Arsenal And After

by Paul Davis, Tom Watt, Mikel Arteta (Contributor)

Paul Davis’s story is a journey through almost 50 years at the very top in football: a leading player’s take on an extraordinary period in Arsenal’s

history, during which the club and football changed radically around him.

Davis won titles and cups with Arsenal but had to battle against career-threatening injuries and to handle the frustrations and injustices of the worst kinds of club and dressing room politics. His subsequent experiences as a coach and as a coach developer have been just as challenging and emotionally charged.

Paul Davis: Arsenal And After is more than just a fascinating football story. Paul’s mum, Ruby, came to England from Jamaica in the late 1950s. Much of his family history was – and is – a mystery to Paul, who never knew his father. Born in South London, he was a senior player at Arsenal before he first met the older siblings who stayed behind in Kingston.

As a teenager, Davis was often the only black player wearing Arsenal colours. As often as not, he’d be the only black player on the pitch. With that came challenges: racism in football and beyond in the early 1980s was undiluted and unapologetic. The fight for recognition – for opportunity and for change – has been part of the Davis story ever since.

His own emotional experiences are the lens through which he now looks back on everything he’s achieved. It’s a life story worth the telling, that’s for sure.

Genres: Audiobook

279 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 18, 2022

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Reviews

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK book whilst about Paul, not so good at end as it seemed to become an advert for the FA coaching scheme

[John Newcomb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am exactly the same age as Paul Davis and used to watch his playing career closely. I was unaware of the serious injury to his thigh was the reason he returned after a year out a very different player. This auto biography only follows his playing career for about half of the book. The rest discusses his coaching career, training coaches and his fight against racism and his efforts to bring diversity to the coaching staff and not just the dressing room. Well done Paul.

[Paul Cartwright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the greatest Arsenal player biography I’ve read (that would be Dennis Bergkamps!) but an interesting read from a period in football just before the big money came in. Sad to see that David experienced so much racism - during his football days, sadly that was the norm - but more worrying is the racism that exists within the coaching and management network.

[Tom Whalen · Rating 3 out of 5]

didn't finish. I had trouble really getting into it, I didn't feel like it dived enough into stories of his playing time. It really emphasized the racial abuse he had to endure - and I don't want to negate that portion of his life or career in any way - whereas I would have loved more info on what it was like being a footballer in his era (bc I read so few biographies of players from his era). Being involved in the U17 England set-up now, he could very easily draw comparison between his time and today.

And maybe his lens/perspective was so colored by the abuse he received that it had to be a central focus of his story. Real shame in that. Like the whole book could have been about the 88-89 season - just a day in, day out look - and I would have not been able to put it down. HIs own personal story of that season is pretty insane: regular first team starter' called up to England squad and not played; breaks an opposing player's jaw in an off-the-balance incident that didn't get him sent off!!; subsequent 9-match ban; goes to Bermuda to play a friendly and gets injured so badly he misses the remainder of the season, including the final day at Anfield.

Wild story and I learned most of it from his wikipedia vs his book. I get you don't want to brag about breaking some guy's jaw and probably the pain he feels missing that run-in to the title in 89....but that shit is interesting!

He did play all but 1 game in the 90-91 title winning season in which Arsenal only lost 1 match.

[Tony Kokkinos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very different from the usual ex-pro's autobiography - there are no stories about dressing room pranks or banter. As an Arsenal growing up watching this classy midfielder, I enjoyed this Arsenal legend's considered take on his successful playing and coaching career, with racism a sadly regular occurrence. There were quite a few thing I didn't know including his relationship with George Graham, how a thigh injury affected his career and playing style, the repercussions of the Glen Cockerill left hook and how his Arsenal coaching career ended prematurely.

[Malcolm Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw Paul makes his debut at Tottenham and virtually every home game played at Highbury including the infamous Southampton match.
I found the first 150 pages to be interesting.I couldnt. understand how he believed disagreeing with George Graham would go anything but badly for him.Also to expect to get a new contract at 34 is a bit unrealistic.
However I found the rest of the book to be a bore.I had agreed with his views but I don't understand the need to dwell on them for so long,particularly in a n autobiography.