Boot Sale: Inside the Strange and Secret World of Football's Transfer Window

by Nige Tassell

For football fans who hungrily feed on gossip and rumour, Christmas comes twice a year – once in August and again in January. These are the months when the transfer window dominates thoughts, when the prospect of a new signing or two reinvigorates the hopes and dreams of the hopelessly devoted. Nige Tassell goes behind the scenes to observe the workings of the transfer window and to examine why it continues to hold such fascination for a nation of football lovers. He speaks to players, managers, chairmen, agents, scouts, analysts, fans, journalists, broadcasters and even bookmakers to hear how they survive – and possibly prosper from – these red-letter months in the football calendar.

Genres: Football, Sports, Soccer

304 pages, Paperback

First published November 7, 2019

Reviews

[Stephen McGovern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprised there are not more books on one of the most sensationalised biannual events in football (off the top of my head, I can only recall Done Deal).

Nige Tassell takes the opposite approach to the overblown and often slapdash nature of the transfer window, writing a considered, well researched and easy-to-read book on football's version of the cattle mart.

Speaking to players, managers, directors, owners, agents, media and fans, he gets a perspective from all angles on this weird sporting phenomenon that has grown a life of its own.

Nige is a truly underrated writer of football books.

[Rob Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A view of the inner-workings of the transfer window(s) from just about every angle. Agents are interviewed as are players, managers, people from print and broadcast media, club administrative personnel and a window-addicted supporter who's taken the day off work and is adhering to a strictly-regulated chocolate Hob-Nob reward programme.

The differences between the reasonably-relaxed and optimistic summer window and the panic and anxiety-driven January window are, perhaps, something you've not previously considered while this modern way of conducting business is clearly far more fun for fans than clubs and is evidently unpopular with those most likely to be financially and geographically affected by it.

Has Sky Sports News turned the whole thing into something of a freak-show?

You decide.

[Matt Lynch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well rounded book overall speaking to key stakeholders across football. Particularly enjoyed the hour by hour diary of Deadline Day that ended the book, would be intrigued to read a whole book in that style dedicated to the window.

Despite this I felt left thinking, ‘yeah I’d have guessed that’ - not sure if that’s just me or whether some of it was just stating the obvious?

[Fritzov · Rating 3 out of 5]

A look into how the transfer deadlines came about and how they have changed football. The book is most about English football.

[Jonny Brick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great primary sources - agents, TV personalities, statisticians, players - but a few horrific typographical errors. Essential, all the same, whenever January comes around.

[Ipswichblade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book about the football transfer window with interviews with managers, players, agents and journalists

[Nicholas Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good enjoyable book. Nice insight but nothing more.

[Gareth Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book explores the transfer window with a variety of participants. It’s interesting enough, but it doesn’t feel especially insightful.

[Olubunmi Adewumi]

Worth reading again