Football Literature (Reviews, Recommendations, Criticism)

[leftwinger]

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[leftwinger]

Football hasn’t always had a good reputation for the quality of its related written material. Too many ‘catchpenny,’ hastily ghost-written autobiographies have probably done the most damage. But, from time to time, there have been gems which sometimes turned out to be classics of the genre. And, for the world’s most popular sport, this is surely only right, if not a saving grace.

‘Inverting The Pyramid’ (A History Of The Tactics Of Football) by Jonathan Wilson (Hardback pub. Orion books) certainly falls into the category of being a treasure and is worth seeking out. The cover praise, ‘Simply One Of The Best Books Written About The Game’ is not hyperbole.

‘Garrincha’ by Rui Castro (Hardback pub. by Yellow Jersey) is one I admire, because this Brazilian winger was one of the all-time greats in that position and this book tells his story. Usually, overshadowed by Pele, his contemporary in the late 50s/early 60s, Garrincha was more than a bit of a character in his personal life as well as on the field of play. Born with deformed legs, he could not walk properly, yet with the ball at his feet on the pitch he was fast, skilled and dangerous and a deadly opponent. It is said that Pele was greatly respected by the Brazilian football fanbase, but Garrincha was loved. He came from a very poor background, of the kind experienced by many at that time and was held in the highest esteem (perhaps like Maradona) because his fans felt they ‘knew’ him and he was one of them. On the back cover, there is a Pele quote: “I could not have been a world champion three times, if it had not been for Garrincha.”

[danmartin]

If you're interested in high quality football writing, I highly recommend The Blizzard, a quarterly magazine edited by Jonathan Wilson: theblizzard.co.uk/

Book recommendations from me would include 'The Miracle of Castel Di Sangro' by Joe McGuiness and 'Keeper of Dreams' by Ronald Reng. Also, since you clearly have an interest in non-league or you wouldn't be here, Nige Tassell's 'The Bottom Corner' contains some good stories.

[bigj]

Going off piste here but I recently read 'Being Geoffrey Boycott' which provides a fascinating insight into the man himself and the games that he played in.

[AFootballFan]

‘When Saturday Comes’ is my favourite football reading. The articles are very well written and it gives more than a passing nod to non-league football with regular features which are usually augmented by an excellent set of photos. If you’ve never read it, I’d be surprised if you were disappointed if you tried it.

[MrP]

Great choices Dan
I would add…
“A life too short” also by Ronald Reng.
“The far corner” & “the farther corner” by Harry Pearson
Brad Wade’s Dad’s trilogy
And of course our very own “Route 66”

I’ve also read this brilliant book about Yorkshire Sport & Communities

[leftwinger]

“When Saturday Comes” (WSC) monthly started out in the early 80s, at the time of the boom in ‘fanzines’. These were  ‘home-knitted’ football magazines produced by ordinary fans for ordinary fans. The first issue was black/white like most of them with drawings and the odd (often) grainy photo. At Bradford City ‘The City Gent’ is the oldest club fanzine still in existence. At Leeds United, ‘The Square Ball’ is a well-known publication. Many clubs had these magazines produced-sometimes more than one for the larger clubs. And, some focused on football in general like WSC. But as time went on many simply faded away, or ceased to appear and today there are certainly fewer of them. To a certain extent, they became less fashionable but it’s also because (like newspapers/magazines) physical copies of printed material have been in decline in recent times. On-line news/forums like this allow news/topics to be shared quicker and fans can actually discuss issues, rather than just read about them. And, of course the printed paper/ magazine dates more quickly. All newspapers/mags are going through a hard time just now though many newspapers and magazines offer an online version at reduced cost to reader.

Over the early years WSC slowly evolved into a much more professional publication and eventually included high quality colour and by that time is was appearing in newsagents eg WH Smith etc. Today, it is having a tougher time, and more dependent on its subscribers plus it has a core of buyers who donate regularly (for various perks) dependant on the level of donation. This keeps it alive, though it may not be kicking as much as it used to! (pun intended!)

