Best Football Book?

[damoGUFC]

Just after reading a book called "Top Boys" by Cass Pennant.

Good book..goes through the top lads in the top frims in the world.:D

[Neish]

Not sure if it was mentioned already but
"Manchester United ruined my Life" by Colin Shindler

Well worth a read about a guy who grew up supporting Man City and how any achievements of City’s were always overshadowed by the more successful neighbours Man Utd. I enjoyed it even though I follow Man Utd.

[Paraic]

not sure if these have been mentioned in this thread already

"The Damned United" by david Peace - fictional piece based on a large range of contemporary and biographical material about Brian Clough's 44 days in charge at Leeds in 1974. Written in the first person, it's a really interesting glimpse of the madness of the time and the man.

[gustavo]

not sure if these have been mentioned in this thread already

"The Damned United" by david Peace - fictional piece based on a large range of contemporary and biographical material about Brian Clough's 44 days in charge at Leeds in 1974. Written in the first person, it's a really interesting glimpse of the madness of the time and the man.

I'll second that , really poetic use of language in it too

[harps1954]

Another great book available at the moment is 'The Finn Harps Story' penned by Bartley Ramsay. It's a guide through the history of the club season by season and has loads of photographs and statistics on the club.

If you want to purchase one, you can get it for €20 by email finnharpshistory@eircom.net

[Wangball]

Stamping Grounds by Charlie Connelly, he's a travel writer who followed Liechenstwin's National side throughout a World Cup Qualifying campaing, they played 8, lost 8 & scored zip, he really got to know all of the players and its an interesting book, well worth a read, not the best I've ever read though, thats "The Greatest Footballer you never saw" by Paolo Hewitt & Paul McGuigan (Yes that Paul McGuigan, the original bassist from Oasis) its a biography of Robin Friday & its a great read, he's the lad on the front of the Super Furry Animals single "The Man Who Don't give a Fcuk" - once when Lawrenson was marking him he got sent off for kicking Lawrenson in the face so he went back to the dressingrooms & took a sh*t in Lawro's kit bag

[endabob1]

In no particular order

Only a game – Eamon Dunphy (although it’s a long time since I read it) A proper no-frills story of the life as a pro in the pre Sky era.
Left foot forward - Garry Nelson and the sequel Left foot in the grave, a more modern takes on the Dunphy principle but also 2 excellent reads, especially with Charlton have just moved back to the Valley
Full Time – Tony Cascarino with Paul Kimmage Honest and forthright, an absolute classic
Gazza - Paul Gasgcoine A bit like Tony Cass, a very honest and engaging read from the heart of a troubled man and one of the greatest players I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing in a Spurs shirt.
Back from the brink - Paul McGrath Can’t understand the negativity regarding it on here, I was gripped from start to finish.
Football against the Enemy – Simon Kuper a great read by a really top notch commentator on World and African Football in particular

Football fiction
Fever Pitch – although it’s about Arsenal and it made football trendy with the chattering classes it’s still a fine read and as good an account of what it means to be a fan as I’ve read.
Football Factory, England Away & Head-hunters the John King trilogy is excellent reading as much for the non-football side of the books as for the hooliganism that is at their core.

[BobtheDrog]

Drogheda United - The Story so Far
Fever Pitch

[Gaillimh Al]

Futebol - The Brazilian way of life(Alex Ballos)...must read

[BohsPartisan]

On the verge of finishing Morbo and its excellent. Will start Tor! when I finish.
Other fav footie books have been mentioned here. A Season with Verona, Calcio, Only one Red Army (which I must read again, it was a long time ago), Barca by Jimmy Burns (whose more partisan moments Morbo is an antidote for).

[blackholesun]

Jimmy Burns two books
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_b/202-9747714-4619814?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=jimmy+burns&x=0&y=0
Barca - A People's Passion
Hand of God - The Life of Diego Maradona
are both excellent reads.

Jack and Bobby: A Story of Brothers in Conflict.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jack-Bobby-Story-Brothers-Conflict/dp/0007118767
Some cracking tales here about Jacks escapades!

I enojyed both of these ... Ryan Giggs and Gordon Strachans autobiographies both surprisingly very open about everything.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_b/203-9646514-5575945?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=ryan+giggs&x=0&y=0
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_b/203-9646514-5575945?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=gordon+strachan&x=0&y=0

bhs

[blackholesun]

Futebol - The Brazilian way of life(Alex Ballos)...must read

Totally agreed, excellent book!

bhs

[BohsPartisan]

I don't know why but I have an aversion to buying books about individual players.

[Da Real Rover]

On the verge of finishing Morbo and its excellent. Will start Tor! when I finish.
Other fav footie books have been mentioned here. A Season with Verona, Calcio, Only one Red Army (which I must read again, it was a long time ago), Barca by Jimmy Burns (whose more partisan moments Morbo is an antidote for).

Yup, Only One Red Army, brilliant book on supporting Rovers.
And Barca is a great read aswell.
For the Politics + Football fans out there, whethor your against it or for it then a must read is 'Football Against The Enemy' by Simon Kuper.

