Football Autobiographies

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claretburns
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Football Autobiographies

Post by claretburns » Tue Nov 13, 2018 6:10 pm

I am off on a couple of long flights soon for work and need a good read to keep me occupied, can anyone recommend a autobiography of players/managers? Would prefer someone from the 60's-80's era where you get a full career, not some 20 year old currently playing now when their career has hardly begun

joey13
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by joey13 » Tue Nov 13, 2018 6:31 pm

Best autobiography I’ve read was The Moons a balloon, David Niven not football related though
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Fretters
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by Fretters » Tue Nov 13, 2018 6:36 pm

I've just listened to Keegan's on Audible. It was pretty good, especially the Mike Ashley stuff where he doesn't hold back.
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theroyaldyche
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by theroyaldyche » Tue Nov 13, 2018 6:40 pm

Tony adams
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CleggHall
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by CleggHall » Tue Nov 13, 2018 6:41 pm

"The footballer who could fly" by Duncan Hamilton, a very good read.
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CleggHall
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by CleggHall » Tue Nov 13, 2018 6:45 pm

Saturday Bloody Saturday by Alastair Campbell, 70s soccer mixed up with IRA politics. Loosely based on a club like Burnley.
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EarbyClaret
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by EarbyClaret » Tue Nov 13, 2018 6:45 pm

All a matter of personal taste but autobiographies of those who've played lower down the leagues pre-PL era can tend to be more interesting/easier to relate to:

Eamon Dunphy - Only A Game
Garry Nelson - Left Foot Forward
Stewart Imlach - My Father and Other Working Class Football Heroes (biography of his dad Stewart Imlach)
Tony Cascarino - Full Time: The Secret Life of Tony Cascarino
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claretburns
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by claretburns » Tue Nov 13, 2018 6:47 pm

Thanks for the tips, I shall look a few out.

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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by basil6345789 » Tue Nov 13, 2018 6:50 pm

Frank Worthington - "One Hump Or Two" - brilliant!

Bosscat
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by Bosscat » Tue Nov 13, 2018 7:05 pm

Harry Redknapp "My Dog & the Merchant Banker"

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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by Bosscat » Tue Nov 13, 2018 7:05 pm

OK thats not a real autobiography

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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by Alanstevensonsgloves » Tue Nov 13, 2018 7:12 pm

Tommy Boyle- broken hero. Not quite 60s to 80s but a gripping poignant read nonetheless

JimMcDonald
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by JimMcDonald » Tue Nov 13, 2018 7:16 pm

Sucide Squad - The Inside Story of a Football Firm
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LeadBelly
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by LeadBelly » Tue Nov 13, 2018 7:17 pm

In terms of describing what it was like for below tier 1 players in the mid 70s, there's a David McVay autobiog about his playing career at Notts County:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Steak-Diana-Ro ... avid+mcvay

I found this pretty funny when I read it a few years back & Eric Probert is featured in a few of the tales (he went to Notts for c 5 years after his Clarets career). Some great Jimmy Sirrel tales in there as well. Nice chucklesome light reading.

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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by dales_claret » Tue Nov 13, 2018 7:32 pm

Alanstevensonsgloves wrote:Tommy Boyle- broken hero. Not quite 60s to 80s but a gripping poignant read nonetheless

I'll second that....... best football book I have ever read

NL Claret
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by NL Claret » Tue Nov 13, 2018 10:32 pm

John Burridge and Tony Cascarino fit the age range. Read Jon Parkin's from start to finish this afternoon, found it very amusing.

Not an autobiography but an excellent read is On the Brink by Simon Hughes.

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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by gandhisflipflop » Tue Nov 13, 2018 10:40 pm

Brian clough - walking on water

tim_noone
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by tim_noone » Tue Nov 13, 2018 10:45 pm

Alanstevensonsgloves wrote:Tommy Boyle- broken hero. Not quite 60s to 80s but a gripping poignant read nonetheless
A sense of Freedom by Jimmy Boyle first published in 1977....I was 24 :cry: and could relate in a lot of ways to it.republished.

claretfern
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by claretfern » Tue Nov 13, 2018 11:26 pm

Just read Peter Crouch - How to be a Footballer. Not an autobiography, more a lighthearted look at today's modern footballers.

