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Owning It: A deeply personal football memoir from former Newcastle United and West Ham striker Andy Carroll
A deeply personal football memoir from former Newcastle United and West Ham striker Andy Carroll.
In January 2011, at the age of twenty two, Andy Carroll became the most expensive British footballer in history. A Geordie powerhouse, one moment he was the hero of Newcastle United at St James’ Park, the next he was boarding a helicopter to Liverpool FC, with a £35-million price tag.
But behind the record-breaking fee lies a far more personal story. For the first time, Andy speaks candidly about the pain of leaving his boyhood club (and later the emotional reality of his high-profile return) and reveals what really happened on that frantic Transfer Deadline Day and what it felt like to be the most talked-about man in the country. With humour and honesty, he also confronts the injury-prone label, a narrative that has followed his career, and speaks about the long, gruelling months in the treatment room and the mental strain it took.
From the nightclubs of Newcastle to the quiet streets of France, Owning It is more than a football memoir. It’s a raw, often humorous, story of a career shaped by soaring highs, crushing lows and an unshakeable desire to step back onto the pitch.
He may not have been what the pundits wanted – or what the tabloids made him out to be - but he was always Andy Carroll. This is his untold story.
In January 2011, at the age of twenty two, Andy Carroll became the most expensive British footballer in history. A Geordie powerhouse, one moment he was the hero of Newcastle United at St James’ Park, the next he was boarding a helicopter to Liverpool FC, with a £35-million price tag.
But behind the record-breaking fee lies a far more personal story. For the first time, Andy speaks candidly about the pain of leaving his boyhood club (and later the emotional reality of his high-profile return) and reveals what really happened on that frantic Transfer Deadline Day and what it felt like to be the most talked-about man in the country. With humour and honesty, he also confronts the injury-prone label, a narrative that has followed his career, and speaks about the long, gruelling months in the treatment room and the mental strain it took.
From the nightclubs of Newcastle to the quiet streets of France, Owning It is more than a football memoir. It’s a raw, often humorous, story of a career shaped by soaring highs, crushing lows and an unshakeable desire to step back onto the pitch.
He may not have been what the pundits wanted – or what the tabloids made him out to be - but he was always Andy Carroll. This is his untold story.
- GenresFootball
274 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 24, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 28, 2026
I love footballers' autobiographies. They're effortlessly easy to read, usually filled with the odd fun anecdote and, even though they mostly go to lengths to state otherwise, remind me how out of touch millionaire sportsmen are. Is Owning It (2026) by Andy Carroll any different? Not in the least – which is no bad thing. Carroll is the Geordie striker who exploded onto the scene at Newcastle before his £35m move to Liverpool made him the most expensive British footballer at the time. West Ham, a return to Newcastle, Reading, West Brom, Amiens and Bordeaux followed, with many injuries and a fractious relationship with the media never far away. He now plays for, and part-owns, Dagenham & Redbridge. The book made headlines on release because of Carroll's account of being sexually assaulted in 2021 by a friend of his estranged wife. It's horrible reading, but an important and deeply personal inclusion. Elsewhere, highlights include his fight with Steven Taylor, Michail Antonio's monstrous ego, Wayne Rooney's disputed antics and a vicious takedown of Steve Bruce's managerial talents. As always with a one-sided story, Carroll comes across as a decent enough fella and seems happier now. But beyond that harrowing episode, this is formulaic stuff: just a dash of accountability and a whole lot of “I'm just a normal bloke, me”. A breezy, disposable tome.
October 9, 2026
I have to admit that I wasn't really expecting much from Andy Carroll's autobiog - but was pleasantly surprised. Carroll's reputation is that of a bit of a nutter, and not a particularly bright one, but he actually comes across as smart, self-aware, self-deprecating and very funny. There is the dark stuff you've probably read about in the papers, but much of the book is well told, amusing stories - and he certainly doesn't hold back, like most footballers with reputations to protect. For that reason, it's the best footballer autobiog I've read in years. Would definitely recommend, and not just to fans of the teams he played for.
October 3, 2026
A very good read. I liked Andy Carroll before (obviously, as bought the book) but like him even more now! I do wish he went into a bit more detail on the specifics of some football stuff (games, seasons etc) but enjoyable book overall!
October 11, 2026
This was an excellent autobiography by Andy Carroll. Extremely honest and personal with lots of funny stories thrown in too. Well worth reading for any football fan.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews