By Trevor Thompson

Big Con—Australia's Unknown Soccer Pioneer

$34.99
$34.99

26 August 2025

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He fled a scandal. He built a sporting empire. He left behind a legacy—largely forgotten in his homeland.

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.

The 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.

About Author

  • Format: Paperback
  • Published: August 2025
  • ISBN:  978-1-923236-31-8
  • ISBN: 978-1-923236-32-5 (ePub)
  • Weight: 0.4kg
  • Size:  216x140mm
  • Pages:  280 (TBC)
  • Imprint: Popcorn Press

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$34.99
$34.99