Product Description

When David Johnson needed an excuse to go to the first game of the season, he told his wife he was writing a book about following Stoke City. The alarming outcome of this deceit, of course, was that he actually did have to write a book about following Stoke City. The result is a funny and thoughtful account of one of England s most unfashionable club's historic promotion to the Premier League for the first time in their history. But it s much more than that. Tie Me To The Mast is a book for football fans everywhere, for anyone going through (or considering) a mid-life crisis, for paranoid parents, for the millions of us who struggle to load a dishwasher and for anyone who feels slightly at odds with what s expected of them.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #49767 in Books
• Published on: 2008-09-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 228 pages

Review
... the book is funny, sharp, sometimes startlingly personal, and deserves an audience far beyond the Potteries. Andrew Baker, Daily Telegraph "It takes a lot to make me laugh out loud at something, but I did several times while reading it... The book lets you delve into the thoughts of a man in his forties, on the feeling of being a father, a husband, a friend and a football fan." Stoke Sentinel

About the Author
David Johnson works for the Evening Sentinel in Stoke.

Customer Reviews

A smashing book for fans of ALL football clubs
What a great book this is. As a Stoke City fan I bought it to help me to re-live a season in which we got promoted to the Premier League, but to fans of ALL football clubs this book would be a welcome addition to their bookshelf. As David says, the whole football experience is as much about the great world wide family of fans as it is about the players or the owners of clubs. David succeeds in lifting the lid on the passion, tension and divided loyalties experienced by any follower of a football club. I had to keep on reminding myself that this was his first book - so well does he capture the mood swings, the highs and lows and the downright idiocy of being a fan. And his wry observations on fatherhood, friendship and family life suggest that, if he wants to write it, there is another great book in there itching to get out if he can persuade Alison that it can help pay for more kitchen equipment! Well done David on giving me my most enjoyable read this year.

A truly great read
I absolutely loved this book. It's funny and intelligent and it captures the drama of last season perfectly. As a Stoke fan it was brilliant to re-live such a historic season and this book means we'll always have a souvenir, no matter what happens in the Premier League. I agree with Stevo from Glasgow - the parts away from the games are hilarious and sometimes quite moving. It's not a dull list of stats and game reports, thank god, it's a book that will appeal to all Stokies, to all football fans, and to anyone who just wants a laugh. I saw a review in the Telegraph and they were raving about it as well, saying it deserved to travel far beyond the Potteries - couldn't agree more.

Excellent!!
A superb read that I couldn't put down.

Wonderfully observed and very funny indeed.

Well done!