- Paperback: 384 pages
- Publisher: Headline; New Ed edition (23 May 1996)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0747251827
- ISBN-13: 978-0747251828
- Product Dimensions: 17.6 x 10.4 x 2.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
-
Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
77,590 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #64 in Books > Sports, Hobbies & Games > Football > Reference
| ||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
Product Description
Review
'If your interest in professional athletes lies this side of idolatory, read it. Fear is Nelson's companion; fear lit with occasional shafts of relief. And that is what sport is about' (Simon Barnes, The Times )
'A very good read indeed' (Brian Moore )
'For all the glamour of your Giggsys, Nelson's season portrays a more accurate picture of what life is like for 99 per cent of pros' (Amy Lawrence, FourFourTwo )
'It should be compulsory reading for any ambitious parent intent upon their son playing professional football' (Michael Parkinson, Daily Telegraph )
'The most candid and compelling behind the scenes football book you'll come across' (90 Minutes )
'He has produced a rarity: a book by a practising sportsman that seems to tell it like it really is, intelligently and engagingly' (Independent on Sunday )
'A very good read indeed' (Brian Moore )
'For all the glamour of your Giggsys, Nelson's season portrays a more accurate picture of what life is like for 99 per cent of pros' (Amy Lawrence, FourFourTwo )
'It should be compulsory reading for any ambitious parent intent upon their son playing professional football' (Michael Parkinson, Daily Telegraph )
'The most candid and compelling behind the scenes football book you'll come across' (90 Minutes )
'He has produced a rarity: a book by a practising sportsman that seems to tell it like it really is, intelligently and engagingly' (Independent on Sunday )
Product Description
Garry Nelson is not one of football's household names yet he made almost 650 League appearances in a career stretching back to 1979. This book describes the 1994-5 season at Charlton Athletic but it could be any in which he reveals the ups and downs of what it is like to be an ordinary professional player.
There are the injuries, the battles for selection, and the worries that age is catching up on him, which would mean the end of his career. But there are also the occasional triumphs, such as when he was appointed captain and scored the winning goal in a televised match.
Written with wit, intelligence and insight, LEFT FOOT FORWARD reveals far more about what it is really like to be a footballer than any number of ghosted autobiographies by the big stars. It is destined to become a classic of football writing.
There are the injuries, the battles for selection, and the worries that age is catching up on him, which would mean the end of his career. But there are also the occasional triumphs, such as when he was appointed captain and scored the winning goal in a televised match.
Written with wit, intelligence and insight, LEFT FOOT FORWARD reveals far more about what it is really like to be a footballer than any number of ghosted autobiographies by the big stars. It is destined to become a classic of football writing.
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The question might easily be asked: who is Garry Nelson?
To call him a nobody is unfair, but he has never reached the heights of the Premiership as a footballer, nor was he ever going to in all reality.
As one of the 'cloggers', a journeyman as the title of the book would say, he has all the same worries about the rest of us - bringing up a family, making a living etc; but also has all the additional problems of being a professional sportsman.
As one of those not in the top bracket of wage earning and coming to the end of his playing days, every little knock has the possibility that it could end his playing career, and he is working on what he can do to get by after he has finished.
Of course this is a few years old now, and an addendum is that he is now working for the Professional Footballer's Association; but what comes from Left Foot Forward is the confirmation that he is as honest as the day is long -- and this will undoubtedly hold him in good stead in this role.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A great book that really does deliver everything said on the back. There's not too much to say that hasn't been said already, but it's a great diary of a season that really does have everything. A crippling injury, and goalscoring streak, contract worries, times when nothing goes right. And his everyday life of his normal family, as well as his wider, Everton supporting family. Reading this feels as if you know Garry, and as soon as I finished reading it, I was desperately trying to find out if he had a follow-up, to know what happened to him next. He describes other footballing matters as well as clips from his past, and it's interesting to note that the highlight of his career, the best moment of his football was the exact day I was born....
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I generally try to steer clear of the usual drippy "look at my perm" footballer books but this was recommended to me & didn't fail to deliver it's promise. A well written, honest and humorous portrayal of everyday professional sport. I liked the diary format and was left wanting to know more when it was finished, I felt like I had got to know Garry a bit and liked his down to earth modest attitude (rest assured he was a class act). As a follower of the Mighty Greens I particularly enjoyed his graphic description of that key goal for Argyle! All together now "One Garry Nelson" "Theres only one........
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A book of two halves
The first half of the book is fascinating as all the other reviewers have pointed out - a real insight into behind-the-scenes at an average club. Read more
Published on 1 Oct 2007 by D. Lee
Left foot forward
Written in diary form,this is Garry Nelson's account of the 1994-95 season,playing for Charlton Athletic in the second tier of English football,the old Division One. Read more
Published on 13 Sep 2007 by S. Knight
A good read
Interesting because Garry Nelson is not famous footballer (I had not heard of him until I read this book). Read more
Published on 23 Sep 2001 by judith hiley
a must for every football fan
really good read. You don't have to be a Charlton fan, just a passing knowledge of football will do to enjoy it. Read more
Published on 26 Feb 2000 by debbieajackson@hotmail.com
An excellent insight into the lives of Footballers
An excellent read. Shearer, Gascoigne, Bergcamp and Petit maybe the players that take the plaudits and the rewards of football, but this is life in reality away from the... Read more
Published on 22 Oct 1998
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
