This book presents a detailed economic analysis of professional football at club level, using a combination of economic reasoning and statistical and econometric analysis. Most of the original empirical research reported in the book is based on English club football. A wide range of international comparisons help emphasize both the broader relevance as well as the unique characteristics of the English experience. Specific topics include: the links between football clubs' financial strength and competitive balance and uncertainty of outcome; the determinants of professional footballers' compensation; measuring the football manager's contribution to team performance, the determinants of managerial change, and its effects on team performance; patterns of spectator demand for attendance; predicting match results, betting on football, and the market in football clubs' company shares. The book concludes with an extended discussion of the major economic policy issues currently facing football's legislators and administrators worldwide.

‘This book is the first major European research monograph to analyse professional football from an explicitly economic perspective. Dobson and Goddard build upon and extend their prior research into professional football drawing upon rigorous economic theory and econometric analysis. I strongly recommend this book.’

Paul Downward - Reader in Economics, Staffordshire University

'Dobson and Goddard present a fascinating and wide-ranging insight into this aspect of the economics of team sports.'

Source: Managerial and Decision Economics

‘… two of the leading authors in the European sports economics literature, use a combination of economic reasoning and econometric analysis to enlighten us about European football … solid scholarship, providing extensive documentation, a wonderful reference list … profusely illustrated with graphs and charts … I highly recommend it to those sports economists studying the European scene, or for those looking for a technically proficient jump-off for their own analysis of NA or European team sports data.’

Source: Review of Industrial Organization

‘… a very good and detailed economic analysis of football. The huge empirical evidence the authors present in a very detailed form is especially interesting and useful.’

Source: Besprechungen - Comptes Rendus

‘To economists that count themselves as fans of English football, this thorough and informative book by Stephen Dobson and John Goddard is worth the wait … you will marvel at the thoroughness of this book and its dedication to matching the right econometric technique to the empirical task at hand … this book should prove to be a catalyst for research for years to come.’

Source: Economic Record

‘This is a serious academic book, and economists will find plenty of rigorous research to justify their attention … economists with an interest in football … will be absolutely delighted by this book … it is written in a very clear, readable style, making it appear an effortless read, while still employing some of the most up-to-date and rigorous tools in the economist’s toolbox.’

Source: British Journal of Industrial Relations