Win a copy of Real Football Real Fans
Last updated : 18 July 2008 By Bigrich.....
Born in Wisbech, William Barr supported the Fenmen until he moved to Norwich in 1971 and started following the Canaries.
The plans for this book were formed during the 2006 World Cup when the shopping performance of the WAGS was world class and the achievement of our boys on the pitch was a tad below that level. The gap between the hype and the results was massive.
Though the book was born out of anger and frustration, once William started his rounds of the League 2 clubs and met their fans, that grumpiness started to be replaced by a real enthusiasm .
Here's Chris Saxon's review of the book.
"Ken Booth had no interest in the revolution which was beginning to turn football stadia into comfortable places where the game could be enjoyed alongside a good meal; anyone further from the prawn sandwich culture could not be imagined" so author William Barr, incidentally an avid Norwich City supporter, keenly observes in his new book "Real Football Real Fans"
Setting aside his passion for the Canaries, at least for a season, William chose instead to tramp around the Football Grounds of England's basement Division in his search for the heart of football.
Disillusioned I suspect by the excesses of the Premiership, yet like so many of us a passionate follower of the beautiful game; he travelled the length and breadth of the country in search of those real fans following those real football clubs.
Through purchasing the local newspaper and speaking first hand to the fans, William's book offers a true insight into life at the so-called unfashionable end of the football league ladder.
Beginning at Valley Parade or The Coral Windows Stadium or whatever it was being called on that opening day of the new season, and finally ending his journey in late February with his second trip to Rochdale (his first ended abruptly due to postponement), William visits all twenty-four of last season's League Two clubs including the Millers.
He explores the relationship between the clubs and the town's they represent through purchasing the local rag and talking to the fans. He samples the pies and records the chants and the songs in a funny yet often moving account of the stresses and strains of following a club, which might teeter on the brink of relegation from the Football League.
Worldwide publications such as the Chester Chronicle and the Buckinghamshire Free Press and of course the even more famous Rotherham Advertiser are mentioned alongside those all too brief moments of glory, which every club's fans seem to have savoured at one time or another.
Hereford United fans readily recounting those heady days back in the seventies, when their team scored twice in the last five minutes to send mighty Newcastle United spinning out of the F A Cup and in front of the BBC cameras. More recently, Wycombe fans are quick to point out that they reached the semi-final of the Carling Cup a year ago before bowing out to super rich Chelsea.
"Real Football Real Fans" is truly a Real Delight!
To Obtain a copy visit
www.realfootballrealfans.com
Or win a copy from MillersMAD, by taking part in our exclusive competition.
All we're asking you to do is have a guess at how many points the Millers will be deducted before the beginning of the season!!!!
The closest will win the book, if in the event of there being more than 1 person who gets the same answer we will run a draw out of the bag with the people nearest to the amount.
CLICK HERE TO ENTER, place your points deduction guess in the comments box
