Broken Dreams: Vanity, Greed And The Souring of British Football

by Tom Bower

Greedy, vain and ambitious personalities dominate English football. From the author of devastating exposes of Mohamed Fayed, Richard Branson and, most recently, Geoffrey Robinson, BROKEN DREAMS is a superbly incisive account of how self-interested individuals, adopting questionable and predatory business methods, are exploiting the sport of football to earn billions of pounds and huge glory. Focusing on key figures including Terry Venables, Ken Bates, David Dein, Harry Redknapp, Rio Ferdinand and other famous agents, chairmen and managers, Tom Bower exposes the money, the politics, and the vicious battles behind the beautiful game. For the first time a non-sports writer reveals the vanity and greed which endanger the national sport.

Genres: Football, Sports

448 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

For the author of works on child development, see T.G.R. Bower

Tom Bower (born 28 September 1946) is a British writer, noted for his investigative journalism and for his unauthorized biographies.

A former Panorama reporter, his books include unauthorised biographies of Tiny Rowland, Robert Maxwell, Mohamed Al-Fayed, Geoffrey Robinson, Gordon Brown and Richard Branson.

He won the 2003 William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award for Broken Dreams, an investigation into corruption in English football. His joint biography of Conrad Black and Barbara Amiel Conrad and Lady Black: Dancing on the Edge was published in November 2006, and an unsuccessful libel case over a passing mention of Daily Express proprietor Richard Desmond in the book was heard in July 2009.

An unauthorised biography by Bower of Richard Desmond, provisionally entitled Rough Trader, awaits publication. Bowers's biography of Simon Cowell, written with Cowell's co-operation, was published on 20 April, 2012.

Bower is married to Veronica Wadley, former editor of the London Evening Standard, and has four children.

Reviews

[Matt Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

One quote sums up Bower’s passionate manifesto: ‘the suicidal folly afflicting the football business’. It also turns its unblinking gaze on those using the Beautiful Game to exercise their insatiable greed for money and power while highlighting football’s glacial pace of change. In 2000 Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Chris Smith heralded the arrival of an independent regulator. Fast forward almost a quarter of a century and his decision is still ‘under review.’
Focussing on football’s ‘characters’, Bower addresses the unique charms of Ken Bates, Alistair Campbell and Harry Redknapp with the Dickensian-sounding agent Dennis Roach to paint the surreal psycho drama landscape football often portrays with its backchanneled deals in private rooms. Chapter eight: ‘The FA: Master of Delusion’, is telling and the decade and a half since the book was released has cemented not addressed the shady practices he addresses.
Bower’s fresh perspective comes from him not being a sports writer, so he addresses the content unencumbered by needing to maintain friendships for the sake of soundbites of drive-in talk shows. A refreshing and detailed take on the rotten boroughs that make up too many places in our football landscape.

[Alistair Robinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really did not enjoy this book. It is now somewhat dated but that is not the main issue. On one hand the material the author has covered is depressing, it is a story of rampant corruption, greed and lies, dodgy transfers , inflated egos and bungs infecting football. It is striking that there are or were legion unpleasant and corrupt characters at the top of the game, sneering at supporters and it is apparant that whether it is a woman who raises concerns, e.g Kate Hoey, the dismissive line is that they "don't understand football".
The issue with this book is that the author is relentlessly negative and sneery about everyone, everyone he names is either corrupt or inadequate and the book degenerates into account after account of dodgy deal after dodgy deal, we get the picture but on he goes.
He also misspells "Teeside" on p1.
Avoid.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Detailed account of the financial scandals surrounding modern day English football. The author targets certain managers, chairmen, and agents in particular, but one gets the impression that the corruption goes a lot deeper than this book can cover.

[Jonny Brick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rogue's gallery of agents, chairman and owners which is still unhappily relevant in the years since publication.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the few books about football I have ever read, or intend to read. The sooner it all goes bust the better

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required reading for football fans

[Simon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could sum up the book in one sentence: Managers and owners of football clubs take bungs for transfer of players and are basiclly greedy.

[Marc Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent detail on footballs finances.

[Stephen Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unflinching look at corruption in football.