Family: Life, Death and Football - A Year on the Frontline with a Proper Club - Softcover

Calvin, Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1906850267 ISBN 13: 9781906850265

Publisher: Icon Books, 2012

Synopsis

Award-winning sports writer Michael Calvin follows lower league UK soccer team Millwall FC through an emotional promotion season. There for the first day of training, he was on the substitutes’ bench at Wembley, 333 days later. In an environment which is less than glamorous, he vividly portrays players and management as family men, close to their roots.

About this title

About the Author:

Michael Calvin: Michael Calvin is currently chief sports writer with the Sunday Mirror, and has worked at the Daily Telegraph, The Times and the Mail on Sunday. He has twice been named Sports Reporter of the Year.

Review:

"There is absolutely no requirement to be a Millwall fan to enjoy `Family.' After all, no one likes them and they don't care." -- Janine Self, Sports Journalists' Association ' `Family' takes you on a real tour of the beautiful game from behind the scenes of one of football's most real, honest and passionate clubs ... This book restored my faith in a sport that seems to fast be becoming more about entertainment than competition.' -- Football Rascal `The latest and most extraordinary fly-on-the-wall account of a football club from its grassroots up.' -- Rob Bagchi, Guardian '{`Family'] offers a fascinating and entertaining insight into what is described as a 'proper club' by the book's subtitle.' -- When Saturday Comes 'No punches are pulled by either author or club, ensuring a frank and brutally honest - and at times very funny - account of life at the sharp end of football.' -- When Saturday Comes '`Family' is the only book where you can get an accurate description, warts and all, of what goes on in the dressing room and should be read by football fans and players alike.' -- London24 `Calvin ... makes fantastic use of his material, turning the season's ups and downs into a compelling narrative of football.' -- Mark Perryman, Substantive. 'The measure of Calvin's achievement is that after reading [`Family'] any fan would surely want something similar to be written about their club.' -- Mark Perryman, Substantive 'Vivid and poignant. It paints portraits of players as people living in the real world, not the 7-Star hotels of Dubai. Men existing in their communities as central figures, not protected in gated communities from the hoodies.' -- Daily Express 'An absolute gem - inspirational.' -- Daily Mirror 'Brilliantly honest.' -- Sunday People 'As up close and personal as it is possible to be.' -- Football-league.co.uk

About this edition

• Publisher: Icon Books
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 1906850267
• ISBN 13: 9781906850265
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 320