Footballers Biographies

Ferris_Bueller

So guys, looking for a few books to read while I'm on holidays in a few weeks, not a big reader, have read Steven Gerrards and Paul McGraths before and thought both were very interesting.

What good biographies have you read and why were they good?

Personally thought McGraths was so interesting because despite him being an excellent footballer, it showed the problems he faced off the pitch and after he retired, even problems he had as a child. Interesting to see his own thoughts on how they effected his life and his football, would definitely recommend this book to anyone.

Mr. Guappa

Ferris_Bueller wrote: »

So guys, looking for a few books to read while I'm on holidays in a few weeks, not a big reader, have read Steven Gerrards and Paul McGraths before and thought both were very interesting.

What good biographies have you read and why were they good?

Personally thought McGraths was so interesting because despite him being an excellent footballer, it showed the problems he faced off the pitch and after he retired, even problems he had as a child. Interesting to see his own thoughts on how they effected his life and his football, would definitely recommend this book to anyone.

I'd recommend Paul Mersons autobiography. It is a very easy read, he is funny and honest throughout.

Seaneh

Maradona's is pretty good.

gustafo

Roy keanes is a great read

Hank_Jones

Paul McGrath - some mad stuff in there, really wouldn't want to spoil the read, but possibly the best biography I ever read.

Niall Quinn - Similar to the above in lifestyle and a top man to boot.

and Keano of course.

tdv123

Keanos is great.

Corholio

If you can find a translated transcript online, Antonio Cassano's one "I'll Tell You Everything" is a great read. Don't think it's been printed in english yet.

Cypher_sounds

As others have said, Paul McGraths book was a fantastic read, great stories and very insightful into the mind of the man.

cson

I'll probably get slated for this but I thought Keane came across as a bit of a gob****e in parts of his - could be the Dunphy influence though.

Not strictly a footballer but the chapters in Alan Sugar's book where he talks about his time at the helm of Spurs and the **** he had to deal with is worth a look.

L'prof

abouttobebanned

Cascarino's is a good read.

thegreengoblin

Maradona's autobiography is very entertaining with some brilliant put-downs but if you want to dig a bit deeper I would recommend The Hand Of God by Jimmy Burns, it's a superb read.

Gazza: My Story is a real tragi-comic book. Some of the anecdotes had me howling with laughter.

Roy Keane's is very entertaining but as someone said earlier the Dunphy influence doesn't do it many favours.

3hn2givr7mx1sc

Gary Neville's is decent so far. About 70 pages in. Might not be as interesting if you're not a United fan, though.

Thought Mickey Thomas' was class - "Kickups, Hiccups and Lockups".

Joeyjoejoe43

The only sports ones I ve read are Paul McGraths and Rpy Keane, both were excellent..

Dont know if you want any non-sport ones, but the following are all very good:

Scar Tissue - Anthony Keidis from Chilli Peppers auto
Donnie Brasco - Really good auto about a guy who went undercover in the mob, book is far better than the movie
Mr Nice - Howard Marks auto, he was a big time marajana smuggler from Wales, very very interesting guy and a great auto.

yabadabado

Tony Cascarino,Robin Friday,Di Canio,Garrincha.Only a game by Dunphy. are all very good.I wouldnt buy one from a footballer still playing ,any of them I have read are ****.

Amirani

Carlo Ancelotti's is very good.

AgileMyth

John Giles' was good.

George Best's 'Scoring at half time' is a collection of football anecdotes, well worth a read.

El Weirdo

Stan Bowles: The Autobiography.

Legend.

Esse85

ItsAWindUp

Gazza's was class.

wandatowell

I see Theo Walcott has a book out, wtf is that useless waster got to talk about???

starbelgrade

Phillipe Auclair's "Cantona" is excellent.

Really enjoyed Johnny Giles one & Ferguson's "Managing My Life" is a good read which focuses mostly on his career before United.

pickarooney

I haven't read the book itself, but any reviews I've read of Paul Canoville's Black and Blue highly recommended it. Not a very well-known player but supposedly a fantastic insight into the dark side of football.

