It's the last episode of Series 5 :(. But we're going out with a bang, as we read Manchester United legend Dwight Yorke's explosive 2009 autobiography 'Born To Score'. Featuring treble heroics, the truth behind his romance with Jordan, and keepie uppies in a bin. Plus partying with Colin Montgomerie, David May's 'wicked' sense of humour and Quinton Fortune - the most delicate soul in footballing history. Enjoy the show and want to hear more? Join the Football Book Club *Club* at www.patreon.com/...
Apr 15, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Season 5Ep. 17
Football Book Club are going international! As James heads to spectacular Rome armed only with a city guide written by its most famous son - AS Roma legend Francesco Totti. Totti penned 'E mo'te spiego Roma' ('And Now I'll Explain To You Rome') in 2012, and now, on what was meant to be a romantic weekend away with his fiancé, James will be taking in the sights, learning about the city and enjoying some downright bizarre football anecdotes courtesy of Francesco. Keeping in touch with the rest of ...
Apr 01, 2024•51 min•Season 5Ep. 16
A late contender for best book title of the series, this week we're reading former Aston Villa, Leicester and Coventry City forward Julian Joachim's 2023 autobiography 'You Must Be Joachim'. Featuring the ups and downs of a career which sampled the Premier League to the Gibraltar National League, Julian causing a stink in the dressing room (literally) and failed Chinese restaurants co-owned with Steve Walsh. Plus brushes with Hollywood, what connects Julian and the Kardashians and quite possibly...
Mar 18, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 5Ep. 15
It's time for, perhaps, the most obscure and most bizarre book we've ever read on Football Book Club - and definitely the shortest. We're reading all 58 pages of former Spurs, Wolves and Arsenal midfielder Rohan Ricketts's self-published, 2013 book 'Passion For Football: Things To Know From Youth to Pro'. Having played for no less than NINETEEN clubs around the world, from Canada to Bangladesh, Ecuador to Coventry, Rohan's book is part self-help, part the highs and lows of being a globetrotting ...
Mar 04, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 5Ep. 14
After the drama of Mick McCarthy's 2002 World Cup Diary a fortnight ago, it's time for Roy Keane's side of the story, as we read the Manchester United legend's explosive 2002 book 'Keane: The Autobiography'. Joining us to read it is the brilliant comedian and comedy writer, as well as host of The Way They Were podcast, Gráinne Maguire, as we delve deep, deep, DEEP into the mind of the former Irish captain. Featuring Roy on Jack Charlton, the nightmare of people asking you for tickets, and the me...
Feb 19, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Season 5Ep. 13
We're heading back to 2002 where, over on an island in Japan, the Irish World Cup camp is about to be rocked by a heavyweight clash for the ages - Roy Keane vs Mick McCarthy. Once and for all we're going to find out who was right, who was wrong and most importantly, who wrote the better book about it? Starting with then Ireland manager Mick McCarthy's World Cup diary 'Ireland's World Cup 2002'. And joining us to read it is Ipswich/McCarthy megafan and creator of Apple TV's 'Trying' - comedy writ...
Feb 05, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Season 5Ep. 12
It's time once more for everyone's favourite Football Book Club spin-off - Story Time! Previously only available to members of the Football Book Club *Club*, now everyone can enjoy our New Year's Day collection of loosely-football related stories, including brawling mascots, Romanian World Cup mishaps, Taylor Swift's hold over Brazilian giants Corinthians and footballers turning up on prime time ITV... Enjoy the show and want to hear more? Join the Football Book Club *Club* at www.patreon.com/fo...
Jan 22, 2024•54 min•Season 5Ep. 11
Crack open a bottle! Because it's the first episode of 2024 and we're celebrating by reading Alan Brazil's champagne-laden, 2006 memoir 'There's An Awful Lot of Bubbly In Brazil'. Joining us to read it is podcasting royalty and star of Beef and Dairy Network & Three Bean Salad - Ben Partridge, who was mesmerised by Alan's tall tales from Talksport and beyond, including Alan and Mike 'Porky' Parry fighting their way out of a Latvian engagement party, run-ins with Simon Jordan and Alan Brazil ...
Jan 08, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Season 5Ep. 10
It's (almost) Christmas! So what better at this time of year than for the Book Club to sit down around the log fire with a copy of Chelsea legend Frank Lampard's children's classic 'Frankie's Magic Football: The Great Santa Race'. Frank wrote *twenty* books in the 'Frankie's Magic Football' series back in the 2010s, with this being the most festive of the lot. Featuring talking dogs, evil animatronic penguins who eat mince pies and plenty of mundane football action. Can little Frank save Christm...
Dec 11, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Season 5Ep. 9
The brilliant comedian Dane Baptiste (Mock The Week, Live at the Apollo, BAMOUS) has been pushed to therapy by years of supporting Arsenal. So let's see how he holds up when he joins us to read ex-Arsenal and Southampton hero Theo Walcott's 2011 classic 'Growing Up Fast'. Written when he was just 22, we find out all about Theo's World Cup 2006 disappointment, the time Arsene Wenger chucked chewing gum at the dressing room, why Theo likes to put pants on his head and call himself 'The Underwear B...
