Around the World in 80 Clubs

A fascinating and entertaining look at the “Beautiful Game” through the lens of some of the most obscure and inaccessible places on the planet. Nuuk in Greenland, Easter Island, Saaremaa in Estonia who played their rivals Hiiumaa on a ferry in the middle of the Baltic. My abiding memory is the lone fan from Malmuk who, at a match in Nuuk, could be heard shouting loudly for his team… I loved this book. Well researched, emotive and hugely entertaining whether you’re a football fan or not. A great example of the lengths people go to to play sport. * Guillem Balague, award-winning and Sunday Times bestselling author and journalist *A wonderful read by an author who has put in the miles. This is perfect for anyone who loves football but has forgotten why. * Joey D’Urso, author of the critically-acclaimed More Than A Shirt: How Football Shirts Explain Global Politics, Money and Power *I love Paul Watson, I love the football that Paul Watson loves and I love that Paul Watson watches all the football I don’t have time for and then tells me about all of the best bits. This book is a joy to read. So buy this book and read it immediately, or we cannot be friends. * Max Rushden, Radio and TV Presenter, host of the Guardian Football Weekly Podcast *We’re oversaturated by the ins and outs of elite football, and our knowledge of players in the top leagues. We know everything from their backgrounds, personal lives, ambitions and fears, to what they like to eat for breakfast. It is, frankly, boring. With Around the World in 80 Clubs, Paul Watson has delivered a treasure trove of new and untouched stories, and shares them with the wit, charm, and style of a good novel. Football is the people’s game, a global game, and this book takes us to the core of its unique and uniting power. * Suzanne Wrack, journalist for The Guardian and author of A Woman’s Game *

Paul Watson is the author of Up Pohnpei, the tale of his time coaching the world’s worst football team on a tiny Pacific Island, and Around the World in 80 Clubs, a hilariously entertaining voyage through the world’s most obscure football teams. He is also a journalist and broadcaster, as well as the co-host of The Sweeper podcast that focuses on football off the beaten track.