Andy Cole: The Autobiography

by Andy Cole

This is a full account of Andy Cole's rise to football stardom. In his autobiography, he gives a full and frank account of his training at Lilleshall and his early years at Arsenal and Bristol City, as well as talking about the great names with whom he has worked—Alex Ferguson, Kevin Keegan, and Glenn Hoddle. Cole's professional career began in 1990 and has spanned a decade of incredible change. This book is not just a revealing account of an incredible career, it is also a fascinating examination of what it is to be a footballer in the 1990s.

248 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1999

About the author

Andrew Alexander Cole (born 15 October 1971 in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire) is a retired English footballer. He is most well known by the name Andy Cole (by which he was universally known in the 1990s), but in 2000, he asked to be known as Andrew Cole.

A former England international, Cole is the second-highest goalscorer in Premier League history; in his career, Cole has scored a total of 187 Premier League goals, placing him behind Alan Shearer who has 260 goals. Cole has the distinction of being one of the few players in England to have swept all possible honours in the English game, including the PFA Young Player of the Year award, as well as the coveted UEFA Champions League title. Cole was also capped fifteen times for England between 1995 and 2001, scoring once, against Albania in a World Cup Qualifier. He announced his retirement from football on 11 November 2008.

Reviews

[Trae Mitten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as many of the other Manchester United players' biographies I have read. Cole's book reads more like some stream of consciousness ramblings at times. One thing that is clear fromCole's accounts of his time on the Reds is the culture of mutual respect and unified effort that led to all the team's successes. Given the abysmal results United have seen this year, and the disaffected attitude the side portrays in their matches, it is easy to see why they struggle by comparison to Cole's treble-winning side. On the up side, Cole's book does expose some depth to the man, and a kind heart inside his quiet countenance.

[David Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good