Some people say the term ‘cult’ is used far too often…other’s say that the term ‘cult’ can be used to described Sky Sports very own Soccer Saturday show. Broadcast, intriguingly enough, on Saturday’s during the football season it’s presented by armchair pundit’s favourite Jeff Stelling, and in this book he describes the ins and outs of the show, in humorous fashion.
Published by Harper Collins in April 2009, “Jelleyman's Thrown a Wobbly: Saturday Afternoons in Front of the Telly” is comedic piece that will make anyone who’s ever seen and enjoyed the show to pick it up and not put it down until the very end. The title refers to the lower league defender Gareth Jelleyman, who after being sent off one afternoon was mentioned by Stelling in the context used in the title…promptly resulting in a ‘corpsing’ session with the panel where no one could stop laughing. Various other cultural references have become famous with the show such as whenever Adam Stansfield scores, Jeff refers to the gag that “sister Lisa will be please”…of course it’s important to note they’re not even closely related.
The book begins with a description of a ‘day in the life’ of Soccer Saturday. Obviously the preparation takes all week and Jeff can be found in the offices in the lead up to the show during the week. On the day it’s non-stop as you can imagine, especially when the matches have kicked off. Nigh on impossible to catch your breath if you’re watching, imagine what it’s like to be presenting it or in the gallery.
The book goes on in various chapters to explain Jeff’s routine – from stopping off regularly at a service station on the M3 on his way from his home in Winchester each week to do some research, to a chapter dedicated solely to the university phenomenon that is the Jeff Stelling Soccer Saturday Drinking Game. Now I’ve played it and can vouch that it is a killer of a game – the rules are varied and extensive, but a quick search on the internet can find them for anyone who’s not played it and wants to…not that I’m promoted binge drinking!
He also dedicates a few chapters to the various panellists that have been on the show over the years. Naturally there’s a chapter purely for the late George Best – without doubt the best footballer to have ever worked on the show. There’s also a chapter purely for Rodney Marsh – often seen as the ‘second’ presenter of the show, after his sacking from Sky Sports a few years back after a tasteless joke regarding the Boxing Day tsunami tragedy, Jeff doesn’t make any apologies for that, but even goes out on a limb to give various times when Rodney put his foot in it…although I’m sure it’s all tongue in cheek.
He also mentions the various other pundits who regularly appear on the show – Phil Thompson, Charlie Nicholas, Matt Le Tissier, and of course the legend that is Chris Kamara. If the show has become a cult, then Kammy personifies it even more than Jeff does. A great man. Simple.
There’s also antidotes on Friday nights in their regular meet-up point at a hotel near Fulham which has resulted in run-in’s with Premier League managers, but also great eye-openers into their thoughts on the running of their clubs.
For anyone who’s ever seen this programme, or anyone who’s simply a fan of football, then surely this book is for you. It will hardly win a Pulitzer as Jeff is simply explaining it as he sees it but it will become a mainstay in any book collection of any football fan. To quote the great man Kamara…it’s unbelievable, Jeff.
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The cult SkySports Soccer Saturday anchorman delivers a volley of entertaining and ... more
informative anecdotes about life in front of the videprinter. Jeff Stelling is a legend amongst football fans. To the millions unable to get to their teams' games on Saturday afternoons, the next best thing is undoubtedly the pleasurable company of Jeff and the Sky Sports videprinter for a cosy marathon on the sofa.
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