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Books : The Damned Utd
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Rating: 
- It's like your really there.
What can I say other than as I said in the review title you feel as if you are there when the events take place,however you have an advantage if you actually lived through those years,if you can visualise the faces of the people involved; Clough,Taylor,Bremner,Giles..........who are really the 4 main central characters.It is brilliantly descriptive writing,I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Rating: - A bloody good read.
I found this book difficult to put down. It truly engages with the character of Brian Clough that at times I felt I was reading his autobiography. If you liked or disliked Clough then this is a belting read. Funny, tragic, infuriating and full of the attitude that truly encapsulates Cloughie. The relationship between Clough and Taylor is captured here beautifully. Buy it
Rating:
- A book that falls between two (football) stools
No mistake; this is a book fashioned from a clever concept, but having ploughed through it, I am left unclear as to the mix of Clough biography and the artistic licence added by the author. It is written in a style that becomes grating after about 150 pages. If you really want to know more about the legend of Brian Clough - then pick up one of his biographies (or Peter Taylor's book: with Clough by Taylor). If you want to know more about the events at Leeds in 1974: go to the library and read the newspaper reports of the time. So in short: not a recommended read even for the footbal devotees.
Rating: - Not a damned good read
I found this a pretty depressing read. Mind you England in those days could be a pretty depressing place under Edward Heath with 3 day weeks, the oil crisis, miner strikes et al so this book could be seen as a reflection of those troubled times.
None of the main characters come out well - even Dave Mackay, Clough's Cantona signing at Derby, who came back to take his job despite massive team and fan opposition. His loyal (supposedly only) friend Taylor comes across as weak and needy and just about every "dirty" Leeds player (with the exception of Alan Clarke) is tarred with the same foul brush as Revie. Every club board member, perhaps with the exception of Brighton's unfortunate Mike Bamber, is a self serving, money-grabbing idiot (ok, he may be right here...).
"Cloughie" was definitely a one-off but gets little sympathy from the author - his drinking, ill-humour, obstinacy and alleged corruption appearing throughout the book in spades. There appears to be little room for the warmer, more humorous side to the man.
Every section of his mutually hated tenure at Leeds is alternated with parts describing his equally well loved position at Derby; the team he took from the second division to the first division title in two miraculous seasons. The contrasts are startling and make good reading but there is a lot of padding too.
A brave book, which does not quite work in my opinion and I was quite glad to be out of it, in the same way you are a cheap hotel.
(For the record, I'm a Millwall supporter)
Rating: - that damn clough!
As a Leeds fan for the past 40 years, (I didn't start supporting them until I was 6), this book is so relevant to me, and also explains why I've never liked clough (I refuse to capitalise the Revie haters name!). Whilst it is a work of fiction, the author has clearly done a lot of research into the book, and it comes across very clearly. Written in a wonderful style of, day-to-day commentary from clough during his 44 days at Leeds, and also reminicences about his life in football. This novel cleverly brings out cloughs determination to ruin the club that he hated, and the legacy his greatest rival set up. If this novel had been out when Leeds were looking for a new manager, I'm sure they wouldn't have chosen him. We can only hope that clough is getting his just desserts in the afterlife, with regular kickings from the 'wee man' himself, Billy Bremner!
- It's like your really there.What can I say other than as I said in the review title you feel as if you are there when the events take place,however you have an advantage if you actually lived through those years,if you can visualise the faces of the people involved; Clough,Taylor,Bremner,Giles..........who are really the 4 main central characters.It is brilliantly descriptive writing,I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Rating:
- A bloody good read. I found this book difficult to put down. It truly engages with the character of Brian Clough that at times I felt I was reading his autobiography. If you liked or disliked Clough then this is a belting read. Funny, tragic, infuriating and full of the attitude that truly encapsulates Cloughie. The relationship between Clough and Taylor is captured here beautifully. Buy it
Rating:
- A book that falls between two (football) stoolsNo mistake; this is a book fashioned from a clever concept, but having ploughed through it, I am left unclear as to the mix of Clough biography and the artistic licence added by the author. It is written in a style that becomes grating after about 150 pages. If you really want to know more about the legend of Brian Clough - then pick up one of his biographies (or Peter Taylor's book: with Clough by Taylor). If you want to know more about the events at Leeds in 1974: go to the library and read the newspaper reports of the time. So in short: not a recommended read even for the footbal devotees.
Rating:
- Not a damned good readI found this a pretty depressing read. Mind you England in those days could be a pretty depressing place under Edward Heath with 3 day weeks, the oil crisis, miner strikes et al so this book could be seen as a reflection of those troubled times.
None of the main characters come out well - even Dave Mackay, Clough's Cantona signing at Derby, who came back to take his job despite massive team and fan opposition. His loyal (supposedly only) friend Taylor comes across as weak and needy and just about every "dirty" Leeds player (with the exception of Alan Clarke) is tarred with the same foul brush as Revie. Every club board member, perhaps with the exception of Brighton's unfortunate Mike Bamber, is a self serving, money-grabbing idiot (ok, he may be right here...).
"Cloughie" was definitely a one-off but gets little sympathy from the author - his drinking, ill-humour, obstinacy and alleged corruption appearing throughout the book in spades. There appears to be little room for the warmer, more humorous side to the man.
Every section of his mutually hated tenure at Leeds is alternated with parts describing his equally well loved position at Derby; the team he took from the second division to the first division title in two miraculous seasons. The contrasts are startling and make good reading but there is a lot of padding too.
A brave book, which does not quite work in my opinion and I was quite glad to be out of it, in the same way you are a cheap hotel.
(For the record, I'm a Millwall supporter)
Rating:
- that damn clough!As a Leeds fan for the past 40 years, (I didn't start supporting them until I was 6), this book is so relevant to me, and also explains why I've never liked clough (I refuse to capitalise the Revie haters name!). Whilst it is a work of fiction, the author has clearly done a lot of research into the book, and it comes across very clearly. Written in a wonderful style of, day-to-day commentary from clough during his 44 days at Leeds, and also reminicences about his life in football. This novel cleverly brings out cloughs determination to ruin the club that he hated, and the legacy his greatest rival set up. If this novel had been out when Leeds were looking for a new manager, I'm sure they wouldn't have chosen him. We can only hope that clough is getting his just desserts in the afterlife, with regular kickings from the 'wee man' himself, Billy Bremner!