Football Its a Minging Life!
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
"'I don't know anything about football, but I do know Rick Holden. He is a splendid chap and, as it turns out, a first-class writer. This is a most engaging book. I enjoyed it. You will too. Despite the football.' - Andy Kershaw: Broadcaster, disk jockey and world music champion. 'Written in his own inimitable style, that I know only too well! This book is football life with a difference - RICK HOLDEN is that difference. Funny and totally absorbing.' - Andy Ritchie: Oldham Athletic (1987-95 and 1997-2001) Oldham Athletic manager (1998-2001)" --Andy Richie: Oldham Athletic former manager
Product Description
Honest and controversial at times, this book includes new revelation's which will surprise fans. Read Rick's opinion's on ex-colleagues', manager's and player's. Experience through Rick's eyes the highs and lows of a career in football, management and coaching. This title features high-quality full-colour photographs. Rick Holden and the story of his 'minging' life is not just a tale about football life, but more a tale of life and football. During his classical rugby-playing grammar school education, he was constantly told that he had left it too late to make it in professional football, but he had belief in his own abilities. He overcame those obstacles and life's problems, and he did it with a smile on his face. Rick's rise from the Fourth Division with Halifax to playing in the First Division the following week with Watford was meteoric. His autobiography begins at Burnley and covers his moves to Oldham Athletic, Manchester City, Blackpool and finally Peel AFC on the Isle of Man. It tells of the problems he met and how he surmounted them all with his sense of humour, a trait that did not always meet with the approval he anticipated. The managers and coaches that Rick worked under are Mick Jones, Billy Ayre, Steve Harrison, Joe Royle, Willie Donachie, Peter Reid, Brian Horton, Dave Moss, Graeme Sharpe, Sam Allardyce and Paul Hart. He also worked as physiotherapist and assistant manager to his great friend, Andy Ritchie, when he was at Barnsley. The book is filled with hilarious stories of the antics that Rick got up to at his various clubs and explains in detail, sometimes too graphically, some of the tricks that he played on his teammates and how he tried to live his life around the distractions that football imposed. Rick is a survivor and never gives up, and his autobiography conveys the message to aspiring athletes that if you persevere you will succeed. This book is about his life and not just an episodic detail about football players and games. Rick talks honestly and controversially, and this book is a must read.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Despite being a football fan I don't often read autobiographies, I find them bland and telling me things I already know. When I do drift into this genre it tends to be players who have something extra to tell.
It helped that I liked Rick Holden as a player, there was a spell in the nineties when Oldham were a popular side for their giant killing. Reading the reviews told me that this wasn't a bland tale of matches that Holden had played in though - he was different. Firstly he has two degrees, which is about 2 more than most Premier League squads. He was also a 'character', and his pranks make good reading, he also falls passionately in love with the club he plays for - in a way that you would want players of your club to do, although this sometimes causes him to speak out and cause friction.
All in all worth a read.
It helped that I liked Rick Holden as a player, there was a spell in the nineties when Oldham were a popular side for their giant killing. Reading the reviews told me that this wasn't a bland tale of matches that Holden had played in though - he was different. Firstly he has two degrees, which is about 2 more than most Premier League squads. He was also a 'character', and his pranks make good reading, he also falls passionately in love with the club he plays for - in a way that you would want players of your club to do, although this sometimes causes him to speak out and cause friction.
All in all worth a read.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Definitely one of the most funniest biography books I've read. Cannot wait for Rick's next, more in depth book which has been mentioned sometime in the future. All fans of Rick will love it.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
As a Latics fan of many years' standing, I was very excited when I found out about this book and I ordered it straight away. Rick Holden was one of the best players Oldham ever had and there was never any doubt about his commitment to the game. The fans loved him for his positive attitude and the fact that he always gave of his best; when he was on the field, you always felt that he could make something happen.
