The Manchester Football Writing Festival returns from Thursday 1 September with the best line-up yet.
Since starting in 2014, the Mcr FWF has brought some of football’s sharpest writers to town for events that have been insightful, funny, informative and (every now and again) filled with stories that were NEVER going to make it to print…
This year the festival is a collaboration between the National Football Museum, Waterstones Manchester Deansgate, and Hotel Football, Old Trafford, with events taking place at all three venues.
For the first time, there is a family friendly daytime event as part of the festival, too. Ben Lyttleton, one of the authors of ‘Football School: Where Football Explains The World’ will be taking some unusual lessons on Saturday 3 September.
Plus the festival will be showing Football Shorts (short films, not actual shorts) from around the world thanks to our friends at 11mm Film Festival as part of our Back To School day. Events run from 11am-4pm, recommended for kids aged 6+.
On the evening Saturday 3 September (6.30pm), Jonathan Wilson will be discussing his book about Argentina’s football history, Angels With Dirty Faces, at Waterstones Deansgate.
The Times’ Henry Winter laid out some very sensible suggestions for how to improve England’s international fortunes ahead of Euro 2016 in one of this year’s biggest football titles, 50 Years Of Hurt: The Story of England & Why We Never Stop Believing.
On Monday 5 September (7pm) Henry will be at the museum in discussion with the BBC’s Caroline Barker, as well as Rory Smith (whose book Mister looks at the English managers who exported football around the world) and Carrie Dunn (whose Roar Of The Lionesses may offer some hope for the Lions). 50 Years Of Hurt tickets.
On Tuesday 5 September (6.30pm), our regular Manchester event once again brings together a panel of Reds and Blues to debate, discuss, and generally disagree. This year, Oliver Kay’s brilliant Forever Young, the story of the lost member of the Class of 92, is the starting point for a discussion about the city’s love for homegrown talent. We can’t guarantee Pep or Jose will show up, but you can check out the full panel and buy tickets here.
The festival comes to an end with two events pulled together by some fantastic new partners for this year. Hotel Football welcomes the team from Opta Sports on Wednesday 6 September (7pm) for @OptaJoe: Revenge Of The Nerds, as Duncan Alexander, Miguel Delaney and Michael Cox discuss the rise of stats and social media in football analysis.
And finally Jacqui Oatley hosts this year’s “How To Get Ahead In Football Journalism” event.
Women In Football present a masterclass for all who want to break into the competitive world of football journalism. Jacqui is joined by Match Of The Day commentator Conor McNamara, Head of Women’s Sport for the BBC Shelley Alexander, 606’s Jo Tongue, The Sun’s Vikki Orvice and BBC Interactive’s Caroline Chapman, who will be sharing their stories, covering every element of journalism and reporting. Expect advice and inspiration from people at the top of the game (Thursday 8 September, Waterstones Deansgate, 6.30pm).