But, it is still excellent, has its heart in the right place eg speaking out eg against unfairness to fans, the increase in costs of going to top level football-particularly away matches-and the blight (at times) of certain sponsors eg gambling eg on shirts etc. On the newsstand, it may not be so big/flashy as ‘Four-Four-Two’ but it can see beyond the Premier League and Champions League and covers non-league in its covers frequently. Highly recommended.

Two other excellent, though much more expensive high-quality quarterlies are ‘The Blizzard’ covering English football and ‘Nutmeg’ which deals with the Scottish game. They resemble an A5 book and cost about the same. These are usually bought on subscription, though I saw a copy of ‘The Blizzard’ in the newsagent in Broadway, Bradford a few months ago. They are quality magazines for the serious fan of the game in general and doubtless are not discarded after reading, but collected into a library of issues.

Below: A photo spread of images from match day at a non-league club.
Below that: Front cover of the latest (October) issue.

Question: Why don’t they sell it in Morrison’s Guiseley? I’ve asked them! Only ‘4-4-2’ and ‘World Soccer’ to be found there. NB: ‘WS’ is excellent if you’re interested in the game abroad and want lots of statistical info about it, and features on eg Euros/WC/etc

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[bigj]

Football Weekends is a monthly magazine that I subscribe to and it does what it says on the tin. Inside are various articles about trips to watch football at stadia all over the world and it usually features a non-league club each month. The articles are more travelog than match report detailing the country and the area and city where the game(s) are being played. Highly recommended for anyone who is interested in the global game.

[leftwinger]

‘FEVER PITCH’ By Nick Hornby

In 1992 I was browsing WH Smith, looking at books and magazines as I still do from time to time when I alighted on this book, which had just been published. Thus, I acquired a first edition, by chance, of a book that was to go on to ‘launch a 1000…’ (well, not quite but a lot!) fan-told stories of their personal lives and how football affected them. As it says on the back, “This book is not just about football, but about love and death…and feather cuts!” (If you don’t know what a feather cut is, ask your mum, auntie or even maybe grandma. On the other hand, watch Jane Fonda in the film ‘Klute.!’

On reading it I was pleasantly surprised to find it was very different to any other football book I’d ever read. Told with authenticity, genuine passion for its subject-Arsenal and football, in that order, this was a book that spoke to me about the importance of football in my life as well as many others. Okay, Bill Shankly was wrong. Football isn’t more important than life and death, but for many…it comes a pretty close third! Eventually, probably after it appeared in paperback, it basically took off, becoming a huge seller, talked about by many and even having a film starring Colin Firth as the main character. It became huge, but, gradually others began to appear where fans (who could write) wrote about their experiences, fears, relationships, ups and downs and all of it centring on their favourite club. Some were quite good, others, not very good at all. But, it was a good ‘catchpenny’ because what fan, doesn’t like to read about the passion involved in supporting their favourite club.

Eventually, as with many things, there was a backlash of sorts. I recall reading an article criticising ‘The Hornbyisation of football’, which probably included changes taking place at that time eg the start of the Premier League and the feeling football was beginning not to be seen as a working class sport, as money began to dominate in the game. But, I feel that is a bit unfair on Nick Hornby. He had nothing to do with the nasties that came out of the box, when it was opened by SKY principally (don’t get me started!), Bosman, ticket price hikes, astronomical transfer fees and clubs spending themselves into insolvency etc! It is basically a good story and has the happy knack, of making the reader identify with the main character. You finish the book with a warm feeling in knowing you are not the only one who goes through all manner of emotions for your team, and looks in horror if someone eg your wife says, “But, it’s only…a game.” If by any chance you haven’t read this, you owe it to yourself…..etc

[MrP]

Sept 29, 2023 14:01:25 GMT 1 leftwinger said:

‘FEVER PITCH’ By Nick Hornby

In 1992 I was browsing WH Smith, looking at books and magazines as I still do from time to time when I alighted on this book, which had just been published. Thus, I acquired a first edition, by chance, of a book that was to go on to ‘launch a 1000…’ (well, not quite but a lot!) fan-told stories of their personal lives and how football affected them. As it says on the back, “This book is not just about football, but about love and death…and feather cuts!” (If you don’t know what a feather cut is, ask your mum, auntie or even maybe grandma. On the other hand, watch Jane Fonda in the film ‘Klute.!’

