My Life in Football

by Trevor Brooking

When Trevor Brooking was still at school, the Essex-born teenager was one of the most eagerly pursued prospects in London, but he chose to go to West Ham United - the only club that was prepared to allow him to complete his studies - and so began a lifelong attachment to the Upton Park outfit. In 1967 he made his debut for the club, and went on to play for them until 1984, helping them to win two FA Cup trophies, and scoring the only goal in the 1980 final. A cultured midfielder at the heart of West Ham's side, he was soon seen as crucial to England's fortunes, helping them to qualify for the World Cup finals in 1982.
Brooking recalls the highlights of his career, playing with and against some of the most famous names in the sport, and provides revealing details about life with West Ham and England. His story recalls a time when he was a symbol of solidity during the era of flared trousers, punk, and the turmoil of the Revie regime. Respected by fans and his peers alike, Brooking has been at the forefront of the FA's work to develop the game in recent years, and his views on the future of football are essential reading.

Genres: Football

353 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 28, 2014

Reviews

[Cockneylen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting as I was around for Trevor's career, and was even lucky enough to have met him on a few occasions. I remember many of the matches he enthuses about, and those he bemoans as I was there. As you would expect, it's very factual, and although it gives a good insight in to the FA and football in general, it contains no controversy. A true gentleman of the game.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

In late-summer 1977, I won a competition 'So You Want To Be A Football Reporter' organised by the London 'Evening News (now, no more!) & the tantalising prize was to have dinner at the Sportsman Club in Tottenham Court Road with a footballer, to be chosen by me!...I chose West Ham's Trevor Brooking, even though I was & always will be, a Crystal Palace diehard. As the first winner of this competition, I was given a half-page & big photo in the weekend edition of the paper (I shared the page with a piece on Pele!). My winning entry, a report on Palace v Bolton (a 2-1 win for Palace!), was printed, with various details about my graduation from L.S.E. & my surprising pre-eminence over the other entries (the late Victor Railton, doyen of Fleet Street, was impressed & amused in equal measure, by my lively account, chuckling over my use of the word 'bamboozled', & my euphemistic abilities!).
I met several famous sports' reporters in the offices off Fleet Street -Peter Watson, Brian Scovell..., & saw first-hand the individual atmosphere of an old-fashioned - pre-computer! - news-room. Fascinating...& sobering too...although colourful language,ciggies & alcohol were constant stimulants to creative reporting!
Later, I met & dined with Trevor Brooking & he was just as I imagined, though slimmer & less powerful than I had imagined, & he was charming & relaxed company for an evening of football chat & chi-hiking! A memorable night for me...& a photo of me & Trev enjoying a joke appeared in a later edition the following week. My 15 minutes of mild fame?!
Trevor's autobiography doesn't mention that evening?! but it is a very informative read about a distinguished, though often traumatic, career as an elegant & skilled goal-scoring midfielder who epitomised all that was good about some of us Londoners on a football pitch! West Ham were always my 2nd favourite team...& Bobby Moore my greatest icon!...not to mention Johnny Byrne, whose record transfer -£65,000 - from Palace to the Hammers in 1962, helped both clubs to success...Palace rising from the 4th division to the 1st in 5 years on the back of the cash!...& West Ham capturing the F.A.Cup & the Cup-Winners' Cup in '64 & '65 with 'Budgie' instrumental in the triumphs! Trevor describes those years in some detail, focusing on West Ham's fierce loyalties to their East End roots & the devotion of fans to skillful & entertaining football. The story that Trevor tells seems to capture well the amazing social changes that have made football such a world-wide phenomenon, & the frightening financial vortex that threatens its very survival at grass-roots level...from where Trevor rose and to where he returned, when his playing days at the top were over. Now, as Sir Trevor!, he still loves football and has spent his later years trying to remedy England's inability to repeat the success at world level that made West Ham a byword for great footballers...the immortal trio of Moore, Peters & Hurst should be joined by another legend, Brooking!

[Peter Tennant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent Read,

[Donna Boultwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Trevor's previous autobiography many years ago, so it was good to read the update and to see his thoughts on modern football. Trevor was never one to hit the he headlines so there aren't many (if any!) funny stories. Interesting read though.