Mike Roberts

Foot-ball in Barcelona Mike Roberts

By a football writer based in Barcelona since 1992, this book is the result of several years of careful research and tells the story of the early years of football in the city in greater detail than ever before. It's a story that has been told a thousand times, but little effort has ever been made to go back to the contemporary sources and verify the truth behind the legend. That's what Mike Roberts has done, and with often surprising results. From the British expats that played the game long before Hans Gamper had even set foot in the city to form FC Barcelona, through the foundation of several rival clubs including the modern day RCD Espanyol, and to the moment of the first Spanish championship held in Madrid in 1902, we not only find out what really happened, but also learn about the often fascinating lives of the footballing pioneers that time forgot. In a wonderful snapshot of turn-of-the-century life in Catalonia, the story of how football was introduced to Barcelona is fit snugly into the often turbulent context of the society around it. By the author of the acclaimed two-part series 'The Same Old Game: The true story of the origins of football' this is essential reading for the sports historian, and the chance for Barça and Espanyol fans alike to gain new insight on what their beloved clubs are all about.