Irons in the Fire

Over the past eighteen months Russell Brand has built up a unique fan club through the sports section of the Guardian. Each week Brand writes a sharply observed and wickedly funny column about his first love -- football. Russell is 'West Ham till I die'. He's a season ticket holder and he's been going to Upton Park since he was a kid. He's also a huge England fan too, although after England lost to Portugal on penalties (again), he wanted a divorce. In this sharp and stylish book Russell guides us through one of the most dramatic footballing years in recent memory. We start with West Ham reaching the FA Cup Final for the first time in twenty-five years and end with their 1-0 win at Manchester United on the last day of the season, which kept them in the Premiership against all the odds. Along the way Russell turns his wit on Sven ('I bet he wears pants in the bath'), the WAGS, football chants, Jose Mourinho ('he's like the littlest hobo - he does terrific work then clears off leaving John Terry with a frog in his throat cos "there's a voice that keeps on calling him"'), and the night he slept next to David Beckham.