Any Chance of a Game?: A Season at the Ugly End of Park Football

by Barney Ronay

Fast approaching 30, Barney Ronay is a Sunday League left back with some tough choices to make. Is staying in with his girlfriend and Gardeners’ World on a Friday night doing much for his match fitness? Would he be better off back with his best mate Dan in the bachelor pad of pizza boxes, lager and Playstation into the early hours? This is the hilarious story of a team in early mid-life crisis, hiding from responsibility in the strange masochism at the ugly end of the beautiful game.

Genres: Football

320 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2005

Reviews

[Tom Holden]

Thanks to Harv for sharing. A good, fun, easy and nostalgic read. Not sure whether it makes me want to play Sunday league again, or puts me further off it. Enjoyable

[Dan Fitz]

Wanted to read this as an occasional footballer and I enjoy Ronay’s stuff in the guardian on the psychodrama of the England team.

Struggles to escape the ladsmagification of the 2000s and q a bit of ‘women ey?’ throughout, albeit in a gentle way.

Hinges on the question: Can men be friends? Yes, but only if they are drinking a pint and commenting on some boobs at the same time.

Some nice poignant bits about football’s ability to give men with few interests/friends/hobbies a purpose and some camaraderie for 90 mins once a week.

[Moirad]

Tremendous fun, even though the season portrayed was a total disaster.

[Steve Chilton]

A light-hearted look at what happens when the weekend rolls around. It captures the atmosphere - of football on poor pitches, cramped changing huts and opponents who are not any good, but better than you. The inter-actions between the players and the author and his (real?) girlfriend are finely observed. I found it a pleasure to read after some recent heavier stuff.

[James]

The subject did not require trips to far flung places and there were perhaps a few too many nods to his wife, but Ronay's strength is the writing itself and this was no different.

I found myself laughing out loud at times and there were a few surreal elements, but I did enjoy this book and the way it looked at whether we necessarily enjoy everything of the game we like so much.

[Mark Ambler]

an easy read. recommended especailly to english men in their late 20' early 30's with an intrest in football.

[Ipswichblade]

Ok book about a Sunday league team but to be honest lost interest in them half way through

[Peter]

Easy to read - perfect for a holiday and ideal for anyone who has played park football. I could see so many of my experiences brought to life.