Ramon's  Review
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A pocket sized book, albeit for a big pocket, comes at a reasonably small price.  

The top 11 lists of all things Tottenham have been compiled by Alison Ratcliffe with a little help from her friends and there is a great deal of information and humour in the book to dip in and out of ranging from "Tottenham's top partnerships", "Absolute Best moments" and "Cerebral Spurs" through to "Seasons to forget", "Money down the drain" and "Own Goals".

A fun book for any Spurs fan to enjoy.

For a review of the book, click here.

For a review of the book by one of the writers, click here.

Letter writing is becoming a bit of a lost art. With the use of e-mail becoming commonplace and the language that has grown up around it, letters are quickly becoming a thing of the past. But not before Steven Harris had the chance to post off his missives to Messrs. Sugar and Harris of the title of his book.

Cheesed off with the way the club was conducting itself and the direction it was heading in, Steven was keen to get some answers to the questions in his mind, so he went to the men in the know (or so he thought). His persistence in penning letters to those in positions of authority and those who may have the information to lay his mind at rest is dogged. Even in the face of some frankly blunt and rude responses from the club and journalist, he soldiered on to try and find out why things were happening to his club and why certain reports were appearing in the Daily Mirror. Harry Harris even tried to ban the book from Sportspages bookshop and was threatening to sue for defamation, so Steven must have been doing something right !

Steven asks the questions that have popped into all our thoughts over the last three years. In one way he is as much a thorn in the side of the hierarchy at the club as Mark Jacob and although going about it in a different way, has received much the same treatment. He doesn’t just limit himself to those two people in the title of the book and it is to his credit that he has kept a level head in replying to some of the comments he received from his targets.

A very interesting read and although not all the queries are resolved, the attitude and thinking of the men behind the replies is revealing.

Like any encyclopedia, this features a comprehensive A to Z of all things Tottenham Hotspur. Players, the ground, records, competitions, history ... in fact a veritable cornucopia of Spurs details are contained within this volume. Although originally printed in 1996 and quite comprehensive up until that date, so much has happened in the last three years, that an updated version could be required. However, Mr. Hayes has done a fine job in capturing the gist of what is important to Spurs fans and the accompanying photographs nicely break up the entries in the encyclopaedia. This book is slightly different in that it is not just about players and matches, but takes a wider view of the club and what has been achieved and gone on around it over the years. The layout allows you to easily find what you are looking for and I learned quite a few things that I hadn’t known previously. Reasonably priced and a good addition to the library of any Tottenham fan.

An old one, I know, but a goodie nonetheless. This is the modern equivalent of Hunter Davies’ "The Glory Game", but a more financial view of proceedings than the 70’s classic and more gloom than glory. Well written and access to players and staff at the club provides an insightful account of the workings of the modern football club. With lots of little morsels of insider knowledge, this book is a must for all Spurs fans and if you have it already, it always improves with another reading. It will be interesting to see if anyone bothers to do something similar in the "noughties" to continue the saga of Spurs through the ages !!

For all the mentions of DNA, lifeblood and genetic mutation, this is not a biology textbook. It is in fact Mark Jacob’s view of the 1998/99 season following Tottenham Hotspur. As many will know, Mark is involved in the Tottenham Action Group, who regularly comment on the goings on at White Hart Lane and he expands on the way the club is run and how it should be run within the pages of this book. The flier advertising the book calls Jacob "Chairman Alan Sugar’s most consistent critic" and you have to admire his "stickability" to the task. Like a dog with a bone he won’t let go in trying to return the glory, glory days back at the club. While Sugar probably regards him as a thorn in the side, the book portrays the author as something more akin to a whole thicket of brambles which the Spurs chairman may have to negotiate before being viewed as someone to believe in.

For each action the club make, the author looks at all the possible motives and doesn’t restrict his scope to Spurs, but to whatever is happening in the world of football. Conspiracy theorists may find certain aspects of this book compelling. While most fans are content to support their team passively, Mark takes a more "fan-power" view of the game and the reactions he provokes from Mr. Sugar are a real eye-opener. For those who like to get involved, there is plenty in this work.

The book is easy to read - capable of being absorbed in bite size chunks - as it is a day-to-day record and you think that many parts ring true, because there are areas which many fans would agree on. However, there are things I would take issue with Mark on, but then football is all about opinions, isn’t it ?? Whether or not you agree with all the author’s views on the club, the book acts as a reminder of what was a(nother) turbulent season for Tottenham Hotspur - on and off the pitch.

Many of the songs on this CD you might well have from other sources - the cup final songs by Chas and Dave, some of the earlier efforts and Venables’ "Strollin’", but what is new is the BBC radio commentaries of the Spurs FA Cup finals 1961-91 and the Worthington Cup Final 1999. In the very old days, there used to be LP’s (those big plastic things) with commentary of the final on sale, but this went out once video came in. However, it is nice to hear the plummy BBC tones of the 1961 FA Cup final equivalent of Jonathan Pearce and it shows how far things have come when you listen to the 1999 Worthington Cup final coverage in comparison. While, this may not appeal to all, it certainly is a must for Spurs collectors with good photos and the sleeve notes are written by Chas (Hodges) himself. So sit back and relive those special Spurs moments in the comfort of your living room, while letting your imagination take you back to your particular favourite final. You can get it from all good record stores, the Spurs shop or by mail order from Cherry Red Records (0171 371 5844).  Click here for a special deal for MEHSTG readers.

