These are the United books you have to read
Michael Carrick’s autobiography will become a must-read for all Manchester United fans when it is released next week, on Thursday 18 October. But which other books are most worthy of your attention? Here, our reporters list their favourites from a long list of best-sellers…
Focus on 'Sir Bobby Charlton, My Manchester United Years': This is fantastic. Firstly, it covers such a broad period of United history - from the exciting emergence of the Busby Babes and the trauma of Munich, to the swaggering sixties period where Best, Law and Charlton were arguably the three greatest footballers around. It conveys in beautifully evocative words - penned by the late, great James Lawton (who also did a cracking job on Nobby Stiles's book) - the romantic magic and mystery of the club as well as any other book I've read. Sir Bobby is arguably the greatest player to ever emerge from this country, and no-one in world football has a more epic tale to tell. It's essential reading for Reds of all ages.
5: George Best, Blessed | 4: Nobby Stiles, After the Ball | 3: Alex Ferguson, Managing My Life | 2: Roy Keane, The Autobiography | 1: Bobby Charlton, My Manchester United Years
Focus on 'Nobby Stiles, After The Ball': I was always fascinated by this squinting, toothless little midfielder who looked anything but a warrior but, in reality, frightened opponents to death. I was enthralled listening to Jack Charlton, as an after-dinner speaker, tell the story of England’s 1966 triumph and how, despite being virtually a foot taller than the United man, he was always scared of him! Nobby’s book is a great tale of how the boy from Collyhurst became one of only two Englishmen to be part of World Cup and European Cup-winning teams, with some wonderful anecdotes and insights. It is highly recommended for any football fan, not just Reds.
5: Nobby Stiles, After The Ball | 4: Lee Sharpe, My Idea of Fun | 3: Keith Gillespie, How Not To Be a Football Millionaire | 2: Jaap Stam, Head to Head | 1: Roy Keane, The Autobiography
Focus on 'Sir Alex Ferguson, My Autobiography': When the great man retired in May 2013, he very deliberately took a step back from the public eye as the club attempted to move on from his unprecedented reign. His eventual return to the spotlight, in October that year, marked the release of a second autobiography that sent ripples through the football world, as fans and journalists alike pored over every word, anecdote and insight. It felt like a genuine event and, as embarrassing as this is, I hadn’t turn pages so quickly since the days of Harry Potter! It turned out there were several factual errors inside, small details that had seemingly gone unchecked, but that certainly didn’t take away from its impact.
5: Rio Ferdinand, #2Sides | 4: Paddy Crerand, Never Turn The Other Cheek | 3: Gary Neville, Red | 2: Roy Keane, The Second Half | 1: Sir Alex Ferguson, My Autobiography
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