Football - An Insider's Job

Football fans chant the names of speedy centre-forwards and flashy wingers. But "There's only one Dick Chester" is what might have been sung, if the fans of the clubs he served could somehow have appreciated his contribution as Club Secretary. Dick lets us into the secrets of the behind the scenes workings of football, from dodgy deals and brown envelopes, tales of great and not so great managers and their foibles, doors that opened and shut, to the safety of football grounds. Everyone overestimates the contribution of certain players without realising they would be nothing were it not for the skills of club officials like Dick quietly working behind the scenes. Without him Sheffield Wednesday might not have had those glory days under Howard Wilkinson, and Lincoln City and Sheffield United might have gone under without their finances being stabilised by competent administration. True fans realise that more important than winning any trophy is securing the heritage of our clubs and handing it on intact to the next generation - that success on the pitch cannot be achieved and sustained without everyone at the club being united, from fans to ticket sellers to the boardroom, as well as the playing and coaching staff. Dick brings this across clearly and tells his story with a passion for the game. His integrity and honesty shine through.