Bring Me the Head of Trevor Brooking


Book Description

West Ham United last won a major trophy in 1980, but the roller-coaster ride of the past three decades has produced enough twists and turns, heroes and villains and contrasting emotions to grace the script of the most thrilling TV soap opera. Since Trevor Brooking headed home the FA Cup final winner against Arsenal, the Hammers have experienced delight and despair in not so equal measure, with a cast of controversial characters - either adored or abhorred - playing the key roles in a tale of fact rather than fiction. The saving of the club by David Sullivan and David Gold, as West Ham stared into the financial abyss following the ill-fated Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson reign, is the latest chapter in a saga that includes numerous promotions and relegations, great escapes, contentious changes of ownership and management, internal feuds, bust-ups and power struggles, the Carlos Tevez affair and the passing of legends Ron Greenwood, John Lyall and Bobby Moore, as well as several false dawns in the endless quest for success. Including exclusive interviews with key protoganists, Bring Me the Head of Trevor Brooking tells - for the very first time - the inside story behind 60 of the most significant developments at Upton Park in the modern era. Whether examining the contributions of Paolo Di Canio, Harry Redknapp and Frank McAvennie or Gianfranco Zola, Marco Boogers and Iain Dowie, the book celebrates the good, the bad and the ugly of West Ham United.




Get Me a Celebrity!


Book Description

"Get Me A Celebrity!" is Stanley Jackson's hilarious account of famous personalities from the world of sport, show business, politics and the media generating extra income for themselves in the corporate market. Stanley lifts the veil on this little known area of celebrity activity. The book also examines the crucial role of TV in creating celebrities, the use of agents and a host of contentious issues from political correctness to the perceived impartiality of the BBC.




Always Managing


Book Description

The Sunday Times no.1 bestselling memoir from Harry Redknapp ‘From kicking a ball as a kid under the street lamps of Poplar and standing on Highbury's North Bank with my dad, to my first game at West Ham, I was born head over heels in love with football. It saved me, and 50 years on that hasn't changed one bit - I'd be lost without it...’ Harry is the manager who has seen it all - from a dismal 70s Portakabin at Oxford City and training pitches with trees in the middle to the unbeatable highs of the Premiership, lifting the FA Cup and taking on Real Madrid in the Champions League. With his much loved, no-nonsense delivery, Harry brings us a story filled with passion and humour that takes you right inside every drama of his career. Harry finally tells the full story of all the controversial ups and downs - the pain and heartache of his court case, the England job, his love for Bobby Moore, his adventures at Portsmouth with Milan Mandaric, the Southampton debacle, Tottenham and Daniel Levy, and not forgetting his years at West Ham or the challenges at his current club QPR. It’s the epic journey of one of the great managers and, along the way, the story of the British game itself over the last five decades. In an era now dominated by foreign coaches Harry is the last of an old-fashioned breed of English football man - one who has managed to move with the times and always come out fighting.




I've Got Mail


Book Description

'An entertaining read, especially for those who like to share their Saturday afternoons with Jeff and the Gang' The Sun I've Got Mail is the brand new book from Jeff Stelling, the Sunday Times bestselling author and host of Sky Sports' iconic football show Soccer Saturday. Reproducing a selection of correspondence he has received down the years, Stelling tells some intriguing stories around his experiences in broadcasting and football. This charming book is by turns warm and funny, moving and poignant, and invariably underpinned by a deeply rooted love of football and people. "It arrived while I was playing football. I remember my mum running towards me, dressed in pinny and slippers, waving a piece of flesh coloured paper, gripped in her hand, the print all in slightly faded block capitals. But the message from my new employer was clear and urgent. BERNARD GENT UNWELL. GO TO LEEDS IMMEDIATELY. COVER LEEDS UNITED V MIDDLESBROUGH It was the first and last telegram I ever received. It was a message that probably changed the course of my life. It was the first of many pieces of correspondence during my life which have made me laugh, cry or perhaps influenced my pathway in a more significant way. Receiving letters by post or via e-mail has always been important to me. Even now I feel slightly disappointed if the postman passes the door without anything for me, even though I know the chances are it will be a bill, a parking fine, a bank statement or a catalogue offering me clothing or garden furniture. The same applies when my inbox is empty save for someone offering a deal on a used car or urging me to change my energy provider. These days my mail is often from total strangers, usually with a simple birthday or autograph request. But at times the correspondence is emotional, and sometimes it is angry. Occasionally I'm entrusted with personal issues that the correspondents probably would not tell their closest friends. The only thing they all have in common is they start 'Dear Jeff'. Or almost all do..."




Old Enough to Know Better - Mal Pope's Autobiography


Book Description

This the autobiography of the singer, writer and broadcaster, Mal Pope. Mal was born in Brynhyfryd, Swansea, and as a teenager he sent a tape of songs he had written to John Peel on Radio 1 and was invited to perform on John's Sounds of the Seventies show. Six weeks later Mal was signed to Elton John's Rocket record company.




