The Sunday Times Sports Book of the Year A Times Book of the Year A Financial Times Book of
the Year A Guardian Book of the Year A New Statesman Book of the Year 'The heartwarming story
of the collaboration and friendship between English football's oddest couple Elton John and
Graham Taylor' The Times ' A wonderful feel-good account of an ultimately English
provincial story' Simon Kuper _____________________ An unforgettable British underdog story
from one of our greatest narrative nonfiction writers John Preston and the international
musical icon and bestselling author Sir Elton John. Britain in the 1970s was beset by unrest
and unemployment as inflation soared fuel was scarce and hooliganism was on the rise. And
for Watford FC the outlook was even gloomier. Rundown and rat-infested Watford were an ailing
side with holes in their kit and barely enough fans to fill a stand. Of the 92 clubs in the
Football League spread across four divisions Watford were in 92nd place. Meanwhile Elton
John was the most successful rockstar in the world. With six-inch platforms spangled jumpsuits
and peroxide hair he was glamorous gay and seemingly a world away from the semi-detached
house in Pinner where he had supported Watford FC as a child. Many assumed he would move to
America. Instead he bought the football club. Watford Forever is the remarkable story of
Elton John's ownership of Watford FC and its transformational journey to the top of the First
Division under iconic manager Graham Taylor. Perhaps most remarkably four of the same players
who had been written off as has-beens went with them all the way from the bottom to the top.
Inspiring and infectiously funny this is a tribute to football's unlikeliest friendship as
Elton John and Taylor a straight-talking former fullback with a love of Vera Lynn beat the
odds and their personal demons to save a club and a community. Immersed in the grime and
glamour of '70s Britain Watford Forever is one of sport's great underdog stories and a love
letter to the beautiful game.
