Reviews: Who's Pereplotkins? (1)
“Brilliant Follow Up To 'Bad, Worse, Worst'”
(Paperback)
by Andyk
Having enjoyed 'Bad, Worse, Worst' so much, I couldn't wait to read the follow up and I wasn't disappointed. Readers of the first book will find that the new book shares the same format and follows on where 'Bad, Worse, Worst' left off. The first book reflected on Derby County's record breaking 'Worst Team Ever' 2007 – 2008 Premier League season and there was no shortage of humorous material as the club's on and off field activities provided a perfect script, could a second book be written without the knock about farce that was that season? The answer is an definite yes and this being Derby County, the club obliged with another eventful script. Scouse manager with a line in trademark Liverpudlian wit departs mid-season and is replaced by the son of a legendary former manager. 'Pantomime villain' previous manager turns up at local rivals Nottingham Forest, just in time for three meetings in league and cup and Derby twice win at the City Ground. Even more incredible is three cup games against Manchester United including a deserved home win against a strong United side and the Rams being the only team to penetrate their defence for some time. What I like about these books is, despite the dire performances and hapless managerial tinkering, they never resort to negative comments and complaining, its all presented in humour and that staple of the real football fan, irony. Likewise, bad language is never resorted to for comedic effect. Those inane newspaper comments made by players that run along the lines of 'So and so thinks that if we score more than the opposition we will win' variety, that the Derby Evening Telegraph fill the back page with on a slow news day, get the sort of analysis they deserve and there is a wry analysis of the 'Official' pronouncements made in the media and representing the Club's official line. There's plenty of the match day banter that all fan's share with their mates, and also the quoting of some of the nonsense we all hear around us at the game, but again its all in fun. Derby fans will love this book, especially as they will know the characters featured, but the people who really should read these books are those of the 'Sky Generation'. People who support one of the big four, irrespective of where they live and ring phone-in's and complain that 'I don't travel a round trip of 150 miles, pay hundred of pounds in tickets and travel to see us lose'. This book punctures all the self importance and hype that surrounds football today, it celebrates supporting your local team, through thin and thinner and it remembers that football is actually a game, and games are supposed to be fun. Many times I laughed out loud reading 'Who's Pereplotkins?' and it certainly reminded me that football supporting is to be enjoyed and not taken as seriously as the media would have us believe, but I suppose it's precisely their pomposity that provides such rich comedy.
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Who's Pereplotkins?

Who's Pereplotkins?: And Other Tales from Derby County's 2008/9 Season

Non-Fiction, Sport, Football
Edgar Smith (author)
Paperback Published on: 01/11/2009
Price: £8.95
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