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This page is based on Book Club posts originally found at Yahoo! Clubs sixtiesandseventiessoccer.

I say 'Club'....currently I am the only person reading any of the books, all the choices are mine and all the reviews are by me - but do please join the group, choose a book and we'll all/both get reading! (See 'Book Club Rules' below)

May 2007

'Jimmy Armfield the Autobiography: Right Back to the Beginning' by Jimmy Armfield with Andrew Collomosse.
(Headline, 2003)

Chosen by Bob 70-71. Reason for choice: Well I'd read about Don Revie, Brian Clough, it made sense to complete the story with Jimmy Armfield's biography.

Review by Bob 70-71

Jimmy Armfield's grammar school origins permeate this whole book. He comes across as an intelligent, well mannered diplomat, who loves his football and his life. I keep saying it, but why people waste their time reading biographies of the current stars when they can enrich their lives by reading life stories like Jimmy's I will never know.

Jimmy was a child during the war years and the opening chapters capture a unique moment in English history when children got on with their childhood whilst the adults did their best to bomb the world into oblivion. In the future if social historians need source material of living an ordinary life in 1940s Britain they need look no further than biographies such as Jimmy's.

Some of Jimmy's lifetime ability to seamlessly marry the stereotypical male world around him with more feminine-side pursuits began at school, when as a boy in Lancashire he appeared on stage dancing the Cracowiak for the Polish troops, and got away with it. Rather sweetly, though unknowingly at the time, one of the other dancers was his future wife. In later life he replicated this by not only devoting his life in the male attributed world of football he was also his local church organist.

Jimmy was a natural sportsman and it was not long before his talents were spotted by Blackpool, one of the top Division One (when it really was Division One) sides of the era. Like all lads of his age he still had to do his National Service, and his early football career was defined by juggling his duty to the army and turning out for Blackpool, working his way up from the reserves to being a first team regular playing alongside Stanley Matthews.

'He would have been sat next to Duncan when the tragic plane accident in Munich 1958'

The army team at this time was rather handy including as it did future Manchester United players Duncan Edwards and Eddie Colman. Jimmy's description of the brilliance of Duncan's skills was one of the most touching moments of the book. Duncan and he would sit next to each other on trips to army matches. Later Jimmy tells us Manchester United came in for him and was turned down without discussion, in the days when the clubs really did own the players, and no more was said. Jimmy reflects that had Blackpool sold him, the chances are he would have been sat next to Duncan when the tragic plane accident in Munich 1958 killed him and Eddie Colman.

Next follows his rise to being a Blackpool regular then captain, and ultimately being England regular and captain - taking over from Johnny Haynes after the 1962 World Cup finals. In these Finals Jimmy was an established player and Bobby Moore was an emerging star. Over the next four years of course, England was evolving into the most famous team in its history. Gordon Banks also debuted around the time of the '62 World Cup, Ray Wilson, Bobby Charlton were also established. Roger Hunt was alternating with Jimmy Greaves.

'Being cold-hearted, Jimmy's loss was Sir Alf's gain'

The rest did not debut until 1964, and in what must have been a personal tragedy for Jimmy one of the team's casualties by this time was Jimmy himself. In the last game of the 1963-64 season playing for Blackpool against Ipswich Town in front of Sir Alf Ramsey, Jimmy got a groin injury which kept him out of the England's 1964 Summer preparations and allowed Bobby Moore to take over as captain.

Being cold-hearted, Jimmy's loss was Sir Alf's gain. By the time Jimmy was fit again George Cohen had taken his place on the field and Bobby had taken his captaincy, but Jimmy was the perfect standby, whom Sir Alf could rely on to fill the shoes if Bobby or George had either been injured in the 1966 Tournament itself. Jimmy played just two more internationals, both in 1966, both as captain, and both in which he played well enough to be selected, but in retrospect it seems that Jimmy's experience was the reason for his recall in Sir Alf's mind.

There then follows the most intriguing part of the book in which Jimmy plays the perfect role as the unofficial leader of the 1966 World Cup squad Second XI. It is fascinating to read the tale from the perspective of a player once removed from the first team action, and it seems he took the role on with the dedication and diligence he gives to everything in his life. After a training match v Arsenal in which the second team won 3-1 the players hoisted him onto the shoulders to leave the pitch.

