..that we might read on holiday.... Just finished "Whos side are you on ref?" by Norman Burtenshaw (purchaesd at a charity stall at a Leverstock green match). Try: Pointless - A season with East Stirling. Floodlit Dreams - Ian Ridley making a go at being Charman of Weymouth She stood there laughing, ...she laughed no more. " books about the travails of a Stoke City fan and the problems of Pulisball. Full Time - Tony Cascarino, trying to explain all this goals and caps for Ireland when not actuall Irish. 'orns fans may know of Eddie Brimson who has several books out on hooligan type stuff. If that your bag start with Cas pennant and the ICF. Add your favourites.................
Football Lexicon by Leigh & Woodhouse Publishers Faber & Faber Every clicheed word & expression in the footie book!!! Hilarious....... also Footballers' Haircuts - The Illustrated History published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson 2nd edition out recently
Presume you've all purchased and read 'Enjoy the Game', Lionel Birnie's account of the (first) GT years at the Vic? http://www.lionelbirnie.com/#/books/4538970143 It's riveting.
You definitely have to read "the damned united" I love the film, but the book is so much better. I was hoping Birnie's ETG was going to be in a similar style. It wasn't but I still enjoyed it though.
Seriously the best football is without a doubt Englischer Fussball A German's View of Our Beautiful Game by Raphael Honigstein (does the Bundesliga round-up for the Guardian) £11.99 by Yellow Jersey Press. I seriously cannot recommend this book enough. It charts teh entire development of the game from the 1800s (only 227 pages though) and it is extremely funny and informative and is absolutely spot on with its conclusions.
Yes I like to read sports books ... The Damned United is a good read, but having read Tony Francis's "Derby : And there was some football too" I knew what was coming. Scotland 78 was a stunning read. I have read twice now, once by accident many years ago, but its haunting depiction of how Argentina hosted an international football tournament, and the complete horlicks that was Ally MacLeod. It tells the story from a couple of main fronts, the fans and the press. When you consider some of the fans took "the long way home" because of the shame (it took them more than 6 months to return!) and the primitive and partisan nature of the country it sends a chill down my spine. Back from the brink by Paul McGrath - it was bought for pennies from the Peace Hospice shop as a "lightweight read", but actually it was a real page turner. His troubled childhood, an abandoned mix race child ........ His success and then 8 knee operations at Man Utd. Then his huge success at Aston Villa, particularly under GT where he had zero knee surgery, but played on for 8 further years. I'm not a big fan of excessive footballers, but I shed a tear reading the book and it softened my attitude. One book to avoid - Eddie Jordan the biography. Bought at the Peace Hospice shop (my favourite charity), it is written in the 3rd party ...... he is such a great man for this that and the other. I despise sycophants at the best of times, but this is truly dreadful. I have written to Eddie Jordan and asked him what I should do with the book in a light hearted way, but I have not had a reply!!! So to summarise, some of the best books are the ones you dreaded opening. I have 2 pristine unread hard back copies of David Beckham if anyone wants them - I don't wish to comment on who bought them for me!!!
What is most shocking about this comment? Your choice : a) Ashley Cole actually said he "rote a buke"? b) You bought it / it was bought for you c) You read part or all of it Answers on a postcard to Err maybe I shouldn't have admitted that, err don't know which road, err where am I!!! LOL
The anthology My Favourite Year, edited by Nick Hornby, is probably my favourite football book. There's a chapter written by a Watford fan there, one of the best ones in fact. I found The Damned United to be quite a difficult read, actually - not that it was badly written, I just liked remembering Old Big 'Ead the way he was in my mind, rather than the version in this book! I'd have to say that the Brimsons are unfortunate specimens, and real Watford fans should totally disassociate with the message of their books (i.e. boasting about doing bad things at football matches, then on the last page sanctimoniously preaching about how they don't do it any more and everyone else who does should be punished). Don't encourage them by reading their neanderthal crayon-daubs.
Really enjoyed this one when I read it a few years ago: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Greatest-Footballer-You-Never-Saw/dp/1840181087 I never did see him play but wished I had. I starting reading some of John King's stuff on hooligans and it is leagues above the Brimsons. Have read most of his subsequent non-football fiction too and really like his style.
Totally agree. I have been very lucky in terms of football violence, I've been thumped just once (4th Oct 97 - the scars will fade, but the result will stand!), but have very narrowly missed 3 other incidents where I was scared. It took a few visits to the kennel to actually understand how to get there. I had been hopelessly lost in the streets around on a few previous occasions. Now I can look back and laugh, but the early 1980's werea time of much learning.
'My Father and other Working Class Football Heroes' Gary Imlach 'Provided you don't kiss me' Duncan Hamilton both brilliant!
Left Foot Forward - Garry Nelson. Journeyman pros diary at its best. For the intellectuals- Frenchie, Leo, North (OK that 'll start a debate........!!!!!!!!!!) - How Soccer Explains the world by Franklin Foer
I didn't think I would enjoy it but Neil Warnock's Made In Sheffield is really good read and shed a new light on the man. F A Confidential by David Davies is another good book and John Charles the Gentle Giant is another excellent book. I can't wait for Lionel Birnies new book coming out in the Autumn though " Watford 100 greatest victories".
Check this one out: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corner-Kick-Middle-Nowhere-Wilderness/dp/0955735106 "A Corner Kick from the Middle of Nowhere" by Mitch Stansbury Its basically a fan's account of Hereford's 9-year spell in the Conference (1997-2006), told through a series of stories and anecdotes from matchdays and elsewhere. The fact that im not a Hereford fan made no difference - i laughed, i cried, then i laughed a whole lot more. I cant recommend it highly enough - as long as youre a football fan, youll love it
I would highly recommed "The Miracle of Castel di Sangro" by Joe McGinnis. Its about a small team from a town of 5500 people who somehow got promoted to Serie B in 1996. A bit like Oxhey Jets getting into the Championship. Its a cracking read. On a slightly more easy reading tip Barry Fry's autobiography is quite an eye opener.
