The Boy on the Shed

by Paul Ferris

Shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award
The Sunday Times Sports Book of the Year
The Times Sports Book of the Year
Telegraph Football Book of the Year

The Boy on the Shed is a story of love and fate. At 16, Paul Ferris becomes Newcastle United's youngest-ever first-teamer. Like many a tricky winger from Northern Ireland, he is hailed as 'the new George Best'.

As a player and later a physio and member of the Magpies' managerial team, Paul's career acquaints him not only with Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish and Bobby Robson, Ruud Gullit, Paul Gascoigne and Alan Shearer but also with injury, insecurity and disappointment.

Yet this autobiography is more than a tale of the vagaries of sporting fortune. It begins during 'The Troubles' in a working-class Catholic family in the Protestant town of Lisburn, near Belfast. After a childhood scarred by his mother's illness and sectarian hatred, Paul meets the love of his life, his future wife Geraldine.

Talented and carefree on the pitch, shy and anxious off it, he earns a tilt at stardom. His first spell at Newcastle turns sour, as does his return as a physio, although obtaining a Masters degree shows him what he could achieve away from football.

When Paul qualifies as a barrister, a career in Law beckons. Instead, a craving to prove himself in the game draws him back to St James' Park as part of Shearer's management triumvirate - with unfortunate consequences.

Written with brutal candour, dark humour and consummate style, The Boy on the Shed is a riveting and moving account of a life less ordinary

Genres: Football, Nonfiction, Sports, Biography, Autobiography, Ireland

330 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 22, 2018

Reviews

[Annie Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

You don’t need to love football to enjoy this superbly written and intelligent memoir, as it’s about so much more. A powerful and emotional story of love, life and the challenges faced by a remarkable man. My heart sang and broke in equal measure.

[Mahlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike any sports book I’ve ever read and unique among the books I’m likely to read in the future. Paul Ferris had previously been Best known as an ex footballer and Physiotherapist for Newcastle United but henceforth he should primarily be known for being a great writer! His journey from a boyhood in Northern Ireland to promising teenage phenom coveted by England’s top teams and back again will take you on an exquisitely crafted roller coaster of emotion unlike any you’ve ever been on before.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably the best football biography that I have read and I flew through it. What makes it so engaging is that it is so much more than a sports biography as so much else happens to the author including being brought up near Belfast during the worst of the Irish troubles, health problems in his family and injury curtailing his career. It is also one of the most articulate football biographies ever written - at one time in his varied and unusual career Paul Ferris was even a qualified barrister. Having said that there is much for the football fan here - featured are Paul Gascoigne, Kevin Keegan, Peter Beardsley, Chris Waddle, Kenny Dalglish, David Ginola and some fantastic insights into the end of the managerial careers of Bobby Robson and Alan Shearer. They come out of it best - Joey Barton comes out of it worst.

Almost 5 stars but marked down a star for an abrupt and over sentimental ending.

[Roberta Collyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love football. I love newcastle. I love Ireland and I love a biography what the hell would I not love about this ?

[Texi Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know what possessed me to get this book. I found it online by chance. The title of the book doesn’t exactly give it away, but seeing the familiar name of Paul Ferris, a player around in the time when I was starting to go to St James Park regularly, it was an obvious choice. It’s also been nominated (and I’m guessing won) for the Sports Book Awards, so it was guaranteed to be a good read.

I couldn’t help sneaking in a few chapters just after it arrived, and it centred around Ferris’ younger years in Northern Ireland during the height of the troubles. But I saved the main consumption until I was on holiday over Christmas and in a position to spend some quality time reading. I was glad I did. The storyline grows as the author grows, and the book has a sort of half-time. Growing up and rising to fame is the first half. The half time break is where injury strikes, and the second half of the story takes the reader right up to the present day.

Personally I loved the first half, getting to know the character and following the machine that takes promising footballers from unknowns in junior football to stars in the top leagues. There were parallels with my own first novel, Introducing Jarrod Black, giving me confidence that the portrayal of a player breaking into the first team was pretty accurate. There are two sets of photos in the book. The first set seems to come a little early, as some of the photos are from scenarios not mentioned yet, but they do make you want to read further. The author obviously has quite a circle of close friends in football.

