Second Edition Out Now!

I am delighted to announce the release of the second edition of The Town’s Game: The Origins of Rugby and Association Football in Southport (1872-1889). Since its initial publication in 2022, The Town’s Game has been considered “among the best of its kind” offering an unparalleled look into the formative years of Southport’s sporting history. This updated edition delves even deeper, incorporating new findings and insights that further illuminate the roots of rugby and association football in the town.

The Town’s Game continues to be the only comprehensive work that traces the intertwined journeys of both rugby and football in Southport from their earliest records. It presents the story of a simple winter pastime that transformed into the region’s most popular sport. With complete game records and team line-ups where available, this book offers an indispensable reference for sports historians and enthusiasts alike.

This second edition brings several significant enhancements:

  • Expanded and updated Content: Additional research has been meticulously woven into the narrative, providing greater context and detail around pivotal moments in Southport’s sporting history. Several chapters have received thorough updates with additional discoveries, and the chapter on Lineage and Formation dates, clarifying the real lineage of the current rugby and association clubs has been expanded.
  • New Chapters: This edition features new chapters that uncover significant findings about Southport Central’s Edwin Ramsbottom and unveil the first player Heritage numbers. The evolution of rugby in Southport beyond the period covered in the original edition is now explored in an entirely new Epilogue. This addition traces the fate of local rugby following the closure of the Olympic club in 1889, shedding light on how the game evolved and led to the formation of modern clubs.

I am grateful for the continued support from readers and the community, whose interest has fuelled this expanded exploration. Whether you are discovering Southport’s sporting past for the first time or revisiting it with new insights, the second edition of The Town’s Game promises to offer a deeper understanding of the town’s rich heritage.

The second edition of The Town’s Game is available now and promises to be a valuable addition to any sports historian’s collection.

It is available on Amazon Kindle* for £4.99 and in special Hardback edition for £19.99 right now.

*Kindle Unlimited subscribers can read the Kindle Edition FREE.


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