‘Dear Scottish Comedy FC’ is football’s first and only Agony Uncle! We’re not one of those creepy uncles who you only see at Christmas, stinking of booze, staggering around the dance floor before making a pass at your wife. No: ‘Dear SCFC’ is the awesome uncle who gives you money for your birthday, gets you into the football for free and buys you a cheeky beer when your parents aren’t looking.
Each week we will do our best to help those who can’t help themselves. If you have a problem (real or completely made up), send it to us using the form at the bottom of the article.
Dear Scottish Comedy FC,
Can you recommend a good football autobiography?
A Reader
Have you read the autobiography of Tom Watt, Hunter Davies or Paul Hayward?
No?
The I’d suggest you don’t because they’ve all written unremittingly awful autobiographies…for someone else. Between them they they’ve written the life story of David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Sir Alex Ferguson.
These “somebodyelse-ographys” follow an identical format. They factually describe the major incidents of the player’s career, they have some amusing but non-controversial anecdotes which can be sold to a newspaper, and they’re published before the player has had time to live a life worth writing about. In all cases they never ever reveal anything about the person that you didn’t already know.
In recent years some books have bucked this trend. Roy Keane’s (ghost written) autobiography’s are refreshingly frank, Steven Gerrard’s new autobiography covers his last season with some honesty, and The Secret Footballer has tried to reveal what it’s like to be a professional.
Until now there hasn’t been a good insider’s view of the Scottish game.
Thankfully, David Farrell’s “Taxi for Farrell: Football Between the Lines” breaks the mould of the football autobiography.
– It’s written by the player himself! Yes. No ghost writers here.
– It’s frank about what it’s like to be a player and a coach at all levels of the game.
– It’s a humorous tale filled with amusing anecdotes from the major and minor leagues.
Can’t say fairer than that! David Farrell was a journeyman who played for a number of Scottish sides before moving into coaching. If you want to check out a bit of his writing before reading the book then you can find his blog here.
I finished the book in a couple of days as it was an incredibly enjoyable read. He may not have possessed the football skills of Ronaldo or Messi but in publishing terms he’s Pelé.
Get a copy for yourself and a copy to give away as a present. Whoever you give it to will thank you.
Dear SCFC,
Have I lost the dressing Room?
Jose
I hope not! There’s only two dressing rooms in Stamford bridge. If you’ve lost one then both the home and away teams will have to get changed together.
Dear SCFC,
Do you have Roman Abramovich’s contact details? I know how to propel Chelsea back to the top of the table whilst guerenteeing winning the European Championship
Tim from Sherwood.
Sorry Tim. Roman says he has no interest in buying Emanuel Adebayor!
‘Dear SCFC’ is willing to offer advice to any fans so if you have a problem, your manager’s giving you jip, your star striker is more concerned with Dutch pancakes than Cruyff turns or you just want someone to listen to you, email us using the form below.
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