Football in the Second World War: Lunchtime lecture at National Football Museum

The fact that there are still arguments that go on today about what Bill Shankly actually said when he jokingly inferred that football was more important than life and death illustrates just how seriously some people take the sport. But still, occasionally life throws up some things that even the full kit wearing, club crest tattoo sporting, child named after star player superfans would concede are more important than some lads kicking about a ball for a bit. In this lecture – part of the celebrations for the game’s 150th birthday – Tony Mason (Professor Emiritus at the International Centre for Sports History and Culture, De Montfort University) discusses how the Second World War affected the sport, and vice versa. With millions of men and women losing their lives, appetite still remained for a kickabout, and this hour-long talk sheds light on some of the reasons and anecdotes behind this.

Wed 17 Jul, National Football Museum, Urbis Building, Cathedral Gardens, Todd St, Manchester, M4 3BG, 12pm – 1pm, Free, http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/