Football is at the heart of British culture yet never has it been in greater turmoil. Once, football stood for passion, community, honour, even beauty. The game is in danger of losing its lifeblood – and its soul. In The Beautiful Game? David Conn, the game’s most respected investigative journalist, sets out on a journey through the heart of our national game, exploring how the sport has failed – and who is to blame. This is a book for those who keep the faith, who believe that the sport itself, stripped of the greed and self-interest blighting its organisation, still has values, and can still be beautiful. For a fascinating insight into the causes, and the creators, of the game’s ills this is a superbly told tale Independent