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Only a Game?
The classic inside account of a season at a professional football club. Midfield player Eamon Dunphy charts the progress of Millwall during a season that begins with high hopes and ends with him on the transfer list. Populated with extraordinary characters and filled with high drama,Only a Game? is a riveting read as well as being an exceptional insight into professional sport. "The best and most authentic memoir by a professional footballer" Brian Glanville
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
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About the author
Eamon Dunphy
11 books10 followersEamon Martin Dunphy is an Irish media personality, broadcaster, author, sports pundit and former professional footballer. Since retiring from the sport, he has become recognisable to Irish television audiences as a football analyst during coverage of the Premier League, UEFA Champions League and international football on Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ).
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
July 7, 2012
The real strengths of Only a Game? are the level of reflexivity and that Dunphy doesn’t pull any punches. The narrative does more than describe a season, but tries to explain and to provide a real insight into the mind and life of a player and a club. Moreover, Dunphy tells it exactly how he sees it and he doesn’t spare the blushes of players or coaches. He is scathing about the professionalism of the coaching routines, the facilities, the manager’s decisions, how the game was being run by chairmen and directors, players who he felt were not being ‘true’ pros, and forensically picks apart the strengths and weaknesses of opposition teams. He’s equally open about his own performances and shortcomings, including his emotional turmoil at being dropped and his frank exchanges with his manager. There are some silences - he never really discusses the role of his family and friends, barely discusses journalists and the role of the media, or the fans. Instead the book very much focuses on the players and coaching staff. Having now read the book, it is easy to see how he sided with Roy Keane in the Saipan affair - Only a Game? details the same frustrations Dunphy had whilst at Millwall as Keane had for the Irish international set-up; and like Keane, Dunphy was obsessed with professionalism. Overall, an interesting book that gives real insight into the beautiful game.
September 14, 2012
Didn't get on with this so well, which came as a surprise.
It's barely half a story; what I'd assumed was a season-long account actually concludes around November-time when Dunphy is sold to Charlton.
What follows is an anomalous match report of a Millwall Vs Sheffield Wednesday game by the book's 'editor', Peter Ball, and a brief epilogue covering what happened to a cast of characters that I couldn't have given a monkeys about since the main story is so underdeveloped.
And all for £8.99. I feel ripped off.
It's barely half a story; what I'd assumed was a season-long account actually concludes around November-time when Dunphy is sold to Charlton.
What follows is an anomalous match report of a Millwall Vs Sheffield Wednesday game by the book's 'editor', Peter Ball, and a brief epilogue covering what happened to a cast of characters that I couldn't have given a monkeys about since the main story is so underdeveloped.
And all for £8.99. I feel ripped off.
August 31, 2020
okuduğum en iyi spor kitaplarından. sporla ilgili birçok kitaba olduğu gibi, bunun için de görünce "allah allah, nerden esti de çevirip yayımladılar" dedim. emeği geçenlerin eline sağlık.
futbol dünyasına "içerden bakış" anlamında çok önemli kitap. bizde zaten yok da, dışarda bile örneği azdır sanırım, böyle "futbolcu günlüğü" tadında bir kitabın.
bir ek: kitapta west ham-millwall rekabeti hakkında neredeyse bir cümle bile geçmiyor. çok şaşırtıcı.
futbol dünyasına "içerden bakış" anlamında çok önemli kitap. bizde zaten yok da, dışarda bile örneği azdır sanırım, böyle "futbolcu günlüğü" tadında bir kitabın.
bir ek: kitapta west ham-millwall rekabeti hakkında neredeyse bir cümle bile geçmiyor. çok şaşırtıcı.
July 23, 2011
Not the brilliant book it is said to be, it's a small bit repetitive, and full of the usual football cliches. You'd expect it to be more honest, more controversial, as it's Dunphy. It's still an interesting read though.
March 12, 2023
Plucked from my bookshelf as something to muse over in the light of current concerns about the state of football governance.
