Only Connect: Northampton Town FC: A club at the heart of its community Kelvin Thomas Foreword by

For many, a football club is a set of concrete stands and floodlights which they pass by on their way to work. Even for fans of the club, it may represent an empty stadium which they fill once a fortnight on a pilgrimage made in hope, if not expectat... Read more

For many, a football club is a set of concrete stands and floodlights which they pass by on their way to work. Even for fans of the club, it may represent an empty stadium which they fill once a fortnight on a pilgrimage made in hope, if not expectation. Yet the general feelgood factor which arises when a club wins promotion, or creates a cup upset, is undeniable. So too is the sense of loss when a town loses its club. The loss is not simply in terms of status or economics; it is a psychological and emotional blow to a community, as the outpouring of grief in Bury recently demonstrated.How many of us fully appreciate the multifaceted roles which a football club plays as a hub in the community? Much of the work which takes place goes unseen. It impacts on thousands of local residents, many of whom have no affinity to the club itself, some of whom do not even follow 'the beautiful game'.Only Connect explores the social impact of Northampton Town FC, both for its supporter base and the wider community. Through a series of interviews, with both club staff and others, the book seeks to explain why - in a period of political and social turmoil - our football club matters more than ever before. Less