The Last Champions
The Last Champions
Sunday, 20 May 2012
Friday, 18 May 2012
Extract from the Last Champions on Sabotage Times
The excellent Sabotage Times website have run an excerpt from the prologue here Class Of '92
Thursday, 17 May 2012
What Manchester City forget
I wrote an article for the Guardian comparing the old First Division title of 1992 to the Premiership of 2012
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/may/13/manchester-city-leeds-premier-league
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/may/13/manchester-city-leeds-premier-league
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
Feature in the Yorkshire Post
Terrific piece by Chris Bond in which I talk about Batts, Vinnie, Speedo, golf buggies, injuries and the footballing Everest climbed by The Last Champions
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/features/david-batty-hung-out-of-the-sun-roof-you-can-t-see-wayne-rooney-doing-that-1-4548915
Friday, 11 May 2012
Review in The Word
Lovely review of The Last Champions in the June 2012 issue of The Word, by Steve Jelbert.
Already a seasoned tracker of northern burnouts - his The Fallen sought out every former employee of Mark E. Smith - Leeds fan Simpson is ideally qualified to track down everyone involved with the last team to win the old First Division Championship, before its "rebranding" as the Premiership. At times it's unbearably poignant - the recent suicide victim Gary Speed comes across, as he always did, as balanced and thoughtful, while at least two team-mates nearly went the same way. But there's humour too. Vinnie Jones giving way his theatrical leanings by turning up to training in wild outfits; the author's messy cocktail with Lee Chapman. It couldn't last. Manager Howard Wilkinson already had these men playing at their limits. But Simpson neatly captures football's key appeal, the way it can restore the simple certainties of childhood. These men are now postmen, pensioners, disabled, successful, travel agents and the seemingly lost (including "mad as cheese" midfielder David Batty). But they talk with equal wonder about their greatest season.
Already a seasoned tracker of northern burnouts - his The Fallen sought out every former employee of Mark E. Smith - Leeds fan Simpson is ideally qualified to track down everyone involved with the last team to win the old First Division Championship, before its "rebranding" as the Premiership. At times it's unbearably poignant - the recent suicide victim Gary Speed comes across, as he always did, as balanced and thoughtful, while at least two team-mates nearly went the same way. But there's humour too. Vinnie Jones giving way his theatrical leanings by turning up to training in wild outfits; the author's messy cocktail with Lee Chapman. It couldn't last. Manager Howard Wilkinson already had these men playing at their limits. But Simpson neatly captures football's key appeal, the way it can restore the simple certainties of childhood. These men are now postmen, pensioners, disabled, successful, travel agents and the seemingly lost (including "mad as cheese" midfielder David Batty). But they talk with equal wonder about their greatest season.
Monday, 30 April 2012
The Last Champions - book launch and signings
The Leeds branch of Waterstone's are hosting the launch of The Last Champions on Wednesday 9 May at 7pm.
It is a free event and all welcome, but you will need to book your place in advance either pop in book at the ground floor tills or ring us on 0113 2444588
There is also a signing earlier in the day at Waterstone's in Wakefield, 1pm.
It is a free event and all welcome, but you will need to book your place in advance either pop in book at the ground floor tills or ring us on 0113 2444588
There is also a signing earlier in the day at Waterstone's in Wakefield, 1pm.
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