Not For Me, Clive: Stories From the Voice of Football

by Clive Tyldesley

Shortlisted for the 2022 Sports Book Awards'an enjoyable and interesting journey through football' Donald McRae, The Guardian'This is really good. Raw, funny and revealing on football, on Ferguson, Clough, Dalglish & worth getting for the Roy Keane selfie story alone. Emotional on his ITV exit. Talent like Tyldesley's appeals to all ages.' Henry Winter'Started reading this and couldn't stop ... wise and entertaining on the big names and games. Clever work.' Paul Hayward'Clive Tyldesley's brilliant, emotive commentaries became the soundtrack to matches that will stay with the fans for the rest of their lives.' Oliver HoltFootball changes everything. It changes how we feel, how we think, how we behave. It turns us into someone else. You love your team first. It's tribal. Except I did love something else. I loved the idea of commentating on my team, on every team. I loved it even more than my team. I ditched the girl next door for the diva on the silver screen. Like all true romances, it was irrational and intoxicating, it was tangled and foolish, it became addictive and occasionally heart-breaking and it kept on changing. Two United goals inside two minutes changed it in 1999. A teenage Evertonian called Rooney twisted the plot in 2002. Three Liverpool goals in less than six minutes changed everything again in 2005. Hello, hello. Moments. Mere blinks of wide eyes. Football happens in heartbeats. Meeting those moments is my job. Seeing them, saying them, spelling out the difference they have just made. It's all I've ever wanted to do. Probably all I can do. Spending time in the company of the 'greats' of football like Sir Alex Ferguson, Bill Shankly, Brian Clough and Sir Kenny Dalglish has changed everything for me, and probably for you too.

Genres: Football, Sports

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 13, 2021

Reviews

[Andy Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not for me, Clive is an excellently written book by the football commentator, broadcaster and journalist Clive Tyldesley. You can add thoughtful and decent person to that list, as he certainly comes across as such during this 300+ page read.

Part autobiography, part sermon on the state of football, politics, the media and life, the book provides a platform for Tyldesley’s views on a range of issues and a canvass for his entertaining recollections of his career in sports journalism. Most will be aware of his work through his commentaries of high-profile football matches and many of these are mentioned in the book.

The time and effort he takes before big games, any game in fact, to prepare is also revealed in the book. It’s something that is often glossed over that journalists do a great deal of prep and I was pleased to see Tyldesley highlighting this part of his work. As a working journalist myself, I can empathise with the effort he puts in. It certainly pays off, even if you don’t get to use all the prep. As a keen golfer, Tyldesley will be familiar with the old Gary Player adage “The more I practice, the luckier I get”.

Tyldesley comes across as a thoughtful and progressive guy and I really enjoyed reading his book. It also made me want to discover other stuff and I’ve just ordered the autobiography of his former colleague Brian Moore as he is warmly mentioned in this book. I’ve also resolved to watch Gabriel Clarke’s film about Bobby Robson, which is also plugged by Tyldesley in his book. Generous, thoughtful, interesting and a kind bloke are all takeaways for me from this book. Anyone with an interest in football, the media and journalism should read it.

Thanks Clive for sharing your thoughts.

[Gregg Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before football was on tv all the time we had to rely on radio for our information. I grew up at a time when Liverpool (and Everton to be fair) were incredibly successful and the soundtrack to my youth was provided by Mr Clive Tyldesley. Whether it was a boring 0-0 with Coventry on a Saturday or a thumping home win on the Midweek Match, I loved the sound of this fellas voice. This book did not disappoint. Covering everything from Dennis Law to the successful Liverpool sides of the 80s, to King Kenny, Clough and Ferguson, though disaster and heartache and even racism, socialism, equality and the perils of social media, this book had it all.

Massively recommend.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent read, not the book I was expecting and a bit light on the football side of things in my opinion. A nice look at how Clive started out and eventually reached the pinnacle of sports broadcasting and commentary, not my favourite though (Jon champion & Ally McCoist) and certainly not my most loathed (Martin Tyler).

A bit light on the football side of things, considering the games covered like the Champions League Finals of 1999 and 2005. I just wanted and expected more stories.

One thing Clive is not short of opinions about everything and that does get a boring at the sermons and preaching. You're certainly in no doubt of which side of the fence Clive sits.

The book neither improved my opinion or lowered it of Clive, it could have done without the political waffle. People want to read about sports not politics.

And this book well.. Not for me, Clive.

[CromulentFellow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful. If you're going to read this book I would implore you to choose the audiobook version. Just wonderful.

[Rog the Jammy Dodge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very enjoyable and some interesting insights into the commentating profession as well as the game of football. Just missed out on the fourth star by the rather abstract use of a timeline.

[Paul Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whilst having listened to him as a football commentator primarily I knew very little of him otherwise. But this was a refreshing vibrant read which gave an unbiased viewpoint and a good understanding of commentating and the challenges faced and involved in carrying out such. The book is split into separate chapters based on individual people with comment then on similar people - hence Souness primarily but with builds about Keane. Overall a great read

[J Eastwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great stories from one of football’s most loved commentators. Each chapter is named after an influential player, manager, or commentator who has inspired Clive throughout his career. Don’t be put off by that though as each chapter digresses into many a story and event with the namesake of the chapter being a starting point. Clive comes of as very genuine and somebody who genuinely loves the game. He’s a broadcaster rather than a journalist and this, I believe, is how he gained the trust of managers to be privy to confidential match day squads beforehand. The ability to describe a game simply how he sees it rather than providing opinion is something that most football supporters find difficult to do. This book provides insight into his thought process when it comes to talking in front of TV audiences in the millions.

[Derek Underwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exactly what i expected

I purchased this read because i was sure Mr Tyldesly would have many stories to tell from many sporting characters. I was. A good read all the way throu... almost. I read the political stuff at the end but i think it took away from the rest of the book, for me anyway.

[Shane O · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant funny book threw the career of the brilliant Clive Tyldesley detailing his career through broadcasting and some of the famous people and moments he has met and covered.Gives brilliant insight into how to become a broadcast journalist and the work that goes on behind the scenes.its brilliant,raw,funny and revealing,wise and entertaining.highly recommend

[Jonny Brick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unexpurgated rambles of an entertaining bystander. Very good on the changes in football since he began 40 years ago, and on the experts of his craft. Desperately needed an editor to rein him in, but frankly who cares?

[Philip Wright · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me Clive. I finished the book liking Clive less than why I started. I'm sure lots will like it but at times he's a bit preachy and self righteous and there's very little talk of commentary - it's more about sharing bottles of wine with his famous friends.

[Adam Murfet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting stories from the commentary box. Some wonderful lines, some amazing stories. I wasn’t a fan of the political lines or the condemnation of certain factions as it cheapens the book. However, the stories from the author are authentic, insightful and beautifully written.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting perspectives on football, and particularly the role of the media inside the game. His occasional tangents into Twitter politics were a bit jarring but on the whole fine. The pages discussing Hillsborough and the aftermath should be must reading for any football fan.

[T Guy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me Clive!