'Jimmy was chosen .... after the nuclear bomb of Brian Clough's 44 days'

Jimmy's football career ended in 1970-71 season. Jimmy had already been player-manager of the FA tour to Tahiti, New Zealand and the Far East in 1969, so it was natural he should go into club management, and Bolton Wanderers is where he headed. He won the Third Division Championship in 1973, and became the surprise new manager of Leeds United in October 1974. It seems Jimmy was chosen for his level-headed diplomacy, to steady the ship after the nuclear bomb of Brian Clough's 44 days.

As a Leeds fan, who had bought the book in the Leeds United supporter's shop, this was obviously the reason I'd come along for the ride, and I was not disappointed. Jimmy by all accounts did the job he was hired for. Rather than callously sweeping away the old guard he took a softly softly approach and the Revie players eventually found new clubs, some with considerable transfer fees considering the late stages of their careers.

Though the old boys reached the 1975 European Cup final losing to a Bayern Munich team that outplayed Leeds United at their own game of snatching a barely deserved goal then soaking up the pressure - even managing to score a second on the break of an ever more desperate Leeds side in its death throes. As the old team was unpicked and the new side took shape, its lack of instant success, and the general lack of flair in Jimmy's management style meant the board lost patience. By his own account, the team that Jimmy built was never given a fair chance; he was sacked and he left the football frontline for good. But even now we're only two thirds the way through the book.

'BBC Radio Five Live, the means by which
whole generations of football fans know Jimmy
to the exclusion of his playing career!'

For anyone interested in football commentating, this book is a dream. Jimmy follows his journalistic roots from reporting minor league matches in the Blackpool Gazette, through being a serious sports journalist for the Daily Express, and finally on to his legendary commentary on BBC Radio Five Live, the means by which whole generations of football fans know Jimmy to the exclusion of his playing career!

What a book! The later chapters include his head hunting role when he helped the FA to pick Terry Venables and Glenn Hoddle as England managers, and his emerging status as a statesman of the game. I would love to hear repeats of his radio series in which he interviews of some of his football heroes. This sounds like an archive for which the BBC should be very proud they chose the right man for the job. Again, his diligence comes through and you know he wants to do it to celebrate the heroes he was interviewing rather than the sound of his own voice.

As I read the concluding chapters Jimmy announced he is undergoing treatment for cancer, so as you can imagine I was stony throated by the final page. I hope his treatment succeeds; we need legends like Jimmy around who not only inform us about former times but still embrace the glories of the new. I'm proud to say that this site once voted Jimmy the best commentator in the media! An accolade he truly deserves; but this book shows he has had four separate football careers - player, manager, headhunter and reporter - and he excelled in them all!


November 2006

'The Damned Utd' by David Peace.

(Faber and Faber 2006)

Chosen by Bob70-71. Reason for choice: I work in and around Ossett and that is the home town of the author. I've been wanting to read one of his books for a while, then he goes and writes one about Leeds United just as I'm about to have a birthday.

Review by Bob70-71

OK I admit I forgot to review this book at the time, but I'll give it a shot now 9 months later. I must just say from the outset it is one of the very best football books I have ever ever read.

This novelisation of real events is a bit like one of those mock-umentaries that TV does so well covering events like 9/11 or the life of Diana. It purports to be highly historically accurate, but it is nevertheless a novel. The story interweaves Cloughies success at Derby County with his failure to win over the board with his defer-to-nobody style at Leeds United.

Reading it you truly believe you are in Brian Clough's god-like mind. You are completely with him and his agonies and frustrations. His chronic self-doubts and his loneliness in adversity. Hey, I'm a Leeds fan, devoted to the Revie players, and I was desperate for them to give him a break! Come on lads he's there to make Leeds great again, don't you want the same thing!!!!?

It really makes you re-examine your own thoughts about the era, and raises more questions than it gives answers. Did Clough get it right? Should he not have been allowed to follow through what he started? Why did the board seem to want him to blast the old players away then back down with such a U-turn? Would Leeds United have become the European Champions like Nottingham Forest did under Clough in later years if he had stayed? Did Cloughie outgrow his rather big boots at Derby County and make a massive mistake in leaving Derby County in the first place, and compound this by accepting the Leeds post??? Damned if I know.

Wonderful.

'Clough leads out a vicious-looking Billy Bremner'

If you have any interest in football then you have to read this novel. It condenses about 20 to 30 books to tell its tale also, making football history all the more palatable in the process.

