FINISHED: Win Herbert Chapman's Biography by Paddy Barclay
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Herbert Chapman is probably the greatest manager ever to grace the Marble Halls and British football in general in terms of success, innovation, influence and the respect he commanded and is the subject of a fantastic biography by distinguished sports writer, Paddy Barclay.
The man affectionately called "The Boss" by almost everyone in the game who knew him turned Arsenal into the team of the 1930s and built the foundations upon which all future Arsenal success has been built.
Think you know Chapman... think again. Patrick Barclay takes us on a journey from Herbert Chapman's humble beginnings to his historic role in creating the modern superclub we know as Arsenal FC and shaping of modern football as a whole. Out now in hardback, "The Life and Times of Herbert Chapman" is the story of how modern football management started with the boy from Kiverton, the people and time that shaped him and the club that was to be his crowning glory.
This book is a rare glance into the mind of a true genius and footballing legend. Goonersphere are delighted to announce that we have 5 copies of Paddy Barclay's biography of Herbert Chapman to give away to our lucky readers. Before we give you details of how to enter here is a little insight into this much anticipated book.
The definitive story of the father of modern football, Herbert Chapman. Herbert Chapman, the boss of the all-conquering Arsenal team of the 1930s, was the father of all football managers, arguably the greatest of all time and certainly the most imaginative. Much of the game's scenery, including floodlights and numbered shirts, was pioneered by Chapman.
The legacy of his tactical approach also survives to this day: fast and lethal counter-attack was his invention. As a player, a bustling attacker, Chapman was a relative journeyman. He moved into management at the age of 29 with Northampton Town, and from then it was a swift climb to remarkable eminence.
At Huddersfield in the 1920s he built a team that was to win three consecutive League titles. When he left for Arsenal and the richer potential of the capital, his new club - which, like Huddersfield, had won nothing before his arrival - became the most famous in the world. Arsenal were champions in 1931 and two years later completed their own hat-trick of titles. Although the 55-year-old Chapman died prematurely before the second title was celebrated at Highbury, his bequest has proved immortal.
Patrick Barclay's perceptive and highly informed biography weaves Chapman's story into the momentous times through which he lived: the profound tragedy of the First World War into which several of his players were drawn, the subsequent General Strike and Depression, and the rise of Fascism.
Among those influenced by his footballing legacy are such Arsenal successors as George Graham (who made a close study of his life) and Arsene Wenger, who was fully aware of Chapman's special place in the pantheon before taking over at Highbury in 1996. Chapman had the name of its nearest Tube station changed from Gillespie Road to Arsenal, but it was more than a club that he put on the map. As Sir Matt Busby, the builder of Manchester United, was to assert, Herbert Chapman changed the game of football.
To be in with a chance to win this superb prize there are four ways to enter.
- You can like us on Facebook or G+. (Buttons below)
- You can retweet the following tweet (must be following @Goonersphere).
- You can leave a comment on any Goonersphere.com article (tip, the more comments you leave the better chance you will have to win).
- You can leave a review on iTunes for the Goonersphere Podcast (tip, if you can name a specific section of a show you liked you'll have a better chance).
We're pleased to announce we have 5 copies of the Herbert Chapman book by @paddybarclay/@orionbooks to give away. Just follow & RT to enter
— Goonersphere.com (@Goonersphere) January 31, 2014
Winners will be drawn at random on February 14th and a copy will be mailed to the lucky winners. Entrants from all over the world welcome.
Also, tune in to our latest podcast to hear our interview with the author Patrick Barclay.
Good luck!
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