Shattered Dreams

I decided to buy a copy of this book just before I went on holiday and duly packed it away to give me something to read during the boring late afternoon / early evening. However what I wasn't prepared for was that once I opened the cover and started reading that I wouldn't be able to put it down.

I'm sure that when Annis started writing this book he never intended it to be a great literary work, however for an ordinary Bluebird fan like myself reading the book has helped me better understand just what was going on in the club during the SH era. Anyone like myself who struggled at times to understand the goings on at our club well this book is something of a masterpiece, well written and structured I found the book to be insightful, informative and absolutely compulsive reading.

In my opinion the manner in which the author has managed to tell basically the same story but from a number of different peoples perspectives only adds to the quality of the read. It also goes a very long way to pour scorn on people who claim that the author doesn't allow debate whenever an expressed opinion is different to his, because there are countless examples within the book where different opinions to the authors are printed.

There are countless examples of peoples "adventures" with SH, however many of these people have quite wrongly been dubbed as SH inner circle well in my opinion that label is a nonsense. I think SH did his very best to use people, mostly in my opinion for his own ends, however I don't think he really understood the singlemindedness of some of the people he was dealing with and that was ultimately his downfall because many of these people saw through him. Having said that all were pretty much convinced that SH was a hard working and committed Chairman who had a driving passion to secure PL status for the club.

It appears to me that his failure to deliver that dream was more about people he employed at the club letting him down and because of political bullshit involving endless delaying tactics of local councillors. This contributed to the end of the lines of credit he had opened based on the development of the new stadium and when the money ran out few if any of the existing board were willing to help. From reading the book it appears SH should have taken greater care not to upset or offend people during his rise in power at the club, because when he started to struggle there appeared few within the club prepared to help, or help on conditions SH was prepared to accept. The rest is history and for me there is only one person to blame SH and that it so sad because without his involvement where would the club be? He started the dream and it was SH who put the belief in most of our hearts that this time our dream would be delivered, the fact that it hasn't is of the great sadness to us all and I'm sure SH himself.

There are many excellent personal contributions within the book in particular I found the Chapter written by Vince Alm the most important. I have never met Vince although I have of course been aware of his work within the supporters club but until I read this book I had absolutely no idea of the amount of work this man put in to support the stadium project. His story about how he worked to make sure the club were represented at countless "Anti Stadium" meetings arranged by local councillors was quite frankly humbling and is typical of things that many ordinary fans just wouldn't be aware of. Good on you Vince I say.

I also thought the Chapter written by Steve Davies was a good read and if I'm right then this ex West Ham Yeovil Town and now deep down diehard Bluebird Again and I hope I'm right here but is this the same guy who posts here as Daya or if you believe others in about 1000 user names because again he is a man who worked tirelessly to arrange finance for the club when we didn't have a pot to piss in. His final exchange with SH was Dayaesque and in my opinion perfectly timed and delivered. Again good on you Steve.

Finally to Annis who has done a remarkable job of telling the tale of meeting SH for the first time and of his frequent involvement with him over the years. Whilst these stories are central to the book there is also a number of touching personal tales, about his family and his love of his mother and father and of course his wife and daughters, also the terrible treatment he received from the BBC and the producers of Panorama.

So Annis punched a chopsy Blackburn fan in a bar one day doesn't exactly count as the crime of the century does it, I have just comeback from Zante and let me tell you tonight in Laganas the will be hundreds of young men from countries throughout Europe pissed out of thier heads looking for a punch up with anyone they can find. The thing is the BBC and Panorama won't be their recording it, bringing the film back and editing it and then transmitting it in support of the theme of their program. That's the media Annis they will never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

I would say to any Bluebird fan if you haven't already read this book you are missing out as for me it is the best book I have ever read about our club.

Great job Annis.

It's a cracking read mate, I've read it a few times. If you haven't read Gwyns book then I suggest you do..another can't put down book.