My only concern is that the story does rather rely on you knowing who all the leading players are. That is, does it work as a straight novel? If you are not au fait with knowing who the hell Duncan Mackenzie is, for instance, I'm not sure this book is the one for you. And he is one of the least obscure names you'll need to know, as regular visitors to this site would help me to affirm.

But aside from all this, I would have bought it for the cover design alone. Clough leads out a vicious-looking Billy Bremner and the Leeds United team on to the Wembley Turf for the 1974 Charity Shield match. Their eyes with eyes paint sprayed out to hide the emotions. Classic cover design, classic book.

David if you are reading this, how about a book called '1970/71' next ? It's the only way you can top this one!

October 2006

'Don Revie. Portrait of a Footballing Enigma' by Andrew Mourant.

(1990, Mainstream)

Chosen by Bob 70-71. Reason for choice: The reasons are a few-fold. 1) I recently spoke to some distant long-lost reletives of his via the website; 2) I'm hoping it may help solve the dilemma that Leeds fans love him and the rest of the World doesn't - who's right?; 3) Leeds are about to choose a new manager, and every manager at Leeds always has the longshadow cast by Don's time at the club, so it seems fitting; and 4) I got the book for my 40th birthday, and this month I'm 43, so it's about time I went ahead and read it!

Review by Bob 70-71

'oh, yes, I remember that...'

Of all the books I've reviewed so far this year, this has been the easiest and quickest to read. Just 220 odd pages of well written footballing history by an excellent and respected Leeds football historian.

Maybe it lacked that bit of umph, especially the bulk of the book covering Revie's time as Leeds manager, for which I could almost have easily read a Mourant's 'Official Illustrated History of Leeds United'. It merely linked Rothman's Yearbook results with a newspaper headlines, and did little more for me than go 'oh, yes, I remember that...'

The more interesting bits for me was the section covering the uncertain years of first becoming Leeds' manager, and then from the appointment of the England job onwards.

His appointment as Leeds United's player manager in 1961, is fascinating reading for current Leeds fans like me as Leeds are now going through a phase very much like the one Revie encountered. As Mourant himself points out Leeds fans now have a club with a benchmark of success established by Revie, and the current disastrous results at the wrong end of the second league seems unimaginable.

Leeds United was a footballing backwater

But when Revie took over Leeds United was a footballing backwater, with no trophies to their name, and only a few mediocre seasons in the top division to shout about. The team were being heavily beaten on a regular basis, and no-one really bated an eyelid. Leeds United then created no expectations. Even under Revie it took a while for things to get going, and Kevin Blackwell's detractors should take note that Leeds under Revie were very nearly relegated from Division Two in 1962, before Revie got to grips with the job.

It has to be said that Mourant is a big Leeds fan dating back to the Revie era, and even though he did not get the Revie family's endorcement, in my opinion he does go easy on Revie's darker dealings, whilst never attempting to airbrush them out of the story.

The various claims of asking oppositions to 'go lightly' noted by the Daily Mirror, are all covered, but there's no new journalistic insights on offer, just the reflection that nothing was proved. Given that 50 reporters were supposedly working on the story at one point, it has to be said that the case against Revie is much poorer than the paper would have us believe. Witnesses against Revie were
all paid for their accusations, and some later retracted.

Bremner won £100,000 suing the Mirror for defamation for his alleged role in asking Wolves players to back off in the famous match in '72 when Leeds only needed a draw to win the double and lost 2-0. Revie, though never took the paper to court, so the debate will always be open for discussion, and his level of guilt decided on how much any protagonist hates Revie's Leeds United or not.

And boy were Leeds hated for there gamesmanship and 'hard' play. For all that, Revie did win back to back 'Manager of the Year' awards in 69, 70 , and then again in 1972, which any way you look at it is hell of an achievement. It wasn't until '72 that Leeds began to win over the detractors with performances of sheer class. This may have been due to the maturing and self-confidence of the team, but may also have been thanks to good public relations the style of which Revie was a pioneer.

Revie verged on nervous breakdown

The story of his England years make the most uncomfortable reading. Mourant suggests Revie verged on nervous breakdown, and began to be decidedly un-Revie like in his determination to be liked, choosing a new team every game and being overswayed by the Press's idea of who and who should not be picked. Once he escaped from the England job, Mourant's description of the treatment by Sir Harold Thompson in the FA seems almost childlike. Sir Harold set up what could be described as a kangeroo court and banned Revie from English football for 10 years, a decision later turned over in the High Court.

