Professor of Bristolian Book Review: From A Field To Anfield (Nick Tanner with Steve Cotton)

I thought it would be a good idea to do some book reviews of books that may be of interest to Bristolians. I will write the review in English and then do a Bristolian translation of the review for all those native Bristolians and students of the Bristolian language who may be described as 'keeners'.

From A Field To Anfield (Nick Tanner with Steve Cotton) - Pitch Publishing

This book is a must read for all Bristolian football fans especially gasheads and kudos must go to Steve Cotton for turning Nick's football experiences into such an entertaining read. It tells the story of a young lad with no expectations of playing Premier League football, and with little expectation of playing full-time professional football. Nevertheless, he somehow made the journey from being a factory worker at British Aerospace, and part-time player at Mangotsfield United, to Bristol Rovers and then Liverpool within a few short years.

While it's fascinating to read about how Nick came through the same Liverpool Reserve Team as the likes of Steve McManaman, what is perhaps even more fascinating is the amount of detail he goes into about what football is like at grassroots level - the characters, the lack of money and the anecdotes about the sometimes hilarious happenings. There's a lovely story about Ralph Miller, his manager at Mangotsfield United, who was so desperate to sign a player who lived in South Wales that he drove over there in his van with a pushbike in the back. Ralph parked his van round the corner from this lad's house and then told him that he's cycled all the way from Bristol to try to get him to sign. The ploy worked!

While the book is written in a similar sports journalist style to that of many sports biographies what makes it stand apart from books written in a similar vein is the extent to which Nick uses amusing little anecdotes to give us an insight into the characters and idiosyncratic tendencies of so many football people, famous and not so famous, whether it be Steve McManaman wearing jeans all week by a hotel swimming pool on a holiday with other young players in the hot Mediterranean sun, or Steve White's disinclination to buy a round of drinks.

You do get a feeling that some Liverpool supporters felt that Nick was never a talented enough player to play for the club. However, there are genuine quotes from the people whose opinions matter - Kenny Dalglish, Phil Thompson and Graeme Souness - who are quick to leap to Nick's defence.

In conclusion, what comes over in the book is that the author is a very likeable and lively character, open about his shortcomings, who is at ease in the company of most people, no matter how well-known or unknown they may be. He went on a football journey that took many people by surprise, not least himself, simply because he was prepared to work hard and make the most of the ability he did have.

Bristolian Translation Of The Above Review

If yoom a Bristolian football fan, especially if yoom a gas'ead, yoom gotta read this book, mind. 'N kudos gotta go to that Steve Cotton for makin' it awl so gert entertainin'. Iss the story of a young Bristolian kiddie wot never fawt 'e'd play professional football for the Gas, let alone in the Premier League for the mighty Liverpawl. Yeah, 'e sorta, like, worked in a factory at British Aerospace 'n played part-time football for Mangotsfilled 'n then, within a few years, 'is awl world went gert mental!

Iss gert fascinatin' to read bout 'ow Nick come fru the same Liverpawl Reserve Team as they like that Steve McManawlman bu' iss even more fascinatin' to read the gert load wot 'e writ bout grassroots football 'n awl they funny characters in it, 'ow there wan't no money, 'n awl that anecdotawl stuff 'n that! That Ralph Miller, that manager wot 'e 'ad at Mangotsfilled, mind, drove over to South Wales wiv a pushbike in 'is van, juss so 'e cud say e'd cycled over thur to this lad wot 'e wanted to sign for 'is Mangotsfilled team. Bleed nell!

The book's writ a bit like awl they sports biograwlphies but wot I likes bout this 'un is 'ow iss full of they funny anecdotes 'n that, 'n yoom gets a insight into the characters 'n the idiawlsyncraticawl tendencies of the famous 'n they wot int so famous. Like that Steve McManawlman wot don't want no sun on 'is legs when eeze on 'oliday in the 'ot Mediterranean sun wiv 'is Liverpool mates, so 'e wears 'is jeans even by the 'otel swimmin' pawl. Bleed nell! Then thur's that Steve White ooze gert tight 'n never buys a round o' drinks! Bleed nell!

Yoom gets the ideawl, mind, that some o' they Liverpawl fans fawt that Nick weren't good enough to play for thur team, mind. But they ooze opinions matters - Kenny Dalglish, Phil Thompson 'n Graeme Souness - 'ad different ideawls bout Nick dinnum!

At the end o' the day, yoom gets the ideawl that Nick's a gert likeable 'n lively bloke, open bout mistakes wot eeve made, but 'oo gets on wiv peepaw no matter 'ow well known or unknown they is, mind. 'E went on a football journey wot took a loada peepaw by surprise, not least isself, simply cuz 'e worked bleedin' 'ard 'n made the most of 'is ability.

(Click below to hear an audio version of the review, first in Bristolian and then in standard English).