If Nii Lamptey ever brings one out, I'll get it.

jonnyfingers

I recommend Brian Clough's and Alex Ferguson's. You get an insight into both their playing and their managerial career. You get a great insight into what it was like to be a player years ago, as well as what being a manager is like. Some great stories in both too.

Jelle1880

I read Graham Roberts' a while ago, must say he doesn't hold back

Iang87

Fergusons is a great read along with Kenny Dalglish

keano_afc

Paul McGraths and Tony Adams books would be essential reading. Great stuff. Just finished Paul Merson's myself, was a good read. Even if you're not an Arsenal fan I'd recommend Perry Groves book as well, We All Live In A Perry Groves World.

kfallon

Di Canio's is fantastic!
John Giles was very good also
Mick Quinn's is good for a few laughs and stories tho I did think he was 'Billy Bullshitting' thru a lot of it

Anyone read Ronnie Whelan's? Hope it's a good read!

PARKHEAD67

Jelle1880 wrote: »

I read Terry Butcher's a while ago, must say he doesn't hold back

'Terry Butcher had little idea of the sectarian divide he was stepping into when he arrived at Rangers in the summer of 1986 in a £750,000 deal.But he had been given an inkling as a young pro when he blessed himself before a match and fell foul of senior team-mate Allan Hunter, a Northern Ireland international Butcher said: "I recall one incident at Ipswich before a reserve game when I crossed myself, something I'd seen Alan Brazil do. "Big Allan Hunter was sitting in the stand and after the game he grabbed me and asked me if I was a Catholic. I told him I wasn't. I was an English Protestant. Why, then, he asked, did I cross myself? "I told him it was for luck but he told me to remember I was a Protestant and warned me never to do it again - if I did, he would really sort me out. '
Based on Terry Butcher's book, surprising Ally Hunter would later have Celtic down for his testimonial (in 1981)
He should have walked out the door at that.The rangers sure are a bigoted wee institution.Arent they?

NabyLadistheman

PARKHEAD67 wrote: »

'Terry Butcher had little idea of the sectarian divide he was stepping into when he arrived at Rangers in the summer of 1986 in a £750,000 deal.But he had been given an inkling as a young pro when he blessed himself before a match and fell foul of senior team-mate Allan Hunter, a Northern Ireland international Butcher said: "I recall one incident at Ipswich before a reserve game when I crossed myself, something I'd seen Alan Brazil do. "Big Allan Hunter was sitting in the stand and after the game he grabbed me and asked me if I was a Catholic. I told him I wasn't. I was an English Protestant. Why, then, he asked, did I cross myself? "I told him it was for luck but he told me to remember I was a Protestant and warned me never to do it again - if I did, he would really sort me out. '
Based on Terry Butcher's book, surprising Ally Hunter would later have Celtic down for his testimonial (in 1981)
He should have walked out the door at that.The rangers sure are a bigoted wee institution.Arent they?

Ya, Im sure it's all Rangers

Matt Bianco

Dunphy's "Only a Game" is very good at getting across the day to day life of playing in a struggling Division 2 Millwall during the 70's

Although not autobiographies, Calcio and The Ball Is Round are peerless in sports writing

The_Kew_Tour

Not Biographies, but still great reads

tommyhaas

Mark Ward, ''Right wing to B wing'' is a great read, similarly as has already been said, Garrincha's, Di Canio's, Adams and Keane's are all good reads

Other good football books are Barca by Jimmy Burnes, Parklife by Nick Varley, Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby, We need to talk about Kevin Keegan by Giles Smith (Not about Kevin Keegan btw) and Jeff Steling's book, not an autobiography, more an anecdotal history of Soccer Saturday, are all worth a read

Can't wait for the day Joey Barton brings out a book

G.K.

Steve Hodge's and Geoff Hurst's are two I've enjoyed.