Afterthis Revie became reviled by almost everyone outside of Leeds, and though he admitted he should not have escaped the England job in the way he did, he was clearly by this time, a man on the edge. The reaction of Press was appauling and players who have come out slating him since, all had axes to grind based on being dropped whilst wearing a Leeds United or England.

...Revie was never confident of his success...

Which is all a shame, here was manager who created a club, took it to heights never seen before or since, yet Revie was never confident of his success. He relied completely on silly superstitions and an over preparation for matches that seemed to have done more harm than good as it gave the oppositions too much respect (Colchester 3 Leeds United 2 in 1970-71 being a classic case in point.).

Though Revie became berated for being a money grabber, he died with only modest wealth, was under paid in his career right up to his spell abroad, and these days would be praised for looking after number one when no-one else would. Given Revie's sad early death due to Motor Neuron Disease - for which he became a campaigner to raise awareness - it is sad that even now people are not more forgiving of the great man's few character flaws.

I finished the book really regreting that more people cannot see him for the hero he was.

Maybe the fact that the 'family' he kept around him - the inner sanctum of preferred players, colleagues and friends - created loyalty, also caused bitterness in those who were outside it., or indeed kicked out of it. Revie clearly made enemies in important places, not least the Press, and people have a nasty habit of believeing everything that's printed in the Press.

Leeds fans also felt part of this inner-sanctum, and loved him, whilst other fans just loved to hate the Leeds fans - which let's face it is arguably another of the legacy of the Revie years!


September 2006

'George Best and 21 Others' by Colin Shindler.

(2004, Headline)

Chosen by Bob 70-71. Reason for choice: recommended by the goup and enjoyed author's prevoius book about the Summerbees.

Review by Bob 70-71

This is such a fabulous book, I'm very pleased it was recommended to read. It covers the progress of the 22 players who played the Youth Cup final in 1964 between Man U and Man City.

It seems that Colin Shindler carried a devotion for these 22 players in just the same way that I did for the 420 World of Soccer Star players from the 70-71 season. The only difference is that following 22 players to the bitter end is a damn site more achievable...

The book has to be essential reading not only to us fans of 60s/70s football, but any youth wishing to start out in a career in football. I know circumstances have changed for the academy players of today, they are wealthier and better looked after, but there is a ton of universal truths addressed by this book - not least that for all you are special whilst you are on the club books, you become frighteningly less special once the club dicards you, and the fact that only 2 of the players bothered to make provisions for themselves when their careers ended, and consequently they struggled with retirement.

I would say that for every Premiership academy player there will be 400 players with lower League teams that will still face the very difficulties these boys did. Even those that did break through sound almost bitter about how football treated them once their careers ended. Promised testimonials did not materialise, past glories were forgotten when the players were sent on their way; at least two players have only been to only a solitary match since retirement.

But mostly it is facinating to read about the Alf Wood and Alan Ogley's of the football World. I've read so many biographies of players who have made it on a World scale, that it truly refreshing to get the story from the perspective of those that made it at a lower level, and those that didn't make it at all

One gripe I have is that Shindler uses George Best's name to shamelessly sell his book, when in fact George is far from the star. His name is not only in the title, his picture adorns the cover and every chapter heading. Whilst Shindler makes it clear that he considers Best a footballing genius, I feel his Man City colours come through too strongly when he bags on and on about how Mike Doyle and Glyn Pardoe blame Best for ending Pardoe's career. It isn't like Best is given a right of reply.

I'm sure the tackle was nasty and I'm sure Pardoe has every right to feel agrieved, but if it had been a lesser player who none of us remember, do you not think he would just have forgotten about it and moved on by now instead of tirelessly moaning about it? In fact every time Shindler nails his Man City colours to the mast I feel he lets himself down a bit, because it usually comes at the expense of Man U - whom he also shameless used to sell his last book. But I'm in danger of being over negaitve here, for what is a wonderful
book.

What I really like is the little insights like Willie Anderson's sister giving birth the same time as his Man U debut - and he family having to decide which they are going to attend! Bobby McAlinden playing one game only to be dropped and never play again, yet never given an explaination as to why. The fact the players , once they signed on, got a one pound bonus for every 1,000 over 10,000 in the
crowd. Harry Dowd (the established City goalie) dislocating his shoulder, and as there was no subs, playing the rest of the match strapped up as an outfield player on the pitch.

