by Elton John
First published 2024
Britain in the 1970s suffers from unemployment and unrest while Watford FC sits at the bottom of the Football League in 92nd place. The club is rundown and rat infested with holes in their kit and barely enough supporters to fill a stand. Meanwhile, Elton John reigns as the world's most successful rockstar, wearing six inch platforms and spangled jumpsuits that seem worlds away from his childhood home in Pinner where he once supported Watford. Instead of moving to America as many expect, he buys the struggling football club. John Preston and Elton John tell the story of this transformational ownership under manager Graham Taylor. Four players who seemed like has beens make the entire journey from bottom to the top of the First Division. The unlikely friendship between the glamorous gay rockstar and the straight talking former fullback creates an inspiring partnership that beats personal demons and long odds to save both club and community.
Genres: 20th-century, contemporary, british-literature, sports
Vibes: emotional, inspirational, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, underdog
Setting: Britain, Pinner, Watford
Period: 1970s
Paperback · Penguin Books