He was unimpressed with the standard food offerings at football stadiums, particularly after following his team, Doncaster Rovers, around the country. The book serves as a guide for fans to find better food options near stadiums.
Pie and chips are the traditional foods associated with English football matches, often served alongside hot drinks like Bovril (a type of gravy).
Altrincham FC has introduced a fan zone with street food vendors, including a curry bar, to diversify their food options. They also collaborate with local producers to offer gourmet burgers and other local specialties.
Food sales represent a significant secondary spend for clubs, contributing to overall revenue. Improved food offerings can attract more fans, increase spending, and ultimately help invest in better players and team performance.
Sishan Yama, large pieces of marinated meat cooked over hot coals, is a signature food at South African football games. It is often accompanied by spicy vegetable relish and maize meal, sold by older female vendors known as gogos.
Tailgating involves fans gathering in parking lots before games, setting up grills, and enjoying food and drinks with friends. It is a social event that has evolved from picnics during the Civil War and gained popularity with the rise of private vehicles in post-war America.
Biryani, a rice dish with meat, is the typical food at Pakistani cricket matches. It is often accompanied by variations of naan and kebabs, as well as snacks like dal with lemon.
Biryani is a popular dish across the Indian subcontinent, but there is a rivalry over which country makes the best version. However, it also serves as a shared cultural element during cricket matches, bringing fans together over a common meal.
Tottenham Hotspur's stadium is designed with a focus on food and drink, featuring a brewery, bakery, and diverse food options like Thai cuisine and local pies. The goal is to encourage fans to spend more on food and drink, keeping them engaged before and after the game.
Burgers and pies are the most popular food items at Altrincham FC's fan zone, with hot chocolates being a favorite on cold days.
Which food do you associate with your favourite sport?
Pie and chips at an English football match, biriyanis at the cricket in Pakistan or grilling meat in the parking lot outside an American football game – there are some tasty traditions which go hand-in-hand with sport across the world.
Ruth Alexander hears how a traditional rice dish can bring two rival nations together over a game of cricket, and how a disappointing sausage roll before a football game led one man on a country-wide quest for better food for fans.
Over a pile of warming chips on a frosty night in South Manchester, Ruth discovers how getting the food right off the pitch might help a team’s fortune improve on the pitch.
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Presenter: Ruth Alexander
Producer: Hannah Bewley
Additional reporting: Ben Derico
(Image: a box of chips with gravy and curry sauce held beside a football pitch. Credit: BBC)