The book of football obituaries

Whenever a famous footballer dies, there is an inevitable degree of public grief.

But an obituary should never be a leaden announcement of a death.

Rather it should be a celebration of a life which, in some way, has touched countless other people down the years, inspiring heartfelt emotion and endless debate.

Certainly that is true of the individuals featured here, from those who provoked something not far short of national mourning, such household names as Sir Stanley Matthews, George Best, Alan Ball, Brian Clough, Sir Bobby Robson and Malcolm Allison, through to those who died far too young, the likes of David Rocastle, Justin Fashanu, Gary Ablett and Gary Speed.

Updated edition of Ivan Ponting's critically acclaimed 2008 book Features more than 230 of British football's fascinating and diverse characters, and looks back in detail at their careers and achievements Spans a vast era of British football, through the lives of those personalities who have died in the last 20 years Includes colour picture section featuring iconic images of a number of those featured Written by respected Independent obituarist, football writer and author Ivan Ponting Foreword by James Lawton