Nov 27, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Season 5Ep. 8
Almost two years after we read Gary's first compilation of loosely-football related short stories, we've tracked down the sequel - the imaginatively named 'More of Gary Lineker's Favourite Football Stories'. And, somehow, it's even madder than the first. Featuring ghost grandpas, Tudor football-orgies and several animal attacks/other tragedies. Will Gary's stories go on to become favourites of ours as well? Find out now! Enjoy the show and want to hear more? Join the Football Book Club *Club* at...
Nov 13, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Season 5Ep. 7
James in on holiday, so Tash is taking the reins for a Football Book Club first, as we read a book by a true quadruple threat. WAG, fashion icon, detective and Tash's inspiration - it's the one and only Coleen Rooney. She might have a new book and a TV series out, but we're heading back to 2007 to read her noughties classic 'Welcome To My World', detailing her and Wayne's life as never before. Including Coleen channelling Klinsmann in her garden, dressing Wayne, hanging out with Busted and Ashle...
Oct 30, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 5Ep. 6
The Athletic's Spurs correspondent and star of Football Clichés, Charlie Eccleshare joins us this week to read modern day Spurs legend Teddy Sheringham's 1998 autobiography 'Teddy'. Featuring Teddy winning the treble, run-ins with a baseball bat wielding Sir Alan Sugar, and struggles as part of Ossie Ardiles' Famous Five. Plus some clear anti-Michael Owen subtext, some even clearer Glenn Hoddle bashing,Teddy outlandishly claiming Ole's goal in the '99 Champions League Final, and we join Teddy Sh...
Oct 16, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Season 5Ep. 5
Football Book Club venture into new territory this week, as we read our first ever referee's autobiography. And who else to introduce us to the genre, but the most iconic ref of them all - Pierluigi Collina. Featuring Pierluigi on World Cup finals, Champions League finals, and a Serie C match where someone got attacked with an umbrella. Pierluigi almost getting Punk'd, joking around with Gabriel Batistuta and being impressed by the Renault 4's fuel consumption. Mr Collina's unhinged eating habit...
Oct 02, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 5Ep. 4
This week we're reading Tottenham Hotspur legend and face of L'Oreal David Ginola's 2000 classic 'Le Magnifique', and joining us to read it is the brilliant comedian and huge Spurs fan, Rhys James (Mock The Week, Live At The Apollo, Fit and Proper podcast). Featuring David channeling his namesake David Brent, strong words about George Graham and Alan Sugar, and getting trapped on a yacht by Sir Alan Sugar. Plus an extensive look at David's acting career (including how he thinks should’ve been ca...
Sep 18, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Season 5Ep. 3
After many, many requests, this week the Book Club are reading a book with possibly the greatest title in literary history. Former Sunderland and Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan's 2022 autobiography 'LeGyanDary'. Featuring *that* penalty miss, what really happened at Sunderland and Asamoah's plans to set up an airline. Plus Steve Bruce slowly losing his mind, Bolo Zenden dancing, a team called Scientific Soccer Lads, and several Napoleon quotes. Can the book live up to its title? Let's find out! Enjo...
Sep 04, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 5Ep. 2
Football Book Club is back! And first up, we're heading back to 2006 for a tale of trophies, tapping up and Cheryl Cole on a camel. It can only be Ashley Cole's polarising classic, 'My Defence'. Written at the height of Ashley Cole tabloid mania, Ashley seeks to clear up all the stories about the end of his love affair with Arsenal, 'just happening' to bump into Chelsea's José Mourinho and Peter Kenyon at fancy London hotels, and of course his whirlwind marriage to Girls Aloud's very own Cheryl....
Aug 21, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Coming Monday August 21st... The critically-acclaimed Football Book Club returns for a brand new series of footballer autobiography action. Oi oi, stunning. See you then! To listen to an extended version of this episode, and all our bonus episodes, JOIN THE FOOTBALL BOOK CLUB *CLUB* - www.patreon.com/footballbookclub Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Aug 07, 2023•10 min
The road to The Road To Persia is almost complete. Which means it's time to finally read the rarest footballer's autobiography of them all - Darius Vassell's. Featuring missed penalties, Sven's eulogies, drill mishaps and Trevor Sinclair going all Jackie Chan. Plus Disney princesses, Darius's mantras and we find out what's on David O'Leary's iPod. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @footiebookclub INSTAGRAM: @footballbookclub JOIN THE FOOTBALL BOOK CLUB *CLUB*: www.patreon.com/footballbookclub Hosted on Acas...
Jun 20, 2022•1 hr 24 min•Season 4Ep. 20
It's time for another round of Story Time, as the Book Club bring to the group some of their favourite football stories past or present. This week, Emile Mpenza takes Paul Sturrock to court, an eventful fixture between Albania and Iceland, and Steve Ogrizovic may or may not be in central Asia. Plus Jack takes us back to 1915 and James Boughen makes an unwelcome discovery. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 06, 2022•49 min•Season 4Ep. 19
Twitter legend Jonny Sharples is a huge Rob Lee fan. So much so he owns two copies of his autobiography. However, he's never actually read it... Until now! Join us for Keegan v Tony Blair head tennis, Rob's high hopes for Diego Gavilan, and Nobby Solano's llama. Plus Noel's House Party, the time Jonny met Duncan Ferguson, and we find out why the book is like How I Met Your Mother. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @footiebookclub INSTAGRAM: @footballbookclub JOIN THE FOOTBALL BOOK CLUB *CLUB*: www.patreon.c...
