Four years in the making, the book provides a detailed record of United’s involvement in the conflict, which came to an end 100 years ago in November.
More than 150 players and officials connected with the Magpies served in the armed forces during the war, with many more taking part in essential work. United’s stars were involved in combat all across the world – from the Western Front to the Middle East, India and Russia. Sadly, there were several who never returned home.
Published by Novo Publishing, To the Glory of God is divided into ten chapters, unearthing the intrepid war tales of several individuals, as well as recounting how United coped as a club while the conflict took place.
Joannou, who has already put together a number of substantial works on the club’s history – including The Ultimate Record and The Ultimate Who’s Who – is hopeful that his latest project will appeal to United supporters and non-football fans alike.
Speaking at the launch, he told nufc.co.uk: “It’s not just football history; it’s North East history. It broadens into Northumberland, County Durham and everything that happened in the region during World War One. After four years of detailed work, it’s very satisfying to see it all come together. Along with the research, the digging up of information and telling the story, I’ve been involved with the design and production of the book, as well.
“While football runs through the book, ultimately, it’s about life and death – especially when you visit France and Belgium and you see the masses of cemeteries dotted over the Western Front. That really brings it home – there are hundreds of graves, and many memorials to the missing with no known graves, whose bodies are left in the ground.
“There has been a mass of information I’ve had to delve into, and tracking down individual footballers through war archives is sometimes not easy. But, every couple of days, you’d find out something. Sometimes you’d come to a dead end, but sometimes you’d come across a mountain of information that eventually told a story – many of which haven’t been told before.”
Costing £16.99, To the Glory of God is available now at Waterstones and The Back Page in Newcastle and the Metrocentre, as well as Newcastle City Library. For more information, visit www.novopublishing.co.uk.
