Behind the Curtain

Epic… Wilson writes captivatingly with humour… anyone with an interest in eastern European sport will be consulting this book for years to come. * Financial Times *
A blissful book, lovingly and stylishly written * Daily Telegraph *
With style and erudition, [Wilson] proves that football is a metaphor, an allegory, and much more than just a game * The Times *
There’s everything you needed to know about football and plenty that you didn’t… wittily observed travel writing. * When Saturday Comes *
This fascinating and perceptive travelogue includes a fine collection of anecdotes too colourful for fiction. * The Sunday Times *
A terrific book * Henry Winter *
Football is centred squarely within a fascinating socio-political context… There is plenty of humour too. * Independent on Sunday *
Compelling… he [Wilson] succeeds in going well beyond the lurid headlines, skilfully interweaving his own travel notes with forays into politics, culture and history. * FourFourTwo *
Enlightening * The Scotsman *
An intriguing, entertaining history-cum-sports travelogue. * Metro *
Wilson knows an immense amount about eastern European football and has crammed a lot into 300 pages. He writes well and has a lot of good stories. * The Guardian *
As absorbing as any post-war spy thriller. * Sunday Life *
Engrossing and funny travelogue-cum-social history * Glasgow Evening Times *
Jonathan Wilson brilliantly plugs the gaps in our knowledge…an observant and witty guide to life in Eastern Europe. * Waterstones Books Quarterly *
It’s a book that had to be written. Excellent. * Simon Kuper, author of FOOTBALL AGAINST THE ENEMY *
With style and erudition, [Wilson] proves that football is a metaphor, an allegory, and much more than just a game * THE TIMES *
Enlightening * THE SCOTSMAN *

Jonathan Wilson is a columnist for The Guardian and the founder and editor of The Blizzard. Inverting the Pyramid: The History of Football Tactics was Football Book of the Year in 2009 and was shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year award. Seven of his other books have been shortlisted for football book of the year and he has also won the Premio Antonio Ghirelli in Italy. Angels with Dirty Faces did the double of football book and history book of the year at the Polish Sports Book Awards in 2018. He is also the co-presenter of the football history podcasts It Was What It Was and Libero.

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