AwayWithFaries

Jamie Carragher's one isn't a bad read actually. He's pretty honest and blunt but doesn't fall into the trap of sounding spiteful like others have.

flahavaj

AwayWithFaries wrote: »

Jamie Carragher's one isn't a bad read actually. He's pretty honest and blunt but doesn't fall into the trap of sounding spiteful like others have.

He comes across as a right (insert ban-worthy expletive) at times in it tbh. As does Keane in his.

Toney Adams and Paul McGrath's are the best I've read from the PL era. Burns' books on Maradona and Barcelona are must-read as well. Fergie's is decent.

I just wish players would waiit till their careers were over before bringing out a book.

eugeneious

Just finished reading Paddy Barclay's book on Fergie and I actually was surprised at how good it is considering my dislike for Barclay.

eh i dunno

Keanes, McGraths, Cascarinos and Hartsons are the best i've read.

tommyhaas

flahavaj wrote: »

I just wish players would waiit till their careers were over before bringing out a book.

Couldn't agree more. They could say what they want about who they want. It'd be a far more honest analysis and a far better read

eugeneious wrote: »

Just finished reading Paddy Barclay's book on Fergie and I actually was surprised at how good it is considering my dislike for Barclay.

Its quiet a good book IMO. While he is full of praise for the most part, I was surprised with how he did focus on SAF's failings in Europe and his motives behind his backing of the Glaziers

Paully D

AwayWithFaries wrote: »

Jamie Carragher's one isn't a bad read actually. He's pretty honest and blunt but doesn't fall into the trap of sounding spiteful like others have.

The part where he was talking about his mates going to attack Lucas Neill annoyed me. He thought he was Tony Soprano.

joe123

Robbie Fowlers is good, but you might have to be a liverpool fan to appreciate it?

Nuri Sahin

Won't repeat what's already been posted above, some good books have been mentioned. Football Against The Enemy that Kew_Star mentioned being one of the notables.

Few of my favourite footy related books -

A Season With Verona
Futebol: The Brazilian Way of Life
Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Football

Hope to pick up Morbo: The Story Of Spanish Football sometime this week. Friend on Skype is babbling on about it and looking around the net, seems to be generally recommended.

Nuri Sahin

joe123 wrote: »

Robbie Fowlers is good, but you might have to be a liverpool fan to appreciate it?

Robbie's is very good alright.

Hawk Wing 2

Morbo is excellent

dreamers75

mc Graths is the best i ahve read.

n32

If you have any interest in Italian football get ''Calcio''. Its the complete history of Italian football. An engrossing book from start to finish

thegreengoblin

El LoCo Ade wrote: »

Won't repeat what's already been posted above, some good books have been mentioned. Football Against The Enemy that Kew_Star mentioned being one of the notables.

Few of my favourite footy related books -

A Season With Verona
Futebol: The Brazilian Way of Life
Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Football

Hope to pick up Morbo: The Story Of Spanish Football sometime this week. Friend on Skype is babbling up on it and looking around the net, seems to be generally recommended.

Morbo is a superb book, I really recommend it. Loved Futebol also, the Brazilians really are as mad as the rest of the world thinks!

tommyhaas

n32 wrote: »

If you have any interest in Italian football get ''Calcio''. Its the complete history of Italian football. An engrossing book from start to finish

Forza Italia by Paddy Agnew is another good one about Italian football

n32

tommyhaas wrote: »

Forza Italia by Paddy Agnew is another good one about Italian football

good read but theres too much about agnew himself and not enough football talk. The one thing about Calcio is that after reading about the history of match fixing in Italy you ll never again believe a result from there! Every title ever won seems to have had some shady element to it

Fowler87

Its not an autobiography and I know there is a movie out for the last couple years, but The Damned United was a great read.

Also for any Liverpool fans, 44 years with the same bird by Brian Reade has some great anecdotes in it..

kfallon

Garry Nelson's "Left Foot Forward" is a very good read. No glitz or glamour in it, it's his story of basically having to score goals and play well to win contract after contract and the worries that go with it!