Product Description

A book in which Wilf Mannion rubs shoulders with The Sunderland Skinhead, recollections of Len Shakleton blight the lives of village shoppers, and the appointment of Kevin Keegan as manager of Newcastle is celebrated by a man in a leather stetson, crooning "For The Good Times" to the accompaniment of a midi organ. "The Far Corner" is a tale of heroism and human frailty, passion and the perils of eating an egg mayonnaise stottie without staining your trousers.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #29515 in Books
• Published on: 1995-08-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Review
** 'Savagely funny and frequently moving.some of the humour is as full-blooded as a tackle by Bryan Robson, and if at times the author wanders off at a tangent, like Chris Waddle on a bad day, then that is the capricious nature of football.' -DAILY TELEGRAPH **'Forget Nick Horby's FEVER PITCH, this is the football book of the new age, a mix of heroism, humour and Norman Hunter, but mainly humour.' SUNDAY TIMES SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR

From the Publisher
THE BEST EVER BOOK ON FOOTBALL?
Praise for THE FAR CORNER, shortlisted for the 1995 William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award:

'Forget Nick Hornby's FEVER PITCH, this is the football book of the new age, a mixture of heroism, humour and Norman Hunter, but mainly humour' SUNDAY TIMES Books of the Year

'Pearson's odyssey is an oddity, a book on the people's game to make people laugh aloud ... Recommended' PHIL SHAW in the INDEPENDENT Books of the Year

'Britain's best ever football book' NORTHERN ECHO

'Wickedly funny ... easily storms home as our Book of the Year' FLY ME TO THE MOON, Middlesbrough FC fanzine

'Savagely funny and frequently moving ... Some of the humour is as full-blooded as a tackle by Bryan Robson, and if at times the author wanders off at a tangent, like Chris Waddle on a bad day, then that is the capricious nature of football' DAILY TELEGRAPH

'A brilliant read' NEWCASTLE JOURNAL

'Not a book for those who forbear to laugh or cry out loud ... the gags come thick and fast as Pearson uses his travels in the north-east of England during the 1993-94 football season to regale us with legend, anecdote, fact and history. As an acutely observant iconoclast, nothing, not even north-east leek-growing, is allowed to remain sacred ... The book is driven by the ebullience of Pearson's own indefatigable sense of humour ... A refreshing amalgam of scholarship and scurrility, it plugs into the mind-set of the true football fan' FRANCES EDMONDS in the GUARDIAN

About the Author
Harry Pearson was born on the day Petula Clark had her first number one hit single. His cousin is married to the chairman of the Rare Breeds Society. He is very tall.

Customer Reviews

The literary equivalant of a 30 yard screamer.
“The Far Corner” is a warm homage to North East football, the title allaying to the regions geographical location as well as the more obvious football reference. Harry Pearson while in the throes of moving back to the area spent a season trawling round this football mad region watching games from all levels. Jeez, as if moving house isn’t stressful enough. He goes from the dizzy heights of the Premiership with Newcastle through to the more dubious delights of Blyth Spartans vs. Tow Law Town in the Federation Brewery Northern League Division One. In a way, this is as much a travel and to some extent an historical book as well as a football one. Mostly though it’s just bloody funny. So much so you could find yourself ,like I did ,laughing out loud on public transport, unless you go everywhere by car in which case in the interests of road safety I’d recommend you stick to reading it at home.
Most of the high comedy comes from Pearson’s empirical observations of his fellow fans but he also has a wry eye and sharp turn of phrase for the most mundane of subjects. Hence;” It was so cold the sun was wearing a balaclava”. But there is also an undertow of melancholic nostalgia as he gives brief potted histories and biographies of teams and players.
This book has been compared to “Fever Pitch” which is a bit inaccurate as that is a more forensic examination of the hardcore fans psyche and while “The Far Corner” lacks “Fever Pitch”, s poetic style it is the much funnier work. Thus we get a wincingly amusing account of Pearson’s encounter with the Sunderland Skinheed or the classic face off between two old timers on the terraces which culminates in a virtuoso performance so hilarious I almost popped a kneecap laughing.
As a strict armchair football fan, something that will earn me the eternal scorn from most of the people featured in this book, I can say it’s the only thing that makes me yearn to see a live game. Of course this soon passes as I remember I’m not that fond of frostbite and would really rather not have some twenty stone bruisers yelling vitriol in my ear throughout the game. I wish the girlfriend wouldn’t insist in coming too…As Pearson would say..”only joking”.
“The Far Corner” along with Simon Hughes “A Lot of Hard Yakka” is the most enjoyable sports book I’ve read and is a joy every time you re-visit. Read it and weep…….with laughter…Ohh and if anyone fancies commissioning a similar book about cricket in West Yorkshire , I’m up for the job!

Buy it, read it and laugh out loud.
I'm not a great reader but was originally leant this book along with Mr Pearson's account of his travels around Belgium. I owe a debt of gratitude to the lender and now intend to buy ALL of Mr Pearson's books, three I think, from Amazon. I didn't think there were books that actually make you laugh out loud, it is absolutely hilarious and gives you a real feel for football at it's grass roots. Everything form his struggles to get to far flung grounds, to the players and crowds, the refreshments they consume, are described with great humour and sometimes very touching. Reading the chapters on each match you could be standing there beside him. I've never been inspired to write a review here before, so do yourself a big favour and travel with Harry around the North East and enjoy, and laugh til you cry, the atmosphere of real football. It's a book that once you've read it you'll go back to page one and start again. Whatever Harry Pearson's earnt from his books it's not enough!

Still the pick of all football tomes
This book is the finest football work that I have had the privilege to read, and I have read many. Though I would not recommend the book to those with no interest in football, this is an outstanding- and above all, hilarious- look at all levels of the game in the north-east. Harry Pearson is a comedy genius and deserves to be a very rich man.