Stephen F. Kelly

Stephen F. Kelly is a writer and oral historian and the author of more than twenty books. His forthcoming book ‘How The Beatles Rocked The World’ tells the story of the Sixties and how the Beatles’ influence had such an impact on society worldwide. It’s a social history of Britain told by an author who regularly watched the Beatles at the Cavern in Liverpool and experienced, at first hand, the changes that were to take place.

A journalist and academic, Kelly’s work has focussed mainly on football and history. He is the author of respected biographies of football legends including Bill Shankly (a top ten best-seller), Kenny Dalglish and Alex Ferguson as well the histories of Liverpool FC and Manchester United FC from the perspective of fans, players and those behind the scenes.

His history publications have included a unique oral history of the experience of British soldiers in the Korean War, ‘The Korean War – Memories of Forgotten British Heroes’, and an entertaining account of the 1950’s, ‘Recollections of the 1950s’.

He is also written two works of fiction. ‘A Very Secret Life’ has been described by the author, Lee Child, as ‘tense and intriguing – Kelly knows how to tell a great story!’. The Sunday Times lauded his novel ‘Mr Shankly’s Photograph’ as ‘Fever Pitch for the new decade – but better’ and the late John Motson made it his book of the year in 2002.

A former Granada TV producer, he is Visiting Professor of Media at the University of Chester.