This topic did not grab me as much as I thought it would when I requested the book, as a result I did not finish this title. It seems well researched and covers and interesting historical topic, but I just couldn't get into it.

The Remarkable Story of Fred Spiksley is the biography of one of the greatest footballers of the late nineteenth century. The book chronicles his early life in Lincolnshire, to his attempts to make it as a professional footballer in the days where it was virtually impossible for a working class man to do so.

The book is mainly focused on Spiksley's playing career, but does go into his experiences in coaching, and his later life. There is a fascinating chapter regarding his experience of the First World War.

I enjoyed this biography. I'm born and bred in Lincolnshire, so straight away it was nice to see lots of references to places and football clubs I'm very familiar with. Additionally, Sheffield Wednesday is a family team, so it was really interesting to read about the infancy of the club.

It is great how Metcalf talks about the wider picture of the fledgling game whilst discussing Spiksley personally. I was fascinated by the history of the creation of the football league and surprised by some of the rules that were in place at the time.

Fred Spiksley did have a remarkable life. It is testament to Metcalf's writing that we are able to experience that.

If you are a football fan who likes history, this is for you.

Thanks to Mark Metcalf, NetGalley, and Pen & Sword for this advanced copy.