The second half of the book saw some surprising twists. I thought I had the story worked out coming into the last six or seven chapters, but I definitely didn’t. The lack of a social media account for the author made it impossible to ‘read ahead’ via other sources to find out exactly what he was doing these days, so the story remained new and fresh. At the end, I was left contemplating, but had been greatly entertained.

Paul Ferris is a very brave man for writing this book. It delves into some dark areas and highlights his lack of self-confidence in his ability at many stages of his careers. I feel as though I know him a lot more than before, and I’m gutted I never got to see him reach his full potential as a player.

If anyone knows the author, give him a hug from me. He writes as if he really enjoys it, and deserves all the good luck that will hopefully come his way in the future, whether it be in writing more or in a completely different field. It’s another five stars from me!

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily the best autobiography by an ex-football player. No clichés. No dull recollections.

An honest look back at a life of setbacks. Growing up in a world of hate-filled bigotry in Lisburn, being Catholics in a predominantly Protestant town. Being advised by a careers master (whom Paul Ferris didn't know existed until the day he left school) to forget about sitting O levels and sign for a football club. Being crushingly shy for much of his early years.

The intelligence of Paul Ferris shines through in this fascinating tale of a boy who became a man and he is wonderfully honest, erudite and incisive. Not just a good lad as a certain ex-player/ex-manager, turned football pundit, would say.

Ray Smillie

[Nick Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a unique sports book that’s a must read for those footie fans (@GC). Gives a unique perspective and is full of some great tales and interactions with household names whilst serving as a reminder of the less glamorous side of the sport.

[Nora Quigley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story of the footballer, physio, barrister that is Paul Ferris from Lisburn, Northern Ireland.

[Eric Sutton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've found a new appreciation for the traditions of soccer this past year, carving out time to watch my Arsenal play whenever and wherever I can. (Unfortunately, they're having a rather abysmal season for their standards). I love Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch - written from the perspective of a diehard fan - and was intrigued when I read of Paul Ferris' memoir, The Boy on the Shed, about his time with Newcastle United as both player and physiotherapist. The book is so much more than a soccer memoir, however. Ferris writes chronologically about growing up Catholic in Northern Ireland. His family home is petrol-bombed and his brother-in-law murdered. His quickness and deft skill on the soccer pitch is his escape, but a series of injuries cuts his career short, after which, impressively, he meanders from therapy to philosophy to law and business, all while keeping in contact with the club and remaining close to the game. The tone is humble throughout. Ferris never has much confidence despite his physical and intellectual gifts. The guiding force of his mother is a powerful theme in the story, along with the undercurrents of religion, war, social class, health and mortality, and education. In short, the book reaches far beyond a who's-who of soccer nostalgia. The metaphors and turns-of-phrase are somewhat cliche in places, but overall it's a well-written and rather gripping story, a human parable beyond anything else.

[Rodney McCain · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simply fabulous autobiography from my fellow countryman, which is a WHOLE LOT MORE than your typical ex-professional footballer's "me and the lads" tales...

In fact, due to a serious injury which quickly ended his playing career with Newcastle United before it really had a chance to take him to the summit of the game in England, Paul Ferris really doesn't have much of a story as a PLAYER. However, the story he does have is fascinating, as he tells us of the personal relationships within his family as he grew up in Lisburn, Co. Antrim, particularly between himself and his (often ill) mother, and how his career in football was almost an escape from some of the incidents that marred his childhood, not least sectarian tensions as the "Troubles" engulfed Northern Ireland during the 1970s.

Ferris was far from a typical footballer (those usually being lads who never had the academic ability to excel at anything beyond the sports arena); as his disillusionment with the game he loved to play grew, so blossomed a calling to a different career: the law. He tells us all about that journey, too.

This is a tremendous book, at times sad, at times funny, but NEVER dull. I can't recommend it highly enough.

[Iain Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic autobiography. So different to anything else I have read. Don't be put off by the football aspect - it is so much more than that.
The rollercoaster ride this guy has been on in his life is extraordinary and he is still striving and fighting to make the most of life.
It's emotional and heart rending at times and it is tough to think that one person could have so many negative experiences in their life and still be 'winning'.
This is a tale of resilience in the face of a lot of bad luck and challenging circumstance, whilst also providing a different insight into the cut-throat world of professional football.
Had to Google where he is at since it was written and the poor guy has had another health issue since, that he is once again overcoming! Amazing.
And as for his wife - well she is an amazing, strong and loyal woman that epitomises the word love.

