If England was a football pitch, then the top right hand corner flag would be firmly placed in the far northeast, and that is where Harry Pearson spent the 1993/94 season criss-crossing the region to watch football. Geographically, the grounds span Middlesbrough to Ashington. In terms of league profile, the spread is much wider, from Newcastle in the recently formed Carling FA Premiership to Willington in the Federation Brewery Northern League Division Two.
The match reports are incidental. It is all about the match day experience – the travel to the towns, impressions of the grounds, interaction with the fans – and the rich history connected with the clubs. That history includes West Auckland’s historic world cup win in the 1900’s, the ‘Crook affair’ that exposed the shamateurism of the 1920’s, and a multitude of characters that graced the game in the region. Some are legends – Raich Carter, Jackie Milburn, Len Shackleton, Don Revie, Brian Clough, to name but a few – others are only legendary as local heroes for the fans of the minnows.
Whatever he is describing, Pearson’s turn of phrase is often laugh out loud funny, puncturing egos and exposing all too familiar stereotypes. But underneath the grade-A northern humour is a deep affection for the traditional culture of the game, nowadays found nearer the bottom of the football pyramid than the money-grabbing top.
Funny, informative,
perceptive, and nostalgic, this is a book for the grassroots fan who enjoys the
game whatever the level.
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