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Product Description
Product Description
Annis is the story of a millionaire who has worked in clubs since the age of 12 and has seen him live and work in clubs up and down the breadth of the Country. Young entrepreneur,football fanatic, Family man. A revealing story of a man determined to achieve something from his life and lives and works each day to the fullest. This book documents the never before told story of the forming of the Soul Crew and how it was established, who was involved and how it become known as one of football s most notorious football firms. Annis gives an honest and frank account of the original members involved and when the Soul Crew became the name that many have tried to tried to keep alive for years since. Soul Crew has been inactive for at least 15 years now but through this book you get right to the middle of the forming of the Soul Crew and how after years of being disorganised, the firm became respected amongst other firms. In the High courts to the House of Parliament. Read about when the Abraham family opened the first ever nightclub and casino in Wales, how Peter Stringfellow wanted to go into business with them and names such as Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones worked with them. Read the stories from behind the scenes at Cardiff City from the years of Kumar, Borley, Hammam and Ridsdale, this book tells the stories of power struggles, back stabbings and the fight to control Cardiff City. Read how Annis Abraham Jnr became a mediator between Peter Ridsdale and Sam Hammam at a time when both men would not talk to each other but only through Annis. Read the inside stories from inside Cardiff City Football Club, to opening and working in nightclubs, and working with the rich and famous. True events of following Cardiff City over 38 years and becoming involved in trouble at football. Entrepreneur, Football Fanatic, Family ManTrue stories of the days involving the original Chelsea Head Hunters/ Westham's ICF/ Birmingham City's Zulu's/Millwall's Bushwhackers/ Wolves Subway army and from Plymouth/Bristol C to Nott's Forest with the Soul Crew. Annis has visited over 345 football grounds and many of these Clubs feature in this book. Local rivals Swansea C/ Newport County,the Old Firm Celtic/Rangers and living amongst Bradford's Ointment for 2 years. The truth behind two BBC Panorama programmes involving Annis.
About the Author
I was born in the Roath area of Cardiff in 1965. For many years my late father, Annis Snr, was renowned as one of the leading names in the nightclub business. He opened up his first club, Mayfields, back in 1958 and went on to own no less than forty four different clubs in various towns and cities across the country, as well as four more overseas. They included Titos (Cardiff), Cleopatras (Newport), Caesars (Bradford), the Queen of Hearts (Nelson), Fantasia at the Ship Hotel (Barry), the Double Diamond Club (Caerphilly), Caesars (now the Prince of Wales, Cardiff) and the famous Captain s Bar in Palma de Mallorca. My late mother, Dawn, was also a well-known figure in South Wales thanks to her tireless work for a greyhounds welfare charity she set up in 1998. Football has played a massive part of my life ever since I first watched Cardiff City play Bolton in November 1973. I was a seven year-old schoolboy at the time and the team won that game 1-0 with a goal by Welsh international Gil Reece. I ve been a Ninian Park season ticket holder ever since and I ve supported the Bluebirds in away matches at almost every ground in the Football League, at numerous non-league venues and in a variety of other countries. During my thirty five years as a season ticket holder I ve sponsored Cardiff s players, their kits, their vehicles, their match balls and their programmes. I ve become friendly with hundreds of other Cardiff City fans and a number of ex-players, directors and chairmen. I ve also tried to buy a major shareholding in the club on two separate occasions. During the Eighties and Nineties I gained a degree of notoriety thanks to my (alleged) involvement with Cardiff s infamous hooligan gang the Soul Crew. I have recently written two books about Cardiff City and its supporters. The first was published in June 2008 by Head-Hunter Books. It s entitled From Shattered Dreams to Wembley Way and tells the story of the Sam Hammam era at Ninian Park from the perspective of some of the fans who were closest to the club s former owner. My second book, the Diary of the Real Soul Crew, was published in September 2008
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Finished reading the book yesterday, and it's a great read. Anybody who thinks this is just another hooligan book, will be mistaken. Obviously there is reference to fighting at football matches, but this just makes up a small portion of the book. As you can imagine working in nightclubs and pubs from a young age, Annis has loads of great stories away from football. Some of my favourites were the `Body Shop' one and the many stories of building up many nightclubs into the place to be. The stories about Sam Hamman and Peter Ridsdale are very interesting too.
One thing I did pick up from the book is, Annis is a very passionate man. Whether it's business, football ,friends or of course his family. Annis always puts his heart and soul into anything he does.
His love for his family, friends and football is there from start to finish.
A cracking read, I would recommend to anyone.
