People might find it weird that I only read football books. But screw ‘em.
Just looking over my laptop screen at my bookcase, a myriad of football autobiographies are staring back at me, so I feel somewhat worthy of writing an article like this.
To be honest, I’ve always had a thing for reading football autobiographies.
Especially over a third-party biographical format.
Both have their pros and cons, though. For instance, a biography lends itself to more research into their subject matter, and probably makes for a better, more natural story-telling method within a multidisciplinary context the author deems credible.
But nothing really beats hearing it from the horse’s mouth, does it?
Is that the right expression? I don’t know.
You get what I mean.
Anyway, these football autobiographies will be a nice range.
So without further ado, here we go:
‘My Life in Football’ – Kevin Keegan
This one’s a nice one – as it covers both a player and managerial story.
And a pretty darn interesting one, at that!
Beginning with his rise to fame at Scunthorpe and then (of course) Liverpool, Keegan is refreshingly honest about his ability and recalls (with a surprising amount of detail) the circumstances behind every move.
Which isn’t your everyday football career, by the way.
His story takes us from the bottom of English football, right to the top and delicately describes his famous decisions to join Hamburg and Southampton.
As a manager, his duplicitious Newcastle trips are beyond interesting.
Making for one of the most impressive football autobiographies available on the global market today.
Oh, and trust me …
… you’re gonna love it if you read this. Love it!
‘A Life in Football’ – Ian Wright
What a character this man is, honestly!
And the account of his life lives up to all expectations.
I’d say that, of all the football autobiographies I’ve read, Ian Wright’s story is probably the most inspiring one that I’ve ever come across.
After all, there aren’t many stories in the world which can go from the low of a prison cell to the high of scoring an opening goal in an FA Cup final against Manchester United.
Having said that, there aren’t many people in this world like Ian Wright.
Thankfully, the man remains refreshingly honest when looking back at his life and holds back no punches in how they made him feel on his journey.
There are some typos in it though, which are properly annoying.
But try and look passed that to enjoy the wonder underneath.
From one incredible character to another …
‘Farewell But Not Goodbye’ – Sir Bobby Robson
The only book that has made me cry.
God, I miss Sir Bobby Robson.
It’s also one of the few football autobiographies on the planet which has a Netflix documentary to bring even more life to the pages.
Though I doubt you need that with someone as eloquent as he.
In management, I’ve always put Sir Bobby Robson’s career on a pedestal higher than most for how forward-thinking he was throughout that term.
Not many people can go to as many different clubs and cultures as he did and sustain that amount of success.
I mean, seriously!
Porto. PSV. Sporting Lisbon. England. Newcastle.
All in one lifetime.
A legacy unlike no other, written directly by the hand of one of the game’s greatest personalities. I honestly wish I could read it all over again.
Nothing like a fresh brew and a book to keep you company.
And trust me, you’re going to have a great time with these.
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