Category Archives: Football Book Reviews

Review – O Jogo Bonito! Brazil’s 1970 World Cup Samba Party by Gary Thacker

Posted on April 17, 2024 by ianhaspinall

Gary Thacker’s latest book is the story of probably the greatest football team in the history of the World Cup. ‘O Jogo Bonito’ is Portuguese for ‘the beautiful game’ and the Brazilian World Cup winning team of 1970 truly defined … Continue reading →

Posted in 1970s, Brazil, Football Book Reviews, Gary Thacker, Late Tackle magazine, Wigan Athletic | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Review – Gordon Milne, Shankly, My Dad and Me with Steve Younger

Posted on February 21, 2024 by ianhaspinall

In his engrossing football memoir Gordon Milne recalls his journey from Preston to Newcastle via Liverpool, Blackpool, Wigan, Coventry, Leicester, Turkey, and Japan. Milne is a pure football man who has encounters with some of the greatest players and managers … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool, Book Reviews, Coventry City, England, Football Book Reviews, Gordon Milne, Late Tackle magazine, Leicester City, Liverpool, Preston North End, Steve Younger, Wigan Athletic | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Review – Unfit and Improper Persons: An Idiot’s Guide to Owning a Football Club by Kevin Day, Kieran Maguire, & Guy Kilty

Posted on January 4, 2024 by ianhaspinall

This irreverent new guide to running a football club is from the people behind ‘The Price of Football’ Podcast. Writer Kevin Day, football finance expert Kieran Maguire and producer Guy Kilty have created a fictional football club, West Park Rovers … Continue reading →

Posted in Football Book Reviews, Guy Kilty, Kevin Day, Kieran Maguire, Late Tackle magazine, Wigan Athletic | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Review – Answered Prayers: England and the 1966 World Cup by Duncan Hamilton

Posted on October 26, 2023 by ianhaspinall

‘Answered Prayers’ is Duncan Hamilton’s personal homage to Alf Ramsay and the England World Cup winners. 1966 is still England’s crowning football achievement and it may never be surpassed, but Ramsay and the players never got the rewards and recognition … Continue reading →

Posted in 1966, Duncan Hamilton, Football Book Reviews, Late Tackle magazine, Wigan Athletic, World Cup | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Review – Football And How to Survive It by Pat Nevin

Posted on August 30, 2023 by ianhaspinall

This is Pat Nevin’s second memoir, a follow up to his first successful memoir ‘The Accidental Footballer’. It covers the period with his less glamorous clubs – Tranmere Rovers, Kilmarnock and Motherwell and reflects on a time of what he calls, … Continue reading →

Posted in Football Book Reviews, Kilmarnock, Late Tackle magazine, Motherwell, Pat Nevin, Tranmere Rovers | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Summer Reading 2023 – The Best Football Books

Posted on June 30, 2023 by ianhaspinall

Here’s my recommendations of the best football books of recent months for reading on the beach or by the pool. Kick off the summer with one of these great reads. Review: How To Watch Football – 52 Rules for Understanding … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Daniel Gray, Football Book Reviews, Ian Ridley, Jonathan Wilson, Mark Hodkinson, Micah Richards, Nooruddean Choudry, Tifo, Wigan Athletic | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Review – Inshallah United: A Story of Faith and Football by Nooruddean Choudry

Posted on June 20, 2023 by ianhaspinall

Inshallah United is an unusual and entertaining memoir about a football loving British-born Pakistani living in North Manchester. Nooruddean Choudry is a Muslim, Manchester United supporting, Morrissey-loving, Maggie Thatcher-hating, working-class Mancunian. Growing up in the late 1980s and 90s as … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Football Book Reviews, Late Tackle magazine, Manchester United, Wigan Athletic | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Review – Pantomime Hero Jimmy Armfield: Memories of the man who lifted Leeds after Brian Clough by Ian Ridley.

Posted on May 2, 2023 by ianhaspinall

Pantomime hero is the first book in the Football Shorts series, which is a new collaboration between Pitch Publishing and Ian Ridley’s Floodlit Dreams Company. Journalist and author Ridley provides us with some charming, nostalgic, and heart-warming stories about Jimmy … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Football Book Reviews, Ian Ridley, Late Tackle magazine | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Review – The Game: Player. Pundit. Fan by Micah Richards

Posted on February 23, 2023 by ianhaspinall

The former Manchester City and England defender-turned-broadcaster Micah Richards has produced an upbeat and entertaining read. Richards’ career highlights include winning the FA Cup and the Premier League title, as well as becoming the youngest ever defender to represent England, … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Football Book Reviews, Late Tackle magazine, Micah Richards, Wigan Athletic | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Review: How To Watch Football – 52 Rules for Understanding the Beautiful Game, On and Off the Pitch by Tifo

Posted on January 5, 2023 by ianhaspinall

This handy football primer, produced by Tifo the YouTube channel, is designed to help everyone understand what is happening both on and off the pitch. From ‘don’t watch the ball’ and ‘why corners are less effective than you think’, to … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Football Book Reviews, Late Tackle magazine, Tifo, Wigan Athletic | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment