Sixty Years of Hurt

England, and the England Football Team

This is a story of football and politics, and how the two worlds can intersect and collide. Follow the ups and downs of the England team and UK government from 1970 to 2026, from Harold Wilson to Margaret Thatcher to Keir Starmer via Glenn Hoddle, Sol Campbell and Jude Bellingham. This is a book for football fans and political junkies alike.

Sir Geoff Hurst is the sole surviving player from England’s 1966 World Cup-winning side, but the importance of the victory still has a hold on the national mood, for matters both on and off the pitch. With the 2026 World Cup on its way, where is the nation now? This book ties the performance of the England men’s football team with its people and politics, from 1966 to 2026, through undulating fortunes, including triumphs and disasters. It offers a novel take on one of the nation’s most culturally important and enduring stories – the attempt to regain the FIFA World Cup – by placing it in the context of the way the country was governed. It is a story as much about Callaghan and Cameron as Beckham and Kane. How similar or different have the status and performance of the men’s team been to that of the incumbent government? Is there ever a direct crossover between dressing room and cabinet room? Are the footballers, wearing a red or white shirt in the summer months, reflecting the nation or opposing it? Sixty Years of Hurt is a story of football and politics, and how the two worlds intersect.

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