Jimmy Adamson was a football enigma, revered by some, disliked by others - a supremely elegant player of the '50s and early '60s, a title winner and a respected coach, but a manager whose spirit was ultimately shattered. In 1962, Adamson had the world at his feet: FA Cup finalist, Footballer of the Year and invited to become England manager, having been assistant at the World Cup in Chile. But Adamson said 'no'. In 1970 he predicted that Burnley would become the 'Team of the Seventies', but despotic chairman Bob Lord's selling policy saw the vision fade and die. Controversially sacked in 1976, Adamson moved to Sunderland and then endured two torrid years at Leeds United before turning his back on the game. This is a poignant story of broken dreams, failed ambitions and personal tragedy, ending in estrangement from the club he loved. A story of what might have been.

Dave Thomas is the author of 11 previous books on his beloved Burnley FC which, along with his charity dinners, have raised thousands of pounds for the club. He has also written for The Times Educational Supplement, and had several short stories published about his (sometimes) hilarious time as a head teacher in a small village school near Leeds.