STATTO!!!!! (Playfair Football Who is Who 2000 - Jack Rollin)

Member Name: blackjane

Product:	Playfair Football Who is Who 2000 - Jack Rollin
Date:	04/09/01 (46 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A very handy reference book, Lots of information, Well organised and easy to use

Disadvantages: Now two seasons out of date, A bit 'dry' for some people's tastes

When it comes to the subject of books, I am not usually the type of person that is able to sit down and simply read a traditional novel, although I have recently experienced a change in form, so expect a review on Colin Schindler's excellent 'Manchester United Ruined My Life' very soon!

Thankfully, the Playfair (no - it isn't an evil coalition between Playboy and Mayfair - before you ask) Football 'Who's Who' 2000 is not a book that you would ever read, in the traditional sense. Instead, it is an invaluable guide to modern day league football in England and Scotland and serves as an important record of the footballers of today, and in a few cases yesterday as the information is now a couple of seasons out of date (we must be due for an updated version sometime soon?)

This book is the ultimate bible of league football. It lists, in alphabetical order all players that were registered professional with each of the 92 English league clubs, as well as the Scottish Premier division. As well as having handy information about date and place of birth, height and weight (although I suspect some of the latter two categories were measured on a 'good' day) this book also details each player's position (Goalkeeper, Defender, Midfielder or Forward) as well as where they started out playing football and any international honours. Then, split by season, are the number of appearances (and goals) and the clubs for which they played.

If you wish, you can discover that David Beckham played five games on loan with Preston North End in 1994-5, scoring two goals in the process. The prolific midfielder Tony Ford played an incredible 842 games between 1975/6 and 1998/9 scoring 102 goals in the process, most of which were for Grimsby Town. Geoff Thomas actually played nine times for England, although people will only remember him for his inability to hit a barn door with a banjo from two paces. I could go on - although you'
;ll be glad to know that I'll leave it at that for this section of the opinion.

This book is also great for looking at the histories for all the players at your club. Any foreign signings also have their past league record with foreign clubs included as well. Did you know that goalkeeper Peter Schmichael scored 6 goals for Hvidovre in 1985, and a further two for Brondby in 1987? I seem to remember hearing that he used to take penalties in his youth, which would explain this odd statistic.

At this point, although perhaps I should have said this earlier, may I apologise profusely to anyone who reads this opinion that has no love for the game of football. However, if you hadn't been able to gather this from the title and the category, then you only have yourself to blame!

Priced at £6.99 in paperback, and published by Headline, this book is perhaps a little bit too pricy now that the information is two season's old. However, I picked this up in a sale at WHSmith for just £1, so your never know your luck.

After just a couple of weeks the pages are already well-thumbed, and I expect this guide to the game to continue to be a handy reference over the coming season, until I am able to buy an updated version.

[PS: Also on the subject of books, I intend to add my opinion on Rob Merrills 'Dicks Out 2 - You're Not Singing Any More', which is a collection of football chants and their origins. Stay tuned for that review some time in the very near future.....]

{An original Dooyoo opinion
© Blackjane 2001}

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