[Stephen Orford · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Boy On The Shed isn’t your bog standard sports autobiography. Unlike many others this is not the story of how the young boy dreaming of whacking in worldies in front of the Kop, the Stretford End or the Gallowgate ended up with a decade or more of endless riches, cars and girls, a century of international caps and enough medals to fill a fleet of trucks.

This is the story of not quite making it. Of coming close but ultimately having to accept that your boyhood dream is just out of reach. Consequently Paul Ferris is not a name you immediately conjure up when you think of the footballing greats. Ferris broke into Newcastle United’s first team in the early 1980s but was cruelly robbed off the opportunity to fulfil his promise by persistent hamstring and knee injuries. This is the story of how Ferris - who grew up in Lisburn, Northern Ireland during The Troubles - dealt with the ups and downs lobbed his way by that fickle fecker fate.

He didn’t always deal with them that well. There is a sense of drama bordering on panic in some of his prose when he talks about the foot caught in the ground which set in motion his footballing fall, the loss of his mother and the doubts about whether the love he had with his childhood sweetheart would withstand all of the turmoil he endured.

After finally accepting that his knee was going to curtail his football dreams Ferris forged a successful career as part of Newcastle’s medical team. He learned his trade alongside Derek Wright with whom his relationship is one of the most important of his life judging by the manner in which he writes about his longtime friend.

Like his friend and foreword author and Premier League legend Alan Shearer Ferris couldn’t see eye to eye with Ruud Gullit during his Toon tenure and ended up leaving football to retrain as a lawyer. He does so successfully but takes the bizarre decision to leave the profession on the strength of a phone call from Shearer promising a Performance Manager role at Newcastle once the former England striker and Match Of The Day pundit had taken over as manager. But we all know how that turned out thanks to the whims of Mike Ashley.

As Ferris slips into his legal role - having already been a football prodigy remember - it all feels a bit Forrest Gump. We all have that friend who will tell you that they were sensational at everything they turned their hand to in the frankly fantastical and unrealistic way that Gump does and parts of this tale come off a little like that. But that friend’s bravado often comes from a place of insecurity and self doubt and to be fair to Ferris he doesn’t shirk that. Some passages at the more difficult times in his life make you wonder how he made it through.

Where the book does echo other football autobiographies is in the inclusion of anecdotes about big names. As well as Shearer and Gullit there are interesting reflections on his time in the company of the likes of Kevin Keegan, Jack Charlton, Les Ferdinand, David Ginola, Michael Owen and Sir Bobby Robson among others. They mostly receive good press, though Gullit and Graeme Souness don’t seem quite so revered.

It’s clear that Ferris is a talented writer with a story to tell. For the most part he does it well, always with a passion to rival anything from his boyhood idol Keegan. The Boy On The Shed is not flawless but it is an excellent account of what to do and not to do when the reality dawns that even the most gifted among us can’t all be Kylian Mbappe.

[Jonathan Jewitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book "The Boy on the Shed" is a biography written by Paul Ferris. The Boy on the Shed is about a former Newcastle United footballer and he grows up in Belfast and is going through the Irish troubles such as bombings on the town he’s living in, health problems in his family and the injuries that curtailed his footballing career. A lot of former Newcastle United stars are also featured in this book such as Chris Waddle and Kevin Keegen.

There's a few things that intrigued me in this book and made me want to read it again and again. Firstly, I am a massive football fan and I also support Newcastle so when I saw the back of the book, I knew that this would be an interesting read, and I wasn't wrong! I really enjoyed how Paul Ferris made his detailed descriptions of the highs and lows of being a professional athlete and it is quite compelling. This just adds a lot of depth to the story and it gives an insight of how tough it is to be a professional athlete as you will have to train quite a lot and give a lot of commitment. For instance, his vivid recounting of the physical and emotional toll his injuries took gives a truthful glimpse at the darker side of sports. His struggle with mental health is something else to note, with his talk about depression and anxiety, which is both devastating and empowering. This really inspired me as it shows how resilient he was and he overcame this depression and it was caused by his mum having health issues and the conflicts that were in place of where he lived, this caused him to feel anxious all the time due to the bombings that took place. A thing that I wasn't too fond of was how some parts of the story were rich and there were detailed descriptions of what was happening such as Paul Ferris explaining the highs and lows of being an athlete but other parts were glossed and lacked detail, this reminded me of The Giver where some parts were also rushed. Additionally, the frequent shifts between timelines confused me on some occasions such as a switch from him being a medic when he's a grown man to him being 8 and watching his parents dance in the living room. I would've preferred a more linear approach to the storytelling but this didn't impact the story too much but I decided to put this out there to say that it may be confusing for others.