On reading it I was pleasantly surprised to find it was very different to any other football book I’d ever read. Told with authenticity, genuine passion for its subject-Arsenal and football, in that order, this was a book that spoke to me about the importance of football in my life as well as many others. Okay, Bill Shankly was wrong. Football isn’t more important than life and death, but for many…it comes a pretty close third! Eventually, probably after it appeared in paperback, it basically took off, becoming a huge seller, talked about by many and even having a film starring Colin Firth as the main character. It became huge, but, gradually others began to appear where fans (who could write) wrote about their experiences, fears, relationships, ups and downs and all of it centring on their favourite club. Some were quite good, others, not very good at all. But, it was a good ‘catchpenny’ because what fan, doesn’t like to read about the passion involved in supporting their favourite club.

Eventually, as with many things, there was a backlash of sorts. I recall reading an article criticising ‘The Hornbyisation of football’, which probably included changes taking place at that time eg the start of the Premier League and the feeling football was beginning not to be seen as a working class sport, as money began to dominate in the game. But, I feel that is a bit unfair on Nick Hornby. He had nothing to do with the nasties that came out of the box, when it was opened by SKY principally (don’t get me started!), Bosman, ticket price hikes, astronomical transfer fees and clubs spending themselves into insolvency etc! It is basically a good story and has the happy knack, of making the reader identify with the main character. You finish the book with a warm feeling in knowing you are not the only one who goes through all manner of emotions for your team, and looks in horror if someone eg your wife says, “But, it’s only…a game.” If by any chance you haven’t read this, you owe it to yourself…..etc
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Brilliant brilliant choice
and i say this as an LFC fan.
I loved this and the film! And of course his subsequent books!
I loved the fact that football was really a side affair to the main event
And you’re right this led to many books, and many that is still read

[colin19]

I’m enjoying this thread. Castle Di Sangro has already been mentioned, but is an amazing book, let alone a great football book. It’s a book that I have bought copies of to give to others as I love it so much. If you pick up a copy read it without being tempted to look at the centre section photos.

I love WSC too. A couple of years ago I was approached to coordinate an interview with a number of Guiseley folk to be written by by one of their regular contributors. I enjoyed listening in to the interview, which was a fun experience, and the article was a good read.

I’d add a couple of books of my own.

First I enjoyed David Peace’s novels that place you in the minds of Brian Clough at Leeds and Bill Shankly - Damned Utd and Red or Dead.

Second, I think we have some great local authors. Rob Grillos A Noble Winters Game is a great history of the origins of lower league football in Yorkshire (including Guiseley).

Finally, I have a bit of an obsession with football in Uruguay - a small country that has competed well above its weight - and there is a fascinating book called From Beauty to Duty by Martin Da Cruz which is the first English language book about Uruguayan football history describing the origins of the game there.

[leftwinger]

“The Illustrated History Of Subbuteo” by Daniel Tatarsky published by Orion

There’s a phrase, I can’t quite recall the beginning, but it ends…”but you can’t take the child out of the man!” At least, I think there is! Anyway, over recent years I’ve noticed when visiting bookshops in the months leading up to Christmas, gift books produced and designed to meet the need of that hidden ‘child’ that somehow always stays and is manifested particularly through…nostalgia…for our younger days and things we recall fondly from that time. My wife often tells me I dwell in the past too much via music, film, TV and football, all of which I often think was ‘better’ in the past. She also points out frequently how it’s usually men hoarding football books, magazines, programmes in numerous boxes, autographed photos in albums, trade cards, enamel badges, replica shirts, old vinyl..etc etc…..as I do…the list goes on. She tells me women have no time for all that ‘stuff’ and (by the way) “Would I consider pruning it down a bit…what about the charity shops.” Even my daughter told me once, (I hope she was joking…I think she was)…”When you go dad…all that stuff…is going on the bonfire!”

But, I digress. Yes, in the bookshops before Xmas are to be found beautiful facsimile reproductions of eg ‘The Eagle’ comic annual’, ‘The Beano & Dandy’ -compendium of material from comics of 50 plus years ago”, “Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly”, “Shoot”, “Commando” comic books, etc etc. There’s clearly a lucrative market for dad or granddad reminiscing about his carefree youth (and maybe grandma too, I must be PC after all) whatever my wife says!

