Books

Reading matter for footie fans

Your grandma won't like the title

Rob Merrills, Dicks Out 2, (Red Card, Paperback, £9.99)

Yes this is a football book before you ask. It is a football book with a difference; it hasn’t got a story (so it is similar to most football books then). It is a book that looks at all the different and most popular chants from football clubs around the country.

It is of course the sequel to ‘Dicks Out’. Though sadly as Rob Merrills states in his introduction, some clubs haven’t bothered to put forward anything for their section. One of these being Chester our good friends from across the border. They probably don’t have an entry because firstly, they haven’t got anything to sing about and secondly, they haven’t got enough fans to actually start a song.

It must be stated clearly that this book at first is quite an interesting read, but after about twelve or thirteen clubs songs have been discussed, you do tend to lose interest.

One of the reasons for this is because if you don’t know what song tune they are singing a chant to, then you are at a total loss. So really, you have to be very clued up on music and also exceptionally interested in football chants and songs. This of course is by no means the fault of the writer Rob Merrills.

Happily though, I can report that Wrexham are mentioned in many football club songs and chants from around the country. Even in bizarre places you wouldn’t imagine like from clubs down south. Also the books suggests that we are the best songwriters in the land (Wales that is), and that we would come quite high up overall.

Overall, a book of novelty, and worth buying if you want to know the origins of songs and for once what the opposition are actually singing instead of actually having to guess. Otherwise, you might as well just keep on trying to guess and save your money.

Matthew Kelly