Soccer bosses reveal book tastes The diverse reading tastes of some of football's biggest managerial names have been revealed.

The National Football Museum in Preston invited some of the game's stars to nominate their favourite books.

The literary picks included Animal Farm by George Orwell, Maya Angelou's I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, Bravo Two Zero by Andy McNab and The Bible.

Among those surveyed were Man Utd boss Sir Alex Ferguson, Chelsea's Jose Mourinho and Tottenham's Martin Jol.

Following National Storytelling Week and in the lead up to World Book Day, the museum contacted the game's leading figures about their literary loves.

The results are revealed in an exhibition of the books along with the letters of reply from those questioned.

Patriotic choice

There were few surprises among the selections.

The ever patriotic Sir Alex chose Treasure Island by his fellow Scot, Robert Louis Stevenson, while men's men Paul Jewell (Wigan) and Sam Allardyce (Bolton) opted for Bravo Two Zero and The Soul of a Butterfly by Mohammed Ali respectively.

More surprising choices came from Chelsea's Jose Mourinho who selected The Bible, Spurs boss Martin Jol who picked Ernest Hemmingway's Old Man and the Sea - and Burnley's Steve Cotterill who chose Beyond Winning (Human Kenetics) by Gary M Walton.

Other cerebral choices included George Orwell's Animal Farm - selected by Everton's David Moyes - and I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou which was the favourite of England' women's manager Hope Powell.

Museum spokesman, Mark Bushell said: "We are delighted that so many of the leading names in English football have responded to our request for information regarding their favourite authors and books.

"It's fascinating to see who has inspired them through their writing. We hope that visitors to the museum will be similarly inspired to pick up some of the titles that are mentioned within the exhibition."

The full list is:

Martin Jol (Spurs) Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemmingway

Paul Simpson (Carlisle United) Billy - Pamela Stephenson

Hope Powell (England) I Know Why the Caged Birds Sing - Maya Angelou

Steve Cotterill (Burnley) Beyond Winning (Human Kenetics) - Gary M Walton

David O'Leary (Aston Villa) Kane and Abel - Jeffery Archer

Graham Souness Fourth Protocol - Frederick Forsyth

Steve Bruce (Birmingham City) Frank Sinatra 'Biography' - Martin Smith

Sam Allardyce (Bolton Wanderers) The Soul of a Butterfly - Mohammed Ali

Jose Mourinho (Chelsea) The Bible

Billy Davies (Preston) Sacred Hoops - Phil Jackson

David Moyes (Everton) Animal Farm - George Orwell

Alan Curbishley (Charlton) Bobalong the Brownie Man - Agnes Grozier Herbertson

Mick McCarthy Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United) Treasure island - Robert Louis Stevenson

Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Harry Potter Series - JK Rowling

Paul Jewell (Wigan) Bravo Two Zero - Andy McNab

Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/4780826.stm

Shame - I was waiting with baited breath to see what little gem Harry Redknapp would come up with... Jose Mourinho obviously hasn't reached the bit of the Bible that talks about humility yet then...

Snorri xxx

more proof football has got too big these days.

who would have give a shit in the '80's ??

what next? Football managers fave pair of socks?

Barney Army wrote: more proof football has got too big these days.

who would have give a shit in the '80's ??

what next? Football managers fave pair of socks?

Probably been done already in one of those retarded mags for sub-normal women, that all women seem to read if you leave them alone together long enough.

I notice they left the author off the Bible. It was God wasn't it?

steve cottrill of burnley picked ' beyond winning ' very apt

Why has Wayne Rooney been included in a list of footie bosses favourite books? And for that matter Sounness or McCarthy! :D

Snorri xxx

Barney Army wrote: more proof football has got too big these days.

who would have give a shit in the '80's ??

what next? Football managers fave pair of socks?

Read back and take note!

Trying to encourage people to read books by using "role" models, or people that have some influence over possibly encouraging young people, or any people to read, is a good thing! It's nothing to do with football selling out!

Reading is a very important part of literacy levels and every day communication, which..........are disgustingly low and poor, in all ages in the UK and around the world!

When you work with people who can't read and write because they have never been encouraged to read books, or have not had the education, you UNDERSTAND the importance of such initiatives.

If football can be used to improve and encourage people to read, FAIR fucking play i say!

The people you refer to went to diferent schools from the ones who CAN R+W then Bonz?

Or did they chose to beat up the kids who could read, then go and play footie instead?

Dyslexia is one thing (although scientists now think it's a made up condidtion!!) but wilfull ignorance is nothing to be proud of.

