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Product Description
Product Description
From selling fruit and veg out of his car boot after training, to life under lower division eccentrics such as John Beck and Barry Fry, TALES FROM THE BOOT CAMPS was Steve Claridge's hugely entertaining and successful autobiography of life outside the Premiership. After more than a thousand appearances with twenty-two clubs, Steve Claridge finally hung up his boots at the age of 41. By retirement, he'd experienced a vivid and varied footballing life, both on and off the field. BEYOND THE BOOT CAMPS picks up where TALES left off, in the summer of 2000 at Portsmouth FC where he started, and hoped to end, his career. But best laid plans often go awry - there were plenty more highs, lows and controversies to come: disastrous player-manager roles; public break-ups with club authorities; the briefest of managerial spells; reality TV fame; and a prestigious media career. BEYOND THE BOOT CAMPS is a fascinating and frank insight into the game, and the life of one of its most colourful characters.
About the Author
Steve Claridge has turned out for an astonishing 21 clubs. His heyday was in the mid-1990s at the likes of Birmingham City, Crystal Palace and Leicester City, but more recently he scored on his debut for Ryman league side Harrow Borough (a 4-4 draw with Margate). He broadcasts regularly on Sky, Radio 5 and Channel 5. He writes for the GUARDIAN.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is steve claridges second book and carries on where he left off.
He gives us a look into the real world of football away from the pampered lifestyle of the premier league.
this is a must for all followers of football in the lower leagues and true football fans.
I strongly reccomend this book.
He gives us a look into the real world of football away from the pampered lifestyle of the premier league.
this is a must for all followers of football in the lower leagues and true football fans.
I strongly reccomend this book.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book carries on from where Steve Claridges first book `Tales from the Boot Camps' ended, but where that book saw Claridges at his footballing peak, this second book deals with the twilight of his playing career and his so far unsuccessful ventures into club management.
Anybody who saw Claridge play, and as he played over a thousand games that is a lot of people, will most remember him for his slovenly appearance- his shirt was always hanging out and his socks were forever at half mast - and his lackadaisical manner. You should never judge a book by its cover though, because behind his slightly eccentric facade this book proves him to be a highly intelligent man and a deep thinker about the game of football.
It's a slightly sombre book, because as well as his playing career being over, it obviously still rankles him badly that each of his opportunities to be a manager, at Portsmouth, Millwall and Weymouth have all ended acrimoniously and without him being given the time to have a proper shot at the job. It is also a fairly candid book as he his quite prepared to vent his spleen against those who have done him wrong, his views about ex Millwall owner and TV `dragon' Theo Paphitis, being particularly strident.
Tne book is jointly written by Ian Ridley, who was also Chairman for some of Claridges time as Weymouth manager. Ridley writes an introduction to each section of the book, but whilst this helps to give an independent view of what we are about to read, all too often Claridge will repeat an anecdote that Ridley has already related.
Tales from the Boot Camps is now regarded as being a classic football book. I doubt whether this book will be as highly regarded because quite simply it is not as good, but it still is a good read and offers an insight into the pressures of football management.
Anybody who saw Claridge play, and as he played over a thousand games that is a lot of people, will most remember him for his slovenly appearance- his shirt was always hanging out and his socks were forever at half mast - and his lackadaisical manner. You should never judge a book by its cover though, because behind his slightly eccentric facade this book proves him to be a highly intelligent man and a deep thinker about the game of football.
It's a slightly sombre book, because as well as his playing career being over, it obviously still rankles him badly that each of his opportunities to be a manager, at Portsmouth, Millwall and Weymouth have all ended acrimoniously and without him being given the time to have a proper shot at the job. It is also a fairly candid book as he his quite prepared to vent his spleen against those who have done him wrong, his views about ex Millwall owner and TV `dragon' Theo Paphitis, being particularly strident.
Tne book is jointly written by Ian Ridley, who was also Chairman for some of Claridges time as Weymouth manager. Ridley writes an introduction to each section of the book, but whilst this helps to give an independent view of what we are about to read, all too often Claridge will repeat an anecdote that Ridley has already related.
Tales from the Boot Camps is now regarded as being a classic football book. I doubt whether this book will be as highly regarded because quite simply it is not as good, but it still is a good read and offers an insight into the pressures of football management.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is constructed in an odd way - each section starts with a rendering of the facts (at least as Ian Ridley saw them) before we get a lengthier discourse covering Steve Claridge's view of events. Given that the latter will in actuality also have been penned by Ridley, it's an unusual narrative form.
That said Ridley is - as ever - very readable (both in his own right and while translating the thoughts of Steve Claridge into English) and we get a jolly romp through the last 5 years of Claridge's career as age catches up with even this fitness fanatic and his playing career peters out on 1008 games in the lower reaches of the non-league pyramid . At the same time his media career takes off (while still maintaining he could cut it in the championship at the age of 40+ given the opportunity, despite all the indications on the playing field to the contrary). Actually there was one more game to be had after the book was finished, a noble one off return to try to help Weymouth out of a financial/football mess in late 2009, a 5-1 defeat as it turned out although this was a typical result for Weymouth at the time and Steve was in no way responsible.
On the subject of Weymouth, there are a few small differences in this rendering of events from Ridley's earlier Floodlit Dreams, which covered the Weymouth player-managerial part of this book in more detail.
All in all though, an excellent read, recommended for fans of lower league football, Steve Claridge or the game generally.
That said Ridley is - as ever - very readable (both in his own right and while translating the thoughts of Steve Claridge into English) and we get a jolly romp through the last 5 years of Claridge's career as age catches up with even this fitness fanatic and his playing career peters out on 1008 games in the lower reaches of the non-league pyramid . At the same time his media career takes off (while still maintaining he could cut it in the championship at the age of 40+ given the opportunity, despite all the indications on the playing field to the contrary). Actually there was one more game to be had after the book was finished, a noble one off return to try to help Weymouth out of a financial/football mess in late 2009, a 5-1 defeat as it turned out although this was a typical result for Weymouth at the time and Steve was in no way responsible.
On the subject of Weymouth, there are a few small differences in this rendering of events from Ridley's earlier Floodlit Dreams, which covered the Weymouth player-managerial part of this book in more detail.
All in all though, an excellent read, recommended for fans of lower league football, Steve Claridge or the game generally.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A Good Read
A good read following the career of one of football's genuine characters. Far more interesting than the usual Premier League 'star's' autobiography.
Published 5 months ago by Dorsetchap
The archetypal Journeyman.
I am an avid reader of sporting biographies, and was quite looking forward to Steves life story, having now completed his footballing journey. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Mr. G. A. Askwith
Sets a cracking pace...and continues it
Throughout From Beyond The Boot Camps, Steve Claridge is keen to emphasise that perceptions of him have unduly prejudiced many people against him as he sought to gain a foothold in... Read more
Published on 26 Sep 2009 by DB
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