The Bottom Line
- Honest, funny and, at times, sad look back over Holloway's life
- As uncompromising in his recollections as he was in the tackle
- Straight from the proverbial horse's mouth
- An easy read for fans of any football club
- Typical autobiography - leaves you wanting a little bit more detail in places
Description
- Published by Green Umbrella Publishing
- Foreword written by Ian Holloway's managerial mentor at Bristol Rovers and QPR, Gerry Francis
- 210 pages
Guide Review - Ollie - The Autobiography of Ian Holloway
There are few instances where a bit of controversy doesn't have a positive impact on sales of entertainment media, be it books, music or films, but following Ian Holloway's recent managerial switch to Leicester City I think this could be one of those unfortunate times.
I admit to knowing little about the Bristolian before reading Ollie other than remembering him as a tidy midfield performer in a very good QPR side under Gerry Francis in the early days of the Premiership and, as a manager, he has always been good for a humorous quip or soundbite. Well acquainted with Ollie I admit I was not but after reading his very honest and interesting autobiography I feel I understand the man a good deal better.
The twin, and often conflicting, themes of family and football run deep throughout Holloway's life,from his obvious hero worship of his father from a young age through the perils and pitfalls of a career as a (mainly) lower league professional English footballer. His wife's fight against non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and the problems associated with having three young daughters born profoundly deaf are honestly recounted and add a human element to a story which already more than transcends the usual banal footballer's ghost written "behind the scenes" story.
Holloway himself says that the book will make you laugh and cry and he's right, I personally haven't read a better insight into the life of footballer who, for most of his career, battled to make his mortgage payments rather than hoovering up Rolex watches and diamond ear-rings as many of today's young players do.
Despite his defection from Plymouth just after the book's launch, I can understand Ollie's motives after reading his book and I'm sure it's one I'll return to again in the future which, for a footballer's autobiography, is rare praise indeed!