Dunphy's account is a diary of his 1973-4 season at Millwall - his last after seven years at the club. A self-styled loudmouth and a bit of an intellectual, yer man began in the high hope that the considerable achieve of the previous season, when the club missed out on promotion to Division One by one point, could be built on.
In his opinion every other commentator on the beautiful game got in wrong in attributing success to the performance of the star play, the management and coaching staff, or the guidance provided by the boardroom. No - it all hinged on the scope given to the honest, journeyman professional who made up the backbone of any team being given sufficient space and encouragement to take the game by the scruff and run it as he saw fit.
Millwall in this particular season was falling below that mark. The manager, Barry Fenton, had taken the view that his team was in a state of transition and needed refreshing with a couple of players somewhat flashier than the type Dunphy was comfortable with and a coaching regime that had him totally exasperated. Team selection led to to midfield being messed around, getting at its worst point to the big man himself being dropped to the bench or even shifted into the reserves. Not good for a man with the ego the size of a double-decker bus.
A lot has happened in the football world since this book was written. The advent of the Premier league, the super star manager and the super star player has pushed the journeyman pro even further down in terms of esteem. The role of billionaire owners using football as a means to launder ill-gotten gains, the ratcheting up of the sports journalist from the guy on the local paper filing 350 words to the pundits who lead the conversation today are yet more signs that the old pro is no longer at the centre of the game.
This book will forever be cited as the key memoir of a time when football was the province of a working class that had a keen sense of community and the sort of person it would admit to local hero status. Dunphy stood at a moment of time when this culture retained a strong grip, but also when the signs were appearing of its weakening. Even so, the view from the terraces is still just about able to appreciate the roll of the solid guy who always gives a hundred percent, and will be available for selection long after the whiz kid players have moved on to what they imagined were better things.
Dunphy's account is a diary of his 1973-4 season at Millwall - his last after seven years at the club. A self-styled loudmouth and a bit of an intellectual, yer man began in the high hope that the considerable achieve of the previous season, when the club missed out on promotion to Division One by one point, could be built on.
In his opinion every other commentator on the beautiful game got in wrong in attributing success to the performance of the star play, the management and coaching staff, or the guidance provided by the boardroom. No - it all hinged on the scope given to the honest, journeyman professional who made up the backbone of any team being given sufficient space and encouragement to take the game by the scruff and run it as he saw fit.
Millwall in this particular season was falling below that mark. The manager, Barry Fenton, had taken the view that his team was in a state of transition and needed refreshing with a couple of players somewhat flashier than the type Dunphy was comfortable with and a coaching regime that had him totally exasperated. Team selection led to to midfield being messed around, getting at its worst point to the big man himself being dropped to the bench or even shifted into the reserves. Not good for a man with the ego the size of a double-decker bus.
A lot has happened in the football world since this book was written. The advent of the Premier league, the super star manager and the super star player has pushed the journeyman pro even further down in terms of esteem. The role of billionaire owners using football as a means to launder ill-gotten gains, the ratcheting up of the sports journalist from the guy on the local paper filing 350 words to the pundits who lead the conversation today are yet more signs that the old pro is no longer at the centre of the game.
This book will forever be cited as the key memoir of a time when football was the province of a working class that had a keen sense of community and the sort of person it would admit to local hero status. Dunphy stood at a moment of time when this culture retained a strong grip, but also when the signs were appearing of its weakening. Even so, the view from the terraces is still just about able to appreciate the roll of the solid guy who always gives a hundred percent, and will be available for selection long after the whiz kid players have moved on to what they imagined were better things.
September 18, 2019
Not for the first time, I read this thanks to the Second Captains podcast, and its recommendation was well placed. It's good enough on its own merit, but it's also useful 40 years on comparing the attitudes of the modern game with that of the 70's.
