The Game: 30 Years Through The Lens Of Stuart Roy Clarke

Stuart Roy Clarke has been documenting football through a camera lens since 1989, capturing the ever-changing face of the beautiful game for three decades. His evocative photographs place fans and grounds at the heart of the story, illuminating and celebrating their roles within football culture.

Having staged two captivating exhibitions at the National Football Museum in recent years, Stuart returns to the home of football history to present a collection of his most cherished and significant work.

Reflecting its subject matter, THE Game is a dynamic exhibition that will grow and change over the course of twelve months, with a hand-picked selection of Stuart’s favourite images serving as its core.

#55: GOALKEEPER'S VIEW OF THE GAME

Manchester City at Blackburn Rovers, Ewood Park, 2000

“This is, in fact, an away match for Manchester City - but no ordinary match... ”

#54: Eric Ties His Shoelaces

Manchester United v Liverpool, Wembley Stadium, London, 1996

“We're at England's biggest stage, Wembley Stadium, the twin towers. A grey sky in May for the cup final... ”

#53: England The Light

England v France, Lisbon, Portugal, Euro 2004

“English fans are sort of kept apart, but they all come together to support England. Still, shoulder to shoulder, they make their differences and similarities known. ”

#52: On The Move

Tranmere Rovers v Bolton Wanderers, Wembley Stadium, London, 1992

“Tranmere are on their way to Wembley; the bus is nearly there... ”

#51: The Lone Huddersfield Town Supporter

Huddersfield Town at Southend United, Roots Hall, 1991

“He travelled to every Huddersfield game, home and away; was very happy with his own company. ”

#50: Girl Looks Up From The Longside

Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur, Turf Moor, 1993

“I'm looking down into the crowd, and there's one person looking up at me... ”

#49: Terracing On Turf Moor

Burnley, 1990

“All the people who have ever stood there are kind of there in the picture, whilst there's not a single person on view. ”

#48: Graffiti In The Sand

Dalbeattie Star, Islecroft Stadium, Scotland, 1996

“At smaller clubs, smaller matches, there are great treasures to be found... ”

#47: Burst Through The Palace Gates

Crystal Palace v Watford, Selhurst Park, London, 1994

“How has he got through this row of policemen? Is he in fact a ghost? ”

#46: Rebel Rousers

Manchester United v Newcastle United, Old Trafford, 2002

“I adore almost every second of play, but there's a bigger story to tell than just the ball hitting the back of the net. ”

#45: Vs Kirkby Stephen At Shepherdsbridge

Coniston, Cumbria, 1990

“The heather is almost on the pitch; there seems to be no markings between what is pitch and what is Lake District. ”

#44: The Day After Xmas Encounter

Sheffield Wednesday v Wolves, Hillsborough, 1990

“I was drawn to the empty end of the ground, where the tragedy had occurred in 1989. Rain is just lashing down. ”

#43: All the Lonely People on The Kop

Liverpool, Anfield, 1992

#42: Three Pillars of Society

Belper Town v FC United, Christchurch Meadows, Derbyshire, 2015

“The match at Belper Town - a small club, a non-league club - has a great majesty about it which seems to sum up the British game for me. ”

#41: The Chairman’s Dream Of Too Much on His Plate

Carlisle United, Brunton Park, 1993

“Michael Knighton trusts me because I am clearly in love with this club, Carlisle United. ”

#40: The H’Away Lads

Newcastle United at Ipswich Town, Portman Road, 1990

“200 or so mile away from home, at Ipswich. They are probably the keenest supporters you can imagine. ”

#39: Building Aside, The Return Fixture in April

Newcastle United v Sunderland, St. James’ Park, 1993

“I would see fans standing, getting soaked without roof at many of the grounds; and then, years later, in absolute comfort at those same grounds. ”

#38: #38 The Away Support

FC United of Manchester at Buxton FC, Silverlands, 2008

“In the span of me following the game, there haven't been many new clubs that have burst through. One such club, however, is FC United. ”

#37: Through Thick and Thin

Swansea City v Fulham, Vetch Field, 1994

“The really pleasing thing about this is composition. It's that split-screen: the football off to the left, domesticity on the right. ”

#36: Andy Cole, King For A Day

Newcastle United v Leicester City St.James Park 1993

“Occasionally, there's a him or a her player that so captivates me, I just want to make a portrait of them. ”

#35: Allegiance To The Wall

Rangers v Kilmarnock, Hampden Park, Glasgow, 1994

“You build wonderful facilities, and then you put people in it. What do they do? Pee up the wall. ”

#34: Midland’s Semi-Final Venue

Crystal Palace v Liverpool, Villa Park, Birmingham, 1990

“Balloons blow up into the sky from inside the ground, and I have a different picture. ”

#33: Against The Backdrop Of The Big Two

Hibernian v Hearts, Easter Road, Edinburgh, 1995

“There's a beautiful marriage between the twoness of the background, the twoness of the opposition: the claret and green teams. ”

#32: With A Splash of Frenchman

Leeds United v Norwich City, Elland Road, 1992

“This is a title-winning moment...but I know that eyes are drawn to the line of short shorts the men are wearing. ”