One thing I did pick up from the book is, Annis is a very passionate man. Whether it's business, football ,friends or of course his family. Annis always puts his heart and soul into anything he does.
His love for his family, friends and football is there from start to finish.
A cracking read, I would recommend to anyone.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I bought this book after I had read a few of the other books of the author, Annis Abraham, but when I learned of this book being released I bought it as I was intrigued how the author made his money and then why he was involved in Cardiff City's 'Soul Crew'.
It is an honest account that pulls no punches of his fascination and involvement in football hooliganism in the 70's and 80's, it tells the story of where the name 'Soul Crew' came from and who was involved at the outset in forming it. Annis recounts the run-ins he had with many other football firm's including Birmingham, Wolves,Millwall, Leeds, Forest, Sheffield, Swansea and Newport plus others.
I loved the chapters on how he and his family made money, turning nightclubs which were losing money into profitable business' before selling them on and moving on to the next one. The author tells of moving to Bradford alone at the tender age of 16 to run a club and making a success of it.
I thought the High Court battle with the massive chain 'Body Shop' was a moral victory for the small business community when the family went into the cosmetics industry in Cardiff and other areas.
This man has a love of his football club,Cardiff City, that cannot be denied and he has courted and befriended many powerful people at the club over three decades, Sam Hammam and Peter Ridsdale the most recognisable, these chairmen would visit his house. He even offered to buy shares in the club.
He was instrumental in leading fans to oust Peter Ridsdale when the Cardiff fans felt cheated by the then chairman.
All in all a very good read, I got to learn how he made money, why he was intrigued by football violence from such an early age and I got a clear indication of how he has become a family man since becoming married and having children.
Would definitely recommend this book to football fans but also to readers of real lives.
It is an honest account that pulls no punches of his fascination and involvement in football hooliganism in the 70's and 80's, it tells the story of where the name 'Soul Crew' came from and who was involved at the outset in forming it. Annis recounts the run-ins he had with many other football firm's including Birmingham, Wolves,Millwall, Leeds, Forest, Sheffield, Swansea and Newport plus others.
I loved the chapters on how he and his family made money, turning nightclubs which were losing money into profitable business' before selling them on and moving on to the next one. The author tells of moving to Bradford alone at the tender age of 16 to run a club and making a success of it.
I thought the High Court battle with the massive chain 'Body Shop' was a moral victory for the small business community when the family went into the cosmetics industry in Cardiff and other areas.
This man has a love of his football club,Cardiff City, that cannot be denied and he has courted and befriended many powerful people at the club over three decades, Sam Hammam and Peter Ridsdale the most recognisable, these chairmen would visit his house. He even offered to buy shares in the club.
He was instrumental in leading fans to oust Peter Ridsdale when the Cardiff fans felt cheated by the then chairman.
All in all a very good read, I got to learn how he made money, why he was intrigued by football violence from such an early age and I got a clear indication of how he has become a family man since becoming married and having children.
Would definitely recommend this book to football fans but also to readers of real lives.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Once I started reading I could not put it down, Gives a honest view of football casual scene in the 80's & 90's. Those that watched football and grew up on the terraces in this era can certainly relate to the stories told. The book also tells you how important his family are to him and these family values come accross very much from the start.
Unlike other autobiographies written by the likes of Cass Pennant & Jason Marriner this is not just about football. The book is extremely will written, It gives an insight on how Annis worked with his father Annis Senior to build up a number of succesful business's and what working in the nightclub industry was all about.
Unlike other autobiographies written by the likes of Cass Pennant & Jason Marriner this is not just about football. The book is extremely will written, It gives an insight on how Annis worked with his father Annis Senior to build up a number of succesful business's and what working in the nightclub industry was all about.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Excellent.....
Excellent book, not a hooligan book by the way, just the authors life story so some stuff is covered (soul crew, panorama etc) but dont expect a 'we done em and run em' book... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Andy
AWESOME READ
Just finished this book... It's a deep look in to what really the Author is like, and that is a family man and a Business man... NOT an Hooligan. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Geraint Handley
"superb read"
Just wanted to say what an excellent read the latest book is by annis abraham jnr,called his story.I have read all off his books off which are great but this one is truely... Read more
Published 8 months ago by tonyeve
Great Read
I purchased this book on Friday and finished it in the early hours of today (Saturday). I couldn't put it down. Read more
Published 8 months ago by The Baron Village
What a Life, What a read!!!
Annis Abraham is a well known figure in Cardiff and beyond. This book is about all aspects of his life and the change in him over a period of time from a naive teenager involved in... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Anthony Williams
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