Showing posts with label books. Show all posts

There Is Just Something About Going To A Game & Getting A Programme...

When I was younger I loved going to football and rugby games and purchasing a programme but I slowly changed that as I got a bit older and I started to only purchase programmes from games that were big games or ones I definitely wanted to remember due to something in them such as interviews or even posters back in the day. Sometimes it was even a case of a programme having my favourite player on the front and that is all it took for me to make the purchase. 

So here are the programmes I have managed to find in my collection...


First up we have the one of my absolute favourite programmes as it is from the first ever women's game I ever went to watch. Way back in 2007 I went to see Leeds vs Arsenal Women in the FA Cup final at Scunthorpe's ground. It is funny looking back and seeing how many names from that game have gone on to make a name for themselves and how many are still playing today. 


Then we have my current collection of Bradford City Women's programmes. These are definitely going to be my prized possessions as they have articles in that we wrote specifically for them. Never did I think I would be writing for their programme so this is a huge achievement for me and one I am certainly always going to remember. 


Now this is a programme I am questioning as I don't have a clue why I have it. This programme is from the Community Shield game back in 2004 between Arsenal & Manchester United. I know I certainly didn't go to this game so I can only imagine that my dad or grandad had a friend who went and brought me a programme back. I am glad I have this though as there is something about it I love. 


I have a small selection of Manchester United programmes which I have gained from the few games I have managed to go to. I have definitely been to more games than I have programmes for but the one with Phil Neville on is from my first United game so that holds a lot of memories for me. I also have one from years ago which I picked up from a market a while back. I would love to add more Man Utd programmes into my collection. 


One of my favourite programmes in my collection has to be this one from my first trip to Wembley. It is a shame that first trip had to end in defeat but of course the occasion had to be marked with me picking up a programme. It seems to have become a great place for me to store the tickets from that game too.


I don't have as many Bradford City programmes as I would like to be honest but the ones I do have are brilliant as I even have the Bradford vs Chelsea one somewhere, I just wish I knew where. I have a memorial programme to mark the anniversary of the fire, I have one with my favourite Kai Bruenker on it, one from after the Chelsea win and most importantly I have one from the game vs Leeds which we ended up winning.  I know I definitely have plenty more Bradford programmes dotted around my parents house so maybe it is time I went to find them. 


It wasn't just football matches I picked up programmes for as I went to lot of rugby matches when I was younger too. To be honest as I got older I started to only buy the ones for those important matches I went to and these are the only ones I kept hold of as they are from a few of the Grand Final's I went to. I also have a Bradford Bulls one somewhere in the house that I am actually in so I may have to try find that out, if I do I will post a picture of it on Instagram.

So there you have it those are some of my prized possessions also known as my programme collection. I honestly wish I kept hold of or could find some of my missing programmes as there are some from some great games that have disappeared. I think my favourites are the ones from Bradford City Women where we are printed in them and also the Leeds vs Arsenal Women's FA Cup programme. I also have a Manchester United 1968 Champions League final programme somewhere which I really need to find.  

What are your favourite programmes in your collection? 

at No comments
Labels: ,

I Only Read Football Books These Days


I haven't actually read properly since I left school (a whole 9 years ago) but this year I am trying my best to get through as many of the books in our ever growing collection as I can. When I have actually sat and looked at our collection I have realised we actually have a lot of football related books, with possibly even more at my parents. Some books I have read recently and some go back years, so here are the football books we currently have in our collection at our own house (I will dig around in my parents loft another day)...



Giggsy - If I remember correctly this book actually came from the pound shop quite a few years ago. Granted it isn't an autobiography but growing up Giggs was one of my favourite players so I really do need to finally get around to reading this. Although I am sure by now there will be some more updated versions around.

Alex Ferguson - An absolute legend of the game is Sir Alex Ferguson of course I was buying his book as soon as we saw it. I have always classed Manchester United as my second team for the men's game so I have grown up watching their games and even going to some when we have had chance. Ferguson has always been one of my favourite managers and the first time around this book was a great read... I just want to read it again now to refresh myself.

Juan Mata - Liam actually treated me to this one a few months ago. Mata may be an ex Chelsea player but I really do think he is a fantastic player. He is always on of the first to mention the women's team too which is great to see as most male players still distance themselves from the women's game. I can't wait to sit down and give this a read.


Rio Ferdinand - This books is definitely outdated now, in fact I think there are two more new ones that I need to pick up. Rio is one of the first defenders I actually took notice on how they played, growing up I was more fascinated by the attacking side of the game I often overlooked defenders and how good some actually were. I have to say he is possibly still one of my all time favourite center backs. I remember reading this book years ago but again I would love to give it another read and possibly purchase the other books he has out. 

Torres -  One of the very few Liverpool players, past or present, I actually like is Fernando Torres. I think it is because at tournaments in the men's International game I would always pick to follow Spain (don't ask me why as I really don't have the answer). Torres was an absolutely fantastic player and I will admit I fancied him a bit so of course I bought his book. It was a really good read and my sister actually ended up borrowing it from me for a while (she takes after my dad by being a Chelsea fan) but I finally have it back now and no doubt will end up picking it up to read once again.


Abby Wambach - One of the first women's football books I read was Abby Wambach's autobiography and it had me hooked. Abby is a player who scored plenty of goals but as you read in the book it wasn't always easy for her, she had plenty of struggles. This is a book I would definitely read again. 

Hope Solo - Solo is the latest book I have finished and I will actually have a review going up for you very soon. Hope is definitely considered outspoken and controversy seems to have followed her a fair bit through her life but this book gives a great insight into her growing up, but more on that in the review. 

Alex Morgan - I found that this one maybe suited to younger readers (teenage years) but it was really easy reading and I basically flew through it. The book is all about Alex's life and gives tips on dealing with rejection, pressure and much more. By reading this book you really start to understand why Alex is where she is in her career to date. 


Carli Lloyd - I have actually already reviewed this book which you can read here, it was a brilliant read and gives a really good insight on how Carli became one of the world's greatest players. Give the review a read and you will see all my thoughts on the full book. 


Under the Lights and in the dark - I have already read this book twice but you know what... I love it so much I will be reading it plenty more times. I even recommend this to a lot of people on Twitter as it is a book that shouldn't be slept on. Giving insights into different leagues around the world it really shows how the female players are treated and what is expected of them, my particular favourite chapter is about Allie Long playing in the underground league.

The making of the women's world cup - I picked this up before the World Cup in 2019 and still haven't got around to reading it. I am looking forward to reading little snippets from world cups gone by. 

Eni Aluko - Another purchase by Liam, for my birthday back in September he got me a copy of Eni Aluko's book and he was lucky enough to find a signed copy for me. It seems to be a case of issues Eni spoke about took center stage and people forgot just how great of a career she had, this book was brought out before her retirement and I am actually looking forward to reading about the things she went through in her own version of events rather than the medias. 

So there you have it that is our current football book collection or at least what we can find of them. There should be plenty of book reviews coming your way in the future. Can you recommend any books we could add to this? Let us know.
at No comments
Labels: , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)