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Intro
Nick Hornby, the memoirist, is an English football fanatic now in his mid-30s. Revisiting the many football games he’s seen over the years, he reflects on how his obsession with the sport has shaped his life. Nick’s parents separate when he is 11 years old. It’s the late 1960s, and Nick doesn’t know many other children whose parents are separated. Nick no longer lives with his father after the divorce, and one day his dad takes him to a football game to bond with him, though Nick has no interest in sports. They see Arsenal play Stoke City. Partially due to Nick’s vulnerable emotional state at the time, he finds the game enthralling. He immediately becomes obsessed with football, and specifically with Arsenal Football Club. Being a football fan helps Nick make friends at school.
Nick continues to attend Arsenal games with his dad, which helps to sustain their relationship. As Nick sees more games, he comes to understand that Arsenal is not a very good team, though his devotion to them never waivers. Nick’s father moves to France, and Nick begins to go to games with his friend Rat. At Arsenal’s stadium, Highbury, Nick and Rat watch from the Schoolboy’s Enclosure. Arsenal has one of their most successful seasons ever during this time in 1970 to 1971, during which they win both the Football Association Cup and the league title.
As Nick enters adolescence, English football culture begins to change. Violent outbreaks become common among football crowds. Despite this, Nick begins to travel to away games alone. Nick also transitions out of the Schoolboy’s Enclosure to stand in the regular adult terrace at Highbury, which he considers a significant rite of passage. In 1972, Nick travels alone to Wembley stadium to see Arsenal in the Cup Final. When Arsenal loses, Nick is devastated. He feels that being an Arsenal fan causes him a lot of suffering. The next year, Arsenal has a winning streak. Nick, now 15, also finds out that his father has a wife and two children in France. The following year, Nick has his first girlfriend and subsequent first breakup. It’s the first time he remembers really caring about anything other than Arsenal.
Nick attends the University of Cambridge, where he becomes a fan of Cambridge United, though he remains loyal to Arsenal. He also meets his new girlfriend at Cambridge, and one day she attends a game with him and faints on the terrace. Nick is so distracted by the gameplay that he does nothing to help her.
As Nick nears graduation, he realizes that he cares far more about football than he does about his own career. A little while after Nick graduates from Cambridge, his father, stepmother, and two half-siblings move to England. Nick reestablishes a relationship with his father and also bonds with his half-brother over football. Though Nick doesn’t know what he wants out of his career, he becomes a teacher. Around this time, various violent outbreaks occur at football games across Europe.
Nick quits teaching after a couple of years and becomes a writer. He befriends Pete, who is as obsessed with Arsenal as Nick is. Meanwhile, the violent rioting by English football fans becomes more and more common. Nick takes another teaching job—this time teaching English to young Italians—and feels deeply ashamed when Liverpool fans riot and end up killing several Italian fans at the European Cup Final. Feeling aimless and unfulfilled with his career and relationships, Nick becomes depressed. He looks to Arsenal as a potential source of hope, but they continue to let him down.
In 1986, Nick starts dating his current girlfriend. She likes Arsenal as much as he does, so she understands Nick’s erratic moods, which are dependent on Arsenal’s performance. Nick’s mental health takes a turn for the better when Arsenal suddenly have a great game and win against Tottenham. He decides at this point to be a regular fan instead of an Arsenal obsessive. A few months later, he sprains his ankle. Despite being in too much pain to walk unassisted, Nick takes the train to Highbury to see a game. In 1988, Nick once again quits teaching to be a writer. He moves to North London, close to Highbury. In 1989, Arsenal finally wins the First Division Championship. Nick feels so joyful that he compares the moment to giving birth.
At the time of the book’s writing, Nick is still so devoted to Arsenal that he often disappoints his friends and family by avoiding events that coincide with football games. In 1999, there is once again a crowd control issue at a Liverpool game, and 95 people are killed. Nick finds this behavior disappointing, but he doesn’t stop supporting football.
Now in his 30s, Nick feels noticeably older. He buys seated season tickets now because he’s tired of standing in the terrace. Having a seat in the crowd gives him a stronger sense of community. Nick now attends games with his girlfriend, Rat, and Pete.
