'If I have an idealised still of my childhood, it's of standing amongst a small group of like-minded boys beside the player's tunnel as drizzle falls through the beam of the floodlights waiting to see which one of the team will come out to talk to the presenter...On an absolutely perfect occasion, on completion of his work in front of camera, the player might autograph my programme and possibly ruffle my hair and maybe even refer to me as mate. Sometimes on a Sunday I'd bike down to the ground and circle its silence, reliving the day before...' Last season Stoke City were unexpectedly propelled into the dizzy heights of the First Division, rare oxygen for a club that has been known to have three managers in one season. Stephen Foster, a diehard fan, who now lives in Norwich, follows the fortunes of his dire team as they struggle to retain their hold on this slippery peak of glory. From Icelandic owners, hopeless managers, hapless players, and a ground to rival the best of East German architecture, this is a marvellously mordant account of one fan's helpless obsession with a team that nearly always manages to let him down.
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'Somewhere between Julian Barnes and Nick Hornby' -- GUARDIAN
About the Author
Stephen Foster is the author of the novel STRIDES. He has one son - also a Stoke supporter - with whom he shares his troubles and match days.
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
By Pen_name
Format:Paperback
We’ve nearly all done it – driven that 300 mile round trip to see an away game, only for our team to, yet again, let us down with a pathetic show of footballing ineptitude. But for Stephen Foster, the author of the book, every game is an away game. In fact, some of the away games are closer than the home games! Foster is a Stoke City fan living in that ideally placed, centrally located metropolis of….. Norwich!
This story covers the 02/03 season of Stoke City’s first season back in the First Division for about 4 years. It tells of Fosters journeys with his son to the games and is an excellent insight into psyche of any football fan and football club. But you don’t have to be a Stoke fan to enjoy it. You’ll both laugh and cringe at the sense of familiarity that you feel with the circumstances described by Foster, no matter what club you support; puffer-jacket wearing chairmen, ‘honest’ strikers, last minute goals, first minute goals, biased referees, 4 managers in a year, etc, etc. If you know little or nothing about football (perhaps you call it 'soccer'), and think it's a glamorous, professionally run sport, then read on – you’ll be astounded!
‘Fever pitch’ this is not – it’s so much better than that. Nic Hormby’s idea of failure is not winning the championship, or loosing the final of the FA Cup. For Foster, his idea of glory is staying up on the last day of the season.
Funnily enough, I read ‘Fever Pitch’ just before I read ‘She Stood There Laughing’, and I’m glad I did. I’m a great believer of leaving the best ‘till last.
This story covers the 02/03 season of Stoke City’s first season back in the First Division for about 4 years. It tells of Fosters journeys with his son to the games and is an excellent insight into psyche of any football fan and football club. But you don’t have to be a Stoke fan to enjoy it. You’ll both laugh and cringe at the sense of familiarity that you feel with the circumstances described by Foster, no matter what club you support; puffer-jacket wearing chairmen, ‘honest’ strikers, last minute goals, first minute goals, biased referees, 4 managers in a year, etc, etc. If you know little or nothing about football (perhaps you call it 'soccer'), and think it's a glamorous, professionally run sport, then read on – you’ll be astounded!
‘Fever pitch’ this is not – it’s so much better than that. Nic Hormby’s idea of failure is not winning the championship, or loosing the final of the FA Cup. For Foster, his idea of glory is staying up on the last day of the season.
Funnily enough, I read ‘Fever Pitch’ just before I read ‘She Stood There Laughing’, and I’m glad I did. I’m a great believer of leaving the best ‘till last.
In a nutshell, ‘She Stood There Laughing’ is the best read I’ve had for a number of years. You’ll really laugh at some of the situations that the club get themselves into whilst knowing deep down that it could be just as well your club he was talking about. An essential and most enjoyable read.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By Andy Smith
Format:Paperback
It's not often you pick up a football book and come across the line 'But, as the renowned French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan has it..' but then it's not often you pick up a football book as honest (to use the author's terminology) and refreshing as this.
Stephen Foster has written a book that easily recreates what it feels like to follow a less than successful football club through the course of a season. And this I feel, is it's major plus. For every disassociated, gloryfied Premiership 'Big Club' supporter we need to remember there is at least one, if not more, of us who follow the also-rans. For most of this book, it's easy to replace the words 'Stoke City' with the name of your own club and you'll know exactly what he's talking about. Poor performances on the pitch, bad management in the boardroom, it's all displayed here in it's earthy glory.
That said, the season the author writes about is not a typical lower division story. For although we can juxtapose our own club at many points, much of this book is uniquely Stoke-esque. The humour, the schadenfreude, the quintessentialness of the region comes across as he explains to the reader quite why he, and many more, believe that Stoke have punched below their weight for so long.
The dual dimension of the use of his son (football buddy, and also as counterpoint to explain quite why he feels the need to put himself through such drudgery.. often he asks of his son 'why are you still coming? you don't need to.' of course, his son says exactly what he needs to hear 'because, you fool, it's Stoke'. Clearly, especially in the season told in the book, the author feels the need to re-confirm exactly why he travels 400miles just for home games when the football on offer is such a poor standard when compared to a team 2 mins from his doorstep).
All in all, this is a fantastic read. A story of football as we, who watch in the lower leagues, know it. If you are a BIG CLUB supporter you'd do well to re-acquaint yourself. Who knows, you could be down here next.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Being a Stokie myself I purchased this book almost immediately after it came out and have now read it at least three times. I also had a season ticket that year and so can empathise with everything that Foster has to say. Also gives a reminder how bigger clubs are continuously a*** licked. Take Newcastle for example. There fans are described as being the LONGEST SUFFERING in football what a joke. They have been in the Top Flight nearly since its conception. They should try following Stoke or worse still Port Fail to experience long suffering. Still if you like football or have read or seen Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch then YOU should get this. It's a p*$$£r in places.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic
This is an absolutely fantastic book. I'm sure the author is probably tired of always being compared to Nick Hornby, but the camparison is fair and would be more accurate if it... Read more
Published on 20 May 2011 by Rory Miller
5.0 out of 5 stars
good read
I bought this for my son who is a avid Stoke City supporter. He said it was an excellent read.
Published on 15 Dec 2009 by Marie Williams
4.0 out of 5 stars
She Stood There Laughing
This is a great book following Stoke City through a whole season through the eyes of a born again exiled fan. As the title says 'She Stood There Laughing' so will you. Read more
Published on 18 Jan 2005 by "grumpy-git"
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very funny, very readable.
This is a highly enjoyable, readable book and I ended up reading the whole thing the day I started it as it related closely to a lot of my own feelings and also described matches... Read more
Published on 5 April 2004 by Nicholas Dunn
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must read for Stokies everywhere
Just brilliant!! I just could not put it down.Waddo would be impressed From a posh Stokie living in Ascot.
Published on 25 Mar 2004
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