'I played at primary and secondary school: in corridors, on the playing fields, at the bus stop on the way home; at university (three times a week); and then after that in pub teams, indoor leagues, park pitch free-for-alls, on beaches and lawns, in airport departure lounges and motorway service stations. From schoolboy promise to the beginnings of athletic decay, football - the basic pleasure of kicking a ball, the attachments of teams, friendships, and moments of pointless but irreducible triumph - just refuses to go away ...
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'I played at primary and secondary school: in corridors, on the playing fields, at the bus stop on the way home; at university (three times a week); and then after that in pub teams, indoor leagues, park pitch free-for-alls, on beaches and lawns, in airport departure lounges and motorway service stations. From schoolboy promise to the beginnings of athletic decay, football - the basic pleasure of kicking a ball, the attachments of teams, friendships, and moments of pointless but irreducible triumph - just refuses to go away.' "Any Chance of a Game?" is the story of a season playing for a Sunday league football team and a personal journey to discover why Barney, and men like him everywhere, need to play football and just what they take from it and its attendant culture. Each chapter follows a successive key match during the season and then uses it to go on a thematic mazy dribble - childhood, friendships, memory, violence, love, women, winning, class, nationality and being a man. This is an amusing tale that will ring true with anyone who's ever kicked a ball in muddied anger. It's about embrocation, showering together, half-time oranges, half-time punch-ups, existential angst and wanting to run forever on wet grass.
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Add this copy of Any Chance of a Game? : a Season at the Ugly End of to cart. $14.98, good condition, Sold by Goldstone Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Ammanford, CARMS, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2005 by Ebury Press.
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Good. All orders are dispatched within 1 working day from our UK warehouse. Established in 2004, we are dedicated to recycling unwanted books on behalf of a number of UK charities who benefit from added revenue through the sale of their books plus huge savings in waste disposal. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied.
Add this copy of Any Chance of a Game? : a Season at the Ugly End of to cart. $15.02, good condition, Sold by Greener Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from London, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2005 by Ebury Press.
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Good. EX library copy **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! Greener Books.
Add this copy of Any Chance of a Game? : a Season at the Ugly End of to cart. $18.87, very good condition, Sold by Greener Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from London, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2005 by Ebury Press.
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Very good. **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! Greener Books.
Add this copy of Any Chance of a Game? : a Season at the Ugly End of to cart. $38.98, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2005 by Ebury Press.
