John Houlding - The Founding Father of Football on Merseyside

This book is a historical account of the men who transformed English football from an amateur game played on the grounds of public schools, churches and local parks into the professional sport we know today, with a particular focus on the crucial role played by Merseyside. Figures such as John Houlding, founder of Everton and Liverpool Football Clubs, and William McGregor, founder of the Football League, were central to the game’s early development and organisation. Alongside other key figures, including entrepreneurs such as Gus Mears, they helped establish the Football League, legitimise professionalism and create the foundations of a spectator-driven sport. Rooted in the social and industrial landscape of the late 19th century, this is the story of how football grew from local beginnings into a national institution, shaped in no small part by the vision, ambition and influence of individuals connected to Merseyside, whose legacy continues to shape the modern game.