Author Archives: garyjamesfootballarchive

The Italian Job: A Manchester Corinthian’s Journey

Today women’s football in England is recognised as a significant sport with a professional national league, together with a supporting pyramid beneath that. There are many issues within the game of course, but it is in a more prominent position than only a decade ago and its profile is considerably higher than it was in the 1970s. At the start of that decade the FA ban preventing women’s games from taking place on FA approved grounds was still in place and teams like Manchester Corinthians, established in 1949, continued to fight for their right to play on an equal footing with the men.

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Dr Gary James is writing a detailed history of women and football in Manchester. If you played an active part in developing women’s football prior to the FA ban then please get in touch via the Manchester FA or follow Gary on twitter: @garyjameswriter. His new book, “Manchester City Women: An Oral History” is available at £16.95.

Welcome to Gary James’ Football Archive

Hello and welcome to this site. Over the coming weeks I intent to publish here articles and other material on football.

Ever since my first book was published in April 1989 I’ve been keen to research the history of football, bringing evidence of the sport’s development while also trying to write in an engaging manner.

Over time I intend to bring to publish a mix of new material, out of print past material and some of the research and writing I’m often asked about. Hopefully, there’ll be plenty to interest you.

Thanks for reading and, if you like the page, please feel free to let others know (if you don’t you can still tell others of course!)

Best wishes,

Gary James

About Gary James

Gary James is a Honorary Research Fellow at De Montfort University. He has written extensively on football, with his current research focusing on female participation and involvement in the sport. Since the 1990s, he has gathered oral testimony from females directors, administrative staff, ‘tea-ladies’, supporters, players, players’ wives, managers’ wives, media personnel, broadcasters, athletes and others with an interest in the game.

In 2021 Gary’s biography of former England international Peter Barnes will be published. 

HISTORICAL/FACTUAL

From Maine Men To Banana Citizens (1989), Temple Press

The Pride of Manchester (with Steve Cawley, 1991), ACL & Polar

Manchester: The Greatest City (1997 & 2002), Polar Publishing

Farewell To Maine Road (2003), Polar Publishing

Manchester City Hall Of Fame (2005), Hamlyn

Manchester City The Complete Record (2006), Breedon Books

Manchester City: 125 Years Of Football (2006 & 2007), At Heart Publications

Manchester: A Football History (2008 & 2010), James Ward

The Big Book Of City (2009), James Ward

The Big Book of United (2011), James Ward

Manchester: The City Years (2012), James Ward

Manchester City Folklore (2018), Conker Editions

The Emergence of Footballing Cultures: Manchester 1840-1919 (2019 & 2020), Manchester University Press

Manchester City Women: An Oral History (2019), James Ward

FICTION

Atkinson For England (with Mark Brown, 2001), Empire

BIOGRAPHY

Football With A Smile: The Authorised Biography of Joe Mercer, OBE (1993 & 1994), ACL & Polar

Joe Mercer, OBE: Football With A Smile (2010), James Ward

TELEVISION

The History Of Football (2007), Channel M