I would recommend The Boy on the Shed for lovers of sports biographies and stories of personal resilience. Ferris' journey will resonate with those who are particularly interested in football and the psychological part of sporting careers. This is a book that actually says more than a sports narrative; it's the tale of frailty and strength in humans. Yet, if football or personal memoirs with a strong focus on the emotional and psychological themes do not interest you, then it might not be something you would enjoy. I would rate it a 4/5-star memoir because of its heartfelt honesty and great storytelling, only with some minor structural flaws.

[Huw Rhys · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book about himself by a relatively unknown ex footballer - you expect a roll call of famous people who the author may or may not have been in the same room as at the same time....or if you're lucky, you come across a Garry Nelson type memoir, that of a journeyman whose acquaintances were more a bobby in south London than they were Bobby Charlton...

But this book is neither - nor does it really come close to either more than fleetingly. It tells the story about a gifted young boy from Northern Ireland who enjoys a fairly meteoric career path that sees him becoming Newcastle United's youngest ever first team player. But his subsequent career is blighted with injury, and he only makes a handful of appearances for Newcastle over 4 or 5 seasons, before slowly fading into non league mediocrity. He then re-trains as a Physio, and spends a dozen years back at Newcastle before doing a Degree in the History of Ideas, and then re-trains again as a barrister.

So it's an interesting story, and touches upon some of British football's big names of the past generation. In itself, that's not really a football biography, nor is it really a story of someone who almost makes it in one career before he almost makes it in another and another - is this chap a footballer, a physio or a barrister - or something else? We really don't know as he never seems to see things through....

Then we have glimpses of his political ideas, and long treatises on ill health, death and mourning. It tells of many other failed ventures. Which all serve to confuse the issue rather than clarify it. What is this book about exactly?

What makes the book even harder to read in parts are the long tracts of reported speech - ....and my mother said to me just before she passed away "Son.......". Obviously, there is some artistic licence allowed in these circumstances, but it happens every time there's a critical point in the narrative. People just don't speak like this - and if they do, the person hearing it is hardly going to transcribe it as it's being said. It destroys the credibility of the passage - and moreover, it raises doubts about other parts of the book based on recalled memory.

He doesn't like Ireland, his home country, and how it has been throughout most of his life. He has not come to terms with the death of his mother over 25 years ago, and he has huge self doubt about himself, his abilities and his health.

I found this book entertaining in parts, interesting in others - but quite disturbing, upsetting and cringeworthy throughout the majority of it. Often, it felt more of a cry for help than an attempt to tell and make sense of a life story.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book but found it a bit frustrating as I struggled to relate to some of the decisions the author took on his journey through life. It’s quite an introspective account and I could imagine that many people would reckon that Paul would have been better to himself if he’d not thought so deeply, and self-critically, about key events in his life. He seems to be a likeable and kind bloke, but he often isn’t too kind to himself. The book often reads like a confessional, a sometimes painful account of someone trying to come to terms with himself in a world that won’t bend to give a break to someone who often seems to need it.
I’m not a massive footie fan but I did recognise many of the big personalities that populate the book and Paul is pretty candid about most of them. He is honest in his assessments and you’re left in no doubt that other people might not see the same side of the characters in question. Overall though, professional football sounds like a more chaotic and shambolic business than many you could find yourself in. It’s maybe changed over the last twenty years, but I doubt it has by much.
If you're reading this book for the stories about football though, you might be disappointed. This is much more a book about home, family, community and the relationships that underpin them. It sometimes becomes almost overwrought, but the writing is good enough to carry the main messages through. It's definitely one of the more thoughtful and emotional sports books I've read and is, on the whole, all the better for it.

[Steve Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I get that I'm in the minority but I struggled with this.

Perhaps the problem, is that it's a sport book that wants to be a lot more. But it felt like the wrong bits were edited

How could you brush over working with Sir Bobby Robson so quickly?

