The Last Champions

The Last Champions
The Last Champions

Friday 31 May 2013

THE LAST CHAMPIONS paperback launch

I'll be reading from The Last Champions and talking about  the book, the charge to the 91-92 title and subsequent changes in football at Waterstone's in Leeds from 7pm on the evening of June 20. The event is free: you just need to call the store to reserve tickets. Hopefully it will be as successful as last year's launch, where LUFC's former commercial director/chairman Bill Fotherby came down to share even more eyebrow-raising and hilarious stories that aren't in the book.

Details of the 20 June event here http://www.list.co.uk/event/20423048-dave-simpson-author-event/

Thursday 9 May 2013

WILKINSON V FERGUSON, 1992: David slays Goliath.

Alex Ferguson's achievements speak for themselves, but Howard Wilkinson's triumph against the odds in 1992 must not be forgotten... When I was researching The Last Champions, I wanted to know precisely what those odds were and, among other things, unearthed these extraordinary stats. 



TRANSFER FEES OF PLAYERS FEATURING IN THE TWO LEAGUE FIXTURES BETWEEN LEEDS UNITED AND MANCHESTER UNITED, 1991-92



LEEDS UNITED                                                  MANCHESTER UNITED
John Lukic                   £1m                                 Peter Schmeichel    £505,000
Mel Sterland                £600,000                         Paul Parker            £2m
Tony Dorigo                 £1.3m                              Denis Irwin             £625,000
David Batty                   £0                                    Neil Webb              £1.5m
John McClelland          £110,000                          Steve Bruce     £825,000                         
Chris Whyte                 £400,000                          Gary Pallister          £2.3m
Gordon Strachan          £200,000                          Bryan Robson       £1.5m
Rod Wallace                 £1.6m                               Paul Ince               £1m
Lee Chapman              £400,000                          Mark Hughes         £1.8m
Gary McAllister            £1m                                   Brian McClair         £850,000
Gary Speed                 £0                                     Clayton Blackmore £0
Chris Fairclough          £500,000                          Andrei Kanchelskis £650,000

(subs)
Steve Hodge                £900,000                              Ryan Giggs           £0
                                                                                  Mike Phelan       £750,000
                                                                                  Lee Sharpe       £200,000
                                                                                  Mal Donaghy     £650,000
TOTAL                       £8,100,000                                                   £15,155,000