A book of two halves
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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. It is also EXTREMELY interesting when he talks about the manager, ALAN CURBISHLEY, and paints a very different picture of Alan struggling in his early days at Charlton. All Charlton and West Ham fans should read this.
However, about half way through, Garry Nelson suddenly thinks he is a budding author and his down-to-earth writing-style suddenly becomes more elaborate and pompous. For example, when he's trying to be cheekily cryptic, you sometimes have to re-read several sentences and you STILL don't know what he's talking about. Thus, you stop caring about Garry towards the end of the book, hoping the smug git will walk into a goalpost. Shame.
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Left foot forward
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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.
Written with witt and intelligence,Garry paints an accurate picture of what it is like to be a professional footballer outside of the glamour and lifestyle of that of a Premiership star.
The long journeys,the injuries,being out of the team and playing with the 'stiffs',contract issues,all covered in some detail here and you learn more about what it is really like being a professional footballer with this read than you would reading an autobiography of some superstar International that is made for life playing for one of the 'big boys'.
The only problem is,if like me you like to read one of these books that dishes the dirt and tells of training ground bust ups and fall outs with managers ect,then this may dissappoint as Garry Nelson is far too intelligent for any of that sort of stuff.
A good read and worthy of it's shortlisting for the William Hill sports book of the year and will appeal to most football fans,especially those of Charlton Athletic.
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An interesting insight into professional football
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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....
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A good read
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Interesting because Garry Nelson is not famous footballer (I had not heard of him until I read this book). It's part diary of a season of a first division football team (which Charlton were when this was published) and part autobiographical. It's very well written and funny in places. Highly recommended.
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Top class tale of football's wilderness
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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.
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