Shindler writes about Pardoe, 'He was happy and he was successful, the perfect combination for the gods of football, who cannot resist the tempation to urinate in the gardens of the blameless'. After his playing career, as a youth team coach Pardoe had a youth FA Cup victory himself, only to end up being sacked by City. It is an excellent example of the insites this book offers on the cruel game football can be.

I did think it funny that if I was to freeze time on one of the nursing teams I have worked with and follow their careers till now, just how boring that would be. But when its football, it is simply fascinating and I was really sad when the book finished. There is one last chapter where Shindler basically bemoans that football isn't what it used to be and groans on like a grumpy old man. Though there is many of us who would say - 'he's got a point!'

That said, I personally thought what the book demonstates more than anything is the improvement in the academy set ups these days and surely Shindler is only highlighting 'the good old, bad old days'. How one can look at the likes of Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney, Aaron Lennon, and Theo Walcott and say that there is no genuine talent, only manufactured talent? To me it just sounds like a person too busy looking back to see what is front of them, but I know there's plenty of visitors to this site who would say 'b******s' to that so I'll shut up quickly.

Bob70-71

August 2006

'One Goal, One Horse' by Ricky George (Barnet).

(2003, Pen Press Publishers Ltd)

Chosen by Bob 70-71. Reason for choice: in tribute to hearing about the death of Roger Griffiths the first player from the Hereford United FA Cup giantkilling team to die

Review by Bob 70-71

It is quite possible that last month's choice of book is less well known amongst even this elite bunch. I chose it, you may remember, because one of the mainstays of the Hereford Town FA Cup giant killing team, Roger Griffiths, died last month, and this was by way of a tribute. It was a great choice.

It was an enlightening read about a player who never quite made it at the very highest level, though you suspect that if he had a more Michael Owen-like approach to the game, he could have been a much bigger star than he ultimately became. It seems he found it difficult convincing people that he was 100 per cent committed to the game, and that his mind was always slightly elsewhere. Which in
truth it probably was.

It makes quite a refreshing change to read about other players around in the 60s and 70s, some of the non-headline players. In fact at times Ricky seems as impressed with meeting the top stars, as you or I would be. I liked his anecdote that his wife once said to him, 'there's a man called Bobby Moore on the phone for you', blissfully unaware as to who it was.

Ricky began at Spurs, but frustratingly failed to impress Bill Nicholson and coaches, who's man management style may these days be termed bullying. His contract was cancelled, and he moved on to Watford, Bournemouth, and Oxford United before he finally settled at Hastings United where he finally avoided the end of season clearout for the first time in his career..

Non-League success finally came, though when he returned to his home town side of Barnet. At the beginning of the 70-71 season, Ricky was doing so well, he was bought for Hereford by player-manager John Charles in the latter stages of his career. There is a touching account of John's management style and ultimate demise. Hereford were ambitous to reach the League even then, and for all Charles had done to improve the team it was not considered enough.

There follows what for me is highlight of the book a detailed account of the Hereford Town FA Cup run. As Ricky admits himself, his late winner against Newcastle United after Ronnie Radford's rocket had taken the scores level, changed his life and the lives of his teammates forever.

As I was reading the book I visited the FA Football museum at Preston, and Ronnie's goal is available for constant replay chosen with only a dozen or so others. (Ricky's namesake, Charlie George's 70-71 Cup winner being another!) The famous picture of Ricky and Ronnie celebrating in changing rooms afterwards is on proud display. For all Ricky contributed to football, I doubt his image would have been in the museum but for this moment in his life.

Even in his life defining game Ricky was a substitute, which was a bit of the story of his playing career. He moved on to Stevenage Athletic, and back to Barnet, which is probaly where Ricky is best known outside of his famous Hereford moment.

The other half of the book is of course about his life outside of football. For football boot nerds has a rare moment of football boot history that was quite interesting. After his career Ricky got a job for Addidas and he had the job of painting the white stripes on the side of England players' boots prior to internationals. A surprising fact is that Addidas got the deal for this with Sir Alf in 1966. For the World Cup Final they only had to pay the players 50 pounds each. What's more, Sir Alf hadn't even realised any money was involved when he agreed to the deal - it seems he just agreed to the idea in a gentlemanly sort of way because someone asked.

