Between River and Rail

<p>In the shadow of blast furnaces and shipyard cranes a different kind of industry took root on Teesside and Wearside-one forged not in steel or coal but in the fierce loyalty of footballing faith. Between River and Rail is a sweeping deeply detailed narrative of over a century of the beautiful game as lived loved and lamented in the towns of Middlesbrough and Sunderland.</p><p></p><p>This is not just the story of trophies and terraces but of people. From dockworkers and miners who first kicked battered leather balls in soot-stained yards to modern ultras waving flags in gleaming new stadiums football has been both mirror and engine of identity in a region too often overlooked. The book follows the parallel and diverging paths of two proud clubs-Middlesbrough FC and Sunderland AFC-as they rose to glory collapsed into crisis and clawed their way back generation after generation.</p><p></p><p>Through wars economic collapse televised fame and globalisation Between River and Rail traces a footballing culture marked by grit passion and undying belief. With rich portraits of legendary players unforgettable matches and the fans who never walked away this book is a love letter to the spirit of a region where football is far more than a game-it's lifeblood.</p>