DuncanEwart Posted March 19, 2017 Report Share Posted March 19, 2017 There aren't many good ones really but I would recommend two: Striker by Michael Irwin The autobiography of the fictional centre forward Vince Gilpin as he recounts his life and career from the lower echelons of English football to playing in the European Cup. Sounds trite I know, but written well. The Blinder by Barry Hines Hines first novel and up there with "A Kestrel For A Knave" in my opinion, and still one of my favourite novels. The story of schoolboy footballer Lennie Hawk, who has to get permission from the headmaster to make his first team debut for the local First Division club (and so forgo playing for the school team). Things start to unravel for Lennie on and off the pitch through his affair with his schoolteacher's wife and his dalliance with the Chairman's daughter. Hines perceptive views on working class life are to the fore. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuncanEwart Posted March 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 Other half decent ones I've just remembered are Robin Jenkins story of one small town team and their Junior Cup run "The Thistle & The Grail" and the two David Peace novels "The Damned Utd" (Brian Clough and Leeds) and "Red Or Dead" (Bill Shankly and Liverpool). I'd love to see Peace write the same sort of novel with Jock Stein at its centre. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme S Posted March 28, 2017 Report Share Posted March 28, 2017 On 3/26/2017 at 7:44 PM, DuncanEwart said: Other half decent ones I've just remembered are Robin Jenkins story of one small town team and their Junior Cup run "The Thistle & The Grail" and the two David Peace novels "The Damned Utd" (Brian Clough and Leeds) and "Red Or Dead" (Bill Shankly and Liverpool). I'd love to see Peace write the same sort of novel with Jock Stein at its centre. I agree there are not too many good football novels out there. Most of my football reading has been on less popular topics such as "A Season with Verona","Miracle of Castel Di Sangro" "32 Programmes" "Bromley Boys" "Morbo" "A Life too short" "Provided You Don't Kiss Me" Andy McLarens "Tormented" was a decent read too. Suggestions welcome as I am always looking for a good book. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historyman Posted April 14, 2017 Report Share Posted April 14, 2017 I loved the Damned United but got bored very quickly with Red or Dead. I assumed that Peace was trying to get across the drudgery and monotonous nature of training / playing / training season after season. That's how it seemed to me. Found it very hard to read. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sp3ckyh0td0g81 Posted April 14, 2017 Report Share Posted April 14, 2017 Harry Redknapps Autobiography was a cracking read, and Jeff Stellings book, Jellyman throws a wobbler was a good laugh 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuncanEwart Posted April 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2017 On 4/14/2017 at 9:49 AM, historyman said: I loved the Damned United but got bored very quickly with Red or Dead. I assumed that Peace was trying to get across the drudgery and monotonous nature of training / playing / training season after season. That's how it seemed to me. Found it very hard to read. I agree "Red or Dead" is very hard to read and while I also thought the repetitive nature of the prose was primarily an attempt to reflect the repetitive nature of football, there is also an explanation to be made with regard to Peace as a modern Gothic writer: deja vu, "a feeling of having already experienced the present situation", is a central Gothic trope and it manifests itself in repeated events, actions, situations, words and phrases. I have to admit, once I became accustomed to the rhythm of the writing I became quite consumed by "Red or Dead", to the extent that for about a week after finishing the novel I found myself actually missing Shankly's voice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historyman Posted April 19, 2017 Report Share Posted April 19, 2017 Well that is way too deep for me! The latest Brian Clough biography by Jonathon Wilson was a pretty good read as well. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuncanEwart Posted April 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 I never realised until reading "Red or Dead" just how good a football player Ian St John was, and how integral he was to Shankly's Liverpool. I only knew him from "Saint & Greavsie", and knew he had played for Liverpool, but I never knew just how important a player he was to them. I also never knew Liverpool were set to sign Lou Macari from Celtic until Man Utd stepped in. In the book, Jock Stein phones Shankly and asks him what happened. Shankly explains that Man Utd offered Macari the one thing Liverpool couldn't: "First team fitba, John. First team fitba." 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carpetfitter Posted June 2, 2017 Report Share Posted June 2, 2017 On 18/04/2017 at 7:46 PM, DuncanEwart said: I agree "Red or Dead" is very hard to read and while I also thought the repetitive nature of the prose was primarily an attempt to reflect the repetitive nature of football, there is also an explanation to be made with regard to Peace as a modern Gothic writer: deja vu, "a feeling of having already experienced the present situation", is a central Gothic trope and it manifests itself in repeated events, actions, situations, words and phrases. I have to admit, once I became accustomed to the rhythm of the writing I became quite consumed by "Red or Dead", to the extent that for about a week after finishing the novel I found myself actually missing Shankly's voice. There's only so many times that you can read about Bill doing the housework chores or the players training routines. I understand the deliberate attempt to convey the repetitive nature of work, life etc but for me it ended up just boring. I had no idea about the 'Gothic trope'. Interesting. I attributed the use of repetition as a device to convey the routines of industrial life and working class experience. