In Everton FC and St. Domingo's Church: How Religion Transformed Football, Bob Waterhouse uncovers the powerful, and sometimes controversial, role of churches in shaping the early game. From Victorian Liverpool, where Methodist teetotalism inspired From Victorian Liverpool, where Methodist teetotalism inspired Everton's birth, to the sectarian rivalries of Glasgow and the Catholic-driven rise of Celtic, this book shows how faith helped set football's foundations. Deeply inspired by St. Domingo's Church the cradle of Everton FC Waterhouse explores how its congregation's values, fellowship, and moral vision shaped what would become one of England's most storied clubs. He also reveals how Christian values of discipline and teamwork were exported worldwide, from South America to Europe, through missionaries, schools, and sporting associations. Alongside Christianity,he explores how Islam, Judaism and Sikhism have more recently shaped the game's culture, reminding us that football's reli gious roots continue to grow. Balancing scholarship with storytelling, Waterhouse not only Balancing scholarship with storytelling, Waterhouse not only revisits the birth of famous clubs but also asks bold questions: how much influence did St. Domingo's truly have on Everton's founding? And what do today's football chaplains, faith-based teams and global debates over religion in sport tell us about football's future?
