Review of Tim Hartley’s ‘The World at Your Feet’

David Collins previews the latest title from South Wales based writer Tim Hartley.

The World at Your Feet follows up Hartley’s earlier title, ‘Kicking Off in North Korea’ itself an enjoyable meander around the author’s world of travelling the football globe. Think of this as the second leg.

I like Tim Hartley’s writing. For me, he combines the wide-eyed wonder of an 11-year old with worldly-wise contemplations born from his lifetime in PR and the media. The fact that he chooses football as a vehicle for his thoughts in this title puts this latest work even further up my must read list.

Hartley opens this odyssey by describing his first ever trip to a football match. Ninian Park in the 70s. This was the former home of Cardiff City. An arena renowned for its boisterous atmosphere. The author captures the mood of the time well, establishing his early fascination both with events on the field and wider terrace culture. It set the tone for a lifetime of football studies.

We read how the grown up Hartley experienced football culture under Covid-19 restrictions, glimpsed the game behind the Iron Curtain and formed thoughts on “football tourists”. Not many of us have experienced the beautiful game Hong Kong style, but Tim has, and explains the experiences to us.

Do not make the mistake of dismissing this title as a mere collection of boozy stories from Bulgarian bars.

Sure, Tim moans about the price of alcohol at Stanstead Airport but he also peels away the layers behind each trip, explaining how the games are central to it all but not the whole experience. He campaigns and cajoles; I loved his thoughts on kick off time for the FA Cup Final for example. Throw in the writer’s incisive commentaries on life in Gabon, Finland, Dublin and many more and we have a book which, frankly, delivers more than you might first expect.

The author appears almost misty eyed, in recounting the story of the Homeless World Cup, held in Cardiff in 2019. One of the most emotional football occasions I have attended.

Tim discusses racism, Russians in Ku Klux Klan hoods, and the state of modern hooliganism. National Identity. Basques. Team GB and the Clapton Ultras. He champions football supporters as agents of change, tells how Welsh fans have travelled the globe on charity missions and meets families, friends and fans.

For me, the most intriguing account occurs when Tim recalls his visit to HMP Prescott. The chapter has pathos, colour and empathy. He describes a football occasion, which few of us may have witnessed. This chapter perhaps sums up the whole book. Tim glances at life through a football lens. Whether this takes him to Barcelona or behind bars, to Cardiff or North Korea. Few things diminish his love of the subject and his understanding of the place of the game to individuals, organisations, and even states, around the world. At times, Tim Hartley looks at football as a microcosm of society, or even of life itself.

The book is deeply rooted in football stories. It will probably appeal best to the groundhopper audience, but there is also enough reference to familiar teams, names and places to retain the audiences of most students of football, politics or social history. At times he is Michael Palin, at other times he is Danny Baker. Mostly though, he is Tim Hartley.

The book works very well indeed and is certainly worth a read.

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