Charlton related autobiographies - recommendations?
As I travel about 4 hours each day on the train/tube, I've got plenty of time to read!
So, which titles do others recommend? I've got a vague memory of Gary Nelson (I think) writing one. And Curbs. Who else? Thanks in advance.
Comments
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Garry Nelson's books are good, well worth reading for his time with us and then after.0
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Think you can get Sam Bartram and Eddie Firmani biographies still.
I found both Curbs and Lennie Lawrence biographies a bit dull and told us nothing we already knew.
Left Foot Forward got voted Sports Book of the Year when it was released so definitely worth a read.
Robert Lee did a biography, but he seems to forget he played for Charlton for much of it.0 -
Neil Redfearn's i picked up out of a pound shop was a fair read if i remember.0
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Curbs book was great, err sorry I meant shite.
It told hardly anything, that I didn't already know. The book had "no personality" :-)
Nelson's were very good.0 -
Curbs book is shite, i wouldn't recommend. Tells us everything we already knew.0
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Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank's book?0
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I'll have a hunt around for Nelson's books first then, thanks for the comments. Curb's one has fallen down the priority list now!0
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The Eddie Firmani and Bartrams biographies were sold as a trio with another weren't they ? Stuart Leary perhaps ?PeakieRocket said:Think you can get Sam Bartram and Eddie Firmani biographies still.
I found both Curbs and Lennie Lawrence biographies a bit dull and told us nothing we already knew.
Left Foot Forward got voted Sports Book of the Year when it was released so definitely worth a read.
Robert Lee did a biography, but he seems to forget he played for Charlton for much of it.0 -
Jimmy Seedse9addick said:
The Eddie Firmani and Bartrams biographies were sold as a trio with another weren't they ? Stuart Leary perhaps ?PeakieRocket said:Think you can get Sam Bartram and Eddie Firmani biographies still.
I found both Curbs and Lennie Lawrence biographies a bit dull and told us nothing we already knew.
Left Foot Forward got voted Sports Book of the Year when it was released so definitely worth a read.
Robert Lee did a biography, but he seems to forget he played for Charlton for much of it.0 -
That's the oneshirty5 said:
Jimmy Seedse9addick said:
The Eddie Firmani and Bartrams biographies were sold as a trio with another weren't they ? Stuart Leary perhaps ?PeakieRocket said:Think you can get Sam Bartram and Eddie Firmani biographies still.
I found both Curbs and Lennie Lawrence biographies a bit dull and told us nothing we already knew.
Left Foot Forward got voted Sports Book of the Year when it was released so definitely worth a read.
Robert Lee did a biography, but he seems to forget he played for Charlton for much of it.0 -
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reading it right now
bought in one of shirtys auctions0 -
Not sure if this is Sam Bartram's own book (which I have as well) but picked this up on my kindle the other day... Havent read it yet though
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sam-Bartram-Goalkeeping-Legend-ebook/dp/B00DM8JZA8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379505087&sr=8-1&keywords=Sam+Bartram0 -
yeah add my praise for left foot forward and left foot in the grave.
i actually thought the 2nd was even better (although less CAFC content). really gave a good insight into the trials and tribulations of lower league management. since been copied many times but the original remains the best.
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Is it Left Foot Forward that has the famous Shaun Newton story in?0
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I heartily recommend the two Garry Nelson books. In terms of non-Charlton related football books (I know this is outside the brief of the thread), I thought Tony Cascarino's, Full Time, was very good and The Miracle of Castel di Sangro was ace, too.0
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As much as I can't stand the bloke, Eamon Dunphy's is meant to be good.0
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Strongly agree. Left Foot Forward is one of he best football biographies written as is the Cascarino book..hawksmoor said:I heartily recommend the two Garry Nelson books. In terms of non-Charlton related football books (I know this is outside the brief of the thread), I thought Tony Cascarino's, Full Time, was very good and The Miracle of Castel di Sangro was ace, too.
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Thirdedgrumpyaddick said:
Strongly agree. Left Foot Forward is one of he best football biographies written as is the Cascarino book..hawksmoor said:I heartily recommend the two Garry Nelson books. In terms of non-Charlton related football books (I know this is outside the brief of the thread), I thought Tony Cascarino's, Full Time, was very good and The Miracle of Castel di Sangro was ace, too.
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Cascarino's book is surprisingly, even shockingly honest, about his crippling lack of confidence as a player (at least until he went to Marseille), his infidelities (and getting caught by his missus!), and the Republic of Ireland eligibility controversy. Also some funny stories about his struggling to accept getting older, including a priceless hair-dye anecdote.0
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Agree with this. One of the best football autobiograthies ive read. Both nelsons books are excellenthawksmoor said:Cascarino's book is surprisingly, even shockingly honest, about his crippling lack of confidence as a player (at least until he went to Marseille), his infidelities (and getting caught by his missus!), and the Republic of Ireland eligibility controversy. Also some funny stories about his struggling to accept getting older, including a priceless hair-dye anecdote.
