Addicted - Tony Adams, Ian Ridley

I was in a pub in Hull during Euro ’96 watching the England team line up for the national anthems when the bloke behind me blurted out, ‘What’s Jimmy Nail doing playing?’ as Tony Adams came into view. Being compared to the Crocodile Shoe-wearing Geordie singer was a more favourable jibe than the donkey and jailbird ones he received in previous years. Tony Adams was 32 when this book was first published. In that time he had become one of Arsenal’s best ever players and a stalwart of England’s defence, as well as captaining both teams. He had also spent time in Chelmsford prison and was a recovering alcoholic. Addicted is different to other sports ...

In recent years, the cerebral qualities of English football have been what has captured the majority of attention with the coming of the continental coach, men like Arsene Wenger, Gerard Houllier and Sven Goran Eriksson. You might argue with that analysis, but certainly the revolution engendered by Wenger at Highbury these last five or six years has been astounding, transforming the defensive mindset and alcoholic culture of the club under George Graham into something completely different. The introduction of high class foreign players with their more professional and focused approach to their careers has made our British footballers seem positively lumbering and ...

What a life Tony Adams has had, a successful footballer with Arsenal and England, winning the highest club and individual awards in England, recovery from alcoholism, prison, a divorce and depression. All is told in his brilliant autobiography, ‘Addicted’ The story of Tony’s life has always been a well-documented story in the tabloids with his exciting life creating many selling headlines, but for now it is all revealed from his own point of view, in an incredibly honest and frank confession of his life. Writing an autobiography is a common thing, with plenty of sports stars and other celebrities doing one by themselves or with a writers help, ...