There is also a book within the book in which Ricky describes in tremendous detail his attempts (from his point of view) to rescue the ailing Barnet football club, when it threatened to go under in the 90's. His version of events is that he was reluctantly thrown into the frame motivated by an honest desire to rescue the club, whilst more invidious forces were attempting to own the club for financial led reasons yet making him out to be the villain.

I have to admit I have no opinion on the events, and as I've only read Ricky's version, he gives a very convincing insight to football politics. There is a feeing of authenticity of his version that I recognise as a larger version of what I see happening at even at junior football levels, let alone League club levels. It's all so petty, time consuming, overly emotive and best avoided - which I think Ricky would agree with in hindsight.

Well I doubt anyone is still reading this review now, but the book does also cover his ownership of a Grand National winner (the 'one horse' bit), which was all very interesting when I read it, but largely forgotten by me now as it is not my bag.

What I liked about the book the most was that this was clearly Ricky's open diary of his life, and it reads just like a real life, not the sanitised biographies the likes of Beckham, Owen and Rooney trot out to make yet more millions. It has very personal moments where he name checks friends and throws in tricky life events that when they happened at the time he thought 'when I write my book I'll have to include this'.

Now he has I wonder how Ricky will come to terms with any new negative challenges in his life!

Well I think I already know the answer to that. Whatever happens to Ricky, he will always come up smiling and smelling of roses, I'm sure, he seems to be that sort of a person.

Bob

July 2006

"The Beautiful Team. In Search of Pele and the 1970 Brazilians" by Garry Jenkins.

(1998, Pocket Books, London)

Chosen by Bob 70-71. Reason for choice:: Well in the month where there will be a new World Cup winner, I wanted to read a book all about the difinitive World Cup winning team - which just happened to be in 1970, of course...

Review by Bob70-71

In July I read Garry Jenkins', "The Beautiful Team. In Search of Pele and the 1970 Brazilians", which I've had on the shelf to read for about 4 years!

Written in 1998, it has become something of a standard for 70s football literature, and only this week I saw it for sale still in a
record store, in amongst various 'cool' books to read. So it has certainly stood the test of time.

I enjoyed the interviews with players prepared to talk to him, and it was a natural follow up read to "Back Home" that I read last month. In fact it was almost like a re-read in places, only from the Brazillian perspective, which was fascinating.

There was a problem with the book's format, though, because Jenkins interweaves the interviews with each individual player, with a general historical account of the 1970 competition from the qualifiers, through the Finals, and on to the aftermath.

The historical account was excellent, highly informative, and I'm guessing heavily relied upon by Jeff Dawson in his book, but the
problem with this format, is that parts of the story are re-told 12 times, once in the historical account and 11 times more as each
individual player gives his own account of it.

By the 8th time of reading about Felix's various cock-ups I was beginning to feel a bit sorry for him, especially as he comes across
in his interview as a realy nice bloke!

There is a bit of insight into Brazilian politics, which shows why the World Cup has never been restaged there prior to 2014 (and even then only maybe). Tostao regrets not having made a stand against the regime which exploited the victory to there own ends. A bit like Harold Wilson in '66!

I hadn't realised till reading the book what a disaster the '66 campaign was, and in this the seeds of the '70 victory lay. It seems that a lot of past it players that were old in '62 were unexpectedly dug up, brushed down and pushed out again, only to fail miserably. This allowed the wholesale changes for the next World Cup, as the Brazilian public pressured for this to never happen again.

Much was made of the players' inner sanctum called the cobras consisting of Pele, Gerson, and Carlos Alberto, who strongly influenced decisions about team selection. It reminded me of Beckham, Owen and Neville... only effective.

Jairzinho was given a hard time in the book for demanding a fee from Jenkins, though as the book was presumably written to make a profit, I couldn't help thinking he had every right. He remained uninterviewed.

Brito was also missed but due to going on an unplanned fishing trip.

I might have missed a point, but I remember reading in the book that Tostao demanded a fee, but he was interviewed, so maybe this one was paid, or not, I'm not sure. I do know that we like Tostao, but we don't like Jairzinho.

Pele was minister of Sport at the time of the book and his interview was fleetingly carried out on the way to a helicopter flight, so by all accounts may just as well have been left out, but here Jenkins objective account of the history takes over, which one way the book's format does work successfully.

Mainly though the book works because the team has become so iconic.

