Sheffield’s iconic football grounds celebrated in new 'The Man Who Paints Football' book

Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough in 1979 (Paul Town)

The iconic homes of Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday star in The Man Who Paints Football¸ a new book celebrating Britain’s football grounds past and present by artist Paul Town.

Featuring over 100 artworks inspired by football clubs’ homes and scenes from ‘the beautiful game’ recreated by Town, the book’s focus spans the length and breadth of the footballing nation and includes a foreword from celebrated sports commentator John Helm.

Amongst the iconic venues in the debut book by the Yorkshire-based artist are Sheffield’s Hillsborough and Bramall Lane football grounds as well as a plethora of stadiums from across Yorkshire including Millmoor and Oakwell. The two famous ‘Steel City’ grounds feature alongside artworks of a number of world-famous homes of football through time including Hampden Park, Highbury, Old Trafford and Wembley. A plethora of much-loved venues and matchday scenes from across the football world also feature.

Rotherham United's former Millmoor home is amongst the historic Yorkshire grounds featured in 'The Man Who Paints Football' (Paul Town)

Paul Town’s work draws on his intimate connection with the changing face of football over the past few decades. Having fallen in love with creating artwork of football grounds as a child after exploring the now long-lost home of Bradford Park Avenue. The Yorkshire-based artist was also amongst the crowd when 56 people lost their lives in the fire at Bradford City’s Valley Parade in 1985 – one of the deadliest tragedies in football history that contributed to the transformation of football stadiums across the country. Town’s artwork has been on show in numerous exhibitions including the ‘Hampden Trilogy’ at Hampden Park, the home of Scottish Football.

Paul Town said: “Sheffield has a special connection to the origins of football and there is something special about both of the main football grounds in Sheffield. My artwork of Hillsborough recreates a famous ‘Steel City’ derby from the 1970s and features a packed ground. My Dad would often take me to watch Wednesday as a child when Bradford City were further afield. Hillsborough was the first ground where I’d ever seen a ground with six free standing floodlight pylons.”

Sheffield United’s historic Bramall Lane (Paul Town)

“Bramall Lane is one of Britain’s most historic grounds and bears the hallmarks of famed football stadium designer Archibald Leitch. When I first visited back in the early 1980s I was mesmerised by the size of the place as this was one of my earliest visits to a football ground of this size.”

“My love for football, and in particular my love for football grounds, began as a young child. Over the past decade I have been able to turn my passion into my profession and this first book provides an insight into both a lost world of football and my journey as an artist.”

The Man Who Paints Football by Paul Town is published by Heritage Unlocked

The Man Who Paints Football by Paul Town, priced £19.99, is published by Heritage Unlocked and is available from bookshops, galleries, online retailers and from the publishers’ website at www.heritageunlocked.com/shop/themanwhopaintsfootball.