Festival of football writing returns to National Football Museum

The footy’s back. It’s as if it hasn’t been away.

City and Liverpool are back winning and United are, er, well, back.

Ten games a week for the next ten months, not to mention all the cup, European and internationals.

Just in case that’s not enough for you, the annual Football Writing Festival is back, too, with an exciting programme of events including a look at the finance of football, the future of the women’s game after the World Cup and a chat about the greatest footballer of all time on the 65th anniversary of his birth.

The festival kicks off on Wednesday 4th September with Fair Play? a look at the finance of football, from the clubs at the very top of their financial game to those who have struggled in recent years. Join Guardian journalist and author David Conn and Daniel Geey, one of the UK’s most highly respected sports lawyers, as they discuss the inner workings of the big business of football.

On the eve of the first ever derby between Manchester’s women’s teams, the Guardian‘s Suzy Wrack, author Carrie Dunn and The Athletic‘s Kieran Theivam will discuss the past, present and future prospects for the game.

And on Wednesday 11th September, you can celebrate the 65th anniversary of the birth of the greatest footballer of all time. A man who, during the course of an extraordinary 40 year playing career, didn’t just score an incredible 539 goals in 568 games, but was shot by a gunman, saw his teammates murdered in a terrorist attack, was caught up in an earthquake and lost his foot in a helicopter crash.

Hear from the writers, publishers and designers behind Roy of the Rovers, relive some of the most memorable and controversial moments in the comic strip’s history, and enjoy the museum’s dedicated Roy of the Rovers exhibition.

All events take place at the National Football Museum, Manchester, 5th – 12th September 2019. Tickets are priced from £6. Save 20% with a season ticket to cover all events.

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