Book #70: The Damned Utd by David Peace
They love me for what I'm not...
they hate me for what I am
Number of pages: 346
This book is a biography of infamous football manager Brian Clough. Back in the 1970s, he was manager of Derby County FC, but made a dramatic decision to accept the job of manager at Leeds United. Clough was well known for being very outspoken, and was nicknamed "Old Big Head"; his stint as Leeds manager was disatrous, and lasted only 44 days.
The book covers all aspects of both Clough's life, both professional and personal, including his reactions to the people signed up to replace him at his old club, and his mother's death. Although it is non-fiction, it is written as though from the point of view of Brian Clough himself, with some sections set out as though Clough is telling the reader what he did, and some bits are written as though you are reading all of his thoughts, mostly showing him as very frustrated at his own failings, but at the same time sounding self-centred, and also critical of everyone else. While this doesn't necessarily portray events exactly as it happens, it gives a vivid picture of what sort of a person Brian Clough was - though not surprisingly, his family were opposed to the book and the film based on it.
Because the book is written mainly in the form of voiced thoughts without much description of actual events, some might find it hard going. A lot of the book consists of depictions of events in football matches, so it is more likely to be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in the sport itself. Overall, I enjoyed it, and I thought it was more original than some biographical accounts I have read.
Next book: The Real Christmas by Marcus Nodder and Tim Thornborough