Steve1956
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by Steve1956 » Wed Nov 14, 2018 7:40 am

I have been chatting with a few fellow Clarets on social media,and they were telling me in Roger Eli's autobiography he reveals something that went on between Chris Pearce and Mullen,does anyone know the story tried to get hold of Roger Eli's book to find out but had no joy,could one of you guys tell me the story...please

claretabroad
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by claretabroad » Wed Nov 14, 2018 9:17 am

+1 for the Garry Nelson book. I've read a lot over the years and that one stands out.

Buxtonclaret
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by Buxtonclaret » Wed Nov 14, 2018 9:35 am

We Are Sunday League.
Ewan Flynn

Excellent book.

Rodleydave
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by Rodleydave » Wed Nov 14, 2018 10:21 am

Steve 1956... I have some Roger Eli books here

theroyaldyche
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by theroyaldyche » Wed Nov 14, 2018 10:59 am

claretfern wrote:Just read Peter Crouch - How to be a Footballer. Not an autobiography, more a lighthearted look at today's modern footballers.
Im onto.that next

NL Claret
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by NL Claret » Wed Nov 14, 2018 1:49 pm

Buxtonclaret wrote:We Are Sunday League.
Ewan Flynn

Excellent book.

Thanks for that Buxton, got it on kindle this morning and should occupy the afternoon on the sun lounger out here in Correlajo.

Good start so far.
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Mala591
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by Mala591 » Wed Nov 14, 2018 5:22 pm

Kicked Into Touch - Fred Eyre

You won't be disappointed
Last edited by Mala591 on Wed Nov 14, 2018 8:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.

NL Claret
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by NL Claret » Wed Nov 14, 2018 5:57 pm

Mala591 wrote:Kicked Into Touch - Fred Ayre

You won't be disappointed
Another breath of Fred Eyre is a good read from memory too. He used to summarise on GMR and during a game against Burnley the commentator asked him about the freeze spray when a player was getting treatment. He said he didn't know as when he was injured on the pitch the physio came on and made the noise of the spray through his teeth as it wasn't worth wasting it on him :D

Paul Hince, formerly of the Manchester Evening News - memories of a failed footballer and a crap journalist was decent too.

Steve1956
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by Steve1956 » Wed Nov 14, 2018 7:30 pm

Rodleydave wrote:Steve 1956... I have some Roger Eli books here
Could I purchase his autobiography off you RD?

oswyclaret
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by oswyclaret » Wed Nov 14, 2018 8:18 pm

just read local lad, Mick Duxberry's auto biography "its mick not mike"

Very interesting read about his time at man u through the 80's.

Also played for england in Brazil, when john barnes scored that super goal in the maracana!

see him regularly walking his dog locally!!

Foreverly Claret
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by Foreverly Claret » Wed Nov 14, 2018 8:36 pm

Try Jack Charlton:The Autobiography .Covers playing and management career...even the Leeds bit is interesting but there's a LOT more in the book than his career with Dirty Leeds.

redwasp
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by redwasp » Wed Nov 14, 2018 8:45 pm

Willie Morgans book is a great read.

Rodleydave
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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by Rodleydave » Wed Nov 14, 2018 10:42 pm

Steve1956 email me at beehivethomas at a o l dot com
or I'm @Rodleydave

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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by Rodleydave » Wed Nov 14, 2018 10:44 pm

On The Brink has a good Sean D chapter and an even better one on Accy Stanley.

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Re: Football Autobiographies

Post by Cubanclaret » Wed Nov 14, 2018 11:00 pm

The best football book I have read is probably 'The miracle of Castel Di Sangro' - a fly-on-the-wall look at a tiny Italian club who made it to Serie B for a couple of seasons, written by a bonkers US journalist who gained great access with the team and its shadowy owners.
I read 'Zlatan' last summer, and that was a surprisingly entertaining read; he's exactly what you'd expect a superstar footballer to be, full of himself, but funny with it. He had a tough upbringing and its hard to not find yourself pulling for him as his career progresses.

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