[BohsPartisan]

'Football Against The Enemy' by Simon Kuper.

Have it but haven't gotten around to reading it yet. Maybe after Tor!

[jebus]

Didn't think much of Football Against the Enemy to be honest, it seemed like a bunch of 4-4-2 articles stuck together to me, enjoyable enough, but not great at all

[deecay]

Just after reading a book called "Top Boys" by Cass Pennant.

Good book..goes through the top lads in the top frims in the world.:D
Great book,Pennants books are class.The only ones I can read

[Da Real Rover]

Didn't think much of Football Against the Enemy to be honest, it seemed like a bunch of 4-4-2 articles stuck together to me, enjoyable enough, but not great at all

I enjoyed it, gave me an insight into certain clubs which normally are off the radar.
Although The Celtic + Rangers chapter was cringeworthy.

[Raheny Red]

Great book,Pennants books are class.The only ones I can read

Hull City Psychos is pretty decent in fairness in terms of hoolie porn.

[SligoBrewer]

Although The Celtic + Rangers chapter was cringeworthy.

Why may i ask?

[superfrank]

Totally agreed, excellent book!

bhs
Seconded, Futebol is a brilliant book.

I'm currently reading Garrincha's biography.

[dcfcsteve]

Why is this thread in the Eircom league section...? :confused:

Have the usually ruthless and efficient mods fallen asleep on this watch.....? :D

[Charles Bronson]

Football Against The Enemy by Simon Kuper is an excelent book as is John Foots Calco. My Favourite Year is also quite good, Roddy Doyle writes a piece in it about Ireland during Italia 90. EL Diego , Maradonas autobiography was a pile of pants. Not as "colourfull" as i thought it would be at all, all along the lines of " we played this match... we won.. we played again.. we lost. No menton of drug fulled romps with prostitutes/shooting at journalists/hanging out with gangsters, very disappointing.

[Gaillimh Al]

Am sure there will be more additions to this thread following the Christmas read-a-thon.

Was mentioned before, but The Damned United really is an excellent read, hard to put down. Only got it yesterday but almost finished now. Better get back to it actually.......

[KianD]

Build A Bonfire, although good luck finding a copy due to its revered status amongst Brighton fans - Tallaght Library has one weirdly. Narrative account of two years spent trying to de-seat the chairman of a club he was resolutely asset stripping.

[Rovers fan]

Build A Bonfire, although good luck finding a copy due to its revered status amongst Brighton fans - Tallaght Library has one weirdly. Narrative account of two years spent trying to de-seat the chairman of a club he was resolutely asset stripping.

You can get it on amazon, from £68 though!

[Mouthpiece]

If you're looking for something new and a bit different you could try More Than Just A Game by Chuck Korr and Marvin Close. It's the story of the prisoners of Robben Island and the football league they sent up.

[Sandro]

http://www.bonannoeditore.com/public/images/libri/799.jpg

[stann]

I plan to read Who Stole Our Game.
Anyone here read it?
Can you give me a review on it?

As it's a book on the LOI and there aren't many out there it's probably worth a read.
But I found it to be very, very poor, and a real waste of a good premise. It offers no new insights and many of the conclusions drawn are just plain wrong.
Also, it's ridiculously weighted towards Shamrock Rovers and Drumcondra. I remember going through it ages ago, actually maybe in this thread, but a load of teams are very poorly represented, and for a history of domestic football to have no reference to Finn Harps whatever in the index is nothing short of shameful.

Anyway, many many good books mentioned, but I'd add my recommendation to, among others:

Singing The Blues and Blue, White & Dynamite by Brian Kennedy
Only One Red Army by Eamonn Sweeney
Strings Of My Harps by Patsy McGowan

The Miracle Of Castel di Sangro by Joe McGinniss
A Season With Verona by Tim Parks
My Father And Other Working Class Heroes by Gary Imlach
Only The Goalkeeper To Beat by Francis Hodgson
Football Against The Enemy by Simon Kuper
Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius Of Dutch Football by David Winner

The Damned United by David Peace

And the autobiogs of Niall Quinn, Paul McGrath (Back From The Brink) and especially Tony Cascarino (Full Time)

Just noticed am a bit light on recent ones there, could do with a few new recommendations! :D

[dcfcsteve]

I remember going through it ages ago, actually maybe in this thread, but a load of teams are very poorly represented, and for a history of domestic football to have no reference to Finn Harps whatever in the index is nothing short of shameful.

It isn't, and nor does it claim to be, a history of Irish football in the sense that you're suggesting.

It's a book about a very specific processfor Irish football - namely its erosion versus competitor overseas leagues. Ignoring a plethora of teams, inclusing Finn Harps, in pursuit of that bigger picture is therefore entirely understandable.

[stann]

Wasn't suggesting that it's an exhaustive history of Irish football. But it is a history, of sorts. And it does purport to deal with domestic football.
It's subtitled 'The Fall And Fall Of Irish Soccer' after all.

It should have been 'The Fall And Fall Of Two Teams In Dublin'.

