Wings of Steel: My Great Uncle, George Clarke Robertson - A Left Winger in the Steel Towns - Softcover

"Until Thatcher's great de-industrialisation of the UK, the two greatest steel-producing areas of the country were Sheffield in England and Motherwell in Scotland. So the title of this particular book depicts a player who played for both clubs just after the start of the 20th century and who also made a wee bit of history while at each club. When I see such an extensive acknowledgments page I know I'm in for a good read, and so it is with this book. If, like me, you enjoy historical books and especially those that come up trumps with hidden gems that have never before seen the light of day then do yourself a big favour and buy this book."--Programme Monthly

"It was a game that threatened to incite a full-scale riot at a time of growing discontent with British rule in Ireland. George Clarke Robertson, an outside left for Motherwell and Scotland, was pursued by a 1,000-strong mob at the end of a fixture against Ireland, amid rumours he had severely injured a fan in a scuffle. The player could only escape the Dublin stadium by disguising himself, while a decoy was sent out wearing his football strip. The incident is revealed in a new biography of Robertson by his great- nephew, Iain Paterson, who has spent the past 20 years researching the player's life and times. Recalling the flashpoint just three years before the Easter Rising, Paterson said his great-uncle considered himself "lucky to escape with his life". --The Scotsman

"By George, Robertson is Quite a Story!" ---Sheffield Star

"An intriguing new book for Wednesdayites of all ages." --Sheffield Wednesday official website and matchday magazine

"At a time when some biographies are ten a penny, it's a delight to read one that is well researched and is so dear to the author's heart." --Scottish Football Historical Archive

Wings of Steel tells of Iain Paterson's quest to uncover the story of his great uncle, a football star before World War I with Motherwell, Sheffield Wednesday and Scotland - once described as the best outside-left in Britain. Among the treasured mementoes inherited from his late grandmother was a shoebox full of photographs of family and friends long departed - the most fascinating being those of an unknown young man in vintage football kit sporting a Scottish cap dated 1910. As Iain discovered, his mother's older brother was Motherwell's first international player, the man responsible for Sheffield Wednesday becoming known as the Owls - and the figure at the heart of a mysterious riot following an international match in politically sensitive 1913 Dublin. Wings of Steel aims to set the record straight on many inaccuracies attached to George's story over the years, and to discover where George finally ended his days.