Sidney Special enjoys playing with words nearly as much as
football. A manager by accident, he now faces the biggest challenge of
his 20-year career. Favourites to go down, his newly promoted side, have
38 top tier matches to secure that 17th place or better.
He
decides to record a written memory of his first ever season in the top
flight. His diary entries give a unique insight into how a manager
thinks, feels and deals with a relegation battle. Can he cut it at this
highest level?
In between his honest match assessments and
entertaining media interviews, he writes openly about his self-doubt,
the pressures, and effect on his personal life as the season unfolds. We
also witness his playful humour through football stories, unusual
nightmares/dreams, and inspired writings including a character Ronnie
Ranter with his wacky football reports for Radio Skive!
His diary
covers all areas of the game from supporters to superstitions,
substitutions to ground staff, and motivational speeches to tea ladies.
He seriously challenges everything; officials, VAR, divers, the
authorities, ticket pricing, and if football has lost its soul?
This
is like an encyclopaedia of football. A celebration of the game. An
attempt at showing the human side of a football manager. It’s a book
that parents can read to their young children as long as they know where
the few adult ‘bits’ are.
A must read for football fans, sympathetic managers, and the odd match reporter.