Football, Fandom and Consumption

Oliver Brooks is Tutor in the School of Politics, Philosophy, Language and Communication Studies at the University of East Anglia, UK.

• 1. Introduction: #Youarefootball, 2. The People’s Game?, 3. Changing Formation, 4. Norwich City: ‘The Best Pies in the League’, 5. MK Dons: Fear and Loathing in Milton Keynes, 6. Chelsea: ‘Champions of Europe’, 7. ‘IN-GER-LAND’: Ethnography in the Pub, 8. Conclusion: They think It’s All Over, Appendix A

"Brooks’ volume is a welcome addition to studies on football fandom. It presents a clear argument regarding so-called consumerist or non-traditional fans. The case studies are neatly chosen and provide a compact articulation of the state of play in the contemporary sporting culture of the UK. Brooks writes in an easy and readable style and there is a persistent sense that he enjoyed his research and writing." - Andy Fuller, University of Melbourne, Australia"an ethnography that successfully presents a nuanced understanding of fan culture, illustrating how sports fans articulate and understand their identity, and how they negotiate the ways in which they may themselves be represented within the surrounding sporting culture. Summing Up: Recommended." - J. R. Mitrano, Central Connecticut State University, CHOICE (December 2019)