Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #92858 in Books
• Published on: 2007-08-30
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 288 pages

Independent on Sunday
'Extremely entertaining ... has the whiff of bestseller about it'

Independent
'Endearing comedy and raw emotion'

Sunday Times
'His account is by turns hilarious, pitiful and touching.'

Customer Reviews

A fantastic read
I was briefly tempted to give this book only 4 stars because, in order to really, really appreciate where it is coming from, I think you also need to be a football dad and that seems a bit limiting. But, on reflection, that's harsh given that it is probably only football dads who would buy the book anyway.

If you are a football dad, however, you should definitely hit it off with the book and the story. The full range of characters is there: the officious ref ("the prat in black") who can make even the most even-tempered middle class parent lose his cool, the desperate dad, the obnoxious, pushy mum who doesn't mind who she upsets as long as her (presumably) putrid offspring gets more gametime, the dedicated / obsessive chairman, the good players and the not-so-good, the early bloomer who hasn't quite fuflfilled that esrly potential (although in this case "Lee" does seem to have been unfairly struck with injuries).

You'll probably also recognise a lot of the settings: the fight between parents, dog sh*te on the pitch, aggrieved locals etc etc. I was particularly taken with the description of parents "settling in for the long haul" at the start of a tournament day.

It jusy goes to show that what we see at our kids' football is probably universal. Having said that, I don't think I've ever seen any same sex partners watching the footy in my neck of the woods!

It's not just about the football
I loved this book, the on-going story of a man managing a junior football team is intertwined around his feelings about his son growing up and the effect this has on their relationship. I thought there was a great mix of humour, intersting insights from ex-players and just a tiny hint of melancholy.

Loved it
I coach under 12s, including my son of course, and found it very reassuring and funny to read so many things I went through.
Excellent message for some coaches and parents who may have lost the plot about why kids play football