Everton FC and St. Domingo’s Church

In Everton FC and St. Domingo’s Church: How ReligionTransformed Football, Bob Waterhouse uncovers the powerful,and sometimes controversial, role of churches in shaping theearly game.From Victorian Liverpool, where Methodist teetotalism inspiredFrom Victorian Liverpool, where Methodist teetotalism inspiredEverton’s birth, to the sectarian rivalries of Glasgow and theCatholic-driven rise of Celtic, this book shows how faith helped setfootball’s foundations. Deeply inspired by St. Domingo’s Churchthe cradle of Everton FC Waterhouse explores how itscongregation’s values, fellowship, and moral vision shaped whatwould become one of England’s most storied clubs. He alsoreveals how Christian values of discipline and teamwork wereexported worldwide, from South America to Europe, throughmissionaries, schools, and sporting associations. AlongsideChristianity,he explores how Islam, Judaism and Sikhism havemore recently shaped the game’s culture, reminding us thatfootball’s religious roots continue to grow.Balancing scholarship with storytelling, Waterhouse not onlyBalancing scholarship with storytelling, Waterhouse not onlyrevisits the birth of famous clubs but also asks bold questions: howmuch influence did St. Domingo’s truly have on Everton’sfounding? And what do today’s football chaplains, faith-basedteams and global debates over religion in sport tell us aboutfootball’s future?