It's an embarrassing truth for many football fans that it was only when
professional football was eventually forced to close down that we
recognised Covid-19 as a genuine threat to our way of life. Maybe just
as shameful was the fact that once lockdown became normalised, it didn't
take long for chatter to start about when the game might begin again.
This book begins by charting what happened in the weeks leading up to
that point, placing football in the context of furloughs, some new-found
community awareness and dithering politicians. At the heart of the book
are seven case studies of teams. From Burnley in the Premier League,
down through the divisions to grassroots football, Project Restart looks
at the hopes and fears of supporters and the actions of those charged
with keeping their beloved clubs afloat. It looks at how we almost
adjusted to the eerie echo of games on TV with no crowds and finishes by
trying to address the biggest question in town: what will football look
like in a post-Covid future?