While these personal thoughts about football are clearly timeless, many of Hornby’s experiences are far from anything a fan would witness today. My first term at Oxford matched this experience, with each game being a moment to look forward to. Hornby recounts this period in a way that showed how football can act as a comfort blanket when being faced with the unknown. The author discussed how he was enveloped in football throughout his degree – playing for his college and watching both Cambridge United and Cambridge City. This theme is one that has stood the test of time, and will continue to do so, with sporting success being an unwavering driver of happiness.Ī relatable segment of Fever Pitch is Hornby’s description of his time studying at Cambridge.

This perfect correlation may seem unrealistic to many, but Hornby’s emphasis on his devotion for the game sets him on a level far above the average fan. This running comparison sets the book aside from many other accounts of football – as there is a distinctly open nature that breaks down the wall between the game and the supporter. The core theme throughout the memoir is Hornby’s belief that the highs and lows of watching Arsenal mirrored those in his personal life – as if the team’s performance closely reflected his mood at the time. Having just finished reading what is described by many as one of the greatest football books of all time, it feels necessary to reflect on Fever Pitch ’s key messages and how they apply to today’s game. “Any event of any significance has a footballing shadow”, writes Nick Hornby in his 1992 memoir Fever Pitch – a masterful account of his life as a football fan.

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