The fanzine writers end of season round-ups are the staple meat pie diet of this annual book release. And when you look at who wrote all the pies, you will be in for a feast. Now in it’s fifth year, SOTF looks at the fortunes of the teams from AFC Bournemouth to Wycombe Wanderers through the eyes of their fanzines. There are thousands of stories to tell, but these are just some of them and it is interesting to find out which clubs hate Spurs - some you would never imagine !! There are two contributions from Spurs fanzines - one from CaDD and the other by us, about Tottenham’s season that had more peaks and troughs than your average weather chart. A ripping good read and there really is loads in there, so why not dip in and out to find out that compared to some, life at Spurs may not be that bad after all. And it’s cheaper than buying every other fanzine featured too !!  Available at all good bookshops or by mail order from Red Card Publishing Ltd., 23 Hamilton Road, Brighton BN1 5DL.

A riveting read that keeps you turning the pages to see what happens next. A sci-fi novel, but one which is much more than that.  Based in the 90's, the country is ruled by the four main hooligan gangs whose reign is fraught with terror.  Originally published in 1974, the portrayal is a bit far fetched, but the intrigue in the story about football and society makes it an entertaining book.  A must for all Spurs fans because of the relevance of the story-line (I will say no more, lest I spoil it for you).

This book chronicles the years leading up to 1960-61 and the way the side came together. It also details the background at Tottenham, as well as what was going on in football in general during a turbulent time for the game. The style does not quite flow in the way the football played by the subjects did, but the book is highly readable and the chapters are fairly short, so you seem to fly through them. Not only does the writer give excellent match reports (with quotes from newspapers of the time), but paints a picture of each player involved that season and at the end, even does a "where are they now" resume. A book that does a very good job of informing those who never saw the side in the flesh, just how famous they deserve to be. And in thirty years time, will they be writing books about Manchester United's side ???

Written shortly after his transfer to Tottenham, Les was hoping for great things for the season and the following World Cup. As we now know, it didn’t happen like that. Nonetheless, an interesting story of how he came to the game late and struggled to make his mark, working part time to pay the bills. Follow him through QPR, Brentford and his experience in Turkey to signing for Newcastle. His appearance on the pitch is explained here also, though that does little to ease the pain. A good book, simply written that should be even better after the last year or so of Ferdinand’s life is added to the story. No controversial Glenn Hoddle style revelations, but then Les isn't like that (is he?).

I was going to say this is one for the kids, but although aimed for that age group, many adults might enjoy the happy ending (just for a change.)

DANNY BLANCHFLOWER – A BIOGRAPHY OF A VISIONARY  by Dave Bowler  
Book (Paperback – 252 pages)                      Published by Vista  
Price £6.99

The man who was partly responsible for putting the Glory into Tottenham is under the microscope in this book.  There are so many stories about the man during and after his playing days that one book could not hope to cover everything in this man’s life, but there are plenty of anecdotes and stories here to keep the most avid Spurs fan going. 

Starting out in his youth in Belfast, the author follows the story through his war-time experiences, joining Glenavon and dreaming of following his idol, Peter Doherty to Maine Road.  When he finally reaches England, the dark satanic mills of Barnsley don’t offer him much comfort and the fact that his football seems to be going nowhere prompts a move to Aston Villa.

While he feels that the weight of the past is weighing on the progress the club should be making, he tries to introduce new methods, much to the chagrin of manager and Directors, who regard him as a troublemaker.  It was with this tag that Tottenham bought him and their Directors were never entirely happy with his thoughtful approach to the game on and off the pitch.  There are many instances where he was unhappy at White Hart Lane before he found a kindred spirit in Bill Nicholson to take the club to the greatest moments in their history.  Even then, he was not always a first choice and it is fascinating to fathom from the text here, how he fitted into the final pattern of the Double side.  And when his time at Tottenham came to an end, there was little emotion in the decision as had happened to a number of faithful servants in his time at the club.

For all the tales of “the game being about glory”, it is interesting to note that when the situation required it, he was not opposed to using the resources available to him in any way that would achieve a result.  When playing in the World Cup in 1958 in Sweden, this was particularly true, as the reports of the tournament included here show.  His captaincy and virtual management of the national side was a great honour for him, but again when the end came he wanted a swift end to it.

While a man whose thinking was way ahead of its time, his ideas still made others feel uneasy.  His battles to achieve what he thought should happen are detailed here and he upset a lot of people by wanting to get his own way.  His attitude to those in command who knew little of football was one of scorn and his put downs of directors are very funny.  He never really wanted to go into management, but was tempted and never scaled the heights he did as a player, but his journalistic career, which he started when a Villa player, continued with great insight and perceptiveness.

Blanchflower had a pivotal place in Tottenham’s history and this book fills in the information around that time and the paths that lead to and from White Hart Lane.  One of Tottenham’s greats has been served well by this book.

TERRY COE

A record of everything that happened to do with Tottenham Hotspur on each day of the year.  A mammoth task undertaken by the author (who has also put together a similar volume for Aston Villa) and one which just about encompasses all you could possibly want to know about the club.  Running up to the end of the season at the time it was published (1997), each match and major incident is covered under a day-by-day format.

Not a book for reading from cover to cover, but one to dip in and out of at every opportunity to find out what went on in the glorious past of our club on the day in question.

TERRY COE