Dan Jackson tells the story of Newcastle United - and the city behind it
The bestselling author will launch his new 'people's history' of the club at a special event in September
The story of Newcastle United Football Club is being explored through the lens of North East history in a new book by bestselling author Dan Jackson.
Howay the Lads!, published this autumn, traces the club’s journey from its Victorian roots to the modern era, arguing that Newcastle United’s fortunes offer a window into the wider social and cultural history of the region.
The acclaimed author of The Northumbrians, examines the club’s rise to Edwardian football dominance, its long pursuit of silverware and its enduring relationship with the city and supporters who have remained fiercely loyal through triumph and heartbreak alike.
Along the way, he revisits iconic figures including Colin Veitch, Jackie Milburn and Alan Shearer.
Posting on social media, Dan, who works full time as director of policy for the NHS the North East, said: “For the last two years I’ve been working with Little, Brown on a new ‘People’s History’ of Newcastle United.
“Writing as a sideline can be rewarding but with the patchy performance of NUFC over the last year it’s fair to say that opening the laptop at evenings and weekends often didn’t feel very appealing!
”Nevertheless, I’ve often thought that football can really tell the story of a place so I’m delighted to get the endorsement of the SAS! (Shearer and Sandbrook).”
Newcastle United legend, Alan Shearer described the book as: “A brilliant history of the club I love. Passion, pride and pain – it’s all here.”
Meanwhile in his review, Dominic Sandbrook said: “This is an outstandingly rich, entertaining and thoughtful book, written with the passion of a man who loves his football and with the forensic eye of a great historian.”
And in a glowing endorsement, broadcaster Stuart Maconie said: “No-one writes with as much flair, authority and sly wit about the North and Northerners as well as Dan Jackson.
“With this book, he has distilled many of his abiding passions inspired by his native North East - its people, culture and landscape, its military, political and industrial heritage - into a tale that encompasses all those things and more... a loving, forensic, engaging history of his beloved Newcastle United. Even those of us cordially indifferent to the fortunes of the Magpies will find much to savour in this superb book.”
Dan will launch the book at the Tyneside Irish Centre on September 3, where he will discuss the club’s origins, its place in North East culture and the characters who helped shape its history in conversation with football writer Harry Pearson.
In the meantime, you can pre-order Howay the Lads: A People's History of Newcastle United via Forum Books here.