What I Talk About When I Talk About Non-League Football: The trials, tribulations and tipsiness of the ten–year life of a football club called Gresley
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Publisher
Independently published
ISBN
ISBN-13: 9798806153433Synopsis
What I Talk About When I Talk About Non-League Footballtells the story of the ten-year life of a football club called Gresley FC.
Gresley FC were formed from the ashes of a proud old club called Gresley Rovers, who at one point were the third biggest club in Derbyshire, and as famous as that suggests. The name Gresley FC officially existed for only ten years before they were able to change it back to Gresley Rovers again.
That decade saw two promotions, one relegation, one play–off final, two memorable runs in the FA Vase, a six–month stretch where they won only one game, and too many visits to Leek.
These ups and downs were mirrored by the promotions and the redundancies, the marriage and the gout, of one man’s wobbly journey from a childlike 30–year–old into a slightly–less–childlike 40–year–old.
The two intertwining tales are told with the help of 15 mugs of Bovril, 14 bottles of Blue WKD, two lost umbrellas, one pair of abandoned pants, and one mention of a former football club called Chesterfield Tube Works.
It is a story of glory and failure, scotch eggs and red cards, as told from the flag–draped pubs of central England, the crumbling terraces of the Northern Premier League and the Midland Football Alliance, and the Strongbow–splattered seats of East Midland Trains.
It is a ten-year snapshot into what I talk about when I talk about non-league football.
Praise for What I Talk About When I Talk About Non-League Football:
“Non-league football is a thing all of its own and no book better captures its power, its communities, its difficult journeys and its uniquely-shaped burgers than this one. Anyone who has ever been captured by the magic of non-league will feel deeply in tune with Stefan Appleby's excellent book.” Jack Pitt-Brooke, The Athletic
“The best book about Gresley I have and probably will ever read.” Lloyd Griffith, Soccer AM
“The beauty of this book is you don't have to be a fan of Gresley to enjoy it. It is the story of non-league devotion, an unbreakable, inexplicable bond between a supporter and their club that will resonate with football fans of all levels, the length and breadth of the country. Written with great warmth and humour, the stories from the terraces will have you smiling along.” Nick Westby, The Yorkshire Post
“What I Talk About When I Talk About Non-League Football is one of the funniest football books I’ve read in years. It perfectly and warmly captures the moments of joy, the elements of futility, the many examples of absurdity but most of all the nourishing community that defines following a non-league club. Read it now.” Nick Miller, The Athletic
Gresley FC were formed from the ashes of a proud old club called Gresley Rovers, who at one point were the third biggest club in Derbyshire, and as famous as that suggests. The name Gresley FC officially existed for only ten years before they were able to change it back to Gresley Rovers again.
That decade saw two promotions, one relegation, one play–off final, two memorable runs in the FA Vase, a six–month stretch where they won only one game, and too many visits to Leek.
These ups and downs were mirrored by the promotions and the redundancies, the marriage and the gout, of one man’s wobbly journey from a childlike 30–year–old into a slightly–less–childlike 40–year–old.
The two intertwining tales are told with the help of 15 mugs of Bovril, 14 bottles of Blue WKD, two lost umbrellas, one pair of abandoned pants, and one mention of a former football club called Chesterfield Tube Works.
It is a story of glory and failure, scotch eggs and red cards, as told from the flag–draped pubs of central England, the crumbling terraces of the Northern Premier League and the Midland Football Alliance, and the Strongbow–splattered seats of East Midland Trains.
It is a ten-year snapshot into what I talk about when I talk about non-league football.
Praise for What I Talk About When I Talk About Non-League Football:
“Non-league football is a thing all of its own and no book better captures its power, its communities, its difficult journeys and its uniquely-shaped burgers than this one. Anyone who has ever been captured by the magic of non-league will feel deeply in tune with Stefan Appleby's excellent book.” Jack Pitt-Brooke, The Athletic
“The best book about Gresley I have and probably will ever read.” Lloyd Griffith, Soccer AM
“The beauty of this book is you don't have to be a fan of Gresley to enjoy it. It is the story of non-league devotion, an unbreakable, inexplicable bond between a supporter and their club that will resonate with football fans of all levels, the length and breadth of the country. Written with great warmth and humour, the stories from the terraces will have you smiling along.” Nick Westby, The Yorkshire Post
“What I Talk About When I Talk About Non-League Football is one of the funniest football books I’ve read in years. It perfectly and warmly captures the moments of joy, the elements of futility, the many examples of absurdity but most of all the nourishing community that defines following a non-league club. Read it now.” Nick Miller, The Athletic
Dimensions
9 inches × 0.68 inches × 6 inches