We fans, when watching the beautiful game, relish nothing more than witnessing the travails of what we may refer to as "characters". We love the loose cannons, the players who do the unexpected on and off the pitch. Mercurial talent is all well and good but we love to see a wee dash of eccentricity in the mix too.
As such, I'm delighted to offer one of the readers of The Totality a chance to win a quartet of biographies each all about the games' most colourful individuals. I've never met your Dad but, as Christmas is right around the corner, I'm pretty sure that these are the type of literary tomes he'd love to find in his stocking this Yuletide. Carry on reading to find out about these football books and how to win them!
The first of the stories in this maverick collection is that contained in the sensational global bestseller I Am Zlatan; a book often described as one of the greatest, most poignant biographies in the sport's history. The tale of a Swedish immigrant's rise is documented through training ground bust-ups and a journey spanning Europe (via Barcelona, Paris Saint Germain and now the Red Devils) to become a genius stood on top of the world.
Another Manchester United icon, Roy Keane, teams up with the masterful Roddy Doyle to produce The Second Half - a "masterpiece" the Mail on Sunday describes as "the finest, most incisive deconstruction of football management that the game as ever produced". The combination of the fiery midfielder's anecdotes and Doyle's eloquent structuring and stylisation helps capture Keane's voice in a truly captivating manner.
The third in this collection turns back the clock with Jonathan Wilson's Nobody Ever Says Thank You. The Sunday Times calls this book on Brian Clough, former Nottingham Forest and Derby manager, "the most comprehensive account we've had this remarkable man so far". Throughout its pages we revisit the highs of his European victories to his brief and doomed spell at Elland Road and become privy to the often unorthodox managerial techniques deployed by the outspoken man often called "Old Big Head".
Rounding out the collection, we have No Nonsense in hardback - the beguiling autobiography from midfield firebrand Joey Barton. The ex-Newcastle player details his career and unspools his punk/philosopher character in page-turning fashion. Here is a portrait of an unusual character who fluctuates wildly between explosions of violence and articulate self-awareness at some speed - a football book like no other.
To enter the competition to win this bundle of books, simply log-in to the Rafflecopter form below with your name and email address - we promise not to share, or pass on, this data to any third parties but will use this information to contact you if your entry is successful.
Once logged in, you can enter the competition in up to three ways:
The first way to do this is to follow my Twitter account at @KCBFD. You can do this through straight through the Rafflecopter form.
A second way to enter is to click on the "Tweet about the competition" option on the Rafflecopter form to enter via a tweeted message.
Alternatively, or as an addition, please leave the name of your favourite footballer in the comments. Whether its Mario Balotelli, Jason Puncheon or Owen Hargreaves, I'd love to hear your answer..
Once you've done this, you can confirm you've left your answer by using the Rafflecopter form (click the "Leave a Blog Post" option and then select the "I commented" box).
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The winners are selected at random through Rafflecopter and will be chosen on November 28th and contacted shortly thereafter.
The prizes will be sent out upon confirmation of your win. There are no cash alternatives and entries can be disqualified at the judge's discretion. Entrants must be 15 or over and have a UK shipping address to enter. Maximum of three entries per person - one comment, one Twitter follow, one blog comment each.
Good luck to one and all!
My favourite is Diego Costa
ReplyDeleteNone of them actually but my Brother would love these :) x
ReplyDeleteDave Edwards of Wolves
ReplyDeleteDavid Beckham - shame he is ageing!
ReplyDeleteHuge fan of Zlatan - I love your choice of books :) Thanks for a super giveaway.
ReplyDeleteRonaldo
ReplyDeleteGareth Bale
ReplyDeleteBryan Robson :)
ReplyDeleteHmmm... tough call but I should probably say Matt Le Tissier as a Saints fan!
ReplyDeleteAlan Shearer
ReplyDeletePast player - Zidane ... bit further in the past - Dalglish .... Now - Messi
ReplyDeleteNeil Grayson ex CHELTENHAM TOWN FC
ReplyDeleteEden Hazard
ReplyDeleteThiery Henri
ReplyDeleteNo doubt about it,1966 World Cup winner,Martin Peters who is the best ever player to wear the yellow and green shirt.He could play in any position and was the most elegant player ever.He was a pleasure to watch and I am so sad to read about the fact he,like many other footballers,has Alzheimers disease.
ReplyDeletedavid beckham
ReplyDeletewayne rooney
ReplyDeletewayne rooney
ReplyDeleteGareth Bale
ReplyDeleteJoe Hart
ReplyDeleteGeorge Best
ReplyDeleteMarcus Rashford.
ReplyDeleteAs a Gooner, it's got to be Dennis Bergkamp!
ReplyDeleteDavid Beckham
ReplyDeleteSteven Gerrard
ReplyDeleteSteven Gerrard
ReplyDeleteMarcus Rashford
ReplyDeletePhilippe Coutinho
ReplyDeleteI love Zlatan Ibrahimovic - on and off the pitch - what a character.
ReplyDeletePaul Gascoigne or Robbie Keane
ReplyDeleteDavid Beckham
ReplyDeleteGerrard
ReplyDeleteEric Cantona
ReplyDeleteJamie Vardy
ReplyDeleteOf all.time it would have to be Eric Cantona. Great player and what a personalitt
ReplyDeleteDavid Beckham is my all time fav footballer,x
ReplyDeleteCurrently is Jonathan Kodja (Have to support the Villa squad)
ReplyDeleteAll time Michael Owen in his prime
Lionel Messi x
ReplyDeletePaul Pogba Man Utd.x
ReplyDeleteLiam Brady was my all time favourite. Of the current crop Robbie Keane - as long as he hasn't retired by the time I've written this ;)
ReplyDeleteRonaldo, fantastic prize.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up my hero was Coventry City goalkeeper Steve Ogrizovic.
ReplyDeleteJimmy Mcilroy
ReplyDeleteFavourite ever is Cantona x
ReplyDeleteGeorge Best :)
ReplyDeleteGlauber Berti
ReplyDeleteThierry Henry is my favourite footballer
ReplyDeleteCristiano ronaldo
ReplyDeleteWayne Rooney
ReplyDeleteDavid Beckham
ReplyDeleteAlan Shearer
ReplyDeleteSergio Aguero
ReplyDeleteDavid beckham
ReplyDeleteDavid Beckham
ReplyDeleteGazza is my favourite footballer :)
ReplyDeleteAlan Shearer
ReplyDeleteduncan edwards
ReplyDeleteSteven Gerrard
ReplyDeleteCristiano Ronaldo
ReplyDeleteDavid Beckham
ReplyDeleteGazza
ReplyDeleteRyan Giggs
ReplyDeletePaul Scholes
ReplyDeleteStevie Gerrard
ReplyDeleteGary Lineker , he was the biggest name growing up . I always thought it was a shame he didn't go into management ....but he seems to have done alright for himself though .
ReplyDeleteMy fave at the moment is Marcus Rashford (his dad made me a brew recently)but of my lifetime it is King Eric Cantona, the man is a legend!!
ReplyDeleteMick McCarthy
ReplyDeleteChristiano Ronaldo
ReplyDeleteStill George Best
ReplyDeleteHenrik Larsson
ReplyDeletesteven gerrard
ReplyDeleteDennis Bergkamp (for my partner) x
ReplyDeleteChris Waddle
ReplyDeleteMy favourite footballer is Eric Cantona.
ReplyDeleteN'golo Kante
ReplyDeleteTony Adams, what a legend
ReplyDeleteGeorge Best
ReplyDeleteWayne Rooney
ReplyDeleteIan Callaghan or Gary Lineker - both honest hardworking dedicated true sportsmen
ReplyDeleteStuart Pierce
ReplyDeleteDavid Beckham
ReplyDeleteSteven Gerrard
ReplyDeleteBOBBY CHARLTON
ReplyDeleteRyan Giggs
ReplyDeleteIm old school .... Emelyn Hughes x
ReplyDeleteWell if we are talking "throw all leagues in the world into the mix" - it would be Sergio Ramos (from Real Madrid), but Zlatan Ibrahimovic is my favourite Premier League player.
ReplyDeletePele
ReplyDeleteGareth Bale for me...my hubby and son would love this so much :)
ReplyDeleteDavid Beckham
ReplyDeletedavid beckham of course!!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite player now is Riyhad Mahrez. He has skills! My favorite player from back in the day of real footballers was Diego Maradonna, another fella with skills! I know, I know, the 'Hand of god' and all that but there was no disputing he was a fine footballer
ReplyDeleteZlatin Manchester United
ReplyDeleteAlan Shearer
ReplyDeleteGareth Bale
ReplyDeleteGazza
ReplyDelete