B/R World Soccer Page Christmas 2008 Book Recommendations

Over the last couple of weeks, I've contacted many of the regular contributors of the World Soccer page on Bleacher to recommend their favourite reads for Christmas presents.

I'd like to thank them all for the time they put into contributing to this article, a community-wide piece that has brought a list of great books together so that everyone should find at least something that would pique their interest, or at least be a good book to give someone as a present.

I apologise if I didn't contact you to contribute, and feel free to add anything you feel is worthwhile. After-all,  it is a community wide article.

So please enjoy the list of books. I'll definitely be picking some up.

Regards and Happy Christmas,

Willie

Andrew McNair's recommendations

I recommend two books, the first being Left Foot Forward by Garry Nelson. It is a MUST read for any football fan. It's the story of his second last season as a pro with Charlton Athletic in the first division back in '94-95 before the money rolled in. Talks of his troubles paying his mortgage (imagine not knowing if you'd get a new contract with bills to pay) and amazingly car sharing to keep travelling costs down.
 
A lifetime away from modern football, but not so long ago. Nelson was also Charlton's PFA rep and it's full of great little insights. I've read it twice.
 
The second is My Father and Other Working-Class Football Heroes by Gary Imlach.

Stuart Imlach was once an FA Cup final Man of the Match (back when it really meant something), but after his death his son Gary realised he didn't know that much about his dad's career. So he decided to research it and write a book about it.
 
Within a year of his Man of the Match performance, Imlach was playing third-division football after two transfers (in those days, clubs owned players). Shockingly revealing and a gripping tale.

Willie Gannon's recommendations

Full Time: The Secret Life of Tony Cascarino by Paul Kimmage and Tony Cascarino.

For those who don't know, "The Ice Cream Man" is one of the most beloved soccer players ever to play for Ireland. Except he wasn't from Ireland. He was Italian, and left that little detail out when Ireland came looking for him.

Charting the life story of Cascarino, and starting out with him wanting to be a hairdresser while his dad wanted him to work on building sites, this book is probably the  most honest sports book ever written. The book offers a brutal assessment of Cascarino as a player, admitting he had the same skills as a wheelbarrow. But offers insights into his battles with the mental side of the game, with his constant wars with the voice

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