The book deals not only with Rick's experiences at Oldham but also the other clubs where he made his career. There are many insights into the various aspects of football club management, training practices and the like which are very interesting indeed. However, I suspect that most people will buy this book for the tales of Rick's pranks (for which he was well known) and his views on other players and managers. This is where I found the book slightly disappointing, as these stories revolve relentlessly around urine, faeces, vomit and alcohol. After a while, I have to admit to getting a little bored and disillusioned with them (and I have no doubt that his behaviour contributed to the break-up of his marriage, which I found very sad indeed).
On a more technical level, I find it hard to believe that the book was proof-read or even edited. There are many spelling mistakes (some are real howlers) and some parts of the text are repeated (the text does jump around somewhat). Many of the photographs are grainy and I really do think that they could have been of better quality.
My overall impression was one of sadness, really. Rick ends his book on an optimistic note but it is hard not to feel that he is disappointed with his life, having suffered the premature end to his footballing career, divorce and, later, the split from his fiancee for whom he obviously cared a great deal. In some ways, I wish that I'd never read the book, as I want to remember him as he was - "Ricky, Ricky Holden, Ricky Holden on the wing" - in his glory days at Oldham, not the disgruntled and unfulfilled ex-player he is now. Still, if you are a Latics fan, you will want to read it and you'll probably get through it in one sitting, as I did.
The book deals not only with Rick's experiences at Oldham but also the other clubs where he made his career. There are many insights into the various aspects of football club management, training practices and the like which are very interesting indeed. However, I suspect that most people will buy this book for the tales of Rick's pranks (for which he was well known) and his views on other players and managers. This is where I found the book slightly disappointing, as these stories revolve relentlessly around urine, faeces, vomit and alcohol. After a while, I have to admit to getting a little bored and disillusioned with them (and I have no doubt that his behaviour contributed to the break-up of his marriage, which I found very sad indeed).
On a more technical level, I find it hard to believe that the book was proof-read or even edited. There are many spelling mistakes (some are real howlers) and some parts of the text are repeated (the text does jump around somewhat). Many of the photographs are grainy and I really do think that they could have been of better quality.
My overall impression was one of sadness, really. Rick ends his book on an optimistic note but it is hard not to feel that he is disappointed with his life, having suffered the premature end to his footballing career, divorce and, later, the split from his fiancee for whom he obviously cared a great deal. In some ways, I wish that I'd never read the book, as I want to remember him as he was - "Ricky, Ricky Holden, Ricky Holden on the wing" - in his glory days at Oldham, not the disgruntled and unfulfilled ex-player he is now. Still, if you are a Latics fan, you will want to read it and you'll probably get through it in one sitting, as I did.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Football from another view point
I always liked Rick Holden when he was at my beloved Watford and was sad when he left. I had no idea that this scuffy little chap was as good with a pen as he was with a ball at... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mr. B. A. French
The Holden Age of Football...
I grew up a Watford fan. Rick Holden was one of the few wingers that appeared in the immediate aftermath of the Barnes/Callaghan dream-team to catch my attention. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Nick Davidson
A good entertaining read
As a life long Oldham fan I looked forward to reading Rick's autobiography & I was not disappointed. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Orangeoracle
Pretty good...
...like he used to play.
The good bits are really funny and make you laugh out loud. Very easy to read and a style that makes you want to continue reading. Read more
The good bits are really funny and make you laugh out loud. Very easy to read and a style that makes you want to continue reading. Read more
Published 16 months ago by David_down_South
Perceptive. Rude. Funny. Poignant.
This is a must read for any fans of Oldham Athletic, Manchester City and Halifax Town but it's also good read for followers in general. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Paul Blackwell
IT'S A MINGING LIFE
A GREAT FAST-MOVING PAGE TURNER. WRITTEN BY THE MAN HIMSELF. ALL OF IT TRUE,NO PUNCHES PULLED (WELL HARDLY ANY!)
Published 19 months ago by sheila powell
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