Tony McDonald

Essential reading for any fan of the Hammers. Tony McDonald has skilfully recreated the atmosphere and the drama of what was a momentous season for West Ham United. With the aid of extensive interviews with the Boys of '86 themselves - barring the reluctant main man - Manager John Lyall RIP - and many of the coaching staff as well, the reader really gets a full flavour of what it must have been like inside what was largely a very happy dressing room at the time.

Written very simply and covering the matches as they came week after week, in both the league and the cup competitions, this is a quick read, and a very satisfying one. The season rushes by in a blur of recognition as you will no doubt find yourself recollecting some (if not all) of the season's highlights (and the occasional lowlight). For any West Ham fan too young to have been aware at the time, this will bring to life the many famous names at the club they will no doubt be familiar with. For any non-West Ham fan out there this will prove a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the men at this famous club enjoying the season of their lives in the era before Sky TV, the Premier League, multi-millionaire players, and the disappearance of many of the old fashioned values that many sorely miss today.

The final chapter addresses the aftermath of the season and how things panned out for the club and it's players in the 2 or 3 seasons that followed - really interesting reading. At the book's end is a useful chapter referencing the entire season's worth of line-ups (for both home and away teams - some blasts from the past to be found here...) and appearances/goals figures, for the statistician in you. There is also a fun chapter recounting the chart hits of each month, and items in the news both in general football and the wider world at large. Recommended.… (plus d'informations)