Sam Allardyce

Dave Worthington takes us inside the secret world of a top-tier football scout who has witnessed 20 epoch-making years of the Premier League. Foreword by ex-Bolton and England manager Sam Allardyce. Of major interest to all football fans but especially Bolton, Chelsea, Hull, Blackburn, Sunderland, West Ham, Leicester and Everton supporters. Lifting the lid on the dynamic, clandestine, pressurised, sometimes humdrum, often crazy life of a football talent-spotter, in this revealing autobiography we find Dave: Unearthing hidden gems for Sam Allardyce to polish at BoltonHelping Jose Mourinho spend big as part of Chelsea's 'Roman Empire'Providing the means for Leicester to shock the worldWitnessing first-hand at Everton how messy things get when you recruit three faltering number 10s and strikers who don't score Few scouts have experienced Premier League history at close quarters in the 21st century as Dave Worthington has. But then few people have two footballing parents, fewer still grow up as one of three brothers who all became professionals and even fewer go on to make close to 500 Football League appearances, securing cult status as Dave did at Grimsby. Worthy is also about the making of a scout and how a unique upbringing, lengthy playing career and lifelong love of the game equipped Dave to judge the best for the best.

Football fans will love this insight into the life and mind of Big Sam. With nearly 20 years as a player - plus almost 25 years as a coach and manager - under his belt, Sam Allardyce is one of the most recognisable figures in British football.'Big Sam' has been a robust defensive general throughout the seventies and eighties, and an imposing touchline presence as a gaffer since 1994.Over the last four decades, Allardyce has seen it all. The game he so loves is radically different to that in which he made his debut back in 1973, and in telling his wonderfully colourful story for the very first time, Allardyce talks intriguingly about the changing face of players and managers. His autobiography positively crackles with characteristic insight, honesty and hard-hitting opinions.