Originally posted by Julian Denny:
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Interesting. I've got his first book "Wild About Football" - written in the early 60's. Always a big hero particularly after Munich. Voted the best keeper in the world at the end of the '58 World Cup if memory serves.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I seriously recommend this one. very funny in places. Heres a wee bit from it:
'Ten days after the FA cup final we went on a tour to Italy which included matches against Juventus and a Roma select. The team was gathered in a hotel bar in Livorno. The cup final lads were downing pints and singing songs - Nobby Stiles, Shay Brennan and myself were drowning our sorrows after missing out on a place in the squad at Wembley. I wasnt much of a drinker in those days but i took a wee sherry to be sociable. Johhny Giles, who was just a kid, joked: "Dont worry about not being in the first team. you may be reserves, but your time will come." He repeated the taunt to Shay and Nobby before i warned him not to push his luck. John's timing wasnt the best, i mean id just missed out on a cup winners medal. Still he kept mouthing and in mock anger I grabbed the sides of the chair. Gilesy thought i was serious and when one of the arms of the chair came away in my hand, he turned to Shay and said "Lets get the F--- out of here!"
Eventually on the way to my room I heard Shay and Johhny laughing. I decided it was time for some payback. I repeatedly pushed at the wooden panel on their door; its creaking was accompanied by my muffled threats to get the two of them. Not happy with their frantic calls for me to piss off, i decided to give the door handle a kick. I'd obviously had a few glasses of Sherry too many, though, and I missed the handle and my foot went straight through the door. I was jammed in the door as Johhny and Shay shouted about ringing for help and tried to make a barrier with the wardrobe. Things went from bad to worse. In an effort to free my leg, the entire door pulled free, along with the door frame and part of the wall. I quickly left the scene of the crime and returned to the room i was sharing with Nobby Stiles. I composed myself for a couple of minutes and then casually walked out of the room and peered around the corner. Jimmy Nicholson, the young NI international, was staggering down the corridor a little worse for the wear. He stopped and just stared at the door, so i nonchalantly walked around the corner and said "Jimmy, did you do that?" The poor lad didnt know what was happening, so i grabbed him by the arm, took him to his room, and put him to bed.
I returned to my room, stripped down to my underpants and climbed under the covers.Before too long I heard voices coming from the corridor. I sneaked out for a look and there was Matt Busby, Jimmy Murphy, Jack Crompton, the hotel manager and the house detective, all marching towards Johnny and Shay's room. I ran back into my room, dived into bed. Nobby was flapping, asking what was going on, and i told him to mind his own business and say im asleep. There was a knock at the door. It was Matt. Nobby feigned drowsiness when he answered and was told to open the door. I was shaking like a leaf. The lights went on and Matt pulled back my covers. "Whats going on?" I asked with mock surprise. "Dont give me whats going on! There are bits of door and wall lying all over the place out there. Theres only one man capable of doing that." Matt then threatened that we'd all be heading to Manchester first thing in the morning if the culprit didnt own up. The following morning the door and wall had been patched up. Nothing more was said about the matter, but Gilesy said he knew it was me. He'd recognised the laughter'
<img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laugh Out Loud]" />