Meanwhile, obviously the death of his mother was a defining moment in his life but the writing still has to hold the attention. I wonder how many people found themselves guiltily turning a couple of pages at a time past the death, funeral etc.

Elsewhere, I couldn't square being told that his children filled him full of love, with then being told about spending almost every hour of the day away and working. Then literally giving up on years of study just as the goal is in sight, by which time the family house was lost. I didn't feel I got Paul or, at times, liked him. We read in passing that his wife is a teacher and I wonder how she managed with that and family (particularly as she had left her immediate family behind in Ireland). Why did she put up with it? I wanted to read a more three-dimensional take on her. She must be an incredibly strong, understanding woman.

And then Speedflex is apparently Paul's great calling and that too is covered in a couple of pages. It honestly didn't give me the feeling he was that genuinely there to stay.

It felt a lot of time was spent on the first half of the book and very little on the second half. The first half was a better book. In particular, his early days as an apprentice footballer are by far the best read.

Finally, the title "The Boy on the Shed" seemed a little too "The Woman who Walked into Doors" - it felt contrived and, again, trying too hard to not have a sport title.

In the end it was bought for a plane ride home and it was the easy read I had been hoping for but there was enough promise to wish he'd taken more time on it.

[Simon Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big football fan and a big book fan so I read a lot of football biographies and autobiographies. However, what I've learnt is that you shouldn't read too many football books in a short space of time otherwise they tend to merge into one. And to a degree, that's what happened here. I read 'The Boy on the Shed' straight after reading another football autobiography and what do you know, there were some common themes: talented youngster stands out at a very young age, dreams of achieving success at a glamorous club and is then bullied in his apprentice days. Football biogs then tend to describe the player's career at whichever level he ends up at. And so it goes for this book.

Having written that, there are elements which elevate this tale above the level of a standard football autobiography. For a start, the author writes it on his own with no ghostwritten help at all. There are powerful accounts of growing up a Catholic in the predominantly Protestant Northern Irish town of Lisburn. In addition, the author writes movingly about his mother, whose heart condition and ill health affect his entire childhood. It's not the greatest football book I've ever read but it's better than average for sure.

[Shahiron Sahari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paul Ferris was once part of a potent Newcastle attack menu that also contained Kevin Keegan, Peter Beardsley and Chris Waddle, with Paul Gascoigne pulling the strings. Unfortunately, Ferris, who was a highly touted teenager when he broke through, wrecked his knee in training and had to give up on his dreams.
He then qualified as a physio, when he became close to Keegan and later Alan Shearer, but ran into the managerial disasters that were Graeme Souness and Ruud Gullit.
So he became a lawyer, and won prized pupillages at two top law firms. but he gave up all that when Shearer, now a manager, came calling.
But then came Mike Ashley at Newcastle, and that was the end of that.
In a very honest and entertaining autobiography, Ferris also writes about his tough upbringing, especially life as Catholic in Northern Ireland; and his close relationship with his mother and with his eventual wife.

[Michael Conland · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting look at the life of someone who almost made it as a professional football player, but had luck conspire against him to take a much more unusual path.

As a football and Newcastle fan, I'd have quite happily read a lot more about Ferris' experiences working at the club through the 90s and then again in the 2000s, but given it's a broader approach to his life story up until time of writing (I believe he has since written a second book), I think this approach would also make it more appealing to those who have little or a passing interesting in football and would perhaps just like a peak behind the curtain in terms of how professional sport has treated people in the past.

That's before even mentioning growing up in Troubles era Ireland, dealing with sickness and loss and love and all sorts. Ferris covers a lot of ground before it turns Newcastle and football.

[Nick Phelan · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much more than a sports book. An insight into the Northern Ireland of the troubles through a small boys eyes, a vivid descrption of the bond between a mother and son. Loneliness, grief ( best description I've ever read, reminding me of my own experience) , the joy of meeting heroes, the day to day machinations of a top tier. football club, overcoming many obstacles, and no holds barred descriptions of many household names..All of the above feature in this really well written book. Highly recommended to anyone who dreamed what it might be like to get a chance to be a top footballer. A great human story.

[Luka Spac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paul Ferris's story is a story or resilience in face of adversity, overcoming obstacles, and the power of hard work and belief in your own abilities. From his humble starts in troubled Northern Ireland, short and literal 15 minute of fame as a footballer to a couple of "reinventions", first as a physiotherapist, then as a barrister, and then as an entrepreneur and a writer, Ferris's inspiring story will keep you turning the pages of his autobiography. Simply put, this man could not be stopped.

