Product Description

The King of the King's Road and a vital player in England's bid for victory at the 2006 World Cup, Frank Lampard is a footballer of genuine, dynamic majesty. The East End boy who's become a West End star, he's hailed by fans, critics, players and managers worldwide as a goal-scoring genius. His tireless achievements for club and country have established him as a bona fide legend in the game, and his performance at the heart of Chelsea's triumphant 2005 domestic and promising Champions League campaign confirmed that 'Lamps' is the perfect, highly tuned, magnificent midfield machine. He is now lauded by such luminaries as Jose Mourinho, Carlos Alberta and Johann Cruyff as a 'fulltime galactico' and 'the best player in the world'. This fascinating book chronicles Frank Lampard's inspiring journey from apprentice schoolboy to worldwide fame; it's the must-read, glorious story of a modern sporting hero and England's greatest hope for the 2006 World Cup.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #140434 in Books
• Published on: 2006-05-26
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 279 pages

About the Author
Douglas Thompson is a bestselling biographer, whose titles include Cilla - The Biography, Madonna, Queen of the World and was co-author on Christine Keeler's autobiography, The Truth at Last. He has spent his working life divided between London and Los Angeles, where he is a top Hollywood reporter.

Customer Reviews

wow! great book!
This is some book. As a lifelong fan of Douglas Thompson, the Jimmy Greaves of pulp fiction, I am not surprised he brought to life one of football's famously reclusive personalities. King of the King's Road - no suggestion here of the nasty rumours sweeping the net about Frank's leanings! - and a vital player in England's bid for victory at the 2006 World Cup, Frankie Lampard is a footballer of genuine, dynamic majesty, limited only as Douglas says by his penchant for stodgey food. The East End boy who's become a West End star, he's hailed by fans, women, critics, players and managers worldwide as a player of great value. So does this book tell us anything new? Yes and no. Yes, we learn that Franky is a rich chap and no we don't know what makes him tick. Even so it's a great beach read. Personally I think Douglas should stick to novels which is where his strength is. Why waste such talent on a footballer of such limited brain power? Douglas was built for bigger things than this.

the tank is back!
Anyone who is old enough to have played with Douglas `the fat tank' Thompson knows that he was one heck of a player. Every Sunday, rain or shine, for many years Doug would be there on a rain soaked, dog smeared pitch doing his best for his team, the Fleet Street Strollers. In those days Doug was younger than he is today and a lot lighter judging by the photo of him in this book. Always a lover of a pint and packet or two of pork scratchings after a game Doug was never a slim bloke.To us lads he was `the fat tank' as he was so cumbersome he could not turn, as if he was a tank which had eaten too much. Or a super tanker. How many pints and pork scratchings has he had since we broke up? Once we were playing against the best team of the year, all younger than us and employed as printers, Doug set off on one of his mad `runs' belly a-wobbling and face set in a mad stare. The opponents knew better than to get in the way of him. There was no happy ending, only Doug falling flat on his face as his legs gave way under the strain. Cue uproar on both sides. Not Doug as he did not see himself as a figure of fun, Peter Sellers in football shorts. Hanging up his boots Doug has turned to books. Never one to boast he infuses this book with a sense of his own worth, as if he knows what it is like to be Frank Lampard. Bluster as much as you want Doug you and I know you were not in his league. With a strong trainer who could have curtailed his beer and scratching intake who knows if Doug could not have plied himself in trade at a lowly club like Crewe or Aldershot. It was not to be. Lovers of great football writing should be thankful. As a book about Lampard this is of little import As an adventure and exploration into himself by a great writer it is a truly memorable experience.Please buy this book and rescue someone who deserves better.