Best Books On Football

[Ian Pethick]

Following on from my thread on another section of this site recommending Ian Ridley- Floodlit Dreams as a fine read, I thought I would throw it open to other people's favourite books on football. Personally, I always prefer reading out the less obvious and well known people and stories. I have been given many pretty awful autobiographies on the big names for Christmas, they usually find there way to the charity shop soon after New Years Day.

My top 5 are as follows;

 

Robin Friday, The Best Footballer You Never Saw- Paolo Hewitt .

All Played Out - Pete Davies

Left Foot Forward - Garry Nelson

The Glory, Glory Game - Hunter Davies

Friday Night Lights - HG Bissinger ( OK, it's American Football. Still brilliant though).

 

 

[Martin Eddy]

Reading a book at the moment:

No Hunger In Paradise - Michael Calvin

all about clubs,academies and dreams.

highly recommend 

[fenman]

I'm an avid reader , sometimes I will read 5 to 6 books a week < I must be my libraries top loaner , I read a weird variety of books , crime thrillers , engineering books , science , architecture , , art and history . I tend to look at some of the biographies on the shelves and ask myself who is he or she , or was has he or she done . In most cases it's very little and the books have no interest to me . However some football biographies are really interesting reading ,mainly because they are by people who have long retired  and detail a genuinely interesting life . Currently I'm reading Alan Hodgekinsons  biography . He was England's goalie in the 60's prior to the 66 world cup . There's some really interesting tales about the attitudes of the FA  and club owners during his time .

 I must admit , I will read anything about Brian Clough or Fred Truman the cricketer .. Both of them were great characters and the sport world is crying out for someone like them today . I suppose Mouriniou  is the nearest to it . One of my favourite Cloughie stories is about  him trying to get Larry Lloyd to sign for him . He went round to his house and pleaded with him to sign and Lloyd was wavering  , Clough noticed that Lloyd's wife was doing the washing by hand .Lloyd said they couldn't afford a washing machine . Clough said that if he signed he would buy him a washing machine himself . Lloyd signed and the machine was delivered and installed ./ On his first training day Lloyd was introduced to the other players and the rest of the staff . The kit woman said " you're the new player whose got my washing machine are you ? I'm having to wash the dirty kit by hand  thanks to you and Mr. Clough .

[CornishWall]

Tony cascarino's book is a very honest and candid look into the life of a professional footballer. Its called full time and well worth a read. Agree with the Robin friday one and like most have said Brian Clough is a legend,everyone has a cloughie story. Cant beat a good football book.

[Dave Deacon]

11 hours ago, Way Of The Park said:

The Glory, Glory Game - Hunter Davies

Really enjoyed this one! 👍

[gingerninja]

2 great autobiographies I've read are Harry Redknapp's and Linvoy Primus'. Both brilliant for different reasons 

[isaac rosenberg]

David Peace's book on Cloughie at Leeds United was enjoyable. Recommend anything by Simon Kuper. Look forward to the first miscellany of writing by Hugh McIlvanney. Peter Crouch wellcwirth reading...not ghosted.

[Brianmooreshead]

" My father and other working class football heroes " by Gary Imlach is a lovely well written book

 

[rougvie]

Agree on All Played Out (my favourite), Left Foot Forward and The Glory, Glory Game. I'd also add Only A Game by Eamon Dunphy and, a bit more up to date, The Bottom Corner by Nige Tassell (' a season with the dreamers of non-league football'). There's plenty in it that'll be familiar to followers of Cornish football.

And as a kid I loved Goalkeepers Are Different by Brian Glanville.