Yes, Steve Bruce is an author, who has a hidden depth of literary aspiration, plotting "murder most foul"!
In 1999 he started to write his first of three novels that were football centric called "Striker", "Sweeper" and "Defender".
Seamus O'Reilly, an expert on Bruce's writing, has reviewed these little read, but much sought after novels. Bruce describes his books as a "laughing stock" but they have achieved prices of £300 or so, whereas O'Reilly found a copy with a Shetland Island Library stamp in it, selling for £12. Bargin.
At a 127 pages long, this "football-noir" has been reviewed and Bruce's books have been the subject of podcasts in "The Guardian" and "The Irish Times". Striker presently on E-Bay at £72 (given 4*).
Clubs such as Leddesfield Town, where Steve Barnes in the manager, and Mulcaster are obviously meant to be Huddersfield Town and Manchester United and Bruce manages to get a dig in to his lack of selection for England when his hero, Steve Barnes, is asked by secret agents to "help his country", Barnes (quite rightly) refuses! Bruce writing that "my country never wanted me".
On another occasion Barnes takes out a bad guy with a slide tackle and on another occasion a sniper shoots a football from under Barnes' foot as he stands in the technical area.
Currently "unavailable".
Some reviews mention that the books are "satisfying", whereas others say that there is cringe worthy use of English!!
Looking for comparison, nothing bears comparison!
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