This volume serves as a comprehensive reference work investigating the historical development, statistical records, and organizational evolution of British football. The author, Phil Soar, utilizes extensive archival data and historical records to document the sport's trajectory from its formative years through the early 1980s. The text provides a structured framework for understanding the growth of the Football League, the emergence of iconic clubs, and the shifting landscape of professional competition in the United Kingdom.

This work is regarded as a foundational reference text for historians and enthusiasts of the sport during the mid-1980s. The scope suggests a dense, data-heavy approach intended for readers seeking a definitive record of British football's professional history.