Listmania!
Football Books
All I Want for Christmas...All I Want for Christmas... by Iwan Roberts
Buy new: £7.19 / Used from: £3.39
Great, quick summer read. Roberts is a good guy you can't help but cheer for and do a little research to see how he's doing now.
Back from the Brink: The AutobiographyBack from the Brink: The Autobiography by Paul McGrath
Buy used from: £4.16
A very sobering book. In more ways than one. Best footballer's biography ever.
Full Time: The Secret Life of Tony CascarinoFull Time: The Secret Life of Tony Cascarino by Paul Kimmage
Buy used from: £0.01
Great read. Cascarino is frank, honest, and candid. Until McGrath's book, perhaps the best footballer's bio out there.
Baghdad FC: Iraq's Football Story - A Hidden History of Sport and TyrannyBaghdad FC: Iraq's Football Story - A Hidden History of Sport and Tyranny by Simon Freeman
Buy used from: £0.01
Everything you need to know about Iraq in a football context. Very interesting read, albeit not thoroughly researched, for reasons expressd in the book.
The Heart of the GameThe Heart of the Game by Jimmy Greaves
Buy new: £18.04 / Used from: £0.01
Greaves, ever the iconoclast, longs for a simpler time. He makes some excellent points in this book, and some great old stories. Even better if you're up to speed with the main characters in them.
Tales From The Boot CampsTales From The Boot Camps by Steve Claridge
Buy new: £7.03 / Used from: £0.57
Read this one hoping for another Left Foot Forward. It isn't, but Claridge is frank and up front about his gambling issues, and life at the lower levels is still fascinating. Good read.
Left Foot Forward: A Year in the Life of a Journeyman FootballerLeft Foot Forward: A Year in the Life of a Journeyman Footballer by Garry Nelson
Buy new: £5.48 / Used from: £0.01
Instant classic. Along with Fever Pitch, it opened the floodgates for the football book renaissance. Still a great read, years later.
PointlessPointless by Jeff Connor
Buy used from: £3.91
Read it quickly. Lots of names that are easy to mingle up if you let them. Could have done a better job of showing how frustrating it must be to get involved in this type of situation.
Giggs: The AutobiographyGiggs: The Autobiography by Ryan Giggs
Buy new: £6.95 / Used from: £3.92
Awful. I hoped for insight. None was coming. Don't waste your money unless you're getting it for a 12 year old.
My Idea Of Fun: The Autobiography: The AutobiogaphyMy Idea Of Fun: The Autobiography: The Autobiogaphy by Lee Sharpe
Buy used from: £0.01
Fun read. Sharpe is paradoxically a very laid back and insecure person / player. A good read since he's out of the game now.
Who's the B*****d in the Black?: Confessions of a Premiership RefereeWho's the B*****d in the Black?: Confessions of a Premiership Referee by Jeff Winter
Buy new: £5.99 / Used from: £0.01
It appears Mr. Winter and reality have yet to shake hands. A little too self-important to be taken seriously. No wonder he was such an umpopular referee/
Manchester United: The Untold StoryManchester United: The Untold Story by Ned Kelly
Buy new: £15.30 / Used from: £0.01
I loved it. Lots of books promise the "inside goods" - this one actually delivers. lots of fun gossipy bits.
Only a Game?: The Diary of a Professional FootballerOnly a Game?: The Diary of a Professional Footballer by Eamon Dunphy
Buy new: £5.47 / Used from: £0.01
I have to admit, this one didn't live up to the hype. It's a book every footie fan is supposed to love; it's good, and interestingly insighful, but gets a bit too slow for such an emotional man.
The Crazy Gang: The Inside Story of Vinnie, Harry, Fash and Wimbledon FCThe Crazy Gang: The Inside Story of Vinnie, Harry, Fash and Wimbledon FC by Matt Allen
Buy new: £11.35 / Used from: £5.14
No bad, not great. Would have loved to read more "fly on the wall" anecdotes about the crazy gang. Not a lot you didn't already know if you read Four Four Two with any amount of regularity.
Blessed: The AutobiographyBlessed: The Autobiography by George Best
Buy new: £5.97 / Used from: £0.01
A tragic book. Best has such guarded optimism by the end (waiting for a liver transplant), but we all know how it ends. He's not totally honest with himself, but reveals more than most football bios
Left Foot in the Grave?Left Foot in the Grave? by Garry Nelson
Buy used from: £0.01
Nelson does it again. Reading about how the other 95% live is always enightening. Drawback - ephemeral tone is wearing story down. Wish I read it years ago, so I could follow up on the players.
El Diego: The Autobiography of the World's Greatest FootballerEl Diego: The Autobiography of the World's Greatest Footballer by Diego Maradona
Buy new: £5.64 / Used from: £0.01
The statements about Peter Shilton are worth the cost of the book alone. Intentional or not, a very funny read.
Foul!: The Secret World of FIFA: Bribes, Vote Rigging and Ticket ScandalsFoul!: The Secret World of FIFA: Bribes, Vote Rigging and Ticket Scandals by Andrew Jennings
Buy new: £6.47 / Used from: £2.70
You'll never look at the people we trust to take care of "The beautiful game" the same way again. Eye-opening book.
The KingThe King by Denis Law
Buy new: £9.49 / Used from: £0.01
A bit stale in places, but overall a good read from a great player. An interesting perspective on a rollercoaster era in United's history.
The Miracle of Castel di SangroThe Miracle of Castel di Sangro by Joe McGinniss
Buy new: £7.66 / Used from: £0.36
McGinniss is a times an insightful observer; at other times a know-it-all American. The balance shifts regularly, keeping you on your toes.
Pele: The AutobiographyPele: The Autobiography by Pele
Buy new: £4.78 / Used from: £0.01
What can you say, it's Pele! There's a lot to say, so it's hard to complain that it's quick in parts. I'd like to have learned more about the man - Edson, than the player - Pele. Good, not great.
Best and EdwardsBest and Edwards by Gordon Burn
Buy new: £5.69 / Used from: £0.10
An uneven book. At times very insightful and informative, other times a long, slow read.
Any Chance of a Game?: A Season at the Ugly End of Park FootballAny Chance of a Game?: A Season at the Ugly End of Park Football by Barney Ronay
Buy new: £9.89 / Used from: £0.01
A quick read - as a thirtysometing has-been (never was?) it's easy to see a bit of yourself in this story.
Determined: My AutobiographyDetermined: My Autobiography by Norman Whiteside
Buy new: £18.04 / Used from: £12.98
After reading this book you'll know that Whiteside is... Determined. Wish he had gone in-depth into both the drink culture and his post-football life.
My Favourite Year: A Collection of New Football WritingMy Favourite Year: A Collection of New Football Writing
Buy new: £5.59 / Used from: £0.01
A good collection of football essays. lots of smaller clubs represented.