Written in diary form, Dunphy recounts incidents and analysis from individual matches, alongside wider thoughts on the game. Some is from the viewpoint of 'a' player, and some is very individual, Dunphy himself rating character and pride very highly, in contrast to his Irish teammates. Some of his frustration is quite stark and of the moment, simultaneously despairing at his manager's actions, while defending him when he suspects a boardroom coup, and admitting he still likes his boss.
Some of the stories seem quite quaint, the fictional local presser wanting to interview the rising star in full tennis regalia was funny but also of its time, and you can't imagine such naive behaviour happening now when players have agents and much more remuneration and media coverage. There is also a respect for hierarchy, Dunphy and senior players complaining about training and the lack of match preparation, but still accepting it - now, such misgivings would be leaked to an appreciative source.
It's a shame Dunphy's season with Millwall is curtailed quite early, as I'd have liked to see the swings across an entire season. Then again, the added controversy does allow other themes to be explored, and Peter Hall clearly did a good job in keeping the material interesting, without being sensationalist. You can see how Dunphy has gone on to a good punditry career, as he was willing to really think about the game, and put forward his personal take. As a result, he's produced a very interesting diary that's stood the test of time.
Written in diary form, Dunphy recounts incidents and analysis from individual matches, alongside wider thoughts on the game. Some is from the viewpoint of 'a' player, and some is very individual, Dunphy himself rating character and pride very highly, in contrast to his Irish teammates. Some of his frustration is quite stark and of the moment, simultaneously despairing at his manager's actions, while defending him when he suspects a boardroom coup, and admitting he still likes his boss.
Some of the stories seem quite quaint, the fictional local presser wanting to interview the rising star in full tennis regalia was funny but also of its time, and you can't imagine such naive behaviour happening now when players have agents and much more remuneration and media coverage. There is also a respect for hierarchy, Dunphy and senior players complaining about training and the lack of match preparation, but still accepting it - now, such misgivings would be leaked to an appreciative source.
It's a shame Dunphy's season with Millwall is curtailed quite early, as I'd have liked to see the swings across an entire season. Then again, the added controversy does allow other themes to be explored, and Peter Hall clearly did a good job in keeping the material interesting, without being sensationalist. You can see how Dunphy has gone on to a good punditry career, as he was willing to really think about the game, and put forward his personal take. As a result, he's produced a very interesting diary that's stood the test of time.
April 10, 2020
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. An insightful account into the life of a footballer back in the 70’s. However his contempt for my beloved West Ham was disappointing, albeit understandable in some ways. Just quite harsh.
To conclude, I’ve always been a big fan of Dunphy and I look forward to reading the rest of his work.
A working class, honest and humble Irishman - writing/speaking from the heart, with not much filter. Refreshing.
To conclude, I’ve always been a big fan of Dunphy and I look forward to reading the rest of his work.
A working class, honest and humble Irishman - writing/speaking from the heart, with not much filter. Refreshing.
August 27, 2020
After years of trying to get a copy of this - “the best book ever by a professional footballer “ - I have to confess to being a tad disappointed. Dunphy is clearly an intelligent man but, boy, what a moaner! That said, the difference between footballers in the 70s and now couldn’t be starker. There are some great anecdotes about Dunphy and his team-mates ribbing future Man Utd player Gordon Hill and these were the best bits; more levity of this type would have been most welcome.
August 10, 2024
I first read this book when I was still at school and it long preceded Fever Pitch as a “proper” book about football. Dunphy is never feeling worse than when Millwall have won three games in a row and never happier than when watching as a reserve and seeing his own team fail. It’s a short story - barely covers half a season - but would definitely make my top 10 of football books and it’s a world away from the money in the game today
January 21, 2020
One problem with reading a book that was considered revolutionary when published is that many years later it no longer surprises.Reading this it just seems like a, more or less, normal account of a footballer becoming disillusioned at a club when dropped.It's still worth reading,especially to hear his views on training at the time.
