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Seeing Red!

In publishing, as in life, you have to learn to take the rough with the smooth. Indeed, as I’ve said before in this forum, I believe in the Sir Matt Busby theory of publicity. When Nobby Stiles was getting stick in the press Busby took him into the main stand at Old Trafford, put his arm around his shoulders and said: ‘As long as they spell your name right…’
Well on the Sports Journalists Association website Eric Brown has got the title of ‘All on Red’ right and the name of the author Frank Gamble is spelled correctly as well.
And normally I wouldn’t comment about reviews; Eric is entitled to have his opinion even if it’s one that I disagree with.
It’s just that Eric clearly doesn’t understand publishing of this type, or perhaps of any other. In the last few years there have been many books written by fans about the clubs they support. It is a specific genre of sports book publishing. And we published this one because Frank had worked at Anfield for ten years, the ten greatest years in Liverpool’s history. He also had a harrowing story to tell about taking a group of the lottery agents he managed to Heysel and witnessed the tragedy from close quarters. We felt the book added to the history of the club.
Yet Eric says: ‘Who, indeed, is Frank Gamble? We’ve had books by famous players, managers, coaches and administrators and some by not so famous players who seem to have been in the game only as long as it takes to boil an egg. But I never thought I’d read a book by a lottery ticket seller.’
He concludes: ‘The book might appeal to those involved in the ticket office during Gamble’s employment there and to a few others mentioned along the way. But there are no important revelations. If this is a success look out for an avalanche of books by club turnstile operators, stewards, announcers, doormen, car park attendants, groundsmen and that bloke who sweeps up discarded fag ends and sweet wrappers.’
I’ve known Eric on and off for more than 30 years - we were football reporters - and he’s the last person I would think was arrogant or a snob. So I suppose he’s having a go at SportsBooks’ judgement – my judgement – when he suggests that lottery ticket sellers shouldn’t write books.
I can’t believe that anyone, anywhere would suggest that no one should write a book because of the job they do so he must be getting at us for publishing it.
Now, as I said, this book fits into a genre. It is intended to appeal to Liverpool’s fans. Does it? Well, the Liverpool Echo thought it might because they gave us a whole page in their sports section and below  are comments from two Liverpool websites.
 
http://www.thisisanfield.com said: ‘For people of a younger age, who have grown up with nothing else, other than Super Sundays, Grand Slam Saturdays, 24/7 football, 6 point relegation battles in September, and managerial sackings like leaves falling from autumn trees, this book must be a revelation.
… ‘The mood dramatically changes when this book offers an extremely vivid account about Heysel on the 29th May 1985. It is not an easy read. Heysel accounts are never an easy read, although it is a very measured account in this book, about these dreadful events. The sound of the infamous wall cracking under the pressure of escaping fans was so vivid that I had to take a couple of minutes to reflect on what I had just read.’
 
http://www.lfchistory.net said: ‘Frank is the latest in a growing number of Liverpool supporters (some more well known than others) who have published their stories. The difference between Frank and all the others is that he was an employee of the club and was therefore on the inside looking out instead of being on the outside looking in like the rest of us…’
 
(I suspect Eric would have the supporters not  put pen to paper).
 
The website sums up: ‘this was a most interesting book to read because even if it did not tell me much historically that I did not already know, it was enthralling to hear the account of someone who was actually employed by the club; and that is the main reason why I would recommend this book to all Liverpool supporters ... because it hasn’t to my knowledge been done this way before.’
 
If you want to read Eric’s review you can do so here.
http://www.sportsjournalists.co.uk/other-bodies/football-writers/this-book-on-liverpool-is-too-much-of-a-gamble/
 
Who’s right – Eric (an admitted Everton supporter) or the writers on the Liverpool websites? Buy the book from us and make up your own mind!
http://www.sportsbooks.ltd.uk/shop/book_details/115_all-on-red-ten-years-at-anfield