Product Description

Barry Fry is one of the most colourful characters in English football. Currently at Peterborough, his journeyman career has taken him to Old Trafford, where as a player he was one of the original Busby Babes, through to football management at Barnet, Southend and Birmingham, among other clubs. Wherever he goes, 'Bazza' has a knack of making the headlines. His days as a youth apprentice for Manchester United saw plenty of action on the pitch as he came under the tutelage of Matt Busby -- but even more off it as he joined the likes of George Best on 'a binge of birds, booze and betting'. He quickly gained the reputation of 'the has-been that never was'. Playing stints at Luton, Bedford and Stevenage failed to inspire a reckless Fry, and it wasn't long before injury forced him to hang up his boots. His first managerial role was at Dunstable, where Fry recalls with sharp humour how the chairman had suitcases full of currency in his office with hitmen protecting them. He followed this with spells at Maidstone and Barnet, -- where he joined forces with the notorious Stan Flashman and proved his pedigree by gaining the club promotion into the League -- and Southend, where he was responsible for bringing on a young Stan Collymore. It wasn't long before he was poached by Birmingham under owner and ex-pornographer David Sullevan and his glamorous sidekick, Karren Brady -- about whom stories in the book will 'blow people's minds'. Whether it's tax evasion, fraud, transfer bribes or chicanery in the dressing room, Barry Fry has experienced it all as a player, manager and now club owner. He is ready to tell everything in his autobiography -- 'Enough to make your eyes water'.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #168615 in Books
• Published on: 2001-08-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

About the Author
Phil Rostron is a freelance sportswriter whose career includes over 20 years working at the Express and the Daily Star. His other books include autobiographies of Willy Carson and Henry Cecil.

Customer Reviews

A riveting read, warts and all.
A totally honest and open account of Barry Fry`s life. This is a book that leaves you continually smiling and chuckling all the way through. Barry is one of the few people to put his failure to make the grade as a footballer down to himself.
Some of the characters in this book you couldn`t make up if you tried. A great read and a bargain at this price.

A real character
This is the hidden world of Barry Fry. In his words, he tells of the hidden events which take place behind closed doors of the clubs of which he has injected his character and passion. A must for all football fans as Barry Fry, reflects quite openly on his family, friends and managerial career. A great book, a christmas present finished by boxing day!

How can you hate this bloke?
This is a must read and was money well spent it goes through the life and times of what we all know and love is Barry Fry. It starts from his days at an apprentice at Manchester Utd and his main triumph there was keeping up with George Best's drinking as he states in the book. It goes on through his times at Barnet when he had Stan Flashman as his chairman, from the book he makes Hannibal Lector look like a pussy cat. At Barnet he also signed Jimmy Greaves (at the very end of his career, i.e unfit). It moves onto his time at Southend and working with Stan Collymore then onto Birmingham and his relationship with certain players and members of the board. And finally onto Peterborough and the ups and downs of his turbulent career at London Road and how he was saved by the 'Pizza Man' millionaire chairman Peter Boizot. As much as some people like to loathe him and say he knows nothing about football once you start reading this book you won't put it down, I know I didn't.