Simon Inglis had already visited every league ground in the country twice during the early and late eighties (for the 1st and 2nd edition), charting their design, history and issues, prior to this final edition from 1996. This edition highlighted the changes to stadia since the Taylor Report was brought in, and, rather impressively, instead of putting updated footnotes at the end of previous paragraphs, Inglis chose to rewrite the whole book from scratch. A truly massive feat given the 92 clubs down here (then Wembley and Cardiff Arms) plus the 'one man and his dog' leagues Scotland has.
Published less than twenty years ago, state of the art forerunning new stadiums like Huddersfield and Boro are lauded by the author. However I'm not sure how he'd have taken to the fact that since going to press a further 22 clubs have left their cherished charming old grounds for ten a penny plastic voids. Going on that rate of change every club could possibly have a new stadium by 2060. I hope not.
The author himself seems to prefer the ramshackle of old, when summing up York City, he retorically asks why do we love the dilapidated and anarcic stadia? - "We plan and we build them haphazardly. We fly in the face of logic. We even have a name for the consequences of all these failings... They are called The Shambles, and just like the football grounds of Britain, we delight in their quirkiness and would not wish them different for all the world..."
Let's assume then that if a fourth edition comes out, the text will now just read "once you've seen one, you've seen them all".
No comments:
Post a Comment