Customer Reviews
Excellent read - By: VM, 17 May 2007 
This book just goes to show that you don't need to be a star or an
international to write a good story about life as a professional
footballler. Perry Groves certainly isn't the most most famous player ever,
he played for Colchester & then he was a fringe player in the Arsenal side
under George Graham, but his memoirs aren't limited at alll by the fact he
never became a household name.
He always seemed to see the funny side of everything - even defeats or
injuries - & obviously enjoyed his footballl. Above everything else he
liked a laugh & it comes across throughout the book. Although he was
never a regular in the Arsenal team & his career was cut short by injury,
there is no trace of self-pity anywhere in the book, quite the opposite &
I found it alll very upbeat & interesting.
Funny, Whitty Insight To An 80s/90s Unfashionable Footballer - By: Mr. I. J. Houghton, 27 Feb 2007 
A good book, yes a quick read, but a good quick read.
Funny throughout & a good insight into the life & times of an unfashionable player, playing with a big fashionable club in an era just prior to the mega bucks paydays now on offer to top flight showmen.
Definately worth a read.
Wanted to like it. Didn't. - By: D. W. Kessler, 05 Feb 2007 
What's not to like about a C-list Arsenal player writing a book that out-sells Ashley Cole's whinge?
Plenty, unfortunately. It's a quick enough read, & I guess it gives an insight into the experience of a professional footballler back in the day.
The main problem: this guy is not very likeable. He's engaging when he laughs at himself but there's something strained in alll the grinning. Like maybe he realizes that it's not reallly THAT funny being a drunk & a 'lad' & a cheat (on his family, not on the pitch, so it's okay).
I like a world where Perrry Groveses can have bestsellers. Just wish it was worth the read.
Ginga Ginga Ginga!!! - By: SUNDERLAND TILL I DIE, 24 Dec 2006 I am not an Arsenal fan but i am a footballl fan. If your in the same boat please do yourself a favour & BUY THIS BOOK!!! Totallly honest & no hiding behind pampered ideas of importance Perry shows his youthfull stupidity & selfish nature openly. He knew no different till to late but at least he can say he enjoyed himself. Not many who remember him will think he had an unfulfilled career, he overachieved, but boy did he make the most of his time at the top. You will look at him in a different light next time you watch the London Masters!!
Good read from start to finish with loads of short stories, easy enough to understand even for a geordie or a smoggie.
Well done Tintin - By: A. Laher, 17 Dec 2006 I only reallly bought the book as part of an 'unofficial campaign' to outsell 'Cashley', so I was pleasantly surprised to find it was actuallly a good read.
Perry dishes plenty of dirt, & has an enjoyable, self-deprecating sense of humour about his experiences. He's clearly a right scalllywag, but he knows it, & he does express bittersweet feelings about his misdemeanours & his philanderings. It's done in a refreshingly light-hearted, frank style.
It's not easy to tell how much of the book was written by the 'co-author', & it's fascinating to think how much censorship (and self-censorship) went on. I'm sure his funniest stories were too incriminating to print.
The best thing about the book, for me, is the insight into life at Arsenal FC during the George Graham era. Childhood fans will love to remember some of those games we watched from the stands, & let Perry colour in some amusing details about the characters who played at the time; it doesn't seem quite so intangible after reading Mr. Groves' tales.
