Sixty Years of Hurt

Sixty Years of Hurt: England and the England Football Team is a story of football, politics and how the two worlds have met – or collided – since 1966.

By Jonny Brick, author of the acclaimed From Kids to Champions: The History of the FA Youth Cup.

Sir Geoff Hurst is the sole surviving player from England’s 1966 World Cup-winning side, but the importance of the victory still has a hold on the national mood, for matters both on and off the pitch. Sixty years on from that momentous triumph, where is the nation now?

This unique book:

Ties the performance of the England men’s football team with its people and politics, from 1966 to 2026, through various triumphs and disasters
Offers a novel take on one of the nation’s most culturally important and enduring stories, the attempt to regain the FIFA World Cup: it is a story as much about Callaghan and Cameron as Beckham and Kane
Brings you the views of England internationals and managers meticulously uncovered from memoirs and interviews
Examines the English social and political landscape, using Parliamentary discussion, budgets and occasions where English football and politics have intersected
Looks at the rise and demise of hooliganism, and how laws tried to keep it in check
Explores the importance of football to the cultural life of the country

Sixty Years of Hurt is the definitive story of English football and politics, and how the two worlds intersect. It’s a must-read for football fans and political junkies alike.

Author Biography

Jonny Brick is the author of This Place: A Diary, which chronicles a year in the life of a fictional MP, as well as football books Banternalysis and From Kids to Champions: The History of the FA Youth Cup. Sixty Years of Hurt brings together his interests in football and politics.