FOOTBALL BOOK REVIEWS

NOT THE MEMORIES BUT THE EXPECTATIONS THAT THOSE MEMORIES BUILT. YOU MAY ALWAYS HAVE ISTANBUL, BUT YOU KNEW THERE WAS ALWAYS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ANOTHER ONE. WITH NEW MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY ARRIVING, THERE SHALL BE NEW MEMORIES, DIFFERENT AND EQUALLY VALUED. BUT DIFFERENT.

AS THE STORY WEAVES THROUGH FINDING SAN, HIS SOULMATE AND TOM’S MUM, JOBS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE COUNTRY THE SIGNIFICANCE OF A CENTRAL PART OF YOUR LIFE – ANFIELD BECOMES INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT. IT NOT ONLY CENTRES YOUR WEEK, IT HOLDS YOUR ENTIRE FOCUS. IF ALL ELSE FAILS, YOU CAN GO AND COLLECT CUPS IN MAY…

IT IS THEREFORE THE SUCCESS THAT ELUDED LIVERPOOL WHICH BECOMES IMPORTANT AS MUCH AS THE SUCCESS THEY HAD. THIS IS A STORY WHICH IS FRAMED AROUND A CLUB BUT ALSO INFORMS THE NARRATIVE. IF YOU ARE EXPECTING A STORY THAT TAKES YOU SEASON BY SEASON, GAME BY GAME, THIS IS NOT IT. THE TOTALITY OF THE EFFECT OF THE SEASONS IS MEASURED PERSONALLY AND AS DAN ARRIVES AND LIVERPOOL PROGRESS IT ALLOWS THE DISNEYLAND PARIS TRIP, THE BARCELONA VISIT AND EUROPEAN EXCURSIONS BECOME ABOUT THE CORE REASON FOR WRITING THIS – THE FAMILY.

THAT FAMILY IS CONSTANTLY EXTENDED, NOT JUST BY THE INCLUSION OF NEW CLOSE FAMILY MEMBERS BUT BY COLLEAGUES AND ACQUAINTANCES WHO MAY BE ABLE TO BARBECUE BETTER THAN LES AS WELL AS PROVIDE THE TYPE OF SUPPORT WHICH YOU WISH NEVER TO HAVE TO RELY ON BUT ARE IMMENSELY GRATEFUL WHEN IT IS THERE.

AND THEN I ARRIVED AT THE CHAPTER. 23RD OF AUGUST 2016.

TOM HAD GONE TO EXPERIENCE AUSTRALIA AND WHEN

THERE WAS STAYING IN A HOSTEL. ONE NIGHT HE WENT TO THE AID OF A YOUNG WOMAN BEING ATTACKED. THE ATTACKER TURNED ON TOM AND OF THE THREE, ONLY ONE SURVIVED. IT WAS NEITHER VICTIM OF THE ATTACKER.

FROM THE MESSAGE RECEIVED THAT HE WAS IN HOSPITAL, THAT SUPPORTIVE CAST OF CHARACTERS KICKED IN. LES WENT TO AUSTRALIA, AND AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME, BROUGHT TOM HOME. I CANNOT DO JUSTICE TO THE EXPRESSION OF PAIN DRIPPING FROM EACH PAGE NOR TO THE PRIDE FELT WHEN TOM WAS RECOGNISED BY FRIENDS, GOVERNMENTS AND FORMER SCHOOLS. THERE ARE TOO MANY CLICHÉS TO BE AVOIDED OVER WHAT A PARENT SHOULD EXPECT REGARDING THEIR CHILDREN, BUT HERE THERE IS GENUINE EMOTION WELL EXPRESSED. THAT THE BOOK, NEAR THE END TALKS OF HOW THE ATTACKER HAS NOW BEEN RELEASED AND MAY BE WALKING FREE BACK IN HIS HOME COUNTRY OF FRANCE DOES NOT SEND LES INTO APOPLEXY BUT HIS UNDERSTATED ANGST. IS. COMPLETELY. CLEAR.

THE ENDING OF THE BOOK MANAGES THE POSITIVE AND WHEN LES IS PONTIFICATING ON THE GAME, THE PASSION HAS CONTINUED BUT IT DOES NOT QUITE WORK AS WELL. LES IS HOBBY HORSING A BIT. I CAN FORGIVE THAT. YOU COULD FORGIVE MUCH, BUT TO DO SO WOULD BE TO TREAT THIS AS A SYMPATHY REVIEW OF A PIECE OF WORK THAT HAS TRUE MEANING. IT’S WELL WRITTEN AND IT TELLS THE TALE WELL. I AM GLAD I GOT TO READ IT IN THE END. YOU SHOULD MAKE THE EFFORT TO DO SO TOO.

AND AS FOR THE TRIVIAL QUESTION – SIR KENNY DALGLEISH, RANGERS SUPPORTER AT IBROX, LIVERPOOL PLAYER AT HEYSEL AND LIVERPOOL MANAGER AT HILLSBOROUGH. SMALL WORLD, RIGHT ENOUGH…