Free download - my Joe Mercer biog (limited time)

[Gary James]

I have been reading this book in the last days and I would like to say I find it really, really enjoyable. I particularly like the way it is described how the different games took place. It really brings me back to what would appear to have been better times. I am born too late for all this, so I watched the "Ballet on ice" highlights on youtube today. City really did play very, very well, and it illustrates how well @Gary James writes.
It is also interesting to see that the lack of class of the Rags already was present in those dark days when Joe Mercer took over as manager of Manchester City. The bet made by Pat Crerand that City would never pull a gate over 30000 illustrates well how the Rags enjoy kicking somebody who is already lying down. Detestable.
A highly recommendable read, Gary, thank you so much for writing this!

Thanks. I first wrote the book in the early 1990s (It took over two years to write and I started it when I was 23; it was my 3rd book) and it remains the book I enjoyed writing the most. It came out in December 1993 and was acclaimed as one of the best sports biographies ever written and received excellent reviews in the broadsheets, including one by Graham Taylor. Back then the deadline for entering the William Hill Sports Book award was September for all books published in that calendar year. As my publisher had one or two issues we didn't know until late Sept (after the deadline) that the book would be out in 1993 and so it couldn't be entered. The organisers told my publisher we could enter in 1994 but, officially, the rules still stated that all books had to be published in the calendar year. My publisher was told by one of the judging panel that it was definitely one of the contenders but then I was told that a rival publisher had complained (from memory it had something to do with a book on Cantona) and my Mercer biog was ineligible. My publisher was angry (I was frustrated of course) and the Awards organisers changed the deadline and rules for subseqent years. Ah well!

When I updated the book in 2010 I asked about entering the award again and was told to send numerous copies to them - I was then told that it couldn't be included because it was a revised book not a new one (I tend to agree on that, of course) - and a review in WSC questioned why I'd brought the book out again, suggesting I was 'cashing in' on the success of Shindler's fictional story of Mercer-Allison (Hmm!). As you can tell, I'm not entirely happy with the way that all went, but the key point I guess is that, more than anything else, I've been keen to get the story of Joe Mercer out there. I believe his story needs to be known, told and remembered (that's why I brought out the updated book in 2010). I made the text only version free on Amazon for a week in the hope that more blues will get to appreciate Joe's life. He was a remarkable man.

If you've enjoyed the text only version then it might be worth seeking out the hardback version (it's in plenty of libraries - if it's not in your local one ask them to get it in; it's also still on sale via amazon). That contains quite a lot of rare photos from Joe's life, including plenty of City stuff of course.

Also, reviews on amazon also help.

I still have some material free to download: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14660970.2014.961378 (significance of City winning FAC in 1904); http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09523367.2015.1055727?src=recsys (profile of Manchester footballing pioneers, including Josh Parlby - the man behind MCFC); and http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17460263.2013.873075?src=recsys (the birth of football in Manchester). These are all aimed at academic audiences but I'm sure every reader will get something out of them. The more downloads are made, the better for my future opportunities to get research like this out there.

Thanks again to everyone who has read my books. I appreciate the comments and the time taken to read my words. Thanks.

 

[smithy extra]

Remember meeting Joe in Chorlto Park, he was pushing hos grand kids on the swings we were changing between Wilbraham High School upper and lower, very nice to us and a real Gent

 

[the god Gerry Gow]

Thanks Gary, have downloaded n will read when in Beni at Easter.

Will review when get back

 

[Vienna_70]

Just finished reading it.

And although I'd already read it a couple of times, there were several things I'd forgotten. And I love the updates and additions.

It's still my favourite football book and I'd recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in the game.