Papers backing popular forward's return for game (8)
I believe the answer is:
intrepid
'game' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
'papers backing popular forward's return' is the wordplay.
'papers' becomes 'id' (identification papers).
'backing' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'popular' becomes 'in'.
'forward' becomes 'pert' (I've seen this before).
'return' is a reversal indicator.
'pert' backwards is 'trep'.
'in'+'trep'='intrep'
'id' after 'intrep' is 'INTREPID'.
'for' is the link.
(Other definitions for intrepid that I've seen before include "Audacious" , "Fearless, adventurous" , "'Brave, dauntless (8)'" , "Bold" , "I printed this way, being daring" .)