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

The arrival of Charles Buchan's Spurs Gift Book marks a significant addition to football literature, offering readers an intimate glimpse into one of Tottenham Hotspur's most celebrated periods. Drawing from Britain's first football 'glossy' magazine, Charles Buchan's Football Monthly, this hardcover collection spans the years 1951-1973, a time when the publication was at its zenith, reaching a remarkable quarter million readers weekly at its peak.
The book's strength lies in its perfect timing, capturing an era when Tottenham transformed from Second Division hopefuls into one of English football's most stylish and successful clubs. Under Bill Nicholson's stewardship, Spurs achieved what many thought impossible—the League and FA Cup Double in 1961, the first time any club had managed this feat in the modern era. Through carefully curated selections from Football Monthly, readers witness this metamorphosis through contemporary eyes, with hand-tinted photographs bringing these moments to vivid life.
Simon Inglis, whose previous work "Engineering Archie" earned acclaim as a William Hill Sports Book Award finalist, provides an illuminating introduction that sets the stage for what follows. Julie Welch, with her unique perspective as Britain's first female football reporter, brings depth and personality to the historical account, truly propelling the narrative forward. Her devotion to Spurs, particularly her admiration for Danny Blanchflower, infuses the text with both authority and genuine affection.
The book's greatest triumph is its ability to transport readers to the terraces of White Hart Lane during London's Swinging Sixties. This was a time when the famous Shelf terrace buzzed with anticipation before each match, and Tottenham's flowing football style perfectly matched the era's sense of liberation and possibility. Through contemporary match reports, interviews, and photographs, we experience how Nicholson's team captured the imagination of football fans nationwide, winning eight major trophies in sixteen remarkable years.
What makes this collection particularly valuable is its authenticity. Rather than relying on rose-tinted hindsight, it presents the story through the immediate reactions and observations of those who witnessed these events firsthand. The source material—drawn from a magazine that prided itself on bringing color and glamour to post-war Britain's football-hungry public—provides an unfiltered view of how these moments were perceived as they unfolded.
For Tottenham supporters, this book serves as more than just a historical document—it's a treasured connection to their club's golden age. For football historians and enthusiasts, it offers invaluable insights into how the modern game evolved, particularly in terms of tactics, training, and the relationship between players and fans. The book succeeds not just as a celebration of Spurs' achievements, but also as a vital record of a transformative period in English football, when the game began its journey toward becoming the global phenomenon we know today.
ROYAL MAIL Tracked: 48 
Publisher: Malavan Media
Published: October 1, 2008
Price: £9.99
Hardcover: 144 pages
ISBN-10: 0954744578
ISBN-13: 978-0954744571
Description: The book is in very good condition. May have been opened and read, but shows minimal wear.