Big Con

Australia'S Unknown Soccer Pioneer

Trevor Thompson

$32.99

Paperback

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English

Fair Play Publishing
02 September 2025

Ball games

Con Jones—born Thomas Shortel—was a bookmaker, a fugitive, a family man, and a genius sports promoter who reshaped Canadian soccer and lacrosse in the early 20th century. Leaving Sydney in disgrace after a Melbourne Cup betting scandal, he arrived in Vancouver and reinvented himself as a sporting visionary. Jones introduced professional soccer to British Columbia, built a stadium, and helped forge North America’s first international football links. He was bold, brash, and endlessly ambitious. Big Con is a gripping tale of reinvention, scandal, and sporting revolution. It’s a vivid portrait of a forgotten trailblazer who played a major role in shaping modern sport—and got away with it. A compelling read for sports lovers, historians, and anyone fascinated by the messy intersection of ambition, identity, and redemption.

By: Trevor Thompson
Imprint: Fair Play Publishing
Country of Publication: Australia
ISBN: 9781923236318
ISBN 10: 1923236318
Pages: 220
Publication Date: 02 September 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Trevor Thompson has reported on football in Australia since the 1980s when he wrote and presented a documentary for Radio National on Australia's national football competitions. He covered the National Soccer League for ABC Radio's Grandstand program for over ten years and wrote a weekly review of A-League matches for ABC Online. Trevor has covered the World Youth Cup, and two World Cup finals tournaments. He has been a freelance contributor on football for BBC'S Radio Five Live, CBS Radio, and Radio New Zealand.Throughout his long career in journalism, in addition to sport, he has also been a specialist reporter on communications and industrial relations. Trevor served for more than ten years as Chief of Staff in the ABC's Sydney newsroom and has been heavily involved in the training of young journalists.

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Big Con

Australia'S Unknown Soccer Pioneer

Trevor Thompson

$32.99

Paperback

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