Football Book Recommendations

[matt]

Tony Cascarino's football autobiography. Having heard Cascarino on TalkSport, you'd barely believe he was capable of such a well-written and fascinating story. Truth is, he had a very good ghostwriter.

Wasn't really a ghostwriter seeing as he had his name on the cover. Paul Kimmage is the guy, the same chap that called Lance Armstrong a cancer on the sport of cycling

I really enjoyed the book (Full Time) and thought it was refreshingly honest.

 

[murphy's law]

Imlach book is very good, an easy, nostaligic read.

'Castel di sangro' is entertaining and funny, 'A season with Verona' (tim parkes) is excellent if your into italian footy & ultra culture.

The pyramid Jonathan Wilson one is pretty poor, too much info and over analysis.

My personal fav is 'Football Stadiums of Britian' by Simon Inglis, would love to see it updated, the stadium histories and pics are magnificent.

I also rate Cascarino's autobiography.

 

[spacey]

Three years ago i wrote the following

For me it would be:-

1) All played out – Pete Davies, Diary type book leading up to and covering the 1990 World Cup.

2) The Professor: Arsene Wenger at Arsenal by Myles Palmer

3) Bob Wilson: My Autobiography : Did not expect this book to be that good. but it was.

4) Who Ate All the Pies?: The Life and Times of Mick Quinn by Mick Quinn and Oliver Harvey


Today joint fourth would be the stanley matthews one plus a season with verona

I have read the inverting the pyramid which i enjoyed

 

[Man of Harveys]

My personal fav is 'Football Stadiums of Britian' by Simon Inglis, would love to see it updated, the stadium histories and pics are magnificent.

Great call, wonderful book. I announced to a very pretentious mate of mine that it would unquestionably be my Desert Island book. His was Milan Kundera's The Joke.

 

[Half Man Half Biscuit]

This thread has just cost me the thick end of 50 sheets. Good stuff though

 

[Half Man Half Biscuit]

My personal fav is 'Football Stadiums of Britian' by Simon Inglis, would love to see it updated, the stadium histories and pics are magnificent.

I actually purchased this book in the Albion clubshop at the Goldstone Ground before the home match with Sheffield United. It gave me something to read whilst the fans were on the pitch throwing corner flags at each other *runs off to loft to dig it out*

 

[Norman Potting]

One's that haven't been mentioned yet.

I'm about to start this one... (I'll let you know what I think)

Trautmann's Journey: From Hitler Youth to FA Cup Legend

I thoroughly enjoyed this one...

The Miracle of Castel Di Sangro

"Trautmanns Journey" got a very good write up in a recent "when Saturday comes" and I am waiting for my name to come to the top of the list to borrow if from the library - too mean to buy books me.

 

[Man of Harveys]

If you're after a 'comprehensive history of football' type book, this is the best:

The Ball is Round, by David Goldblatt

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ball-Round-Global-History-Football/dp/0141015829/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1274347330&sr=8-1

Goldblatt's book isn't bad but I think it's pretty flawed: he writes very boringly, for example. I think he bit off more than he could chew, with a single volume like that.

Even if it might sound like anathema, former WSC writer Uli Hesse-Lichtenberger's Tor is a brilliantly well-written history of the perhaps surprisingly characterful and ramshackle history of German football:

 

[Mr Banana]

Mad fer this thread. Most people on here have probably read far better football books than me.

Brilliant Orange by David Winner is an excellent read. A bit over-romanticising in some places, but ambitious in relaying Dutch football's complex psyche and the intertwining it has with the history of Oranje.

Irons in the Fire (or there's another version it's called) - Russell Brand's pieces about football. Always funny, inventive, sincere, beautifully written.

McIlvanney on Football - Hugh McIlvanney's collected writings. Inspirational, evocative. The master of football writing.

Fowler by Robbie Fowler, if you're the type who likes autobiographies. Hugely readable, tabloid stuff multiplied by ten. Probably the last really charismatic footballer's autobiography.