- Paperback: 224 pages
- Publisher: Luath Press Ltd (1 Nov 2010)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1906817669
- ISBN-13: 978-1906817664
- Product Dimensions: 23 x 15.6 x 2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 165,150 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
Review 1: 'There have been previous attempts by authors to explore the off-the-beaten paths of the Scottish football landscape, but Daniel Gray's volume is in another league as he mixes social history with sharp contemporary observation (and measured wit) in the classic outposts of the game which, together, epitomise the character of football north of the border.'
Source: The Scotsman, a Sports Book of the Year
Review 2: 'Truly splendid' -- Arthur Montford
'An excellent book about the country s smaller teams... [Stramash] captures the vague romance that still clings to these smaller Scottish clubs. It will make a must-read for every non-Old Firm football fan and for many Rangers and Celtic supporters too'
Source: Daily Record
Review 3: 'As he takes in a match at each stopping-off point, Gray presents little portraits of small Scottish towns, relating histories of declining industry, radical politics and the connection between a team and its community. It s a brilliant way to rediscover Scotland' -- The Herald
'A great read, because Gray doesn’t write about just football, he uses football as an excuse to explore the histories of small towns in Scotland' -- The Skinny
'Why do the Gers and Hoops have retail outlets in the capital? Why do buses depart for Glasgow on a Saturday morning from every corner of Scotland? Gray’s book is a splendid attempt to answer these questions, and more besides... The result is sociology at its best, which is to say eminently readable... Stramash may turn out to be a memoir of the way we were, and an epitaph' -- Sunday Herald
'I defy anyone to read Stramash and not fall in love with Scottish football’s blessed eccentricities all over again... Funny enough to bring on involuntary laugh out loud moments'
Source: The Scottish Football Blog
Product Description
Fatigued by bloated big-game football and bored of samey big cities, Daniel Gray went in search of small town Scotland and its teams. At a time when the Scottish club game is drifting towards its lowest ebb once more, Stramash singularly fails to wring its hands and address the state of the game, preferring instead to focus on Bobby Mann's waistline. Part travelogue, part history and part mistakenly spilling ketchup on the face of a small child, Stramash takes an uplifting look at the country's nether regions. Using the excuse of a match to visit places from Dumfries to Dingwall, Gray surveys Scotland's towns and teams in their present state. Stramash accomplishes the feats of visiting Dumfries without mentioning Robert Burns, being positive about Cumbernauld and linking Elgin City to Lenin. It is ae fond look at Scotland as you've never seen it before.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Being one of the small percentage of the population who doesn't profess to like (or, really, understand) football at any level, I thought this might be a challenging read. My one attempt at travel off the beaten track in Scotland also ended in defeat, in the form of being refused service in a corner shop & eventually abandoning a miserably damp caravan holiday in the Highlands.
So I was surprised to find myself hypnotised by this book, to the extent that I devoured it in less than a week. Not only does Gray manage to describe on-pitch action in an involving and frequently hilarious fashion, but his adventures off the pitch are informative, heartwarming, affectionate and (again) deeply amusing. The author resists the traditional English urge to point at the Scots and mock their love of disgusting beverages, lank-haired comics and vacillation between radical politics and opiated myopia; instead, this book is a brilliant exploration of small town Scotland's rich and fascinating history, and how the non-Old Firm football teams have both reflected and influenced this.
If you are in any way interested in football, Scotland, history, left-wing politics or just amusing tales about ketchup delivered in a high-pitched Scottish accent, this will be an informative and enjoyable read.
So I was surprised to find myself hypnotised by this book, to the extent that I devoured it in less than a week. Not only does Gray manage to describe on-pitch action in an involving and frequently hilarious fashion, but his adventures off the pitch are informative, heartwarming, affectionate and (again) deeply amusing. The author resists the traditional English urge to point at the Scots and mock their love of disgusting beverages, lank-haired comics and vacillation between radical politics and opiated myopia; instead, this book is a brilliant exploration of small town Scotland's rich and fascinating history, and how the non-Old Firm football teams have both reflected and influenced this.
If you are in any way interested in football, Scotland, history, left-wing politics or just amusing tales about ketchup delivered in a high-pitched Scottish accent, this will be an informative and enjoyable read.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
What a fantastic little book this is. If you've grown tired of the commercialisation of football, much like the author clearly has, then this is the book for you. Dan takes a chapter each to take in a lower league game combining each chapter not only with a review of the game but also a bit of history about the place and a nice wee social commentary on the personalities in the crowd.
An utterly fantastic review with just the right level of football and whimsy. On top of this, it also poses some interesting questions regarding the future of Scottish football such as how do lower league teams counter the fact that many of their potential fan base leave their town each Saturday to go watch the Old Firm play.
Great read, highly recommended.
An utterly fantastic review with just the right level of football and whimsy. On top of this, it also poses some interesting questions regarding the future of Scottish football such as how do lower league teams counter the fact that many of their potential fan base leave their town each Saturday to go watch the Old Firm play.
Great read, highly recommended.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I loved this book. What surprised me is it's not really about football, but the people and communities that are bound by a shared passion.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Excellent
A view of Scottish football from the other side. Ignoring the overwhelming and smothering influence that the premier league has on the game, this goes where most dare not tread,... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Ajs14
Fascinating and Rewarding
A fascinating and rewarding read which is as much a travelogue and about social history as it is about football. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Archie
In search of the heart of Scotland
Tired of football's commercialisation, and attempting to return to what he sees as the `roots' of the game, Daniel Gray's `Stramash' takes the reader round twelve Scottish towns,... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Mr. D Burin
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