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
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
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?