#31: Lights on High Over Elland Road

Leeds United, Yorkshire, 1991

“There's the big event, and there's something taking your eye away from it to another corner... ”

#30: English Premier League Match

Manchester City v Leeds United, Maine Road, 1993

“The arches frame beautifully this summer occasion of all the players running around the pitch, and the fans just beyond them. ”

#29: Green Eyes

Hibernian at Heart of Midlothian, Tynecastle, Edinburgh, 2015

“I hear this string of rich language - and then I find it's coming from this young supporter's mouth, with green eyes to match the green of her team. ”

#28: We Live on Oakwell

Barnsley, Yorkshire, 1995

“I was pleased to find these two cats. Where had they come from? Apparently, they belonged to the club; they lived there, albeit not getting on very well. ”

#27: George Best & Co

On The Cregagh Road, Belfast, 2005

“George Best, Danny Blanchflower, Sammy McIlroy, Tommy Cassidy, Derek Dougan. How could they come out of such a place of conflict? ”

#26: The Ticket Office

Hull City, Boothferry Park, 1990

“This picture has been in every show I've ever done. How can it be in the all-time top-55 of my photos? ”

#25: Refreshment Kiosk

Leigh RMI FC, Hilton Park, 2005

“I was gobsmacked to see this bar on the middle of a football terrace at one of our football grounds. It's just eccentric. ”

#24=: Drinking it Down

Buxton FC, Silverlands, Derbyshire, 2014

“You feel that during his lifetime of supporting he would have seen it all, but he still finds something of great interest while he sups his beer. ”

#24=: Boy Peers Round The Wall

Matlock Town, Causeway Lane, 2014

“This is the opposite end: a boy who looks like he's seeing things for the very first time. ”

#23=: Days Before The Winter Shutdown

Derby County v Burnley, Baseball Ground, 1992

“There was this thought that has never gone away: what would we do without football in those winter months? ”

#23=: A Woman in her Youth Walks By

Buxworth, Western Lane, Derbyshire, 2014

“This picture, taken at Buxworth in the Hope Valley Amateur Football League, has all of that mystery, eccentricity, authenticity. ”

#22: High Noon In North London

Arsenal v Liverpool, Highbury, London, 1990

“In London, in winter, you get this weird thing from all of the electricity rising into the sky. Anyway, enough of all that: what about the match? ”

#21: The Burger Vendor

Arsenal, Highbury, London, 1990

“This was some time after everyone has gone home, but I still felt like the streets were thronged with people, because I remembered them from an hour or two before. ”

#20: Welcome To Ewood Park

Blackburn Rovers, 1990

“One of the first pictures I took on this weird and wonderful journey through football grounds, crowds, culture. ”

#19: Chicken Introduced To The Game

Blackburn Rovers v Burnley, Ewood Park, 2013

“Blackburn have endured a slight fall from grace, which is when I took this picture. The crowd are unhappy; they have chucked a chicken on the pitch. ”

#18: Young Mother Red With Pram

Liverpool, Aintree, 2005

“Mum, dressed in red, parading down the high street on the back of Liverpool's amazing Champions League victory. What would that baby, now a teenage boy, make of this? I think he's a Blue... ”

#17: Gary Speed, Footballer

Leeds United, Elland Road, 1991

“It's a photo that lives on, and will probably always live on. It will make exhibitions and books. It belies a bigger story with some tragedy that isn't there in the still moment of this picture. ”

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The Game: 30 Years Through The Lens Of Stuart Roy Clarke

#55: GOALKEEPER'S VIEW OF THE GAME

#54: Eric Ties His Shoelaces

#53: England The Light

#52: On The Move

#51: The Lone Huddersfield Town Supporter

#50: Girl Looks Up From The Longside

#49: Terracing On Turf Moor

#48: Graffiti In The Sand

#47: Burst Through The Palace Gates

#46: Rebel Rousers

#45: Vs Kirkby Stephen At Shepherdsbridge

#44: The Day After Xmas Encounter

#43: All the Lonely People on The Kop

#42: Three Pillars of Society

#41: The Chairman’s Dream Of Too Much on His Plate

#40: The H’Away Lads

#39: Building Aside, The Return Fixture in April

#38: #38 The Away Support

#37: Through Thick and Thin

#36: Andy Cole, King For A Day

#35: Allegiance To The Wall

#34: Midland’s Semi-Final Venue

#33: Against The Backdrop Of The Big Two

#32: With A Splash of Frenchman

#31: Lights on High Over Elland Road

#30: English Premier League Match

#29: Green Eyes

#28: We Live on Oakwell

#27: George Best & Co

#26: The Ticket Office

#25: Refreshment Kiosk

#24=: Drinking it Down

#24=: Boy Peers Round The Wall

#23=: Days Before The Winter Shutdown

#23=: A Woman in her Youth Walks By

#22: High Noon In North London

#21: The Burger Vendor

#20: Welcome To Ewood Park

#19: Chicken Introduced To The Game

#18: Young Mother Red With Pram

#17: Gary Speed, Footballer