MIKE SUMMERBEE is one of the true cult heroes of English football, a player who inspired affection, anger and awe right across the game. He was admired for his brilliant wing play and feared for his hard-man tackling. He enraged opposition spectators with some of his antics, but was adored by many more for his jolly rapport with crowds as he sped up and down the touchline. In the unforgettable era of the Swinging Sixties he had a charmed life off the field; he was the closest friend of George Best as they dated beauty queens together, and was also great pals with showbiz stars like Jimmy Tarbuck, Michael Crawford and Kenny Lynch. Here, in his long-awaited autobiography, Mike tells the inside story of how he became a champion footballer in the magnificent Manchester City team of the late 1960s created by the fabled managerial partnership of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison. He reveals the intense family heartbreak behind his journey from a YMCA team on parks pitches all the way into the England international side. And he explains how a small, shy, insecure boy called ‘Tich’ was transformed into a ferocious opponent who nobody messed with on a football pitch. Even in retirement he couldn’t stay out of the limelight. In the company of Bobby Moore, he became a Hollywood film star alongside Sylvester Stallone in the movie Escape to Victory. Mike Summerbee has always found a way to entertain the fans.
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The autobiography of a cult 1970s football hero -- Man City and England winger Mike 'Buzzer' Summerbee
From the Inside Flap
MIKE SUMMERBEE is one of the true cult heroes of English football, a player who inspired affection, anger and awe right across the game. He was admired for his brilliant wing play and feared for his hard-man tackling. He enraged opposition spectators with some of his antics, but was adored by many more for his jolly rapport with crowds as he sped up and down the touchline. In the unforgettable era of the Swinging Sixties he had a charmed life off the field; he was the closest friend of George Best as they dated beauty queens together, and was also great pals with showbiz stars like Jimmy Tarbuck, Michael Crawford and Kenny Lynch. Here, in his long-awaited autobiography, Mike tells the inside story of how he became a champion footballer in the magnificent Manchester City team of the late 1960s created by the fabled managerial partnership of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison. He reveals the intense family heartbreak behind his journey from a YMCA team on parks pitches all the way into the England international side. And he explains how a small, shy, insecure boy called ‘Tich’ was transformed into a ferocious opponent who nobody messed with on a football pitch. Even in retirement he couldn’t stay out of the limelight. In the company of Bobby Moore, he became a Hollywood film star alongside Sylvester Stallone in the movie Escape to Victory. Mike Summerbee has always found a way to entertain the fans.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Following the recent change of ownership Manchester City are purported to be the richest football club in the World. It is said that they have the finances available to buy any player they want, at any price.
Even with this vast financial clout, will they ever make three better signings than City did in the sixties when they paid just £35000 for Mike Summerbee, £45000 for Colin Bell and £60000 for Francis Lee? Three players who almost forty years on are still talked about in revered tones by the City faithful.
People tend to overlook them now but, as Mike Summerbee reminds us in this excellent autobiography, Manchester City were a brilliant team in the late sixties/early seventies. Built by the chalk and cheese partnership of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison they won the League Championship, FA Cup, Football League Cup and the European Cup Winners Cup in the space of three years. This book gives us a nostalgic reminder as to how good they were.
Signing for Manchester City in 1965, Mike Summerbee was in the ideal position to write about the birth of a great team and also the break up of that team before he left to play for Burnley ten years later. It is fascinating stuff, particularly when you compare what went on then as to what football is like now. I think this is probably best illustrated by what Mike Summerbee calls the 'gymnasium treatment'. He tells us that if one of the opposition players had been 'sneaky or cowardly' they would be dragged into the Manchester City gynmasium to be given a slap or two to point out the error of their ways! It couldn't happen now, more's the pity.
It is also interesting to read about Summerbee's thoughts about his best friend in the sixties - George Best.... Read more ›
Even with this vast financial clout, will they ever make three better signings than City did in the sixties when they paid just £35000 for Mike Summerbee, £45000 for Colin Bell and £60000 for Francis Lee? Three players who almost forty years on are still talked about in revered tones by the City faithful.
People tend to overlook them now but, as Mike Summerbee reminds us in this excellent autobiography, Manchester City were a brilliant team in the late sixties/early seventies. Built by the chalk and cheese partnership of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison they won the League Championship, FA Cup, Football League Cup and the European Cup Winners Cup in the space of three years. This book gives us a nostalgic reminder as to how good they were.
