The Football Battalions: The Elite Footballers Who Fought in the Great War

In his latest work, "The Football Battalions: The Elite Footballers Who Fought in the Great War," Christopher Evans masterfully weaves together two seemingly disparate threads of British history: the beautiful game and the ugliness of war. As a follow-up to his acclaimed biography "Fearless Freddie," Evans demonstrates his growing prowess as a chronicler of sports history, this time tackling a subject that resonates with both profound national significance and personal tragedy.
The timing of the book's setting is crucial. In 1914, football was ascending to its place as Britain's premier sport, with King George V's historic attendance at the FA Cup Final symbolizing its cultural coronation. Against this backdrop of sporting triumph, Evans skillfully depicts how the nation's beloved footballers faced an entirely different kind of pressure – the call to arms.
What sets this book apart is Evans's focus on seven individual narratives, each representing a different facet of the war's impact on football. The story of Vivian Woodward, football's first true superstar, is particularly moving. As documented in contemporary accounts, Woodward would later be wounded in the trenches, one of 33 Football Battalion members injured during a particularly brutal two-week period.
The book's most compelling narrative thread follows Walter Tull, whose story transcends both sport and warfare. As the first Black officer to command white British troops, Tull's journey from professional footballer to military pioneer represents a remarkable chapter in British history. Evans handles this story with particular sensitivity, exploring both the racial prejudices Tull faced and his extraordinary resilience in overcoming them.
Major Frank Buckley's transformation from soldier to innovative football manager provides yet another fascinating angle, showing how wartime experiences reshaped the very nature of football leadership. Evans's exploration of how military discipline and tactical thinking influenced post-war football management adds a thought-provoking dimension to the narrative.
The author's background as a Labour MP might have suggested a political slant, but Evans maintains admirable objectivity throughout. His deep research, drawing from previously unexplored archival material, lends authority to the work. The writing style is accessible yet sophisticated, avoiding both military jargon and sporting cliché to create a narrative that will engage both football enthusiasts and military history buffs.
If there's a criticism to be made, it's that some readers might wish for more detailed exploration of the broader societal forces that led to the formation of the Football Battalion. However, Evans's choice to focus on personal narratives rather than institutional history makes for a more emotionally resonant read.
"The Football Battalions" succeeds not just as sports history or military history but as a profound meditation on duty, sacrifice, and the intersection of national pastimes and national crises. It's a timely reminder that before footballers were millionaire celebrities, they were young men who, like so many others, answered their nation's call some never to return to the fields where they once played. 
This is essential reading for anyone interested in the cultural history of Britain, the evolution of football, or the human cost of war. Evans has produced a work that honours both the sport and the sacrifice of these remarkable men.
ROYAL MAIL TRACKED 48 [Delivered to You 1st Week November 2025]
Publisher: Visit Bloomsbury Sport
Published: October 23, 2025
Price: £20.00 
Hardcover: 256 pages
ISBN-10:  1399413511
ISBN-13:  978-1399413510
Dimensions: 152 x 233 (mm)