Following the history of Welsh football is like riding a roller coaster. Lots of highs and lows, ups and downs. And the fact you never really know what is coming up next.
Ryan Giggs, Gareth Bale, and Ashley Williams represent the modern Welsh footballers, but there were many that blazed the trail before them. This is their story.
Red Dragons: The Story of Welsh Football by Phil Stead is the definitive history of a football nation defined by potential, tragedy, and old-fashioned bad luck. If you love football in Wales, you must have Stead’s newest work.
Stories about the good times (the Golden Age of the 1970s) and the bad (many periods of uncertainty) are told with precision and great knowledge. We hear about greats like Billy Meredith, Ian Rush, John Charles, Leigh Richmond Roose, and Neville Southall. We hear about great times like making the 1958 World Cup and any win against mother England, but we were also moved by the tragic deaths of John Hill and Gary Speed.
For every success, there seemed to be a multitude of challenges. From a lack of resources to infighting among supporters to a lack of cooperation from clubs, Wales has faced it all.
The most important aspect of the Welsh game is that it has surivived. Despite ideas to play as a unified GB/UK team, Wales remains steadfast in its national identity. It means something to be Welsh and it means even more to be a Welsh footballer.
This truly is one of the greatest football titles that I have ever read and is certainly the best title of 2012. It is a must read for any football fan; you will learn a great deal just as we did.
