This evening sees a press launch for Steve Tongue’s Turf Wars: A History of London Football. Steve will be chatting about the book, signing copies and available for interview at Rudds, 148 Queen Victoria Street, London EC4 Monday 15th August 6pm til late.

The launch will take place in a private room with Sky Sports TV showing Chelsea v West Ham, plus pool table. It's two minutes from Blackfriars tube. See www.ruddsblackfriars.co.uk

Few cities in the world have as many professional football clubs as London and none other than London have the history explored in this book by journalist and broadcaster Steve Tongue. Between the big four London clubs, and more than a dozen others past and present, grew the turf wars that are the bedrock of the great rivalries and derbies across England's most vibrant football city. Turf Wars tells the story of football in the capital.

In Turf Wars you will discover:

• The club saved by a donation from royalty;
• The centre forward who scored four hat-tricks in three weeks – all against the same London derby opposition;
• A former wing half who became his club’s greatest player – as a goalkeeper;
• West Ham’s highest attendance at Upton Park – not officially acknowledged by the club;
• A team robbed of a war-time title because the table was based on goal average, not points;
• The Middlesex wicketkeeper who scored ten goals in a game – six of them headers;
• The deputy Prime Minister who was a supporter and shareholder of one of London’s least fashionable clubs;
• A London manager who broke the lid of the FA Cup on the way to a Council reception;
• The teams finishing as top London club every season since league football began.

Click here for more information, or to read a sample from Turf Wars.