FOOTBALL FAN'S GUIDE

TITLE           Football Fan's Guide
AUTHORS         Janet Williams and Mark Johnson
PUBLISHER       CollinsWillow
ADDRESS         HarperCollinsPublishers,
                77/85 Fulham Palace Road,
                London
                W6 8JB
ISBN NUMBER     0-00-218707-8
PRICE           £8.99

This book is what it says it is - a Football Fan's Guide. It lists for each of the 92 league clubs -

• Map of the area and ground
• Directions on how to get there by car, bus and train
• Ground amenities including disabled facilities, ticket prices, toilet facilities, food and drink
• Pub and food guide in the area
• Miscellaneous section including fanzines, local radio

The research was performed by the 2 authors with the help of local fans, police, publicans and the clubs, 2 of whom (Barnsley and Burnley) refused to help as "the guide book is unofficial". Each club was visited by the authors on matchdays and fans met for opinions and ideas. The book combines to be factual and informative as well as witty and amusing.

Some quotes from the book -

"Swansea - Toilets - Installed at least 2,000 years before the invention of hygiene".

"Portsmouth - Toilets - Pokey building with an unfortunate slope, so bring galoshes for the unsavoury puddle in the corner".

"Man. Untied - Food and Drink - The meat and potato pie (?1) was foul and the tea (80p) was worse".

The front cover has a quote from Garth Crooks: "makes you wonder how you managed without it." Totally agree. Excellent book.

I don't know how generally available the book is, I had to order mine through my local bookshop. So, if your Aunt Maud sent you a book token for Christmas, go out and buy it. And if Aunt Maud didn't send you a book token for Christmas, go out and buy it.