The Nowhere Men by Michael Calvin

Barry Izbak

U.T.A.

Dec 7, 2005

7,323

Lancing By Sea

• Dec 30, 2015

• #1

I got this book for Christmas and am racing through it.

Anyone else read it?

Its about the world of football scouts and was one of the sports books of the year last year. I just read the chapter that heavily featured Barry Lloyd talking about his role at the Albion.

I wonder if he is still there?

Excellent book. Highly recommended.

 

hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.

Helpful Moderator

Mar 16, 2005

61,279

Chandlers Ford

• Dec 30, 2015

• #2

I bought it for one of my lads for Christmas. And one called 31-0 about football in the game's outposts. And Rafi Honigstein's Das Reboot, about the fall and rise of German football.

I'll read and review when he's finished them!

 

1066familyman

Radio User

Jan 15, 2008

15,185

• Dec 31, 2015

• #3

I've had it a while and still not finished it. I like it in parts but sometimes I just lose track of it. He seems to jump from name to name at will and I have to keep going back to work out who the bloody hell he's talking about. That's probably me though because these days my concentration levels seem to be shot to shit

I'd probably recommend it as a read on here, if nothing else because it has quite a few Albion references. BG may even feature in there somewhere for all I know.

 

R

robinsonsgrin

Well-known member

Mar 16, 2009

1,448

LA...wishing it was devon..

• Dec 31, 2015

• #4

read it a while ago after hearing him speak on WAGU podcast. gives insight into the issues that martin ling is seemingly still facing now...

 

Napier's Knee

New member

Mar 23, 2014

1,099

West Sussex

• Dec 31, 2015

• #5

1066familyman said:

I've had it a while and still not finished it. I like it in parts but sometimes I just lose track of it. He seems to jump from name to name at will and I have to keep going back to work out who the bloody hell he's talking about. That's probably me though because these days my concentration levels seem to be shot to shit

I'd probably recommend it as a read on here, if nothing else because it has quite a few Albion references. BG may even feature in there somewhere for all I know.

Click to expand...

Not just me who kept losing track of all the names then. Phew. It's a very interesting read - mentions Dunk, Steve Gritt and other Albion aspects too. Well worth a read but he needed to tighten it up a bit

 

Cadiz Seagull

Grey bearded old man

Jul 7, 2003

5,990

Between Haywards Heath and Trujillo, Extremadura,

• Dec 31, 2015

• #6

It's on my wish list at Amazon. Cheapskate that I am I'm waiting for the price to go down

 

Dorset Seagull

Once Dolphin, Now Seagull

Feb 21, 2009

4,426

Shaftesbury Dorset ( Hovis hill to you )

• Dec 31, 2015

• #7

Hilarious bit about Salde and Dickensen. Also part way through Das Reboot which is excellent so far

 

Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member

NSC Patron

Jul 11, 2003

59,489

The Fatherland

• Dec 31, 2015

• #8

hans kraay fan club said:

I And Rafi Honigstein's Das Reboot, about the fall and rise of German football.

Click to expand...

Hopefully Greg Dyke also got a copy.....

 

R

redoubtable seagull

Well-known member

Oct 27, 2004

2,530

• Dec 31, 2015

• #9

Read it on holiday a couple of months ago. It's a really interesting read. It is amazing the poor pay and conditions that the scouts featured had to endure.

 

edna krabappel

Well-known member

NSC Patron

Jul 7, 2003

47,221

• Dec 31, 2015

• #10

I've read it as well. Quite a few of the guys mentioned are now involved with the Albion (but weren't at the time he wrote the book). Ewan Chester is one, but there are others too.

His next book, Living On The Volcano, is also a good read. Another one you can easily dip in and out of, as each chapter broadly deals with a different manager (including Chris Hughton). And there's some interesting stuff with Martin Ling, who at the time the book was written was recovering from his depressive illness and looking for another job. He was fearful that the mental illness stigma would put potential employers off.

Since then, of course, he got himself a job at Swindon, but left just before Christmas, for "health reasons". Sounds like his issues have returned. You have to feel for the guy.