{"product_id":"sergeant-wilkos-defending-champions-leeds-united-at-the-dawn-of-modern-football","title":"Sergeant Wilko's Defending Champions – Leeds United at the Dawn of Modern Football","description":"\u003cp\u003eA nostalgic and entertaining account of an unprecedented campaign at Leeds United in the inaugural season of the Premier League.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFeaturing fresh contributions from Jon Newsome, who provides exclusive insights into the thoughts and fears inside the Leeds dressing room, this is the latest book from Rocco Dean, author of a widely acclaimed series of books about the history of Leeds United.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book tells of a transformative time not only for English football but also in Europe, with the birth of the UEFA Champions League:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA tribute to the great team Howard Wilkinson built, whom the author fell in love with despite their inconsistent performances\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLearn what went wrong for the defending champions, from the sale of Cantona to the back-pass rule and a hangover from the previous season’s success\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRelive the incredible Champions League campaign, the legendary comeback against Stuttgart, the dramatic rematch in the Nou Camp and the iconic ‘Battle of Britain’ against Rangers\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeel the excitement as new hope springs from the club’s talented youth team, who are integrated into the first team before ending the season by lifting the FA Youth Cup\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes extracts from players and management after every match, bringing real-time analysis as Leeds’s troubles mount\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a time before the intervention of money, social media and VAR, this is a story of football fandom, told through the innocent eyes of a young supporter and first-time season-ticket holder. Published in 2026.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSize: 143mm x 223mm – 237 pages.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Soccer Books Limited","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57436035350910,"sku":"9781836802815","price":28.14,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0726\/0546\/6903\/files\/SergeantWilkosDefendingChampions.jpg?v=1779118843","url":"https:\/\/soccer-books.co.uk\/en-us\/products\/sergeant-wilkos-defending-champions-leeds-united-at-the-dawn-of-modern-football","provider":"Soccer Books Limited","version":"1.0","type":"link"}