Nowhere to Run
The Ridiculous Life of a Semi-Professional Football Club Chairman
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Narrated by:
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Jonathan Sayer
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By:
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Jonathan Sayer
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
On the second oldest football pitch in the world, Jonathan Sayer stands atop a beer crate to address the assembled fans of Ashton United FC. As his initial optimism and disillusionment begin to slip through his fingers, the new co-chairman and co-owner (alongside his dad) starts to realise the scale of the challenge ahead.
Battling to keep the club afloat, a record number of games without a win sees hope turn to despair as Jonathan contends with a mutiny from a group of octogenarian supporters, constant battles with the local council and a star striker who arrives on crutches despite somehow passing his medical.
As the on-pitch form continues to deteriorate and rifts appear between him and his father, Jonathan begins to make some increasingly desperate decisions: dressing as a seven-foot robin in the local market in an effort to drum up larger crowds, sinking his savings into an ever spiralling wage bill and even contemplating bringing in a local priest to lift the 'Boxing Day Curse' by performing a late-night exorcism on the pitch.
Chronicling the euphoric highs and bitter disappointments of the less glamourous side of the beautiful game, Nowhere to Run is the hilarious, heart-warming tale of life in the hot seat of a non-league football club.
©2023 Jonathan Sayer (P)2023 Penguin AudioQuality Book
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I was really looking forward to this but spent the entire listen thinking that the events described didn't actually happen like that. Names had been changed etc. etc. It wasn't clear to me whether this was everyone or just some of the oddball characters. Were the players/management even real?
I couldn't decide whether the book was fact or fiction. A decent read/listen but spoilt for by this tevalation.
"Details altered or exaggerated for comic effect"
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Love the grass roots detail albeit a little undermined by the fiction/non fiction aspect. Thanks to Jonathan for the remarkable honesty (although Bashley… really?!) and I’d get a sequel as soon as it came out. Now I’m off to check out their season!
A compelling listen
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As a season ticket holder at Bognor Regis Town for several years, there are so many characters to identify with.
Jonathan acknowledges his naivety in taking over the running of the club with his Dad and the difficulties it created in their relationship but the humour shone throughout, even in periods of overwhelming adversity. And this is often the way at non league level!
it captures the heart of non-league football perfectly.
I cannot recommend this enough. Great story, great narration.
Sit back, open a bottle of Special Brewster and enjoy.
And please, please, please write a 2nd volume!
Brilliant From Start To Finish!
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When most football stories are about the big Premiership clubs it good to see the other side of lower league football portrayed.
Dads battle with opening an outside bar would never happen at big clubs and this dedication and overcoming other challenges that gets you involved in the book.
A must for any football fan.
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