[John Simkin]

When I was a history teacher a lot of my students wanted to do coursework on the history of their football club. This was understandable as football dominated their lives. Any teacher knows that it is vital to tap into the interests of the student. If you do this successfully, you can turn the apathetic student into someone who is highly motivated. They can also learn a great deal about political, social and economic history by studying football. It also makes a good local history study, which is now a compulsory aspect of the National Curriculum. So also is the need to do in-depth studies.

Most students use the internet for their research. However, despite the large number of websites on the current activities of football clubs, there is very little on the history of football clubs.

I have therefore decided to create a resource for students to use. It will be an online encyclopaedia that will provide a detailed history of the game.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/ENCfootball.htm

I plan to provide a detailed history of all the main clubs (up until 1945) with biographies of all the players mentioned in the text. One of the first clubs that I have tackled is Manchester United. I have only gone up until 1918 so far but intend to take it to 1945 over the next few months.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FmanchesterU.htm

It includes 30 biographies and is cross-referenced with a whole range of possible topics such as the early history of football,

amateur/professionalism, corruption, transfer system, FA Cup, Football League, football kits, cigarette cards, deaths on the pitch, football regulations, tactics, back footballers, racism, football wages, First World War, international games, trade unionism, goalkeeping, goal scorers, etc.

(1) I am interested in making contact with teachers who wish to use this material in the classroom. It is possible that I might be able to get you some funding for producing teaching materials on Manchester United.

(2) I would like to make contact with relatives of Manchester United players I have already or will write about in the future. In some cases, the players themselves may be still alive.

I can be contacted via the forum or by email: johnsimkin1945@hotmail.com