"The Journey: Rebuilding Manchester City" Book Details

Gary James said:
Dave Ewing's Back 'eader said:
Is it def gonna have 'Journey' in the title? It's got a whiff of that rather unsavoury book that's just come out by whatisname!

I believe I picked my title first, but his book is A Journey while my City book will be The Journey - as far as I can see there's only one journey worth analysing that's likely to bring out the truth. Hopefully I won't have eggs and shoes pelted at me!

Thanks.

Sorry, who has written the other book?
 
Mad Eyed Screamer said:
Gary James said:
Dave Ewing's Back 'eader said:
Is it def gonna have 'Journey' in the title? It's got a whiff of that rather unsavoury book that's just come out by whatisname!

I believe I picked my title first, but his book is A Journey while my City book will be The Journey - as far as I can see there's only one journey worth analysing that's likely to bring out the truth. Hopefully I won't have eggs and shoes pelted at me!

Thanks.

Sorry, who has written the other book?

When this thread was in full flow a year and a couple of months ago, Tony Blair had just brought out his autobiography, entitled 'A Journey'.
 
Gary, please correct me if I'm wrong. But are there matters concerning the takeover and Shinawatra's departure that no club officials are at liberty to discuss?

I have been told that the agreement reached with the former owner included a gagging clause that is legally enforcable for 6 years. I have no reason to doubt my source. Are you able to comment?

Thanks.
 
Thanks for all the comments and interest in "The Journey: Rebuilding Manchester City" - it's too soon to explain fully what's happening but after reading a few of the comments I need to explain a couple of points.

The book was fully written and ready for publication in 2010 when a decision was taken that the ending was not the perfect ending (remember the ridiculous flak "Blue Moon Rising" got because it ended without winning a trophy - all genuine Blues know that the story wasn't about that).

A decision was taken (and I'm not the only person in the decision process) to delay until 2011. I continued to research and write the book and a version taking us up to the end of the 2010-11 season has been written up. Apart from myself only two other people have actually read this text to date.

Since then, various discussions have taken place but, as we all know, there have been some significant changes at the top at City that also need to be included in the book. This has impacted the book in a few ways.

If I include the changes then it gives a bit of a muddied end to the book. So, as with most football books, it looks like the close season will be a better time to bring it out. However, there are a few other issues that need to be considered.

There are discussions taking place in the next few weeks which will hopefully clarify the position. Of course, it is clearly not going to be published in 2011.

I will be posting all decisions on my facebook page - <a class="postlink" href="http://www.facebook.com/GaryJames4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.facebook.com/GaryJames4</a> (plug: 'like' my page and you'll get to hear the news on that and my other books first).

Personally, I've invested so much into this book and know that the content deserves to be read. It's impacted every aspect of my life and has taken a lot out of me.

To give some background.... The book takes the story of City from the Blackburn qtr final defeat through the 2 takeovers and on to 2011.

I have interviewed dozens (and I mean dozens) of people involved with the Club from the Chairman to the fans (or fans to Chairman depending on your outlook). This has included former chairmen (though it's not relevant to this book specifically I have interviewed every chairman from Eric Alexander to Khaldoon, excluding 1 - but I'm still trying to get to him), senior officials, departmental heads, ordinary staff, various fans, non-City fans, journalists, players and so on.

I have well over 100 hours of recorded interviews specifically for this book and I have also attended various meetings (I was there when Thaksin made his first statements to City's departmental heads and suggested rebranding the club 'ManCity' and launching a 'cologne' with the scent of 'ManCity' - "women will love the smell and maybe even a few men will like it" - to be fair he also announced some other really positive ideas).

I've been given access to some incredible information, material and seen some significant documents. I am truly grateful to those at the Club (and no longer at the Club) for all they have done and shown me.

On this thread someone mentioned gagging orders... none of the people I've interviewed have mentioned this. There have been things I've been told 'off-tape' (or documents shown) that I cannot use but do help to paint a picture, but to be honest the stuff they've told me that's 'on-tape' is rivetting at times and absolutely amazing without the off-the-record stuff. The book's not aimed at spelling out the financial deals, so there are many elements to that that are not currently included in the book.

The book actually concentrates on 'the journey' of the club, and I think fans will absolutely love that, while non-fans will actually realise how much good the new owner is bringing to Manchester, City, and English football. I dispel a few myths.

This post has actually gone a lot further than I had intended, but I guess the upshot of it all is that I remain passionate about the book but as things stand there are discussions needed to determine what actually happens to it. I've been working on it for 3 years at the expense of other opportunities and various other issues.

It's a great story, but we'll see... I'll announce the details/next steps via my facebook when I can.

One thing that is absolutely certain..... I have a burning desire to get these stories told in the right way and out there for all to read as soon as is sensible.

EDIT: If there's a senior City official/key figure with significant information that they think I may somehow have missed, then please contact me.
 

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