May 23, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Season 4Ep. 18
It's our 53rd-book-celebration-spectacular! And to mark the occasion, we're reading 90s relic 'Gary Lineker's Favourite Football Stories' - a book we're fairly sure Gary had absolutely zero involvement in. Featuring some of Gary's (allegedly) favourite football-themed short stories, including ghost dogs, giant children, mysterious flashers and the football equivalent of 1984. Plus James's weird dreams and Ken Zong channels Mario Winans. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @footiebookclub INSTAGRAM: @footballb...
May 09, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 4Ep. 17
Joining the Book Club this week is comedian, Crystal Palace fan and co-host of the brilliant Price Of Football podcast, Kevin Day. Kevin chose Neil Ruddock's 1999 classic 'Hell Razor' for the club to read, a book which contains a jellied eel feast with Javier Vargas, Steve Sedgley sticking wine gums up his nostrils, and Alan Sugar secretly recording Neil's phonecalls. Plus Jamie Redknapp, Nietzsche, and we find out exactly what happens when you give Razor £500. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @footiebookc...
Apr 25, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Season 4Ep. 16
In 2006, Chelsea legend Frank Lampard released his autobiography 'Totally Frank'. And, sixteen years later, we're finally asking the question on everyone's lips... Just how frank is it? Featuring naked conversations with José Mourinho, his mortal enemy Adrian Mutu, and his true feelings about his West Ham days. Plus Frank Lampard's interview speak in book form and we reveal what's REALLY written on those little notes subs bring onto the pitch. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @footiebookclub INSTAGRAM: @fo...
Apr 11, 2022•1 hr 15 min•Season 4Ep. 15
We're taking a week off from reading footballers' autobiographies to bring you a brand new Football Book Club format. Welcome to Football Book Club: Story Time, where each member of the club brings a favourite football-related story - old or new - to the table. This week's stories include a little-known Kevin Keegan signing, Sol Campbell's forgetful moment and a fourth tier Romanian side's novel attempts at stopping fan invasions. This episode was originally brought to members of the Football Bo...
Mar 28, 2022•44 min•Season 4Ep. 14
We're joined this week by the brilliant stand-up comedian & writer, Steve Bugeja (Russell Howard's Stand Up Central, Celebability, ITV2's Buffering). Steve wanted to read a book by his idol, David Beckham, so we chose 2001's forgotten classic 'My World'. Featuring Posh and Becks mania, the reason behind the infamous Simeone kick, and so, so many photos. Plus Ole Gunnar Solskjær the entrepreneur and David buys a sarong with Mel B's husband. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more info...
Mar 14, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Season 4Ep. 13
This week on the podcast we welcome back writer and The Athletic journalist, Carl Anka, to tell us all about writing the massively successful 'You Are A Champion' with Manchester United and England superstar Marcus Rashford. Carl takes us through the writing process step-by-step, including post-match phone calls in the car, going back to Marcus's primary school, unexpected lessons from Memphis Depay's autobiography and Marcus's love of strawberry biscuits. Plus Carl on the huge reaction the book...
Feb 28, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Season 4Ep. 12
This week we're reading probably the smallest book we've ever read, if not the smallest book ever released - Robert Earnshaw's 2012, 103-page novella 'Earnie: My Life At Cardiff City'. Featuring Robbie on the art of goal celebrations, Sam Hammamm making Spencer Prior eat sheep testicles, and yet more Bobby Gould wrestling. Plus Leo Fortune-West's small calves, a school crocodile and James has finally had enough of dressing room pranks. Follow us on Twitter! @FootieBookClub Instagram @footballboo...
Feb 14, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Season 4Ep. 11
15th February 2007. Liverpool FC travelled to Portugal for a five day training camp. What followed shocked the footballing world. This was the night Craig Bellamy hit John Arne Riise with a seven iron. Although we all THINK we know the full story, for Detective Inspector Jack Bernhardt the events don't add up. And now, he's going to find out EXACTLY what happened, no matter how many different Liverpool players' autobiographies he has to read, as Football Book Club goes true crime... Follow us on...
Jan 31, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Season 4Ep. 10
Having already been treated to Andy Gray's 1986 autobiography 'Shades of Gray', it's finally time to read the sequel - 2004's 'Gray Matters'. And joining us to read it is The Athletic editor and host of Football Cliches podcast, Adam Hurrey. A self-confessed 'Andy Gray stan', Adam joins us to discuss embellished anecdotes, bombastic punditry, unnecessary Darius Vassell beef, and the time Andy and Richard Keys went on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. Follow us on Twitter! @FootieBookClub Instagram ...
Jan 17, 2022•1 hr 15 min•Season 4Ep. 9
