Product Description

The twenty-odd years that separated the First World War from the Second World War have often been referred to as the long weekend. This book follows the fortunes of Manchester United from Friday night to Sunday afternoon. It is the story of how a pre-war giant fell asleep and very nearly did not wake up again. It is the story of record highs and record lows, of protests, punch-ups and revolts, of heroes, villains, wizards and saviours, of great escapes and even greater cock-ups, of joy and pain, tragedy and despair. Amazingly, it is a story that has never properly been told before. Hopefully, it has been now."Back from the Brink" chronicles the departure of the father of Manchester United, John Henry Davies and the arrival of its saviour and inspiration James Gibson. The debt modern United fans owe these two men cannot be underestimated. Had it not been for Davies there would be no Manchester United - when Newton Heath were bankrupted in 1902 he changed the name of the club, found them a new stadium and injected the style and panache now associated with the club throughout the football world.As for Gibson, he took a floundering club playing before dwindling support and introduced such notions as corporate hospitality, the tracksuit manager and a youth system as early as 1931. Thus Gibson paved the way for Busby and Ferguson - yet this tale concentrates on an era before glory and Manchester United became inextricably linked. As United fans approach another era of uncertainty regarding their club, "Back from the Brink" is the first proper examination of a period during which the club won nothing but laid the groundwork for the club's post-war success.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #375215 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-01
• Released on: 2006-02-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 480 pages

Customer Reviews

A highly entertaining debut
Apparently this is Justin Blundell's first book but you'd never know it. Don't be put off by the subject matter, this is a much more important tome than the proliferation of depressingly empty football books on offer these days. If you want to know what Wayne Rooney's favourite member of Atomic Kitten is this isn't for you. If however you want a surprisingly entertaining account of how the mighty Manchester United rose from the rubble of the depression era setting the foundations for the Busby era, get hold of this book. The characters may not be overly familiar even to the most fanatical of United followers but Blundell effortlessly manages to draw contemporary parallels with passion, wit and a heartfelt love of his subject matter. With the current incarnation of Manchester United in very real danger of asphyxiation under the weight of the post-Glazer debt this is a story worth reading.

A brilliant account of a forgotten era
Back from the Brink covers an obscure stage in Manchester United's history when they struggled to survive and very nearly went out of business. Author Justin Blundell tells the story of United in the inter-war years with humour and colours in the details of this era missing from so many club histories. Shorn of the glory that come the club's way after the war, he uncovers fascinating characters from well-known terrace heroes such as Billy Meredith to the one-game wonders that figured all too often in red during this period. A fascinating account for anyone with an interest in how United began the last century.

COMPLETES THE UNITED STORY
This is a thoroughly well researched book on the little known period of United's history. Maybe the following years of Glory, Glory were possible because the club earned it's backbone during thses early years of tribulation. It certainly does deserve to stand alongside the many books written on the Busby and Ferguson era's. The book is well written, it's witty and humours in addition to being factual. It's readership derves to be wider than the united family.