Grobar: Partizan Pleasure, Pain and Paranoia: Lifting the Lid on Serbia's Undertakers

by James Moor

An Arsenal fan is forced to ditch his first love and switch allegiances to a new team. Handed a Foreign Office posting to Belgrade, James Moor gives up his season ticket and looks for a new Serbian team to support. Being a veteran of the Congo and Helmand Province war zones stands him in good stead for what follows. Having chosen Partizan over Red Star, James enters a scene awash with nationalism, xenophobia, and conspiracy theories. He lifts the lid on Serbian fan culture, Partizan’s internal disputes, and violence between the club’s own Grobari (Undertakers) supporters as well as with their hated local rivals. Moor attends matches among crowds of 50,000 and 2,000, and sees games interrupted by stadium fires at a club permanently at war with itself. And this is before former Chelsea boss Avram Grant takes over midway through a tumultuous season at home and in Europe.

Genres: Football, Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2013

Reviews

[Charlotte Patterson]

I always enjoy books which recount tales of a season following a football club. But this one especially piqued my interest due to the more ‘unknown’ nature of football in Serbia. It has never been an area I have followed much or know much about, but through each chapter I found myself understanding more and more about certain clubs, players, politics, processes and of course experiencing matchdays vicariously through Moor

[Mac]

Good, even-handed, honest and funny. Hits the right notes for these kind of books without being patronizing or too "for dummies." I enjoyed it a lot.

[Tim]

4.5*

Really fun book. The author does a great job of making us feel like we are along with the ride, not only going to every Partizan home and away, but feeling like we are living in Serbia for a year. I've been to Belgrade a few times myself, and I love the city, so this book brought some nostalgia, some humor and was very entertaining.

I also learned a fair bit of Serbian, and the author humorously and effectively incorporated the Serbian language, while always making sure to tell us what the words mean.

Now I want to read a Red Star book... :D

[B. Cheng]

This is a quick read but just seems very lightweight and if it was only a half formed idea that the writer didn't follow through on. The writer only spends a brief season following the team and it doesn't seem like his heart is in it, nor does he have much of interest or unique insight to offer. I was expecting a lot more details about the history surrounding the league, the club, the ultra groups and their fights and instead what is on offer is a very cursory look at these topics and not any real inside insight. The author isn't even the most passionate expat fan in the book.

[Rob]

An enjoyable book which is reviewed for the Two Unfortunates soccer blog here .

[Ash Ward]

Like an ageing defensive midfielder: solid but not spectacular.