Author:John Scally
As former England striker and television pundit Jimmy Greaves famously said, football is 'a funny old game'. In A Load of Balls: Football's Funny Side, John Scally confirms the truth of his statement by providing a potpourri of double entendres, timeless quips and amusing anecdotes from the tongues of football's elite.
Hundreds of silly stories and priceless nuggets have been sourced to recreate the unique excitement, drama and unpredictability of football in the words of the sport's practitioners. The result is a wry, quirky and sometimes outlandish catalogue of comic creations. For lovers of the absurd, outrageous and totally bizarre, this selection of stories and quotes will amuse and delight.
Packed with priceless gaffes from the likes of David Beckham ('My parents have been there for me since I was about seven'), Bobby Robson ('We didn't underestimate them; they were just a lot better than we thought') and Paul Gascoigne ('I've never made any predictions about anything and I never will'), this hilarious collection is guaranteed to tickle the funny bone of even the most casual sports fan.
You don't get too many footballers' autobiographies like this one . . . McGarvey's is a poignant, very human story
—— Scotland on SundayA quality read . . . what makes this book stand out is McGarvey's unflinching honesty
—— Sports Books of the Year , The ScotsmanAn admirably honest autobiography
—— Daily RecordA stunning story
—— ShortlistAn intoxicating, captivating tale of great boxers in a fatally flawed environment
—— The HeraldA flawless and singular account of fights that remain potent and important decades after the final bell . . . Four Kings will, unquestionably, be ranked as a classic boxing book that will take future generations back to those smoky, raucous ringside nights in Vegas
—— Irish TimesFight fans wanting a good read on their summer holidays should grab a copy
—— Colin Hart , The SunCertainly the best value of any book out there at the minute as well as being comfortably among the best . . . probably the best boxing book since Kevin Mitchell's War, Baby
—— Sunday TribuneA born storyteller, [Kimball] throws in enough yarns and anecdotes to fill three or four books
—— Sunday Business Post