Books

Reading matter for footie fans

A lovely trip to Wrexham

Sweet Holy Malonie (or, Where were you at Gresty Road?), £3.95
Andy Russell is now a sober Bournemouth fan who rang with the gang in the 1970s. His book is now reduced to a quid in the Cherries Club Shop. In his review of the 89 grounds he has visited, Russell declares:

“88) WREXHAM: After one particularly harrowing visit I vowed never to return to the Racecourse Ground. Racecourse being very apt indeed as we were chased around town like Red ****** Rum. Mistake No.1 was a pre-match drink in a pub fairly close to the ground, in which we were met by the members of the Sheep Shearers Sumo (?) Wrestling Squad: the biggest, meanest brutes you had ever seen in your life. One particular monster was all of eight feet and that was between his eyes…We stuck it out until closing time. We ended up running the gauntlet towards the pub door with yours truly getting special attention…but a slap round the head was relatively minor considering what was to come. Outside we were met by Obstacle No.2: 50 or so local youths who had sussed us out through the use of Welsh jungle drums. We were kicked and punched all the way to the ground. Was this a traditional Taffy welcome, I wonder. The aftermath was no better. Not content with smashing the minibus to pieces, the locals bricked us all the way out of town. I haven’t returned since, nor do I wished to.”

Graeme Harding