Football Books
Football Books
There are a lot of footbal books out there. Have you read any
stunners? Read any that went down 6-0? List them here with your
thoughts.
I'll start off with:
Harry Pearson's
The Far Corner: A Mazy Dribble Through North East Football
This is a fantastic laugh-out-loud book that follows Harry's travels in the North-East of England during the 1993-94 season.
A book in which Wilf Mannion rubs shoulders with The Sunderland Skinhead, recollections of Len Shakleton blight the lives of village shoppers, and the appointment of Kevin Keegan as manager of Newcastle is celebrated by a man in a leather stetson, crooning "For The Good Times" to the accompaniment of a midi organ. "The Far Corner" is a tale of heroism and human frailty, passion and the perils of eating an egg mayonnaise stottie without staining your trousers.
I loved it.
Another book I recommend is:
Nick Varley's
Parklife: A Search for the Heart of Football
This book shows the dramatic changes that occured in English football after the Hillsborough disaster (the chapter on Hillsborough is a superb analysis). After that with the demise of the terraces English football was ripe for a "middle-classification" - ticket prices went up - the "real" fans were sidelined in favour of a "family-friendly" environment - welcome to the new English Premier League.
A facinating book on this period of "uber-professionalisation" of football.
I'll start off with:
Harry Pearson's
The Far Corner: A Mazy Dribble Through North East Football
This is a fantastic laugh-out-loud book that follows Harry's travels in the North-East of England during the 1993-94 season.
A book in which Wilf Mannion rubs shoulders with The Sunderland Skinhead, recollections of Len Shakleton blight the lives of village shoppers, and the appointment of Kevin Keegan as manager of Newcastle is celebrated by a man in a leather stetson, crooning "For The Good Times" to the accompaniment of a midi organ. "The Far Corner" is a tale of heroism and human frailty, passion and the perils of eating an egg mayonnaise stottie without staining your trousers.
I loved it.
Another book I recommend is:
Nick Varley's
Parklife: A Search for the Heart of Football
This book shows the dramatic changes that occured in English football after the Hillsborough disaster (the chapter on Hillsborough is a superb analysis). After that with the demise of the terraces English football was ripe for a "middle-classification" - ticket prices went up - the "real" fans were sidelined in favour of a "family-friendly" environment - welcome to the new English Premier League.
A facinating book on this period of "uber-professionalisation" of football.
I am not a ARSEnal fan (in fact a die-hard Spurs fan), but a years
back a mate gave me a loan of Tony Adams autobiography, excellent
read, about his alcohol problems etc...
I expect most on here will have read Fever Pitch - Nick Hornby -
but if not it really captures the obsessive nature of football.
"Mavericks" - was also a great read -all about the creative misfits of the 70's e.g Duncan Mckenzie, Alan Hudson, Frank Worthington.
Just been reading "world football" part of "The book of lists" series. lol!! funny (Stephen Foster).
one e.g - this comment from a ground announcer as players left the field Bristol R v Wigan 1989
"The referee is available for Chrsitmas pantomime or cabaret."
and one more from Franz Beckenbauer (2002) "If you put all the German players, except Kahn, in a sack, and hit it, you'd get someone who deserved it."
Brilliant!
"Mavericks" - was also a great read -all about the creative misfits of the 70's e.g Duncan Mckenzie, Alan Hudson, Frank Worthington.
Just been reading "world football" part of "The book of lists" series. lol!! funny (Stephen Foster).
one e.g - this comment from a ground announcer as players left the field Bristol R v Wigan 1989
"The referee is available for Chrsitmas pantomime or cabaret."
and one more from Franz Beckenbauer (2002) "If you put all the German players, except Kahn, in a sack, and hit it, you'd get someone who deserved it."
Brilliant!
My Favourite Year
1982 All Whites Road to Spain
One Foot In The Grave (at least i think that's what it's
called, it's about Torquay in 97 anyway)
Capital Punishment
Those are all class, and i haven't read Fever Pitch believe it
or not...
Another book I recommend is:
Nick Varley's
Parklife: A Search for the Heart of Football
This book shows the dramatic changes that occured in English football after the Hillsborough disaster (the chapter on Hillsborough is a superb analysis). After that with the demise of the terraces English football was ripe for a "middle-classification" - ticket prices went up - the "real" fans were sidelined in favour of a "family-friendly" environment - welcome to the new English Premier League.
A facinating book on this period of "uber-professionalisation" of football.
If you liked that you should read David Conn's "The Beautiful Game? Searching For The Soul Of Football". There is some great stuff (although it's a bit depressing) about the dodgy goings on that led to the creation of the Premier League plus the negative impact it's since had on English football. On the other hand some of the stories about lower league clubs that have been saved by their supporters and organisations like Supporters Direct are really heart-warming.