Signing for Manchester City in 1965, Mike Summerbee was in the ideal position to write about the birth of a great team and also the break up of that team before he left to play for Burnley ten years later. It is fascinating stuff, particularly when you compare what went on then as to what football is like now. I think this is probably best illustrated by what Mike Summerbee calls the 'gymnasium treatment'. He tells us that if one of the opposition players had been 'sneaky or cowardly' they would be dragged into the Manchester City gynmasium to be given a slap or two to point out the error of their ways! It couldn't happen now, more's the pity.
It is also interesting to read about Summerbee's thoughts about his best friend in the sixties - George Best.... Read more ›
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Okay, I'll come clean right from the off. I'm a lapsed supporter. I've only been to Eastlands once! Maine Road was my second home for a long, long time. Through the dark days before the sun came up, and for some time after it set once more. I've paid my dues. True, much of it
was in pounds, shillings and pence. We all know though that once the Sky Blue is in yer blood there's no going back...the club always attract ones attention and I willingly doff my cap to anyone who has stuck by them faithfully all these years. Nowadays I listen to Cheeseman & Eyre, on Radio Manchester. Fred is a treasure, and I remember his chortle inducing books only too well.
I started supporting City when I was nine years old, despite the best efforts of whoever bought me a red and white shirt in which to watch the 1958 Cup Final a year earlier...it might have been an act of Remembrance, given the events of the time. City were really poor and the sixties stuttered before they swung. I attended games regularly from the age of ten - usually on my own.
After the trauma of relegation in `63...and the false dawn offered by free scoring Alex Harley, Matt Gray and others the highlight of my junior years was Bert Trautman's testimonial and seeing Stan Matthews weave his fifty year old legs to bamboozle Bert`s benefactors.!
A season or two later, at the ripe old age of thirteen...sporting bob hat and rattle I took my place in the Platt Lane End one leaden afternoon. I perched myself on the hard wooden benches about seven rows from the front and wondered what the afternoon was going to throw at us this time. My view of the proceedings on the pitch was unhindered despite my diminutive stature. The few rows in front were empty.... Read more ›
was in pounds, shillings and pence. We all know though that once the Sky Blue is in yer blood there's no going back...the club always attract ones attention and I willingly doff my cap to anyone who has stuck by them faithfully all these years. Nowadays I listen to Cheeseman & Eyre, on Radio Manchester. Fred is a treasure, and I remember his chortle inducing books only too well.
I started supporting City when I was nine years old, despite the best efforts of whoever bought me a red and white shirt in which to watch the 1958 Cup Final a year earlier...it might have been an act of Remembrance, given the events of the time. City were really poor and the sixties stuttered before they swung. I attended games regularly from the age of ten - usually on my own.
After the trauma of relegation in `63...and the false dawn offered by free scoring Alex Harley, Matt Gray and others the highlight of my junior years was Bert Trautman's testimonial and seeing Stan Matthews weave his fifty year old legs to bamboozle Bert`s benefactors.!
A season or two later, at the ripe old age of thirteen...sporting bob hat and rattle I took my place in the Platt Lane End one leaden afternoon. I perched myself on the hard wooden benches about seven rows from the front and wondered what the afternoon was going to throw at us this time. My view of the proceedings on the pitch was unhindered despite my diminutive stature. The few rows in front were empty.... Read more ›
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By JUDE
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I remember Mike Summerbee as the Man City winger who had a big nose and who had George Best as his best-man. How cool was THAT?! (The George Best part, obviously.) Summerbee describes his life and career with great honesty and he was obviously deeply affected by his own father`s rather unhappy career. Although he does lapse into that old familiar trait of the sixties/seventies footballer,ie, we were all tough but fair, never dived and never tried to cripple anyone, even though he had one of the greatest divers of all time in his team, a certain Francis Lee, and admits to leaving his foot in on numerous occasions, this does not take away from what is a very good read. As well as Best, he mentions Bobby Moore, Ossie Ardilles, Michael Caine, Pele.....and Sly Stallone. His last memory of Moore is very sad and poignant. Summerbee admits to not being amongst the greatest players of all-time and actually does himself a dis-service. He did play for England and like just about every player who played under him, has nothing but praise for Alf. He is grateful for his family life and everything the game brought him. A modest superstar.
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I really enjoyed this being a Season Ticket at Eastlands. As I grew up spent most of my formative footballing memories at Maine Road. It was wonderful reading about those years through Mike Summerbee's eyes.
Format:Hardcover
As a Manchester City fan following the team at this era i find the book very interesting. A lot of information that the ordinary fan would not have known but also substanciates my beliefs.
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