City Books

Didsbury Dave said:
exileindevon said:
has anyone read a book called george best and 21 others? its about the youth semi final between them and us and what became of the players that made it and didnt make it.
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No. It irritates me a bit that Schindler yet again used Man United to sell his book.
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schindler was on radio few weeks back..he did seem a bit of an arseole..do what i do get it out of library..
 
Someone got me the Goat "autobiog" for my birthday a couple of years back. Only City book i've ever read. Mildly interesting about his early days in Bermuda. Can keep the rest.

If anyone wants it and will pay postage pm me
 
Blue Lloyd said:
I have both versions of Manchester the Greatest City and didn't realise they are worth a bit now but I'd never part with them anyway. Going back further The Pride of Manchester that follows the derbies up until 1991.

I enjoyed Bell, Marsh, Buzzer and Doyles books but Joe Corrigans is excellent - highly recommended.

However I think Farewell to Maine Road is my personal favourite. The quality of photography gathered from over the years and the research that must have gone into make it second to none. It's a treasure on my bookshelf and a pleasure to own.
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Thanks for the comments about my books - most people don't seem to know about The Pride Of Manchester (that was my second book) but that was great to write. As was The Greatest City and Farewell To Maine Road. That was a highly emotional journey - no one believed a book of that type could be produced on a football ground and most bookshops wouldn't stock it. All 3 of those books plus my biog of Joe Mercer are now highly collectable. I had to buy a Pride Of Manchester off ebay last year at an inflated price myself to ensure I had a copy.
 
Gary, i've got two copies of Farewell to Maine Road, too. I'm delighted they're now collectable.

You won't remember, but I contributed the first piece in the section at the end with fan's memories.

Wonderful books and photos.
 
Gary James said:
Blue Lloyd said:
I have both versions of Manchester the Greatest City and didn't realise they are worth a bit now but I'd never part with them anyway. Going back further The Pride of Manchester that follows the derbies up until 1991.

I enjoyed Bell, Marsh, Buzzer and Doyles books but Joe Corrigans is excellent - highly recommended.

However I think Farewell to Maine Road is my personal favourite. The quality of photography gathered from over the years and the research that must have gone into make it second to none. It's a treasure on my bookshelf and a pleasure to own.
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Thanks for the comments about my books - most people don't seem to know about The Pride Of Manchester (that was my second book) but that was great to write. As was The Greatest City and Farewell To Maine Road. That was a highly emotional journey - no one believed a book of that type could be produced on a football ground and most bookshops wouldn't stock it. All 3 of those books plus my biog of Joe Mercer are now highly collectable. I had to buy a Pride Of Manchester off ebay last year at an inflated price myself to ensure I had a copy.
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Bit careless that isnt it gary, writing the book then not having a copy..!st thing i do whenever i start a new job..have a look round see if theirs anything worth taking home..know what i mean chaps..cushty
 
Cant wait for Danny Millis's to come out !!!!

On serious note Mark Ward is in the process of finalising his book, which in his words not mine, will be the most explosive football book ever written.

The Goat’s is also a very good an honest read from a very humble man - LEGEND !!
 
Colin_Bell said:
Farewell to Maine Road the Official History of Manchester City's Grounds by Gary James has become an extremely collectable City football book with copies starting price at around £150-£200 !!

Why is this Gary ?
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The price tends to vary depending on how much people are prepared to pay. I doubt anyone has ever paid over £60 for a copy of any of my books. Often a seller will try and make some money out of desperate fans. I've seen Farewell To Maine Rd; Manchester The Greatest City; The Pride Of Manchester; and Football with A Smile all advertised at over £100 in the past, but I've also seen some of those sellers drop their prices after a few months.

Why are they collectable? I guess I'm not the right person to answer that, but obviously I think the quality of the research, writing and design has a lot to do with it. Some books are thrown together but each of the books I mentioned took at least a couple of years to write and research (I often work on a couple of books at a time, so it's difficult to quantify but I was researching and writing The Greatest City from Jan 1994 to last Summer 1997).

Another reason I guess is quantity produced. Manchester The Greatest City was produced twice (1997 & 2002) and each time around 5,500 books were published. Farewell To Maine Road had 3,000 copies made; The Pride Of Manchester 5,000; Football With A Smile 2,000 hardback and 1,000 paperback. This makes them rare within a few years as new/younger fans start to show interest in earlier books on City.

