Injury Time: Football in a State of Emergency by David Goldblatt

⭐Publisher Featured Review

Wonderful idea to look at modern British society through the mirror of football. In the introduction the importance of football is demonstrated by the fact that there was a time when television soap opera took precedence over showing matches, whereas now, the soap opera is cancelled to allow football to be shown.

This is a very accessible book that doesn't dwell on the technicalities of the game but on the  culture of the sport and how it reflects current issues in Britain. Examples and topics are broad: the Covid-19 pandemic, racism, poverty, European war, women, Brexit, capitalism, climate and sustainability, alcohol, and ethical  movements like Stonewall, wearing poppies and veganism to name a few. Fascinating to see how life and football - that simple game aimed at scoring goals in the opponents' net - have changed over time and yet remain irrevocably linked.

Goldblatt doesn't shy away from naming people and organisations to make his points and always references his sources as any good historian would. The book is highly researched and organised by topics that everyone can relate to. As a football fan, it is a little strange to see the developments in the game play out within the scope of British society while I was there all along, not really realising how life is reflected in sport.

It does drift a bit at the end with lots of figures and the scope is perhaps a little too broad to completely absorb all of the points made. Nevertheless, this is a provoking and fascinating read and should appeal to anyone interested in modern political culture, whether a fan of  football or not. An analysis of recent history portrayed via the Beautiful Game. 

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Published by HarperCollinsUK on 14 August 2025.
​Advance review copy supplied by the publisher.

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