ChrissMari wrote:

David O'Leary (Aston Villa) Kane and Abel - Jeffery Archer

Tory voting twat.

ChrissMari wrote:

Billy Davies (Preston) Sacred Hoops - Phil Jackson

Thought Billy was a bluenose aswell.

Steve Campbell wrote: The people you refer to went to diferent schools from the ones who CAN R+W then Bonz?

Or did they chose to beat up the kids who could read, then go and play footie instead?

Dyslexia is one thing (although scientists now think it's a made up condidtion!!) but wilfull ignorance is nothing to be proud of.

Nah.................... don't get at all what you mean there Cambo. I work with Dyslexic students etc..... and we use differnt tools to help people read and understand text etc.... It's a complex task and not easy. That was not what i was saying at all!

I'm not getting into detail about why some people have lower or no litecay levels than others as there are many reasons, i'm just commenting on a nationwide initiative to encourage people to read, many people don't, not just because of learning needs, but because people don't read books or texts that much anymore, and this is also a major contribution to poor literacy levels. My point was to highlight why things such as football/ sports/ music are used in such ways to encourage people to visit places such as libraries or read books!

:D

stop being so sensible ya bitch :D

easy answer....audio books....don't need to understand the squiggles, but u get the same mental exercise.

But I do often wonder how many people on adult literacy courses used to take books off other kids and rip em up.....that should be investigated before they get any help. :(

Steve Campbell wrote: stop being so sensible ya bitch :D

easy answer....audio books....don't need to understand the squiggles, but u get the same mental exercise.

But I do often wonder how many people on adult literacy courses used to take books off other kids and rip em up.....that should be investigated before they get any help. :(

Love you right back, bitch!

Get the feeling I disliked getting bullied at school LOL

Bonzette wrote:

Read back and take note!

Trying to encourage people to read books by using "role" models, or people that have some influence over possibly encouraging young people, or any people to read, is a good thing! It's nothing to do with football selling out!

Reading is a very important part of literacy levels and every day communication, which..........are disgustingly low and poor, in all ages in the UK and around the world!

When you work with people who can't read and write because they have never been encouraged to read books, or have not had the education, you UNDERSTAND the importance of such initiatives.

If football can be used to improve and encourage people to read, FAIR fucking play i say!

ahh put a sock in it, what do you know about football woman?

Barney Army wrote:

Bonzette wrote:

Read back and take note!

Trying to encourage people to read books by using "role" models, or people that have some influence over possibly encouraging young people, or any people to read, is a good thing! It's nothing to do with football selling out!

Reading is a very important part of literacy levels and every day communication, which..........are disgustingly low and poor, in all ages in the UK and around the world!

When you work with people who can't read and write because they have never been encouraged to read books, or have not had the education, you UNDERSTAND the importance of such initiatives.

If football can be used to improve and encourage people to read, FAIR fucking play i say!

ahh put a sock in it, what do you know about football woman?

I'll think of you for a split second, when i watch Arsenal in the Champions League at Highbury- then laugh!

Bonzette wrote:

I'll think of you for a split second, when i watch Arsenal in the Champions League at Highbury- then laugh!

'Champions League'

What the hell is that? Is it better than the League Cup?


Gordon Strachan's favourite book.

So Wayne Rooney chose Harry Potter. I wonder if he actually read it or just watched the film. In fact I'm surprised he knew it was a book!!!

Barney Army wrote:

Bonzette wrote:

I'll think of you for a split second, when i watch Arsenal in the Champions League at Highbury- then laugh!

'Champions League'

What the hell is that? Is it better than the League Cup?

i know you hate me but I love you for that response :D

The Boy wrote: 

Gordon Strachan's favourite book.

dude.. none of your picture urls are ever right..

you need to upload it to the internet before you provide a link. No one else can see a link to C:\Documents and Settings\Victoria\My Documents\My Pictures\diving.jpg. It's on your computer..

Get a photobucket site or something.

The Boy wrote: 

Gordon Strachan's favourite book.

Doesn't work. Hun.

Nice choice by Mr. Jol, I was surprised to see Phil Jackson's book on the list (not that I've read it).

bansheeman wrote: steve cottrill of burnley picked ' beyond winning ' very apt

It would've been more apt if Quitterill had chosen "Beyond Cuntdom". I suspect he can't wipe his own arse, let alone read a book. Cunt.

David Pleatt-Kerbcrawlers tips and Gaffes handbook... foreword by Stan Collymore of Doggers UK noteriety.