No holds barred

RICK Holden's autobiography "It's a Minging Life" (DB Publishing, £16.99) is a refreshingly honest account of the former Athletic winger's career.

Recounting the journey that took him from Skipton Grammar School to playing under Joe Royle at Wembley, Holden doesn't hold back when recounting the various scrapes he got into.

An interfering dog on the pitch which saved his Halifax team's bacon, a gruesome summer job at a chicken factory and playing cricket for “a pint a wicket” in the off-season . . . there is plenty to interest even for the non-Latics fanatic.

On the football side, Holden writes of the moment he almost changed football history by getting Sir Alex Ferguson the sack while starring for Athletic in the “pinch me” days.

And he doesn't hold back when describing his feelings towards certain former bosses and administrators.

The odd error — such as the misspelling of Graeme Sharp's surname as 'Sharpe' — doesn't detract from a richly entertaining account of an old-school footballer's life.


RICK Holden will be appearing in a book signing session at the Chronicle offices on Union Street on Friday, October 29 (noon to 1pm).