"A manager who signed Okocha for free, dined on bull's testicles and outfoxed Wenger with a laptop: The inside story of Sam Allardyce's Bolton revolution"
In the pantheon of Premier League fairy tales, few stories are as remarkable as Bolton Wanderers' transformation under Sam Allardyce. Bradley-Green's "Measured Spirit" expertly blends historical rigour and fan passion to capture this extraordinary period, providing what could be the definitive account of English football's most unlikely revolution. The book's title is cleverly chosen, nodding to both the scientific methodology that made Allardyce a pioneer in sports science and the measured approach that turned Bolton from relegation candidates into European contenders. Bradley-Green's academic background serves him well here, as he methodically unpacks how Allardyce's revolutionary spell at Bolton produced one of the most intriguing stories in Premier League history. The author's 26-year perspective as a season ticket holder adds an invaluable layer of authenticity to the narrative. He witnessed firsthand how Bolton climbed from Division One struggles to achieve four consecutive top-10 Premier League finishes, a feat that seems almost impossible in today's financially stratified football landscape. The book really shines in its detailed accounts of how Allardyce assembled his team of global stars. The stories behind the signings of Jay-Jay Okocha, Youri Djorkaeff, and Nicolas Anelka are particularly fascinating, with Bradley-Green securing fresh interviews that reveal previously untold details about how these football superstars were convinced to come to Lancashire. Perhaps most impressive is how the author balances the glamour of the big names with the scientific revolution happening behind the scenes. Allardyce's pioneering use of Prozone analytics. ROYAL MAIL TRACKED Published: May 26, 2025 Price: £19.99 Hardcover: 288 pages ISBN-10: 1836801440 ISBN-13: 978-1836801443 Dimensions: 222 x 144 (mm)