And rightly so, but there is a myth that this was the last of the great teams that were simply gifted players playing their art and wanting no other reward.

This is simply not true. Tostao had huge money transfers prior to his early retirement. Pele was the most famous player in the World and had advertising deals to match. Clodoaldo for all his humble beginnings was as much a part of Santos as Pele, and in 1998 apparantly running it.

This wasn't the Corinthian Casuals. This was a super-team where all the players happened to be in the right place at the right time, and
actually fulfilled its true potential.

Unlike England '06 Brazil '70 were not all hype, they truly were the undeniable Champions of the World, and they went out there and proved it.

June 2006

'Back Home. England and the 1970 World Cup' by Jeff Dawson

(2001, Orion, London)

Chosen by Bob 70-71. Reason for choice: It had to be a World Cup book to read during the Germany 2006 World Cup Finals. Naturally the 1970 World Cup is going to be of most interest to me...

Review by Bob 70-71

Right well just hours before England's Quarter-Finals World Cup exit, I managed to complete June's book of the month. If ever England need reminding that we are a footballing nation that consistantly fail to match our potential then re-reading this book will jog the memory.

England turned up as World Champions, but with a squad that was supposedly improved to that of '66's, and this book certainly takes
that tack throughout.

Obviously I'm a Seventies football obsessive and loved every page, but this book is fabuolous in its detail from every aspect of the build up to the tournament itself and the inevitable crashing out and wind down (to two of the World Cup history's greatest ever matches, but who cares we were out...)

The book covers Esso coins, pre-tournament preparations, the Back Home single, Alfisms, and the matches themselves in ball by ball detail. Fantastic. You can really re-live the tournament as if you were there.

There is also the backdrop of news stories to add to the context. The fact that there was an election going on, more strikes than on Banksies' goal, and only three TV channels to watch. For parts the book has the dryness of a history book - if only World Cup history
was part of the curriculum at school! - but one written through very St George cross specticles (well aren't all history books).

Jeff Dawson does have a thing about Gerd Muller, did he refuse him an autograph or something? Scorer of 14 World Cup Finals goals, but noted more for his short, fat, hairiness than ability to score with scarry frequency. He got two hat-tricks in 1970, he must have had some ability. That sort of bias is my only criticism of the book, really, I would have preferred he kept the neutral line, but a bit
of jingoism never does sales any harm, I suppose.

In my next email I'll set a quiz based entirely on facts I picked up from the book. It is a treasure trove of useless but fascinating information. If you haven't read it yet and you can bare to read about yet another World Cup final defeat for England then I strongly recommend it.

And here is that Quiz (Scroll down or Click for Answers)

1. Who were Tom and Stan?

2. What was the name of the aged professional England football fan who wore a Union Jack waistcoast, top hat, and red coat? (You'll all have seen pictures of him .)

3. Why did West Germany play in a green away strip?

4. Who was 'El Calvo Divino' ?

5. Which nation was described by Joe Mercer as 'The new Hungary'?

6. What did the Brazilians want to name the replacement World Cup trophy, after the Jules Rimet was won outright?

7. Mexico '70 was played at altitude, what is the highest ground in England? (I presume in 1970, if it makes a difference).

8. How many people turned up to the last Scotland V England match before England lost their World Champions crown?

9. Leeds United were fined a the end of the 1969-70 season, what for and specifically why did they do this?

10. This World Cup was the first in which red and yellow cards were used. How many people were shown the red card, and name them...?

11. Why is it still called the World Cup when at the end of the tournament they win a trophy, and not a cup?

12. Whose first live commentry match was Italy v Uruaguay?

(Scroll down or Click for Answers)

May 2006

'Ossie. King of Stamford Bridge' by Peter Osgood with Martin King and Martin Knight.

(2002, Mainstream Publishing, Edinburg.)

Chosen by Bob 70-71. Reason for choice:

May is the FA Cup Final month and Ossie is famous for having scored in every round of the cup including the final in the 69-70 season, one of only nine people to do so. He was also a part of the one of the greatest FA Cup Final upsets in 76 when Southampton beat Man U.

Also Ossie was a part of the first game I ever saw, so it is a fitting first book.

Naturally the reason Ossie came to mind was due to his recent sad death.

Review by Bob 70-71

Well I remain in a club of one, but nevertheless, I finished Peter Osgood's biography this morning. It chokes you up at the end when he says that he was really enjoying life at present and jokes that he did not want to die in his lifetime!