Thus, when I saw this book about the game which was the focus of my misspent youth (though it never was) I was delighted and snapped it up. Here we have a beautifully illustrated book which delves into every aspect of that wonderful game that my school pals and I used to spend a lot of our time playing, (after doing our homework of course!) when we we weren’t actually outside really kicking a football. It was the premier table top football game, but we played on the floor, with the green baize carpet included with the game. The beauty of Subbuteo was you actually had eleven players a side, but the big pull was you could get virtually any team’s strip for your team. Some like me, used to paint their teams eg once I couldn’t get the colours I wanted so I used one of those little Humbrol tins of paint to do the job, and even put numbers on the backs of their shirts! It was all great fun, competing against other players, taking part in competitions and then…floodlights came out…and other accessories like cups, spectators etc. My favourite ‘accurate’ feature was that the nets had what looked like real netting. Flicking to kick was our modus operandi and, planning tactics, ensuring our goalkeeper had practice with penalty kicks was all part of the fun! Subbuteo went out of business but is now back. But, I guess it has been dwarfed by Pro Evolution or FIFA computer games for some time! Pity! Now where’s that goalkeeper that I applied many coats of paint to, to bulk out his size between the nets? I kept my subbuteo teams and even played with my kids when they were young (as well as making them watch old B/W Dr Who videos. I confess) One once said,”We missed out on ‘Back To The Future’ because it was always William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton or Jon Pertwee.’ But, I wish I knew WHO I am going to bequeath all my collections to!!!

PS: Does that man on the far right of the picture (above) on the book’s cover look like Ed Miliband or…is it just in my imagination?

[Nik]

It’s similar but I bet that guy could eat a bacon butty.

[MrP]

For those who enjoyed The Miracle of Castel di Sangro and quite frankly if you didn’t re-read and think again, then you may also enjoy Tim Parks “A season with Verona” for another traipse through Italian football.

[leftwinger]

“FULL TIME: THE SECRET LIFE OF TONY CASCARINO-As Told To Paul Kimmage” published in hardback by Simon & Schuster/Paperback by Scribner

Enter any decent bookshop, find the sports section and there you will always find some books about football ‘The Beautiful Game’. And, usually, wherever you go, you will find at least a few autobiographies of players currently at a (usually) big football club, and maybe one or two writing about their life, playing or managing at various football clubs. Most players (and ex-pros/managers) will have engaged a ‘ghost writer’ Ie a journalist/reporter/author of previous works to which they will give numerous interviews before any type of book is planned and formulated. This person, who might write for a tabloid newspaper (or other) will then have the job of turning the vast amount of information revealed in the interviews into some sort of book. These writers will guide the interviewed player, hoping to get some less well-known information, revealing anecdotes, comments to include in the finished work.

Many players who ‘author’ one of these whilst at a big club will make sure there is plenty within the pages to show their loyalty, love and attachment to their said club. Fans lap up this kind of devotion, just as some like to see their favourites kissing the club shirt badge after scoring a goal. But, if you’re looking for more balance, objectivity or candour, these type of books may not always deliver. For players who have spent a life in football, and are retired or in the final stages of a career, the aforementioned attributes may be found. It depends on the player. This player will be older though, (hopefully more mature and well-rounded ?) and prepared to share details of the bad as well as the good, maybe even in a self-deprecating way. But, again it depends on the player.

Tony Cascarino’s volume here belongs to the latter category. From the early 1980s-2000, he played for a number of high profile clubs including Millwall, Aston Villa, Celtic, Chelsea, and Marseille as well as representing Ireland at international level, 88 times and scoring 19 goals. (NB: his revelation concerning his Irish ancestry was a major story at the time in itself!) But, this ghost-written book (written by an Irish sports journalist who had himself competed as a cyclist at an Olympics and won a prize with one of his previous sports books) differed from most of the tomes which have been written by footballers either before Cascarino’s time, or who came after him. ‘Full Time’ is considered a unique book which holds its own not just in the football genre, but set against all those produced in the vast field of sport. Praised by an array of good judges, one of the blurbs on the back reads, “One of the best football autobiographies you are ever likely to read.” Recommended.