BOOK REVIEW
In case you hadn’t noticed, the nights are drawing in and, all of a sudden, people are beginning to talk about Christmas – in the middle of October!
A popular choice of present for the festive season is a book – you can’t really go wrong with that choice, can you!
Well, this year, for the Rovers supporter in your life, why not treat him/her/them to a stunning new publication titled Bristol Rovers – The Formative Years which is, in effect, a compendium of match reports from the club’s formation in 1883 all the way through to 1899.
This fascinating snapshot into Football in the Victorian era in this part of the world is a comprehensive history of the early years of the club that began as The Black Arabs, became Eastville Rovers and ended the 19th century as Bristol Rovers.
It’s a book that will not only appeal to football historians, but to a wider audience interested in the social history of Bristol and the surrounding areas and of places still familiar to us all, but back then hosted football clubs that took on, and beat, Bristol Rovers. Think Soundwell and Warmley to name but two!
Written, researched and compiled by Rovers supporter Eric Whitlock, this is a fascinating snapshot into a bygone era and traces the origins of the Football Club that, for a time in those early years, led a somewhat nomadic existence before finding a ‘home’ at Eastville.
No other history book on Bristol Rovers comes close to matching the detail and the illustrations contained between the covers of this must have book.
It will retail at £25, but is worth every penny and Eric is to be commended for the five years of research that has gone in to bringing us this encyclopaedia of the club’s early years.
Available from early November, please contact the following for order details
Ericmwhitlock@outlook.com
suzyharrington70@gmail.com
secretary@bristolroverssc.co.uk