A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH takes the sayings of the great and the good – not to mention the lovers and the loathers – of the beautiful game as starting points for an informal, freewheeling and entertainingly opinionated history of football.

Exploring themes as diverse as the language of football, the role of the media, the role of money, and the careers of gilded geniuses from Pele to Ronaldo and maverick managers from Clough to Mourinho, and generously sprinkled with anecdotes and fantastic photographs, A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH is the perfect present for anyone with a passion for football.