-10: 095474456X
ISBN-13: 978-0954744564
Description: The book is in very good condition. May have been opened and read, but shows minimal wear.