There was once a time, not so long ago, where our sporting heroes were treated with veneration. Players were players and their watchers were passive. Heroes lived on pedestals - they weren't public property.

This book explores the many ways this dynamic has changed over the years. From the Barmy Army's loud but loyal support of the England cricket team to the jeers that greeted our returning footballers after the World Cup, the relationship between athlete and fan is now quite dramatically different.

With his usual gentle wit and subtle intelligence, renowned sports writer Patrick Collins records one year spent observing a range of different sports and their many and varied fans. From a county cricket match at Canterbury - a place that resists change - to a corporate box at Wembley - watch them eat! see them drink! - from dog racing to swimming galas, this is a wonderful and humorous look at the world of sports - and the fans who make it all possible.

Winner of five Sports Writer of the Year awards, Patrick Collins writes a regular sports column for the Mail on Sunday.