Fever Pitch - superb
All Played Out by Pete Davies - the story of England at
Italia '90 - superb also
Have just read both Fowler and Gerrard's autobiographies -
thought Gerrard's was better
Tony Adams autobiography "Addicted" is good
Read Gazza's and just didn't like it for some reason
An irrational hatred of Luton - Robert Banks (I think it is
Robert). A kind of Fever Pitch, written by a West Ham, before
Fever Pitch (so Fever Pitch is actually a kind of An irrational
hatred of Luton written by an Arsenal fan, but not as good).
"The Thing that keeps me going is the thought that
one day, West Ham United will win the Premiership...It sounds daft,
but then so does the idea that Jesus Christ was born to a virgin
mother - And there are more people believing that than there are
waiting for silverware at Upton Park"
Much as it sickens me.
Johnny Warren's Poofters, Wogs and Sheilas really does offer an excellent insight on where the A-League has come from. If you can get past the Jingoistic moments, it is actually quite a good read.
Johnny Warren's Poofters, Wogs and Sheilas really does offer an excellent insight on where the A-League has come from. If you can get past the Jingoistic moments, it is actually quite a good read.
Fever Pitch - superb
All Played Out by Pete Davies - the story of England at
Italia '90 - superb also
Have just read both Fowler and Gerrard's autobiographies -
thought Gerrard's was better
Tony Adams autobiography "Addicted" is good
Read Gazza's and just didn't like it for some reason
Gazza's books are a hard read, i reckon he's done amazingly well given the mental health problems he has, felt quite sorry for the guy, and he could do some pretty special stuff on the pitch - and some of it even involved the ball
Franz Beckenbauer (2002) "If you put all the German players, except
Kahn, in a sack, and hit it, you'd get someone who deserved
it."
Ha Ha that's hillarious.
Sizzla - thanks for the heads up.
This is good stuff - already seen a few books I didn't know about that look worth investigating...
Cheers.
David Conn's book is pretty widely available around town
also. I'm pretty sure I've seen it recently in Borders,
Whitcoulls, maybe even Unity.
There's this thread for recommendations as well
http://www.yellowfever.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2798
I suggest A Season With Verona by Tim Parks. You can hear me yarn about it on the aforementioned thread
http://www.yellowfever.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2798
I suggest A Season With Verona by Tim Parks. You can hear me yarn about it on the aforementioned thread
just finished steven gerrards autobiography cant stand liverpool or
gerrard was on holiday on a island in thailand and it was the only
book that looked ok..red it and it was a great read would highly
recommend getting your hands on it just started rooneys book
yesterday its really slow and boring so far
too be honest i read that and it confirmed for me why he's got the
nicknmae Stevie-Me (it was all pretty self-centred)
and that's from someone who has had Liverpool as their fave Prem/div 1 team since 73 and who rates him as a player
and that's from someone who has had Liverpool as their fave Prem/div 1 team since 73 and who rates him as a player
Callum I bet u would like the books better if Rooney and Gerrard
played for Birmingham
How they stole the game.
Callum I bet u would like the books better if Rooney and Gerrard
played for Birmingham
HUH?
sorry dude, you sounded exactly like the kid nxt door. Just lent
him the Rooney book + he's a Birmingham supporter
A guy called Simon Kuiper has written some good, well-researched
and clever football books. The Tony Adams autobiography was
good. I once found a real good book about the Aussies playing
professionally in Europe and their stories of how they got there.
Can't recall what it was called.
Only a Game? by Eamon Dunphy (lot of caps for Ireland). A dairy of
some of his time at Millwall. A bit old now but still a good read
if you spot it.
WORLD CUP BABY! buy it today
Andrew Jenkins
Foul!
A book about alleged corruption in FIFA by a investigative
journalist.
Some jaw-dropping stuff here although gets a little slow
near the end as you realize that nothing has changed and the
people in power at FIFA are still in power. Quite saddening really
if this is the state of the game.
4 out of 5
Although it has its faults it has to be read really. Thanks to
Auckland Jag etc for the recommendation.
There was also Left Foot Forward, which I read years ago.
This is a review of it I found:
Written in diary form,this is Garry Nelson's account of the
1994-95 season,playing for Charlton Athletic in the second tier of
English football,the old Division One.
Written with witt and intelligence,Garry paints an accurate picture of what it is like to be a professional footballer outside of the glamour and lifestyle of that of a Premiership star.
The long journeys,the injuries,being out of the team and playing with the 'stiffs',contract issues,all covered in some detail here and you learn more about what it is really like being a professional footballer with this read than you would reading an autobiography of some superstar International that is made for life playing for one of the 'big boys'.
