Whats the best FOOTBALL book you have ever read ?

[Big_Unit]

Running With The Firm by James Bannon.

An undercover policeman infiltrates Millwall's infamous hooligan firm. The film ID was based on this book and there's some gripping stuff in there. How him and his mate nearly got caught being Old Bill, witnessing a Crystal Palace fan get beaten up in front of his family and not being able to do anything, friendships growing and the adrenaline of football violence.

I read a lot of football books but this one is up there with the very best.

Jamie still lives in Brighton I think. He's an interesting bloke. A couple of years ago he toured a one-man show based on his undercover experiences... went to New York I think. God knows what they made of it there!

 

[Lower West Stander]

All Played Out for me.

It perfectly told the story of a World Cup we so should have won.

And I loved the chapter about the official porn film!


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[Norman Potting]

By the miracle of Amazon a good as new hard back copy of "Up Pompey" has just arrived and for just over £2 inc. P & P. Look forward to digesting at leisure.

"Lost in France", the author of which is a member of this esteemed board, is also on Amazon - one is under offer at £71.99!!

 

[Danny-Boy]

I enjoyed both of Garry Nelson's books.

Now halfway through "Left foot Forward" which has a lot to say about Albion in the period Garry was there, as well as Charlton in the mid-1990's.

Ironically Garry was thinking of joining Bounemouth from Albion before Charlton. At the time (1994/5) he was glad to be at the Valley rather than Dean Court, but as an interview a few years back on the web states, Charlton have gone a long way downhill since then and now Bomo are the "glamour" club.

Take it he is still at the PFA?

 

[Danny-Boy]

I've just downloaded steak Diana Ross via kindle , I don't like reading books like. Keith Gillespie though as I find them depressing

Ironically one of Garry Nelson's misjudgements in "LFF" was that he thought Newcastle got the better part of the deal when ManU off loaded Gillespie to them for over £1m as part of the Andy Cole deal. Garry didn't rate Cole but as events proved he was VFM.


Gillespie however decidedly wasn't, I guess Fergie realised that. Kevin Keegan obviously didn't.

 

[Mackenzie]

Now halfway through "Left foot Forward" which has a lot to say about Albion in the period Garry was there, as well as Charlton in the mid-1990's.

Ironically Garry was thinking of joining Bounemouth from Albion before Charlton. At the time (1994/5) he was glad to be at the Valley rather than Dean Court, but as an interview a few years back on the web states, Charlton have gone a long way downhill since then and now Bomo are the "glamour" club.

Take it he is still at the PFA?

No he finished there a long time ago. I believe he has (or works for) a firm that organises golfing holidays.

edit: having just done a quick google, it looks like he's now in insurance.

 

[Danny-Boy]

This

Yes Reading fans swear he was better than Best!

 

[silverwizard]

Football Daft by Michael Parkinson - a fans affectionate look back at football just after WW2. A much better writer than interviewer!

 

[Easy 10]

Ironically one of Garry Nelson's misjudgements in "LFF" was that he thought Newcastle got the better part of the deal when ManU off loaded Gillespie to them for over £1m as part of the Andy Cole deal. Garry didn't rate Cole but as events proved he was VFM.


Gillespie however decidedly wasn't, I guess Fergie realised that. Kevin Keegan obviously didn't.

Gillespie was a monumental f-up (I've read his book). He was a hopeless gambling addict by that stage in. Not sure if it was public knowledge at the time though, but Nelsons view may have changed had he known back then.

 

[Danny-Boy]

No he finished there a long time ago. I believe he has (or works for) a firm that organises golfing holidays.

edit: having just done a quick google, it looks like he's now in insurance.

Not surprised he is outside football, he shows a healthy disrespect for agents and all the mayhem they were beginning to cause back in the mid-1990's. I guess the PFA have come to "terms" - cough - with them now.

 

[KingstonSeagull]

This book really opened my eyes to the underbelly of the football world.

 

[Danny-Boy]

Gillespie was a monumental f-up (I've read his book). He was a hopeless gambling addict by that stage in. Not sure if it was public knowledge at the time though, but Nelsons view may have changed had he known back then.

Be interesting to know if Albion knew about Bobby Smith before he signed for them from Spurs in the 1960's.

Another problem case is of course Kenny Sansom. The stories which circulated about the reasons behind his shock "swop" from Palace to Arsenal with Clive Allen, set up by the pillar of football respectability Tel Venables are legion, at least in SE25.

 

[Jam The Man]

I generally thought all the Albion related ones have been pretty good, though I'm not keen on the incessant sarcasm in Gullhanger.
Tony Adams' Addicted is excellent - as was Provided You Don't Kiss Me, and Garry Nelson's couple..

Dalglish, Clough, Beckham, Rio Ferdinand, Steve Hodge, Best, Greaves and Mullery autobiographies were good too - Rooney's was not. He just seemed to be fabricating everything.

 

[Jesus Gul]

A Day in the life of a Footballer starring Peter O'Sullivan

http://www.seagulls.tv/sully/

 

[Spencer Vignes]

Norman, I don't know what's going on with Amazon regarding that copy of Lost In France going for zillions of pounds. £8.99 from any decent bookshop or, probably best of all, directly from the publisher's website (Pitch Publishing).

The only Albion related one that I've written is A Few Good Men which came out in 2007. Thoroughly enjoyed working on that (I basically chose my favourite Albion XI and interviewed the players selected, dedicating a chapter to each one). Maybe time for another? Who knows.....

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

Currently reading this...



Excellent read on how German football reinvented itself after stinking out Euro 2000.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Norman, I don't know what's going on with Amazon regarding that copy of Lost In France going for zillions of pounds. £8.99 from any decent bookshop or, probably best of all, directly from the publisher's website (Pitch Publishing).

The only Albion related one that I've written is A Few Good Men which came out in 2007. Thoroughly enjoyed working on that (I basically chose my favourite Albion XI and interviewed the players selected, dedicating a chapter to each one). Maybe time for another? Who knows.....

A few more Good Men.

 

[Easy 10]

Currently reading this...

View attachment 78649

Excellent read on how German football reinvented itself after stinking out Euro 2000.

I hate spoiler alerts on the cover.

 

[Danny-Boy]

I generally thought all the Albion related ones have been pretty good, though I'm not keen on the incessant sarcasm in Gullhanger.
Tony Adams' Addicted is excellent - as was Provided You Don't Kiss Me, and Garry Nelson's couple..

Dalglish, Clough, Beckham, Rio Ferdinand, Steve Hodge, Best, Greaves and Mullery autobiographies were good too - Rooney's was not. He just seemed to be fabricating everything.

Avoid Stan Collymore's - IMHO the Donald Trump of football..

 

[Durlston]

Paul Merson had two books out.

The first one was just after his admittance that he was hooked on cocaine, drinking and gambling. A very sad read and the realisation that he could have become one of the best players in the world.

The second one was written in a laddish way with a "Trust Merse to get into that situation" on being declared bankrupt. A jokey book that made light of his problems. "I don't know what was worse. The hangovers or managing Walsall".

But glad to see him looking well regularly on Soccer Saturday. It's a day-to-day battle with your demons but he's handling them well.