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This very personal account of Nick Hornby's love affair (or just obsession) with Arsenal has no right to be so on the money. I loved and breathed football until I was 16 and despite going reasonably regularly (I had a season ticket for a couple of years) I have never had Hornby's obsession.However, it is relatable, funny, unbelievable and occasionally bonkers. It is also surprisingly insightful, thoughtful and serious at times and does cover why we might get obsessed with something, and why football lends it self to obsession.Overall, despite being a tad dated (we do have out of town all seats stadiums and football is shown on tv, all the time, all around the world) this is still relevant and highly entertaining.

If you only ever read one book about English football make sure it's this one, you don't need another. This explains all the emotions and hang-ups related to being a fanatical football follower, along with the supreme highs and dreadful lows. There are superstitions, like not wanting to do anything differently on a match day in case it upsets the natural routine and thereby causes your team to lose, there's the guilt of arranging one's life around match days, or not, depending if they are home or away, or still in the cup, or not, and trying to explain the addiction - because that's what it is - to non-football people. This book reminded me of Luke Rhinehart's book 'The Dice Man' where the character lives his life as dictated by a roll of the dice. Much of football is chance, and so a life lived like this is similar to one lived at the whim of a dice.This is a great book to help explain the attraction of football, how you can be drawn in, and the unforgiving nature of it all. It's the tribalism, the togetherness, the oneness, the mutual understanding and then the hatred of anyone not part of your group: "I hadn't ever come across opposing fans before, and I loathed them in a way I had never before loathed strangers."Its a great read. Whether you follow football or not, by reading this it will help you to understand it. Recommended.

This isn’t just a football book. Yes. It’s the story of a football obsessive but it is so much more of a reflection of life. Although it does have to be said it resonates particularly with anyone subjected to football fan obsession pre-Hillsborough.

This is a great read by the brilliant writer Nick Hornby.It's not just about football but about life's in general with examples of growing up woven in and out of an underlying passion about Arsenal F.C.An entertaining book full of humour and probably one of the very best on the wide subject of football but so much more interesting than most of the autobiographies from the actual players - Peter Crouch included!

Yes I'm an Arsenal fan, but I think all football fans would love this book. A very honest and funny account of a lifelong fan going through the turmoils of watching their beloved team and the strife that brings, as well as the glory, both on and off the pitch.