• University of Leicester
  • De Montfort University
  • Leicester City Football Club

English Football: a Social History

A short course looking at the history, sociology and politics of football with a focus on Leicester City Football Club.

7,398 enrolled on this course

Leicester City Football Club Stadium
  • Duration

    3 weeks
  • Weekly study

    2 hours

Examine the roots of football and its rise to modern prominance.

This short course will explore the sociology and history of football, with a focus on Leicester City Football Club and their successful 2015/16 season.

We’ll explore the origins of football, from early clubs to professional leagues and European competition; the role of the media and formation of the Premier League; and how LCFC rose from 5,000-1 outsiders to Premier League Champions.

The University of Leicester and De Montfort University have joined Leicester City Football Club to give a unique insight into the history and sociology of the sport, and the inside story of a premier league club.

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Skip to 0 minutes and 8 seconds This is a familiar scene played out each weekend at stadiums all around the world. Many of these fans will play football in muddy fields a million miles from football’s elite. In this course, we will explore football and its place in society. The Premier League is now watched by millions worldwide, and it’s become dominated by a small group of super wealthy clubs. So it’s particularly surprising, when in 2016 a relatively small and unsuccessful club managed to win the Premier League, defying odds of 5,000 to one, and in the process turning the football world on its head. We’ll be using this club, Leicester City, as a case study to explore the history of the game and the social role of football today.

Skip to 0 minutes and 51 seconds And we’ll be asking you, as fans, why football is important to you. This ball is a very famous ball in Leicester City’s folklore. It comes from the 1928-1929– We’ll finish the course by exploring the scenes that took place here in 2016 and finding out how they affected, not just the 30,000 fans inside the stadium, but the quarter of a million at the victory parade, and many millions worldwide. But has anything really changed? The big clubs are dominating again, transfer fees are growing ever more incredible. Has the game lost touch with ordinary fans? Help us to explore how football still matters by joining us on this free course.

What topics will you cover?

  • A history of football from early leagues and formats, through to the present day.
  • The influence of the media, and European football, on the English game.
  • The social impact of football: on fans and communities, through disaster and euphoria.
  • A case study of one Premier League club, looking in detail at their folk history and modern success.
  • A detailed look at Leicester City Football Club’s remarkable ‘great escape’ and title-winning season 2015-16.
  • An examination of the present state of football, and how it might change in the future.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Summarise key points in the history of football, from its roots to the Premier League
  • Evaluate the role football plays in society, from fans to local and international communities
  • Debate economic influences and motivations in modern football
  • Discuss the current state of football, and its role in society

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone interested in football and its background, its place in the media, in LCFC and its effect on the city of Leicester and in the wider world.

What software or tools do you need?

Just an interest in the beautiful game.

Who will you learn with?

I am a senior research fellow who works in the International Centre for Sports History and Culture, De Montfort University, Leicester. My expertise is in the history of sport, especially football.

I am a Sociologist who has been researching and writing about sport - especially football - for over 30 years. I now live in Leicester but my home city - and my club - is Liverpool.

Who developed the course?

University of Leicester

The University of Leicester is a leading research led university with a strong tradition of excellence in teaching. It is consistently ranked amongst the top 20 universities in the United Kingdom.

De Montfort University

De Montfort University (DMU) is a dynamic institution with a long and vibrant history of improving people’s lives through education.

Leicester City Football Club

Formed as Leicester Fosse in 1884, Leicester City Football Club’s steady rise culminated in the most extraordinary of Premier League title triumphs in 2016.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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Find out what this course is like by previewing some of the course steps before you join:

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