I borrowed Chico’s copy to read.Strangely, you get some grit in your eyes in places.Whitehead writes brilliantly.
I doubt any niche book about Aston Villa would be a moneyspinner for anyone.
Brilliant book, only criticism I'd have of it is that the author write that history doesn't neatly fit in to decades at the start, but then stops the book in 1979 rather than carry on to 1982, which would seem the more obvious year to me - write about the club going from its lowest point to its highest.But regardless, it's a fantastic book, superbly written.
Quote from: Chinchilla Bathhouse on June 16, 2019, 10:52:19 AMI doubt any niche book about Aston Villa would be a moneyspinner for anyone.Quality writing by an impoverished author on a club that matters to them brings more to the genre than yet another Liverpool/Man Utd/etc picture book knocked off before lunch by a monied hack.
Quote from: algy on June 16, 2019, 08:12:34 AMBrilliant book, only criticism I'd have of it is that the author write that history doesn't neatly fit in to decades at the start, but then stops the book in 1979 rather than carry on to 1982, which would seem the more obvious year to me - write about the club going from its lowest point to its highest.But regardless, it's a fantastic book, superbly written. There's a reason for that but you can't speak ill of it.
What's the book and that classic anecdote of the author finding himself in Aston Hall with Pongo Waring, and thinking the legend isn't listening to him until Pongo pipes up with heart-pulling Villa goodness? It gets me every time.
"Every time you come back here it must bring back memories Pongo” I said. He stared out for a long while. I thought he’d forgotten I was there. “Aye,” he said suddenly, “aye, they’re a great club…the greatest.” I stood and looked with him, this old man whose goals had set the Villa crowds roaring so long ago. It was not quite dusk on that March afternoon and I saw them too…they were out again, the old ghosts…Jack Hughes, scorer just about one hundred years earlier of Aston Villa’s first goal (perhaps to the very day)…George Ramsay…the Hunter brothers…Willie McGregor…Denny Hodgetts…legion upon legion of them on parade now, filling the field with claret and blue…the century with pride.
Quote from: eamonn on June 16, 2019, 10:10:19 PMWhat's the book and that classic anecdote of the author finding himself in Aston Hall with Pongo Waring, and thinking the legend isn't listening to him until Pongo pipes up with heart-pulling Villa goodness? It gets me every time.Peter Morris: The First 100 Years. Quote"Every time you come back here it must bring back memories Pongo” I said. He stared out for a long while. I thought he’d forgotten I was there. “Aye,” he said suddenly, “aye, they’re a great club…the greatest.” I stood and looked with him, this old man whose goals had set the Villa crowds roaring so long ago. It was not quite dusk on that March afternoon and I saw them too…they were out again, the old ghosts…Jack Hughes, scorer just about one hundred years earlier of Aston Villa’s first goal (perhaps to the very day)…George Ramsay…the Hunter brothers…Willie McGregor…Denny Hodgetts…legion upon legion of them on parade now, filling the field with claret and blue…the century with pride.