Rhapsody in Blue. This item is unavailable.Rhapsody in Blue

Rhapsody in Blue is a joyous celebration of growing up in the late 1960s and early 70s in the aftermath of England's 1966 World Cup victory. It was a time when football and pop culture merged - an era of smoke-filled pubs, when Fray Bentos pies and fry-ups were consumed without guilt and parents had no fear of letting their kids stay out after dark. It was also a time without live TV football, when being a fan meant traipsing through the turnstiles every week. The book vividly recalls how a boy fell in love with Chelsea Football Club, cheering the Blues on week after week, while at the same time becoming immersed in the culture of street football. Neil Fitzsimon skilfully transports us to the Stamford Bridge of his youth, when the likes of Peter Osgood, Charlie Cooke, Alan Hudson, Ian Hutchinson and Peter Houseman lit up the pitch. Away from the terraces, he played in his own street team in bitterly contested games against rival street sides. Rhapsody in Blue is a moving and nostalgic tribute to a lost era and way of life.

Neil Fitzsimon is blessed (or cursed) with an exceptional memory, allowing him to recall the past in vivid detail. He is a published songwriter and also co-wrote the music and book for the musical Jack Dagger, which won the Musical Futures Award and was showcased in theatres across London. As an ardent Blues fan, he has written for many Chelsea fanzines.