[pineapple stu]

This (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Behind-Curtain-Travels-European-Football/dp/0752879456/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231148397&sr=8-3) book is quite good - a chapter on football, past and present, on each of about 15 former communist countries.

[Sniffer]

I plan to read Who Stole Our Game.

Anyone here read it?

Can you give me a review on it?

http://www.walkthechalk.com/extras.php?cid=2&id=15

[BohDiddley]

I tend to avoid football books (and I'm prepared to admit that is just down to my ignorance).
However, this looks promising... similar territory to There's Only One Red Army. Real Football, Real Fans (http://www.realfootballrealfans.com/index.html)... and gets a very positive review from Hunter Davies. Sorry if it's already been mentioned.

[GuisaSaigon]

Just started More Than Just A Game- Football Vs Apartheid. It's the story of the football association that was run by the prisoners on Ellis Island in South Africa. Seems good so far.

[El-Pietro]

In no particular order


Left foot forward - Garry Nelson and the sequel Left foot in the grave, a more modern takes on the Dunphy principle but also 2 excellent reads, especially with Charlton have just moved back to the Valley


Football fiction
Fever Pitch – although it’s about Arsenal and it made football trendy with the chattering classes it’s still a fine read and as good an account of what it means to be a fan as I’ve read.

Left foot forward is a great read and i would recommend it to anyone who has any insterest in football - must have a look for the sequel

are you sure fever pitch is fiction? i thought it was a sort of autobiographical thing

[thischarmingman]

Apologoes for the bumpage but just wanted to post this link from the Guardian website somewhere:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jun/09/mihir-bose-top-10-football-books


From Arthur Hopcraft to Nick Hornby, the award-winning journalist chooses the books that have improved our understanding of the beautiful game.

[HarpoJoyce]

......... just wanted to post this link from the Guardian website somewhere:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jun/09/mihir-bose-top-10-football-books

Each to their own, I would have Simon Inglis and Brian Glanville on a short list. I flick through that Sandro Solinas book 'Stadio D'Italia'. Mostly for the pictures.

I seen Glanville arguing with Peter Davies on TV in the early nineties. During the programme Glanville the Italian-phile stated "Your pronounciation of Cagliari shows your ignorance of Italian Football."

Only read a couple of Simon Inglis books, I bought the hardback version of The Football Grounds of Europe (1990), hits the mark on a few different football themes.
The book is still in good shape after all these years, most of the pages are stuck together though.

[Sandro]

I agree, Simon Inglis' Fottoball ground of Europe is still one of the best book I've ever read, despite some embarassing pure british comments in the text. Definitly out of date but still a very enjoyable reading. Without this book I've probably never published my Stadi d'Italia.

[bennocelt]

Just finished the book on the LOI, "Who stole our game" by Daire Whelan, a history of incompetence in the FAI and LOI. Quite a depressing read but well researched and thougt provoking.

[jmurphyc]

Inverting The Pyramid by Jonathan Wilson. Without doubt the best book I've read on tactics and probably the best football book I've ever read. His articles in the Guardian are incredible too. He's on another level to the other football journalists in Britain.

[holidaysong]

Ordered "Outcasts! The lands that FIFA forgot" by Steve Menary on Amazon the other day. Looking forward to getting it.

[totti]

Cheers guys for all the suggestions.
Ordered me a good couple off Book Depository, and also re-started A Season with Verona.
Read Paddy Agnews, Rise and Fall of Italian football, and it seemed to be that he was more in tune with italian life than football itself in the country, still a lot of things come to light in the book later on, which was nice to finally know.

[Ciprian Marica]

Bought Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby, gets rave reviews, but wasn't my cup of tea.

[seand]

Fever Pitch was the first fan written book about what it meant to be a fan. It was ground-breaking at the time and really struck a chord. It's probably been superseded at this stage. Like many other 'firsts' they are remembered for being the first rather than the best. I'd put Dunphy's Only a Game? in that category too.

[Den Perry]

I borrowed Rio Ferdinand's autbiography and started to read it last night. So far I have read the prologue and the first chapter. I shall not be reading any more of it. My God, its awful. Trying to make out he's a real messer...mad. In the prologue he writes about standing in the same loo as the lawyer the FA used in their case against him re the missed drugs test, and he said wrote something along the lines of wanting to put him through a wall....blah blah blah

[Dodge]

Any updates? heading away next week and think I need some new reading material.

No current player autobiographies and no hoolie porn.

[TonyD]

Haven't read the whole thread, so apologies if it's been mentioned, but I'd recommend "Moving The Goalposts" (subtitled "Footballs Exploitation") by Ed Horton. Fine book with some intelligent things to say on the effect of money on the game and the nature of being a supporter. The passages about supporting lower league teams in England should strike a chord with those who support their local teams in this country.

[Have It]

Paul McGrath's "Back From The Brink" is a brilliant read

[Kingdom]

I'm reading Football Dynamo by Marc Bennetts at the moment. Very enjoyable so far.

Got it in Hodges Figgis two weeks ago. They had Tor & Brilliant Oranje beside it, I'll be going back for them.