Dick Chester 'Football: An Insider's Job'

Football: An Insider's Job is the fascinating account of Dick Chester’s life and career in football. From a childhood in rural Lincolnshire, Dick rose to the heights of what nowadays would be titled CEO at three professional football clubs. His career spanned the 1970s and 1980s with a return to the game in the 2000s. Dick worked as Club Secretary, as such a role was then titled, in all four divisions. His experiences varied from a club seeking re-election to the league to one who reached the top five of Division One. Fans of Lincoln City, Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday will no doubt be interested in Dick’s story as he opens the door to events surrounding each of those clubs. There are revelations here that have not been heard before. The book has a broader appeal though to fans of football more generally. Dick reflects on his experiences in the game and considers how what he learned could be adapted to the modern age. Dick met and worked alongside some of the key characters of the game and shares his experiences here. Alongside Dick’s story, the book includes contributions from many of the people that worked alongside him. Journalists, managers, officials, and owners share their opinions of both Dick’s work and the game more generally. This then is an honest, detailed, and clear account of a career spent in football before it was hit by the Premier League juggernaut.