Book description
On 27 December 1948, rioting broke out during a match between
Belfast Celtic and Linfield. Jimmy Jones, a prolific goalscorer for
Belfast Celtic, was dragged from the pitch by the opposing fans, and
beaten so badly that his career was ended. And with that ended the
existence of Belfast Celtic after fifty-eight years in the game. In
Political Football Barry Flynn traces the development of the team from
its beginnings, in an attempt to discover the reasons behind the
tragic events. Like that of every football club, the story of Belfast
Celtic is one of victories and defeats. Theirs, however, is a story
riddled with violence and hatred culminating in near-murder. Political
Football reveals how the political and social unrest that took hold of
the city of Belfast was reflected in the history of the club, how
tensions between two communities spilled onto both the pitch and the
terraces, with devastating consequences.
Barry Flynn, a Belfast native has published many sports books
prior to this one: Legends of Irish Boxing, John McNally: Boxing's
Forgotten Hero, and Tyrone: The Road to Glory.
