What footie books do you recommend?

stilladdicted

Belatedly got into reading footie books, and although they're badly written and often boring, there are little gems tucked away. Currently reading Viera's book and I'm enjoying the insights it gives into the players minds, thoughts on what makes a good manager or coach, how to train, eat etc. What books have you found interesting?

SoundAsa£

The Bromley boys...Dave Roberts.

kaiser_soze

Tony Cascarino's full time is a cracking read, enjoyes Stuart Pearce's as well

ads

the miracle of castel di sangro, a season with verona by tim parks,futebol by alex bellos

IdleHans

Kicking in the Wind, about a season at Rochdale - I always look out for their results on the strength of having read that. Along similar lines to Gary Nelson's two, which are very readable, though not perfect. Recommend them highly.

Kap10

The Gary Nelson books are my fasvourites, enjoyed reading the Gascoigne autobiography which totally changed my view of Gascoigne, Tony Adams and Ray Kennedy autobigraphys were also good, one of the worst was Curbs - pages of nothing

Akbuk RED

The Damned United about Brian Clough at Leeds United in the 70's. Mix of fact & fiction great book, bad language if that's not your thing and being made into a film too.

stoneroses19

Vinnie Jones is better than you'd expect.

thewolfboy

Only a game by Eamon Dunphy is a bit old but has some hilarious moments, mainly re Gordon Hill's antics. Cascarino's is very good. The book about Robin Friday is not well written but it encapsulates what Robin Friday was all about.

billy cotton

gary nelson's book is a really good read, as is surprisingly graham poll's.

PeanutsMolloy

I highly recommend a terrific one for real football fans "Big Mal: The High Life and Hard Times of Malcolm Allison, Football Legend" by David Tossell.

pilchard

Obviously the Nelson tomes! As much as it galls me to say it (as it's about Spuds)Glory Game by Hunter Davies is very good.

ads

the diary of darren tackle by jim white is also a funny read

Big William

Pointless by Jeff Connor is a really good read, he spent a year with East Stirling, at the time the worst senior team in Britain. It's really football at the sharp end, and miles even from the coca-cola, never mind the premier league.

Footbal Lexicon by Leigh and Woodhouse is great fun, its a Dictionary of football cliches, presented in a straight-faced academic manner which makes it even funnier. After reading it, you realise how much we all repeat the old favourites.

Rothko

Any of the Simon Kuiper books

Algarveaddick

I enjoyed Manchester Utd ruined my life by Colin Schindler.

nth_london_addick

Foul by Andrew Jennings

I have mentioned this book on here before, Anyone who loves our beautiful game but wants to know just how crooked and corrupt it is should look no further 10 out of 10

StubleyAddick

Bobby Robson's autobiography a very good read. Footynotes by Chris Kamara and Richard Digarce(i think!) it's about different footy facts and trivia.

ISawLeaburnScore

Cloughie, A Season with Verona, any book about South American Footy, particularly the deeper socio-economic and political stuff behind it, have a decent book list from a dissertation I did if you're interested mate

Clem_Snide

Manslaughter United - season with a prison football team.

Very good read. Alternates between a chapter about the team and a chapter about one of the players and their life and crimes.

Have 2 copies of this, if you want one whisper me an address I can send it to and its all yours.

seth plum

'My father and other working class heroes'. by Gary Imlach, better than the damned united, which is good and poetic, but gets a bit repetitive, the Gary Imlach book has references to charlton...and is an ace all round read

red_murph

'All Played Out' by Pete Davies. Basically the full story of Italia 90 (warts and all), quite brilliantly written, would recommend it to anyone.

Also very much enjoyed "The Bromley Boys" as mentioned above, cracking fun read.