Playing Offside - A 'Doing The 92' Groundhopping Book, The Final Volume OUT NOW!

After five years (!) I’m delighted to finally be able to release Volume Five of ‘Playing Offside’ – the final part of my journey tochronicle all the current grounds in England’s professional leagues! The project was completed back in 2019, but with a busy schedule and much upheaval since then, it’s only now that I’ve been able to put the finishes touches to it and get it out. I’m the George R.R Martin of the football writing world, what can I say?

It’s been quite the journey in completing this volume. The vast majority of it follows my attempts at completing the 92 during the 2018/19 season – but following numerous delays with Tottenham’s new stadium, I had to roll it over to the start of the 2019/20 season. So, it’s quite the read, if I say so myself!

It’s definitely the most ambitious volume I’ve written, with deeper looks at the various historical and social aspects of the clubs I visit. The chapter on Portsmouth is 6,000 words alone, containing passages about bloodcurdling murder and bizarre financial issues (not related) – absolutely stuff I couldn’t leave out! Some more highlights include: catching a flight to Exeter because it’s cheaper than the train, going on a pub crawl pre-match in Brentford, and witnessing a lover’s tiff between two giant cuddly mascots in Swansea. Riveting stuff! It’s available on Amazon Kindle NOW for £2.99 – withthe complete set of five volumes priced at £6.95.

Being able to release the final volume now is interesting timing too, as the beginning of the upcoming 2024/25 season will mark ten years since I first embarked on the project. To celebrate this milestone, I’m already working on an updated ‘Complete Collection’ of all five volumes, with new clubs and grounds included to bring everything up to date. Previous chapters will be edited and extended for better clarity too – some of the chapters in Volume Five absolutely dwarf many of the ones in earlier volumes, so I want to present a better balance for all clubs. I’m expecting Playing Offside: The Complete Collection to be released in Autumn/Winter 2025 (it will probably bleed over into the 25/26 season, due to the expected opening of Everton’s new stadium!)

Exciting times ahead! I best get a move on!