If you ever need reading about someone who makes his dreams come true with hard work and dedication as a form of inspiration, then this is an ideal story for you.

[stephen cooper · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed the underlying tone was one of bitterness towards the conflict in Northern Ireland, we all suffered, but as a toon fan and someone who got to meet ferra, found it interesting and very emotive.

As a toon fan, interesting.
As a human being, absolutely absorbed and moved by an emotional author, who exhibits the traits of a man suffering from depression, but who I hope will fight through.
Hope you can dispel the hurt and move on and embrace the future, and most importantly, enjoy good heath.
HTL

[Peter P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

You don't have to be a football fan to enjoy this memoir by Paul Ferris, but you'll enjoy it all the more if you are. Ferris became the youngest player to ever play for Newcastle United, when he played at 16-years old, shortly after moving from his home in Ireland. He tells a very compelling tale of a journey that promised so much, but which takes a number of very significant twists and turns along the way, both personally and professionally. Ferris' story is compelling and honest, filled with great humor and its share of sadness. A wonderful book and highly recommended.

[Carol Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love football, seriously love it.
My whole life has been dominated by football.
This book opened my eyes to lots of things; Paul's upbringing in Lisburn NI was horrendous, his poor mothers health was heartbreakingly sad, his guts and determination, his ability to overcome his shyness, the appalling conditions which young footballers were expected to live in, the different managers and players he worked with, his career ending injury and best of all his first and only love whom he married and seems to be living happy ever after!

[Sankalp Nanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very lovely story

It is not something that will blow your mind. But the tale of Paul ferris will make you smile as you slowly and slowly come to understand it. You would hate his failures, his bad luck as your own and you would love the way he wriggles his way into something good. I hope his story was different than it turned out to be but I am happy I read it nevertheless. Thanks Paul for this honest story. Not all stories have to be bling and full of , some can be plain honest. Also thanks to you got a better sense of the behind scenes runnings of the club.

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite unlike most of the (usually rather boring) football memoirs that I've read. Growing up among The Troubles amidst petrol bombings in Northern Ireland, in the Newcastle first team as a teenage prodigy at 16, a career over due to knee injury before most players break into senior football, two stints as a physiotherapist back at Newcastle United, alternative careers as a lawyer and a novelist, mortality of an early heart attack which also killed his mother. Eloquently written and well worth a read.

[John Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

A moving and honest book about a man’s journey from being a young professional footballer trying to maintain his sense of hope and self esteem despite the many challenges that he faced. It is in many ways an inspirational story that can feel quite emotional on times particularly when he described the loving relationship he had with his sick mother.
This is unlike any of your usual sports autobiography books because it is so stylishly written and I’m sure will also appeal to those who are not particularly interested in sport. It is definitely the best football memoir I have read.

[Michael Bellamy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable story and at times very emotional. Paul's life has been full of big decisions. some of which he has got right, some have caused a different direction in his life. He loves his family (past and present) and he has a strong wife who supports him totally. I Like and admire the way he has overcome his health problems, insecurities and career setbacks to win through. Excellent insight into footballers and some famous well-known players and managers. Paul's story is far more than the usual football / sports book.

[Danial Tanvir · Rating 1 out of 5]

i did not like this book actually.
it is about a boy called Paul Ferris,
the foreword is by Alan shearer.
he is 16 years old and is from Ireland,
he has been born in a catholic family.
he wants to be a foot boll player and he is very good at it and every one tells him so but he is not convinces.
he is in love with a girl called Geraldine McCaugherty.
they get married and start living together.
it is actually about a catholic family living in Ireland and about how Paul Ferris and about his life and about foot ball.

[Manuel Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

There have been a lot of great books by footballers, coaches and fans, but this is the first time I can remember one by a physio. Ferris was a prodigy with the football world at his feet until cruel injuries robbed him before he'd even hit his prime. Ferris doesn't shy away from his difficult upbringing in Belfast, incuding getting beaten up, his bedwetting and how ill his mum was for such a long time. But despite all the sadness, there is a an upbeat spirit that refuses to crush him, especially when he talks of his love for wife and Newcastle, the club and the city.