The only problem is,if like me you like to read one of these books that dishes the dirt and tells of training ground bust ups and fall outs with managers ect,then this may dissappoint as Garry Nelson is far too intelligent for any of that sort of stuff.
A good read and worthy of it's shortlisting for the William Hill sports book of the year and will appeal to most football fans,especially those of Charlton Athletic.
Written with witt and intelligence,Garry paints an accurate picture of what it is like to be a professional footballer outside of the glamour and lifestyle of that of a Premiership star.
The long journeys,the injuries,being out of the team and playing with the 'stiffs',contract issues,all covered in some detail here and you learn more about what it is really like being a professional footballer with this read than you would reading an autobiography of some superstar International that is made for life playing for one of the 'big boys'.
The only problem is,if like me you like to read one of these books that dishes the dirt and tells of training ground bust ups and fall outs with managers ect,then this may dissappoint as Garry Nelson is far too intelligent for any of that sort of stuff.
A good read and worthy of it's shortlisting for the William Hill sports book of the year and will appeal to most football fans,especially those of Charlton Athletic.
Craig Johnston "Skippie" - Your never walk alone
There is a great bit in the book when he's at Millwall before
going to Liverpool....
He's just finished training and most of the ladz have
departed. He carries on with some extra training. He's hitting
a football against a wall trying to get it into a circle he has
drawn. He needs to hit the centre of the circle 10 times then move
on to another circle. When he misses, he starts again....
Anyway, Jack Charlton comes out and asks him what he's doing?
He then goes off and comes back with a tennis ball and tells him to
use that instead of a football.....
Very good read...
Craig Johnston "Skippie" - Your never walk alone
There is a great bit in the book when he's at Millwall before
going to Liverpool....
He's just finished training and most of the ladz have
departed. He carries on with some extra training. He's hitting
a football against a wall trying to get it into a circle he has
drawn. He needs to hit the centre of the circle 10 times then move
on to another circle. When he misses, he starts again....
Anyway, Jack Charlton comes out and asks him what he's doing?
He then goes off and comes back with a tennis ball and tells him to
use that instead of a football.....
Very good read...
Millwall ????? or perhaps, Middlesborough
I stand corrected..... it's been a while since I read the book.
The Garry Nelson books were both really good.
I also liked Kicking In The Wind by Derick
Allsop, in which he followed the fortunes of Rochdale FC in the mid
90's. Far removed from the mega dollars of the
Premiership!
The Roy Keane and Alex Ferguson (auto?)biographies were okay
by the standards of these things. I continue to avoid
anything written about Beckham or Rooney.
Among the Thugs by Bill Buford
Pretty full on book, Bill goes undercover in the world of
Football violence....the following words are from Bill
Buford...
I was surprised by what I found; moreover, because I came
away with a knowledge that I had not possessed before, I was also
grateful, and surprised by that as well. I had not expected the
violence to be so pleasureable....This is, if you like, the answer
to the hundred-dollar question: why do young males riot every
Saturday? They do it for the same reason that another generation
drank too much, or smoked dope, or took hallucinogenic drugs, or
behaved badly or rebelliously. Violence is their antisocial kick,
their mind-altering experience, an adrenaline-induced euphoria that
might be all the more powerful because it is generated by the body
itself, with, I was convinced, many of the same addictive qualities
that characterize synthetically produced drugs
Among the Thugs by Bill Buford
�
Pretty full on book, Bill goes undercover in the world of
Football violence....the following words are from Bill
Buford...
�
I was surprised by what I found; moreover, because I came
away with a knowledge that I had not possessed before, I was also
grateful, and surprised by that as well. I had not expected the
violence to be so pleasureable....This is, if you like, the answer
to the hundred-dollar question: why do young males riot every
Saturday? They do it for the same reason that another generation
drank too much, or smoked dope, or took hallucinogenic drugs, or
behaved badly or rebelliously. Violence is their antisocial kick,
their mind-altering experience, an adrenaline-induced euphoria that
might be all the more powerful because it is generated by the body
itself, with, I was convinced, many of the same addictive qualities
that characterize synthetically produced drugs
Yeah that's a great book - written in the 1980's I think and full of a lot of humour for a book so chilling.
There's a great chapter called "Waiting for a goal" which sums up the nervy appeal of football matches brilliantly. There's also an excellent story of some Man U fans smuggling themselves onto a flight to Milan (part of the thrill was doing away trips for "free") which really highlights how much things have changed around air travel...
While I was in Oz I bought
'One Fantastic Goal: A complete history of football in Australia'
by Trevor Thompson.
