Football has changed a lot over the years. From humble beginnings, the beautiful game has grown into a global sport that is played and followed by billions of passionate fans and supporters. The English Premier League, arguably the best in the world, has experienced a similarly meteoric rise in terms of global notoriety, interest, and sponsorship.
The same can be said for Manchester City, which was once known as small community club. The Sky Blues are now one of the best marketing machines in the sporting world, showcasing international sponsors and football superstars.
David Conn’s Richer than God: Manchester City, Modern Football and Growing Up is a football classic. It is obviously about his beloved club and their recent transformation under Sheikh Mansour, but it is an even more telling story about the game of English football as a whole.
Conn’s incredible storytelling ability shines through every page and it feels like a football fan’s coming of age, just as much as it is the club’s. We hear about his lifelong fanhood and love for Man City despite it being a very bumpy, but admittedly exciting ride. Being a soccer supporter in Manchester is sure to have its highs and lows, but Conn is quick to point out that is just like life in Manchester.
We hear a lot about how football is an integral part of so many lives and how the game has always been there for those struggling in real life. When industry and the economy collapsed in England’s biggest urban centers, the beautiful game was still there to get them through some very dark and difficult times.
Today it seems that all is well at Man City as they have reached the peak of the English game. I think it is realistic to say that this is just the beginning as the current ownership has built a squad destined for success in Europe and beyond.
Some argue that it is all about the money, but this is a special club and a special group of supporters, players, and owners. Similar projects in places like AS Monaco have not yielded similar results despite a massive influx of funding. Man City simply knows how to get it done.
This is the best book I have read when it comes to the history of a club as it takes a personal approach. It’s a supporter telling about his experiences with the club along with his one life story. I think this shows that they are very much the same.
