All Played Out - Pete Davies

All Played Out For me this is the definitive book about the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Pete Davies was given unparalleled access to the England team and his tale of their journey to the brink of victory shows the team ethic that developed in the squad, it covers the characters who developed through the squad and although we all know how it turns out has you rooting for the team. For me, the thing that comes out most from the book is the pressure put on the England Manager, Bobby Robson, from the press and the FA which made him leave immediately after the tournament. The book is written in a fly on the wall style but is eloquent and ...  Read the complete review

Published way back in 1991, long before Nick Hornby appeared on the scene and magically transformed football into an fashionable subject, this excellent book offers a glimpse of what it was like to be part of English football’s finest hour since the World Cup triumph of 1966. Pete Davies is given what would now be regarded as unprecedented access to the England camp – he is free to talk to any of the players who are willing to give him an interview, a state of affairs that would certainly not come about now... and his story highlights many of the reasons why today’s players seem so reluctant to trust the press, whether the reporters work for ...  Read the complete review