A reasonably worthwhile read since it only cost $A16 (half price at the ABC shop in the QVB, Sydney)
It only goes up until the formation of the A-League though, doesn't say anything about the first season.
'One Fantastic Goal: A complete history of football in Australia'
by Trevor Thompson.
A reasonably worthwhile read since it only cost $A16 (half price at the ABC shop in the QVB, Sydney)
It only goes up until the formation of the A-League though, doesn't say anything about the first season.
The Giant Killers - Bryon Butler (1982)
"In The Giant Killers, the first book to be devoted
to the subject, Bryon Butler examines the chemistry, traditions and
the stories behind the scorelines of ten of the most famous and
significant feats of giant killing. It is a story of courage
and the unexpected, of remarkable characters and celebrated names,
of dramatic moments and precious memories."
Awesome book, still haven't read it all and I bought it
about 8 years ago from a second-hand bookshop here
in Napier .. the 10 games covered are:
Darwen 1879
Tottenham 1901
Swindon 1912
Charlton 1923
Walsall 1933
Yeovil 1949
Norwich 1959
Oxford 1964
Colchester 1971
Exeter 1981
Congratulations You Have Just Met the ICFby Cass
PennantShort stories about the InterCity
Firm...Talks about when/where it started
etcVery funny in parts.Another good read
is Cass by Cass Pennant
Steve McManaman's biography is good, focuses mainly on his time in
Real Madrid and gives an interesting insight into all the politics
and stuff involved with the club as well as some of the high
profile players that came and went in the galactico era.
I borrowed it from the Weliington city library and I'd
recommend it as a good read.
I stand corrected..... it's been a while since I read the book.
no worries Diggy, i got 'pinged' by Toffeeman the other day for writing Brian Little, when it was obvious we'd spent the afternoon at Newtown watching the littler Little
and I'll no doubt get 'pinged' again (and again and .....)
A few chapters away from finishing "New Zealand's World Cup" by
Adshead and Fallon. Loving it, I spent most of my time in Tauranga
and Takapuna reading it. Loving the post-Mundial 82
evaluation of Ricki: "...a likeable young man, very coachable
and keen to learn about the game. If he could put in a bit more
work he has a big future ahead of him and could certainly be one of
the key players in 1986."
Among the Thugs by Bill Buford
Pretty full on book, Bill goes undercover in the world of
Football violence....the following words are from Bill
Buford...
I was surprised by what I found; moreover, because I came
away with a knowledge that I had not possessed before, I was also
grateful, and surprised by that as well. I had not expected the
violence to be so pleasureable....This is, if you like, the answer
to the hundred-dollar question: why do young males riot every
Saturday? They do it for the same reason that another generation
drank too much, or smoked dope, or took hallucinogenic drugs, or
behaved badly or rebelliously. Violence is their antisocial kick,
their mind-altering experience, an adrenaline-induced euphoria that
might be all the more powerful because it is generated by the body
itself, with, I was convinced, many of the same addictive qualities
that characterize synthetically produced drugs
Yes, a very good read. I have a copy and would be happy
to give it to anyone who wants to read it (pick up in central
wgtn)
I just mentioned another good book on another thread - it's called
"The Damned United" - it's a fictional view from inside Brian
Clough's mind during his short time in charge of Leeds Utd.
Every second chapter contrasts this with his time at Derby County
this is a DVD, but i figured this topic is as good as any to note
it in
Futebol - 3 DVDs about Brazilian football, just watched the first one, about 4 youths trying to make it with flamengo and other clubs - a real eye opener for me about the talent in brazil and more importantly what some kids in Brazil have to go through to make it in football!!
makes me wonder about our 4, now 2, Brazilians and just what i might have taken for granted about their lives
the other 2 dvds are about established pros and retired brazilian footballers
(available from the library)
Futebol - 3 DVDs about Brazilian football, just watched the first one, about 4 youths trying to make it with flamengo and other clubs - a real eye opener for me about the talent in brazil and more importantly what some kids in Brazil have to go through to make it in football!!
makes me wonder about our 4, now 2, Brazilians and just what i might have taken for granted about their lives
the other 2 dvds are about established pros and retired brazilian footballers
(available from the library)
As mentioned before, Tony Adams book Addicted. Quite enlightening
insight into the private life of a professional footballer and the
benders he used to go on.
Also enjoyed Ian Wrights book - Mr Wright and David
Seamans - Safe Hands.
Fever Pitch of course (What Gooner hasn't read that)
Disappointed with Paul Mersons book - Rock Bottom. Can only
read so much about drug rehab.
Obviously I'm not a ManUre fan but really enjoyed The Boss. A
biography about Alex Ferguson.
Gooner 4 Life2007-12-27 14:02:07