Another reason why they seem to be advertised at ridiculously high prices is pure greed by the seller. I don't blame anyone cashing in if something's collectable, but I am aware of some memorabilia dealers who have inflated prices in the past. My first book, From Maine Men To Banana Citizens, was a fairly lightweight paperback with poor production and sold at £5.95, but when The Greatest City came out 13 years later one dealer was selling my first book at over £30 and advertising it as Gary's first book. It was not worth anywhere near that.

My tip is always to buy the book when it's first advertised and always try to subscribe - my publishers usually advertise them cheaper before publication and often you get your name in the book; it delivered before it appears in the shops; and a couple of quid off. My next book "The Big Book Of City" will be out in October, but will be sold as a subscriber edition soon (watch <a class="postlink" href="http://www.manchesterfootball.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">www.manchesterfootball.org</a> at the end of the month).

Incidentally, the final copies of "Manchester A Football History" have now been distributed, so as far as the publishers are concerned this has now sold out. So if you were thinking of buying it do so soon before book dealers start to inflate the price of it.
 
I clearly don't understand the publishing industry but why don't they print some more when a book sells out? Surely selling out is a sign that the market is there and people will buy the book if more are printed.

I've read a lot of City books. I enjoyed 'Lows, Highs and Balti Pies' and 'Down among the dead men'.

Though not strictly about City, Fred Eyre's book is a classic.
 
Gary James said:
Colin_Bell said:
Farewell to Maine Road the Official History of Manchester City's Grounds by Gary James has become an extremely collectable City football book with copies starting price at around £150-£200 !!

Why is this Gary ?
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The price tends to vary depending on how much people are prepared to pay. I doubt anyone has ever paid over £60 for a copy of any of my books. Often a seller will try and make some money out of desperate fans. I've seen Farewell To Maine Rd; Manchester The Greatest City; The Pride Of Manchester; and Football with A Smile all advertised at over £100 in the past, but I've also seen some of those sellers drop their prices after a few months.

Why are they collectable? I guess I'm not the right person to answer that, but obviously I think the quality of the research, writing and design has a lot to do with it. Some books are thrown together but each of the books I mentioned took at least a couple of years to write and research (I often work on a couple of books at a time, so it's difficult to quantify but I was researching and writing The Greatest City from Jan 1994 to last Summer 1997).

Another reason I guess is quantity produced. Manchester The Greatest City was produced twice (1997 & 2002) and each time around 5,500 books were published. Farewell To Maine Road had 3,000 copies made; The Pride Of Manchester 5,000; Football With A Smile 2,000 hardback and 1,000 paperback. This makes them rare within a few years as new/younger fans start to show interest in earlier books on City.

Another reason why they seem to be advertised at ridiculously high prices is pure greed by the seller. I don't blame anyone cashing in if something's collectable, but I am aware of some memorabilia dealers who have inflated prices in the past. My first book, From Maine Men To Banana Citizens, was a fairly lightweight paperback with poor production and sold at £5.95, but when The Greatest City came out 13 years later one dealer was selling my first book at over £30 and advertising it as Gary's first book. It was not worth anywhere near that.

My tip is always to buy the book when it's first advertised and always try to subscribe - my publishers usually advertise them cheaper before publication and often you get your name in the book; it delivered before it appears in the shops; and a couple of quid off. My next book "The Big Book Of City" will be out in October, but will be sold as a subscriber edition soon (watch <a class="postlink" href="http://www.manchesterfootball.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.manchesterfootball.org</a> at the end of the month).

Incidentally, the final copies of "Manchester A Football History" have now been distributed, so as far as the publishers are concerned this has now sold out. So if you were thinking of buying it do so soon before book dealers start to inflate the price of it.
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Congratulations mate it’s a fantastic book/read and a must for any Blue - Nearly all of the tales from City fans in there are one’s you can relate to yourself and mirror the feelings you have watching City over the years at Maine Road.

Any chance you could sign my copy ;-)


I noticed it has has appeared on Amazon at a whopping £160 !!
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Farewell-Maine-Road-Official-Manchester/dp/1899538194" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Farewell-Maine- ... 1899538194</a>

Has some good reviews as well.

Steve.Worthington (Manchester.)

