Broken Dreams - Tom Bower

Broken Dreams – Vanity, Greed and the Souring of British Football
Tom Bower
2003
Paperback, 372 pages. £6.99



When this book was released in 2003 it caused something of a stir. Highly regarded investigative journalist Tom Bower delivered a savage indictment of British football, and it was his position as a non-football person that allowed his incredibly well researched expose of football’s financial secrets to truly hit the spot. Four years on from then, it has lost none of its interest. For football fans interested in the future of the game, it is a must read.

At the time of release, it was a book I tried to read and kept giving up with. The constant stream of names, figures, deals and locations takes some getting used to. So too does Bower’s irritating habit of referring to football clubs in the singular, and various needless footballing inaccuracies (Luton FC anyone?). But it’s worth sticking with. The themes and personalities explored will be well known to most, and perhaps a downside to the book is that parts could be considered as going over old ground. But the depth of Bower’s research and the sheer number of interviewees generally makes up for this, and the result is a body of evidence that comprehensively condemns those involved.

Bower’s lack of knowledge of football allows him to attack the sports sacred cows, previously excused from interrogation. The footballing achievements of managers mean little to Bower. He forces readers to take a step back from their own life-long indoctrination in the culture of football and face up to the ridiculous premise that football has been based upon for the past 25 years. That corruption, dishonesty, fraud and greed can all be overlooked if it means success for a football club on the pitch.

Broken Dreams pre-dates the concepts of Supporters Trusts and Supporters Direct and as a result some passages seem slightly dated. Yet the fundamental concept remains relevant today, and the enormous sums of money regularly mentioned as bungs, contracts and percentages seems as incredulous today as they did then. This is not a book that leaves you jumping for joy. In fact, one of the many downright depressing revelations of Broken Dreams is the that the obsession that drives so many employed in football is not only the pursuit of wealth, but the importance of status, of complimentary tickets, of free lunches, of being looked upon as powerful, of being seen to know certain people. The phrase “good of the game” is blown out the water by this book, and that, perhaps, is the main reason it caused such a stir on publication.

Broken Dreams is full of insightful comment, damning criticism and statements that stick in the mind. There is one that hits home for me: “Nothing has changed in the football world. Money was the chosen solution to every problem, even at the risk of plunging a club’s finances into disarray.”

If you didn’t read Broken Dreams (winner of the 2003 William Hill Sports Book of the Year) first time around, I recommend doing so soon.

10.12.2007. 09:43

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