She Stood There Laughing

[Milkie]

With the game called off, and my newly aquired copy of Stephen Foster's, She Stood There Laughing in my mitts I decided on an afternoon of reading, and of course keeping one eye on the other scores. If you havn't read it beg borrow or steal it. It sums up being a Stokie to a T and many of the Oatie regulars get a mention. Suffice to say I have read it cover to cover in 4 hours, and understood nearly all the big words!!

[Jumborat]

I saw a copy of it in WH Smiths up Hanley on Thursday. I thought it wasn't out until 1st March ???

[Milkie]

Jumbo, got my copy from Amazon, cost me £4.80 plus a couple of quid postage; worth every penny. Its got all the humour,pain,heartache and ineptness associated with being a fan of this club. His black humour towards the board had me in stitches, if it wasn't true you couldn't make it up!

[Parksy]

I've spent all day reading it - It arrived via Amazon this morning and I was incommunicado whilst I read it. Family kept asking me questions and I was oblivious. It is wonderful. I know the obvious analogy by non-Stokies will be with Nick Hornby, but if you read it, this is far more passionate and real.

Nick Hornby describes the odd game over a long period and his (in my opinion) glory-hunting fealings of football. Winger tells it straight and honest, we have all been there and it hurts !!

I read the entire copy, loved it, empathised with it ! then realised my name was in the credits at the back !! How my boy was impressed by that

But then again I read why certain "Oatcakers" had been included, then assumed It was because of the "crap joke exchanges" ;D

Superb novel - well done Winger

[Hooky]

read that all of you lot got yours the other day, and wondered why my bloody copy hadn't arrived...

my card details had changed.......I melted the last in the tumble dryier, so they hadn't sent it.


ARSE, any way its on its way now

there is a GREAT review on the radio stoke website.

James O'Hara goes between the covers of She Stood There Laughing - A man, his son and their football club.
The book, written by Stephen Foster, feels like Stoke City's answer to Fever Pitch as it's a raw account of the ups and downs of The Potters' 2002/2003 season

Buy it. Just go out and buy it. It doesn't matter who you are or what football team you support. This is laugh-out-loud funny.

They say you should expect the unexpected. Scouts are warned to 'Be Prepared'. A central plank of my catholic education told us that we never knew when the hour was near, that the second coming could arrive at any time. And at first this was how it was...

When a parcel landed on my desk I hadn't got a clue what it was. I didn't know who Stephen Foster was, I didn't know to expect his book or in fact that he'd even written one never mind a story so close to my own heart. But then you do get the most wonderful surprises.

I began flicking through it immediately and couldn't put it down. I read it out to colleagues in the office who couldn't care less about football (yes, such people do exist) and we all roared with laughter. But I'd forgotten just how sad we are and just how sad we can be.

Stephen Foster drives from Norwich to Stoke and back every time The Potters are at home. I drove to Norwich once. Next time I'll drive to Manchester airport and see if Easy-Jet can do the hard work instead.

So what does Stephen do when Stoke are at, say, Preston? Read the book and you'll find out. I was at Preston. And so was Stephen.

I've never met this bloke, I've never met his son and I definitely don't want to meet his son's mates but that doesn't matter. Because we're the same anyway - he just puts it better than I could.

And this book's got the lot. Sure there's bit's I don't agree with. I think Stoke's True Supporters Card makes going to away games more enjoyable.

Of course I'd rather not have one but then I'd rather not have midday kick-offs; games on Sundays; have to get on a coach to get to the match; and be met by the local police in their hundreds. We have a hooligan problem and being a Stoke fan on the road is now much better for my sanity.

The book does get a bit political towards the end but then the author just tells it the way he sees it. He won't be the only one.

The George Burley day was a dog's breakfast. Buying match tickets is like pulling teeth from a dragon. Radio Stoke is great (sic.)

You can't put a price on this.

We have a copy of the book to give away, just send an email with your answer to the following question:

Stephen Foster's novel is a Stoke City supporter's account of the 2002/03 season.
In that year, George Burley was the Stoke City manager that never was. Which club did he end up managing?

[Olgrligm]

Ram Rectum Raiders(derby)!