Red Dawn

Red Dawn: The Ballad of Tom Watson and Liverpool FC's First Champions is the remarkable tale of how Tom Watson, a man from the North East of England, provided the spark that led to the Anfield club's first two top-flight titles in 1901 and 1906.

Watson was a visionary whose training methods, advice to players on diet and somewhat controversial recruitment strategy would no doubt raise eyebrows in the modern era. However, he would provide the blueprint for success that saw him become Liverpool's longest-serving manager.

Watson's men were the superstars of their day, and included heroic captain Alex Raisbeck and lethal marksman Sam Raybould, not to mention the incomparable Matt McQueen, a future title-winning manager in his own right.

Red Dawn is Jeff Goulding and Kieran Smith's second collaboration, and like their previous title, The Untouchables: Anfield's Band of Brothers, the book sheds new light on a previously unheralded period in the club's history.

© 2025 Pitch Publishing (Ebook): 9781801508162

Release date

Ebook: 20 October 2025