Following on in the winning formula of his epic 'Manchester The Greatest City', the highly acclaimed author and Official Manchester City Football Club Historian Gary James has rolled up his sleeves once more and has produced yet another fabulous football book for all to treasure and enjoy. 'Farewell to Maine Road' is not only a must for all Manchester City supporters, it is also an essential for all football fans who possess a genuine interest and passion for the history of our great British past time. It catalogues the birth, evolution and ultimate decline of what was once England's premier and revolutionary provincial football stadium; Maine Road, Moss Side, Manchester M14. Soon to be demolished into oblivion, Maine Road is vividly remembered in all its former glory in this classic portal to the past. Beautifully written with the knowledge and passion you would expect from a lifelong Moss Side Pilgrim, the book provides a definitive literate and graphic illustration of Maine Road's long and varied history. It contains a rich tapestry of previously unpublished photographs, one of which, a unique atmospheric shot of the famous 'Ballet on Ice' (a famous Manchester City V Spurs clash in the late sixties), is arguably worth the cost of the book on it's own. Having consumed and digested every morsel of information contained within, it is difficult for me to imagine how much painstaking work and dedication it must take to produce and compile a book of such quality. Whilst they continue to produce triumphs such as this, the marriage of Gary James and Polar Publishing is truly one made in a Sky Blue Heaven. This 320-page masterpiece has pushed the boundaries of football publications to a new and higher level and has already prompted tears of nostalgia in my eyes. But don't take my word for it, sign up a copy and see for yourself, you'll not be disappointed.
 
masterwig said:
I clearly don't understand the publishing industry but why don't they print some more when a book sells out? Surely selling out is a sign that the market is there and people will buy the book if more are printed.

I've read a lot of City books. I enjoyed 'Lows, Highs and Balti Pies' and 'Down among the dead men'.

Though not strictly about City, Fred Eyre's book is a classic.
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I agree with your comments about Fred's book and the others. All good reads.

The thing with the publishing industry is that the power rests with the bookshops. WHSmith & Amazon usually insist on taking 60% of the cover price and WHSmiths will hardly ever take books that have a 'niche' market and unfortunately they see City as a 'niche'. The only exception being if they already have a strong relationship with the publisher or the book can be marketed outside of the 'niche' market - hence the use of Utd in the title of Colin Shindler's first City book (and George Best in another).

So a publisher has to guess how many the book will sell to the book trade rather than to book purchasers/fans. It's a difficult task which is why my publishers tend to do a subscriber edition (it helps gauge interest).

With Farewell To Maine Road there were quite a few competing books as far as bookshops were concerned. Farewell was the only official history but there was also Kevin Cummins' official photographic record of the last season; Waiting For The Whistle; Len Grant's photo record of the area; plus several other booklets/fanzine/magazine specials.

Even City couldn't guarantee how many copies they would take until the publisher had committed, and so they had to go with their best guess. Shortly after publication the publishers decided they would not produce any more books and they have since gone into administration (as has another publisher who published one of my books). Had this not happened then I would have tried to produce an updated Farewell To Maine Road to include the first 5 years at the new stadium as well.

Once a book has been out for more than a season a simple reprint cannot/shouldn't be done as the new version would be out of date, so an updated version has to be produced. In 2002 (5 years after the first version) I updated Manchester The Greatest City (voted the Greatest football book of all time by Oliver Holt in a Times poll a few years ago) but was criticised by some as they felt it was too soon to do an update (since 2002 I have been asked almost every month to do an update, but can't find a publisher who is prepared to pay the production costs).

Hope this gives a bit more background to the publishing world. Incidentally, within the football club book world an author usually receives a royalty of 10% of the profits (not 10% of the cover price), so it is always a labour of love for most of us.
 
"Manchester City - a history from 1904"
It's not so much a history more newspaper clips of City in action...still quite interesting to reading how they used to report on matches....I particularly like the papers referring to us simply as Manchester - way before David Pleat referring to U****d by the same name....
 
BlueBalls said:
"Manchester City - a history from 1904"
It's not so much a history more newspaper clips of City in action...still quite interesting to reading how they used to report on matches....I particularly like the papers referring to us simply as Manchester - way before David Pleat referring to U****d by the same name....
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There's no logic to some of the stuff which is included and some which isn't, though.

One of our championships is just not in there.
 
masterwig said:
I clearly don't understand the publishing industry but why don't they print some more when a book sells out? Surely selling out is a sign that the market is there and people will buy the book if more are printed.

I've read a lot of City books. I enjoyed 'Lows, Highs and Balti Pies' and 'Down among the dead men'.

Though not strictly about City, Fred Eyre's book is a classic.
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I`m in the company of Fred Eyre tonight, he`s the main speaker at a sportsmans evening at Ashton Utd - really looking forward to it.
 
I saw in the paper the other day a piece about Blackwells having a machine that could print you any book you wanted. It was to be rolled out very soon across the country and would allow customers to buy any book they wanted even if it was out of print or out of stock.
 
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