Why subscribe?

It’s simple and direct, like a route one goal. Instead of you checking to find if I’ve posted, I come to you. Every time I write something, it goes straight to your inbox and you can save and read it at your leisure. What will you get? Original takes on football with an emphasis on fan culture and activism and the business side of the game. 

I’m a fan first and foremost, so I write about what the game means to people, and I look at the business side of it from that perspective too. I draw on my background as a business journalist and content marketer, and as a content creator who has worked for leading names in the game and won awards for my books. I wrote a regular column for the New Statesman on this strand for nearly two years, and I’ve had work published in a wide variety of print and online publications. 

I’m using this channel because I want to know who my audience is and to build a relationship with it. And yes, I might eventually try to monetise that relationship, because the skill I use to make my living is writing. But for now, let’s get to know each other. 

The name of this publication is a nod to Arthur Hopcraft’s classic The Football Man, a book still regarded as one of the most insightful examinations of the English game. If I can get anywhere close to what Arthur achieved, I’ll have done well.

To find out more about the company that provides the tech for this newsletter, visit Substack.com.

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Martin is a journalist, author and regular writer of The Football Fan Substack, a look at the business and culture of football from a fan's perspective.