Read all about it - Essential City reads - a list

[Mr Ed (The Stables)]

Jack Charlton's book is good, if you are of that age and watching football between mid 60's to early 70's. Obviously loads on Englands 1966 World Cup win, but also an insight into that great but dirty Leeds side in the early 70's, and Brian Clough and Don Revie. I enjoyed it.

 

[Big Swifty]

I'm glad someone mentioned Craig Winstanley's "Bleak and Blue", charting his love of City from mid-70s to our terrible fate in '98. The highs and lows of a fan, interspersed with the rock music he favoured at the time. I've read it at least twice and still have a laugh - and a grimace at some of the clowns we've endured (on and off the field). Pocket-sized paperback, ideal for a long and boring flight.
Anyone who's not read "Trautmann's Journey" by Catrine Clay should do so now. The stuff about his time with City is mostly known to us (and I noted at least one serious factual error), but his earlier life and wartime experiences are in parts horrific and totally gripping, rivalling anything that Hollywood could produce about World War Two. What Bert went through defies belief, and what he must think when he looks at pampered present-day stars.....
Also nice to see mention of Eric Thornton's "Meredith to Mercer", which I can see from here on my shelf...the team coach stopping on the way back from an away match to buy fish and chips....I wonder how many current players have any idea?
"Autobiographies" (ghosted) bore me, unless they have a point to make, like Paul Lake.

 

[cityboy2602]

Best non City book for me is the Damned United by David Peace. The film of it is not as good but the book is a great read. In between chapters about Clough's 44 days at Leeds are 'flashback' chapters telling about Clough's rise as a footballer and then manager with Derby. Brings a fantastic contrast between his early success and spectacular failure at Leeds.

Best City book I've read is Down Among the Dead Men. Although it charts some grim times for us, the underlying spirit of the best fans in the world still shines through - essential read

 

[Denis Law's Backheel]

"Guvnors".

City fans were well ard back then..................

 

[Blackchevrons]

Stop Making Sense. Manchester City, Mother Russia and Me by Peter Brophy is well worth a read.

Dont think its particularly well known but a qoute in the desrciption on amazon says "probably the only book ever written to mention Frank Clark and Ivan the Terrible in the same sentence."

Y'all should have a butchers

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[City 1 Chelsea 1 1971]

Just going through bookshelf, one by one, trying to find something I haven't read more than once...

Steppes to Wembley - Bert Trauttman
Football in the Goalmouth - Frank Swift
The Good, the Mad and the Ugly - Andy Morrison
I'm Not Really Here - Paul Lake
This Simple Game: The Footballing Life of Ken Barnes
Mike Summerbee: The Autobiography
Feed the Goat - Shaun Goater
Catch a Falling Star - Neil Young
Joe Mercer: Football with a Smile - Gary James
Manchester:The Greatest City- Gary James
Manchester City – The Complete Record - Gary James
Kicked into Touch - Fred Eyre
Football, It's a Minging Life - Rick Holden
Manchester City – The Mercer-Allison Years - Penney
Big Mal - Tossel
The Old Black & Green - Aberystwyth Town

Anyone else recommend any Football reads (preferably City related)?

Steve Redhead: Sing when you're Winning.

Mid 80s post Heysel look at football with lots of City references