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Has KP's 'No Substitute' had a mention? Falls somewhere between Curbs' and Nelson's, I think. For non CAFC related: Hunter Davies' 'The Glory Game' is still in print 40 years on (so one for the old 'uns).0
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It'll be a bit dated now, but a fascinating read.ThreadKiller said:As much as I can't stand the bloke, Eamon Dunphy's is meant to be good.
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The trouble with most footballers' autobiographies - ghost-written or not - is that they are irredeemably bland, as though piped from a PR machine. Of the Charlton men, I have read Nelson's and Curbishley's. As inquisitive fans, we want the authors to dish the dirt, to name the guilty men - but they don't. Curbishley's is mealy-mouthed to such an extent that he pussy-foots around telling us the reasons for his own decision to call it a day, while Nelson's - despite the awards and plaudits from fellow Lifers above - I found to be nothing more than a litany of clichés.
By far the best I have read is Eamonn Dunphy's 'Only a Game?'. Don't be put off by his Millwall connections - he played for us too, from 1973-75. It is a diary of a season at The Den in the late 1960s: a brutally honest account of his hopes and frustrations, and about how experienced players were casually patronised by puffed-up chairmen and treated like children by ignorant coaches.
Dunphy went on to make a successful career in quality journalism and write biographies of rock musicians. 'Only a Game?' is still in print and widely available.0 -
Cory Gibbs book is worth buying for the chapter “2006-2008 The Wilderness Years” alone…..0
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Viewfinder said:
The trouble with most footballers' autobiographies - ghost-written or not - is that they are irredeemably bland, as though piped from a PR machine. Of the Charlton men, I have read Nelson's and Curbishley's. As inquisitive fans, we want the authors to dish the dirt, to name the guilty men - but they don't. Curbishley's is mealy-mouthed to such an extent that he pussy-foots around telling us the reasons for his own decision to call it a day, while Nelson's - despite the awards and plaudits from fellow Lifers above - I found to be nothing more than a litany of clichés.
By far the best I have read is Eamonn Dunphy's 'Only a Game?'. Don't be put off by his Millwall connections - he played for us too, from 1973-75. It is a diary of a season at The Den in the late 1960s: a brutally honest account of his hopes and frustrations, and about how experienced players were casually patronised by puffed-up chairmen and treated like children by ignorant coaches.
Dunphy went on to make a successful career in quality journalism and write biographies of rock musicians. 'Only a Game?' is still in print and widely available.
In some ways 'Only a Game' counts as Charlton related.
It opens with his hopes that in his late 20's that he might still play in the old First Division (now Premiership) by the end of the book he joins us mid season when we were in the Third Division (now League 1) and a division below the Spanners,so on a personal level it describes a time in his career when his hopes and dreams get smashed.
I warn you he is not complementary about us and describes our beloved Valley as 'soulless'.It is interesting that his description of our early 70's team as a bunch of 'Nancy boys' and that they loved playing against us because it was 'easy' could have equally been written 30 years later and possibly goes some way to explain our record against them.
Let's hope the modern Addicks prove Eamon wrong on Saturday !
If you can get past his obvious ambivalence to Charlton , Viewfinder is right it is a very good book.0 -
amazon.co.uk/Greatest-Footballer-You-Never-Saw/dp/1840181087
The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw: The Robin Friday Story
Not Charlton but great read. Met his ex in a boozer in Reading recently and had a chat about him. Lovely lady. Sad story.0 -
I'm sure I've got Nelsons books at home , you can buy them off me0
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I'm probably the only person in the entire world, from reading this thread, that quite liked Curbs' autobiography.
If you expect an autobiography to capture the essence of the person this one does and to give one example his description of the tragedy of Pierre Bolangi is particularly moving.
The book is written in his bland, understated style and you almost expect to see "p'raps" written somewhere in every paragraph but for those used to interpreting "Curbs speak" the book reveals rather more than appears at first sight,
That last comment is perhaps my one criticism. You have to be something of an "insider" to fully appreciate it and a non- Charlton fan probably would find it bland and boring because of the way it is written.
That said are many non- Charlton fans going to read Charlton autobiographies? Our chaps don't have the profile of Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea etc,etc.
As for the other suggestions I'd agree that they are all worth a read and what you get out of them probably depends on how long you have supported the Club and how interested you are in its history.
I particularly enjoyed 'No Substitute' largely because Keith Peacock's span with the Club almost exactly mirrors my own time. It is inevitably a personal thing of course.0 -
Lennie's book was a bit of a disappointment, considering some of the frankness in his post match press conferences in the late 80's.0
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Both of the Nelson volumes and curbs's book are gathering dust on my shelf. Not read the Nelson books for what must be getting on for a decade. Seem to remember enjoying them at the time. Might brush the dust off as I have a couple of flights and a trip abroad with no wifi in the bedroom coming. Not sure how well they will have aged though. Could be an interesting reminder of a long gone age!
The only purpose served by the curbs book is to alert visitors to the fact that I am a Charlton supporter!0