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaucyJackPirate Posted June 6, 2017 Report Share Posted June 6, 2017 This is way out the road so apologies, but I just discovered my Roy of the Rovers comics from the reboot in late 93/94 I believe. As much as nostalgia is obviously swaying me (especially as this was such a great time at our own club) this is a fantastic continuation of the old Roy of the Rovers comics, and a great way of rationalising the legacy of them. The art featuring the players of the times including Giggs and Vinnie Jones is a lot of fun. The prevalence of a relegation battle rather than a title run a the time I'm sure spoke to me, but I was surprised at how much this stuff held up. I'm missing a few issues but I think I might try scan these in as the lack of availability of these is a bit saddening. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuncanEwart Posted June 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2017 I remember Roy Of The Rovers when it was in Tiger, before Roy Race got a comic all of his own! I was more a Hot-Shot Hamish fan, I must admit. Does any one remember Jon Stark the football mercenary, "matchwinner for hire"? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi2 Posted June 9, 2017 Report Share Posted June 9, 2017 On 6/7/2017 at 9:46 PM, DuncanEwart said: I remember Roy Of The Rovers when it was in Tiger, before Roy Race got a comic all of his own! I was more a Hot-Shot Hamish fan, I must admit. Does any one remember Jon Stark the football mercenary, "matchwinner for hire"? Jon Stark of 'Football Picture Story Monthly' was indeed really good. Loved Roy of the Rovers in the 80s. Favourite books all mentioned already which are The Thistle & The Grail, A Season with Verona ,Miracle of Castel Di Sangro,and 32 Programmes, all excellent. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuncanEwart Posted June 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2017 2 minutes ago, Jedi2 said: Jon Stark of 'Football Picture Story Monthly' was indeed really good. Loved Roy of the Rovers in the 80s. Favourite books all mentioned already which are The Thistle & The Grail, A Season with Verona ,Miracle of Castel Di Sangro,and 32 Programmes, all excellent. I read Jon Stark's adventures in a comic called Scoop in the late seventies (have to confess, I remembered the character but had to look up the name of the publication). This is a great article about him http://www.stuffbypaulbrown.com/jon-stark-footballer-of-the-future/ 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuncanEwart Posted January 2, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2018 Not a football novel, but "The Nowhere Men" by Michael Calvin, about the role of the scout in modern football, is well worth anyone's time and money. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historyman Posted May 10, 2018 Report Share Posted May 10, 2018 I've just got The Greatest Comeback for my birthday, the biography of Bela Guttmann who was a holocaust survivor who went on to coach Benfica to the European Cup. Looks excellent. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historyman Posted May 10, 2018 Report Share Posted May 10, 2018 I've just got The Greatest Comeback for my birthday, the biography of Bela Guttmann who was a holocaust survivor who went on to coach Benfica to the European Cup. Looks excellent. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggy Posted June 14, 2018 Report Share Posted June 14, 2018 Not a novel as such, but Saturday 3pm by Daniel Gray is a great wee book about the delights of modern football. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chubbs Posted June 16, 2018 Report Share Posted June 16, 2018 Jon Stark of 'Football Picture Story Monthly' was indeed really good. Loved Roy of the Rovers in the 80s. Favourite books all mentioned already which are The Thistle & The Grail, A Season with Verona ,Miracle of Castel Di Sangro,and 32 Programmes, all excellent. Did you not have the Melchester Rovers kit in P6/7 ? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All the Wine Posted June 17, 2018 Report Share Posted June 17, 2018 Defender, Striker and ehhhh Sweeper, by Steve Bruce are all epic literary tomes 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi2 Posted July 4, 2018 Report Share Posted July 4, 2018 On 6/16/2018 at 2:47 AM, chubbs said: Did you not have the Melchester Rovers kit in P6/7 ? Well remembered! I did indeed...probably still have it somewhere-though obviously a tad small now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chubbs Posted July 4, 2018 Report Share Posted July 4, 2018 1 hour ago, Jedi2 said: Well remembered! I did indeed...probably still have it somewhere-though obviously a tad small now. My strip from 3years ago would be a tad tight now never mind nearly 40yrs ago. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi2 Posted July 5, 2018 Report Share Posted July 5, 2018 Really enjoying 'Home and Away: Writing the Beautiful Game' by Karl Ove Knausgaard. An exchange of letters between two writers, one in Sweden, the other in Brazil sharing their experiences of watching the 2014 World Cup. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuncanEwart Posted July 22, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2018 Not a novel but I've just read "Stramash" by Daniel Gray. Gray visits the towns of Ayr, Alloa, Cowdenbeath, Coatbridge, Montrose, Kirkcaldy, Greenock, Arbroath, Dingwall, Cumbernauld, Dumfries and Elgin during the 2009/10 season, attending a game in each town and explaining the social and footballing history of each place and mentioning places of interest to visit. My two favourite chapters were Coatbridge (Summerlee Industrial Museum, Albion Rovers and Victor Kasule) and Cowdenbeath (mining, firebrand left wing politics and the reason why the pub in Irvine Welsh's story "The Kingdom Of Fife" is called "The New Goth"). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi2 Posted July 23, 2018 Report Share Posted July 23, 2018 Yes, 'Stramash' is really good. As you say, the social history of the towns he visits. makes for a good read. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuncanEwart Posted July 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2018 I've just ordered Jake Arnott's "The Devil's Paintbrush" about Victorian soldier Sir Hector MacDonald after reading about him in Gray's chapter on Dingwall (and he does recommend the novel). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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