You could tell he was on the after-dinner circuit at the time of writing the book because there are lots of anecdotes with funny punchlines. The funniest being his comments on Emlyn Hughes, which I won't reveal in case anyone reads the book themselves in the future.

He mentions Stanley Matthews at the end of his career saying that in his opinion he was playing mainly because he was an institution in the very last years. Chopper Harris, even as a young player with no reputation, apparantly took great joy in taking him out.

I did not remember quite how often Peter got into the papers for all the wrong reasons, mainly drink and women related. Whether or not he beefed the stories up to sound good on the after dinner circuits it
does seam he was forever punching people and getting into drink related disaters, which all makes great reading, but could not have been much fun to live through.

Every chapeter there's a belly laugh in it. Most biographies funny situations are described so tediously that the humour is lost in translation, but Peter does his very well, with terriffic timing. I'm surprised it's not been more of a seller. Maybe it should be relaunched now that he has sadly died.

Of course the joy for me was reading all about the 70-71 season and the 1970 World Cup both of which had complete chapters! What I hadn't remembered was that Peter was 'the third man' involved with the bracelet incident, so he had more to say on the matter than most.

As a Leeds fan the main criticism of the book was that it was written from such a biased Chelsea point of view, almost as if the book was never going to have another auidence. Maybe the ghost writers over influenced this aspect being fans themselves. Or maybe they could have nudged Peter towards the wider audience and kept him away from diatribes about Chelsea the club as opposed to Chelsea the 60s/70s team - which of course is fine.

I have to admit that there were times that as a Leeds fan I had to hold my breath and count to ten at some of the insults he gives Leeds players, but then equally some of the fun of the book is the total lack of political correctness. Having just read Michael Owen's biography and seen how as a current player he has to be sooo relentlessly nice to everyone, it is refreshing reading Peter having a go at everyone and anyone who's upset him in his life.

Back Home Quiz Answers:

1. "Tom" was Johannes Lohr, the West German left winger who played in tandem with
"Stan" who was Reinhard Libuda. They were so named due to their similar role on the pitch to England internationals, Tom Finney and Stanley Matthews.

But we still need Tom

2. Ken Bailey

3. Republic of Ireland played them straight after the War and lent
them green shirts that they continued to wear in tribute

4. 'The Divide Baldy' - Bobby Charlton

5. Peru

6. The Pele Cup

7. West Brom's Hawthorns

8. 137,438 (can you imagine that number of people watching the match for a non-World Cup/Euro match these days? Just goes to show how passionate we all were for the Home Championships, even if there is NO chance of the League clubs letting us revive it now).

9. Briefly, it was for fielding an understrength team due to fixture congestion caused by squeezing all their games in to finish the season early to accommodate the World Cup.

The long answer...

For all they moan nowadays, the current teams have nothing to worry about in comparison to Leeds in 69-70. As the competitions were ending early for the 1970 World Cup, and because Leeds reached the latter stages of all competitions they were in they had to play 4 games in 6 days, or 6 games in 10 days:

26 March 1-0 FA Cup S-F v Man U
28 March 1-3 League v Southampton
30 March 1-4 League v Derby
1 April 0-1 European Cup S-F v Celtic
2 April 2-2 League v West Ham
4 April 2-1 League v Burnley

The League then fined them for fielding a weakened team! I cannot remember a recent case of a team being made to play games in successive days, and to think one was a European Cup semi-final. It'slittle wonder Celtic won the two legged tie.

Incidentally that Burnley match was the one where Eddie Gray scored two of the most sublime goals ever seen in Leeds' history, if not League history.

10 Barry Davies

11. Well there were none, so there is no-one to name.

12. Because it just is, right?

 

Here's the 'Book Club Rules'

1) Only choose books available in paperback (due to cost) and available to purchase from Amazon within 7 days (so we don't get too obscure).

2) Everyone who wants to will, over the fullness of time, get to choose a book to read and give their reasons for choosing it however meaningful or inane the reason for the choice.

3) Very, very long books will be avoided as we only have a month to read them, though finishing a book is not necessary to make comments on the book.

4 Bob will moderate the list of chosen books based on these rules.

5) All books should be read with an open mind and making comments based on not liking the club the book is about / or a player famously played for that club, will be met with universal derision by the rest of the group.

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