Picked up MLT's Taking Le Tiss yesterday for the first time. Great read and a real eye opener. Can't believe that Chris Nichol punched Mark Dennis for example! Also great chapters on Alan Ball and the rest of the Saints managers. Anyone else read it and got a favourite story?
Queued up at the book signing at St Marys (drove down from Northampton); went home and read it that night from cover to cover. Great read if your a Saints fan. Favourite piece is still his honesty when not joining Spurs. Cost him an England career and England the Euro 96 title as Venables bore a grudge, but so pleased Le Tiss did that.
I have read and enjoyed the LeTiss book lots of humour in there i read it whilst laying by the pool in Menorca which was tough going.I am a real sucker for football books/biographies and have built up a fair collection on show in my bookcase with nearly all featuring people who are or have relevance to the Saints.My collection includes books on or about the likes of Lawrie Mac ,Bally ,Paine ,Channon ,Shilton, Wallace,Keegan, Strachan ,Shearer, Osgood , Le Saux and many others. I have just read over Xmas Dave Jones book no smoke no fire which is a brilliant read boy has he been through the mill and out the other side recommend this one. Other books i have read and would suggest include John Budgie Burridge the crazy keeper who was briefly with the Saints hilarious . But my favourite read that i will read again at some point is Leo Mckinstrys biography Sir Alf which covers the life and times of Sir Alf Ramsey including his time with us now this is a real life story not went to school played in an academy, got trendy hair cut played football with my socks over my knees, bought flash motor pulled a blond with no brains and big tits, got married in a castle,had kid gave him a dodgy name you know the story no this is about some one who has real history and achievments in life and the game.Also many of you have probably read Saints cult heroes which is also good .
Much as I adore Le God as any Saints fan should, and much as I enjoyed some of the anecdotes in the book, I have to be honest and say that as autobiographies go it's really pretty awful, and very badly written. That's not Matt's fault as such, it's the fault of whoever wrote the book with him, but really, there are far superior efforts out there....
One of my favourite bits is the section on Alan Shearer's lack of intellect. Once when he was asked what he would like in his lunchtime omelette he replied "Egg".
Yeah, although I agree that Taking Le Tiss isn't the best written biography around [Graham Hiley penned it], the stories are relevant to us, and that makes it good reading. Matty never tires in taking some good natured mickey out of Alan Shearer as well, and those are some of the better bits of the book. For those that haven't read it, Shearer's foreward starts off the banter quite well. Here are the opening lines... I wasn't surprised when Matt asked me to write the foreword to his autobiography. After all, I did all his work for him when we were teammates so it is fitting I should help him now. The big surprise is that he hasn't asked me to write the whole thing - with him adding the one brilliant punchline which people will remember and talk about for ever. But he goes on... Matt might not have been noted for his workrate, but he is one of the most naturally gifted players it has been my privilage to play with. He could do things with a ball which left you, literally, speechless. His skill and technique were sublime and the really annoying thing is that it all came so naturally to him. Pretty much all the players who comment say as such. Many of them are staggered that he only played 8 times for England, despite his apparent luxury player status.
Was a very good read for any southampton fan,have read alot better in my time though.I suppose if he was a mad drug taker or drinker instead of his occasional malibu and coke he had would have made it more shocking!!Still a good read though
If one could shell out for them, I recommend any Saints fan to buy In That Number and Match of The Millenium. Although all the games are recorded in ITN, MotM recalls outstanding matches, and devotes many excellent stories to them. And if he's reading this, or friends of his are, I think it's about time Duncan Holley got his finger out and published the 1885 to WWII edition of ITN. All the writing has been done, as I recall. Also, a 10 year update of ITN must be around the corner, in a couple of years time.
