In Other Words by John Garrett

While at my parents house last week my dad passed me this book to read. Being a lifelong Blade and having known the author since a school days trip to France I didn't need asking twice.

What this is is a collection of interviews with former Sheffield United players, stretching from the pre war era to more recent times. There are players I remember and ones I don't and what comes across from them all is a love of this club that is ours. Seeing how football has changed over the decades, through the words of those who were there, is still a real eye-opener.

These interviews have all been taken from the match day programme UTB (Up The Blades) and as I dipped in it brought back many memories for me - going to the Junior Blade enclosure with JG himself as schoolkids, years as a season ticket holder with my old pal Darren Thornton where we saw many of the folks interviewed here - Good Times.

As I remember, as a youngster my dad gave me the chance to choose for myself which Sheffield team I wanted to follow taking me to see both Blades and Owls. As I recall, each trip to Hillsborough it rained (seriously, that's all I remember about it) whereas the trips to The Lane still feel fresh. In reality there was no choice to make 😉

Anyway, back to the book. This is a really well put together collection that would be of interest to football fans in general, not just fans of Sheffield United

4.5/5*

John Garrett is also the author of Sheffield United - The Biography (with Gary Armstrong), Folklore and Fables and 125 Years of Sheffield United FC. (seriously, what he doesn't know about the club isn't worth knowing)

Thanks for the loan of the book dad, I'll be getting my own copy soon