It Shouldn’t Happen to a Manager


Book Description

After 40 years in football management, there’s not a lot I haven’t seen. There’ve been big highs, but a fair share of lows too. When I have to make difficult decisions, I make a point of avoiding newspapers, phone-ins, Twitter – all of it. But there’s always a load of armchair-pundits waiting to start on me. Being a manager has never been easy, but between the fans and the media it often feels impossible to get it right. In It Shouldn’t Happen to a Manager, I talk about how different the job is now from what it was like when I used to play. For one, managers used to drive up and down motorways all day to scout for players – now there’s so much analysis and global scouting. It’s a different thing, completely. In this book, I share everything I’ve learnt from a lifetime of both wins and losses, and wisdom from greats like Cloughie and Ferguson. I’ll tell you about what actually happens in the dressing room, including when Clough smashed the door off its hinges; the bust-ups at full-time, like when I kicked a tray of sandwiches on Don Hutchinson’s head; and the times when I had to swap an arm round a player’s shoulder for a boot up the arse. It’s my guide to being a manager, the Harry way.




Jamie Johnson 2: Shoot to Win


Book Description

Jamie Johnson can't believe his luck. He's playing for Kingfield School in the Cup semi-final, and scouts from his favourite club, Hawkstone United, are coming to watch! This is Jamie's big chance. He's determined to shoot to win! But there are some people who don't want Jamie to achieve glory. As the biggest game of his life approaches, Jamie is horrified to find himself taken off the team. Just when he has everything to play for, is he going to miss his chance to score?




Leeds, Money, and Misery Me


Book Description

For the die-hard followers of Leeds United, the last twenty years have brought far too few reasons to be cheerful. Far more prominent are the depressing lows. ‘Doing a Leeds’ is the lazy strapline that is trotted out whenever a club over-reaches itself financially and comes a cropper with the financials heading south. The lot of the United fan is not a happy one, but still they come, week in and week out, with their fervent chants of ‘Marching on Together’ and ‘Champions of Europe’, hoping that this will finally be the year, but recognising the improbability of that dream. Mistakes were made along the way, and this could have been a very different tale if a wiser course had been followed. But that would have been far, far too simple for the many-headed beast that is Leeds United Football Club! This book tells the tale of the last two decades, the hopes and dreams of one of the most committed sets of fans in Europe and the men who let them down and abused their trust. It is a story that simply must be read, whether you’re a fan of the Whites or not.




Best, Pele and a Half-Time Bovril: A Nostalgic Look at the 1970s - Football's Last Great Decade


Book Description

THE 1970S - THE LAST DECADE WHEN EVERY FAN OF EVERY CLUB COULD WISH FOR THE STARS.For supporters of provincial lightweights like Derby County, Nottingham Forest and Leeds United, their wishes came true in the seventies when they landed the Division One title. It was the decade of the underdog - when the FA Cup was still football's Holy Grail and teams like Sunderland, Ipswich and Southampton came in from the sticks to produce their own brand of Wembley magic. It is not like that today.It was the decade when every team had its characters: Stan Bowles, Charlie George, Duncan McKenzie, Frank Worthington, Tony Currie, Rodney Marsh. These personalities are gone now, replaced by an influx of anonymous foreign journeymen.This book harks back to a lost era when the game still belonged to the fans; they could identify with the players, recognise their heroes, and believe they all had a shot at glory.It remembers dramatic matches packed with action and controversy; recalls mercurial managers like Shankly, Clough, Revie and the Doc - and asks the question: who was the finest player from football's last great decade?




Any Old Iron


Book Description

';.... Graham's words bring home the passion that is in a true WestHam supporter ... It is a well known fact that West Ham supportersare amongst the most passionate, loyal, knowledgeable andunderstanding fans.'ALAN DEVONSHIRE AND TONY GALE (WEST HAM UNITED)';... this book is a must for any true West Ham Fan.'LEN HERBERT-SECRETARY OF THE BOYS OF ';86';... I really enjoyed this book. It is written by a consummate HammersFan whose love for his team comes across clearly.'WOLFMANMAC';... A real ripping yarn of amazing facts and data from yesteryear. Ifyou like soccer you'll love this book, regardless as to whether or notyou are a West Ham Supporter.'HISSING SID';A real trip down memory lane, a very entertaining and informativeread from a most knowledgeable author. There are a number of gamesGraham attended that I was at, it was like turning the clock back, eventhe defeats (and there were a few) brought a smile'MARTIN DAVIS (STOKE)';... written straight from the heart ...'PAUL W';... Charming, but more importantly a most honest, humorous,detailed, informative and factual read Well Done!'MARTYN NEWBOLD (BELVEDERE)';... an excellent read; it made me feel like I was there...'