August 8, 2020
Interesting in sections
April 6, 2023
Americans! If you want to really get inside the sport of football/soccer, this is the book. Raw, real and timeless.
May 5, 2020
Football in the 1970s was different to today's game. Eamon, an angry young man, writes engagingly and lays the foundations for his outspoken punditry career.
April 13, 2022
This book is son amazing.
February 2, 2017
Like many who read this, I have enjoyed watching Eamon Dunphy on TV, criticising modern players for a lack of drive and heart, and I was also impressed by his ghost writing of Roy Keane's first autobiography. In this book he certainly delivers in terms of pulling no punches, regaling us with anecdotes about players of that era and how gritty life as a footballer was back in the day.
My main issue with the book stems from the fact it is deeply steeped in a time that is so drastically removed from the modern game and that Dunphy does not take the opportunity to make many comparisons between the days of the old Football League and the current Premier League, a cornerstone of his punditry.
It admittedly seems unfair to demand reference to the modern game in a book about his own career back in the 70s. He's more than entitled to write about that solely, and for those who want a chronological insight into some of his time at Millwall, this will not disappoint.
I doubt however, that I am the only one who saw his name on the spine of this book and expected that this diary would go further and feature said comparisons between then and now, given that many will have enjoyed his now notorious lambasting of current players and the state of the modern game in general. Whilst this diary does deliver what it promises, at times it is the rigid diary format itself that makes it a monotonous read.
Finally the cast of characters will only really appeal to die-hard fans of the club or that specific era, as Dunphy talks at length about the likes of Gordon Bolland and Gordon Hill, and at most accesible: Liam Brady, names which will go over the heads of most fans under the age of forty.
I reiterate that my expectations of the book itself were misplaced, given that it clearly states it is a diary, but when on the cover itself you have Nick Hornby singing it's praises as a must-read, you expect more bite, more accessibility and more food for thought.
My main issue with the book stems from the fact it is deeply steeped in a time that is so drastically removed from the modern game and that Dunphy does not take the opportunity to make many comparisons between the days of the old Football League and the current Premier League, a cornerstone of his punditry.
It admittedly seems unfair to demand reference to the modern game in a book about his own career back in the 70s. He's more than entitled to write about that solely, and for those who want a chronological insight into some of his time at Millwall, this will not disappoint.
I doubt however, that I am the only one who saw his name on the spine of this book and expected that this diary would go further and feature said comparisons between then and now, given that many will have enjoyed his now notorious lambasting of current players and the state of the modern game in general. Whilst this diary does deliver what it promises, at times it is the rigid diary format itself that makes it a monotonous read.
Finally the cast of characters will only really appeal to die-hard fans of the club or that specific era, as Dunphy talks at length about the likes of Gordon Bolland and Gordon Hill, and at most accesible: Liam Brady, names which will go over the heads of most fans under the age of forty.
I reiterate that my expectations of the book itself were misplaced, given that it clearly states it is a diary, but when on the cover itself you have Nick Hornby singing it's praises as a must-read, you expect more bite, more accessibility and more food for thought.
September 28, 2007
Picked this classic up in a charity shop - Dunphy is now a sports journalist, but back in the day, the 1970s, he was a professional footballer. (for any Americans reading - I do mean soccer). This book follows a season with Second Division Millwall, for whom he was as much a cultured midfielder as those heavy muddy pitches would allow. The contrast with the ghost-written nonsense from overpaid blingtastic mindless footballers who haven't won anything very much or even learnt to shave yet that gluts up the publishing industry these days is, well, let's just say, evident.
There is actually a story to be told here and it is told well. The team is struggling. Players confront the manager. A lot. There is not much in the way of job security or money. Bad games take a long time to get over. People shout at each other. It's always raining. The manager looks stern and withdrawn. And without giving away the ending, it does not end well. And of course it starts like all pre-seasons for all teams with the belief that this year is the year it will all happen. For Millwall, for Dunphy, this will be the year they break into the First Division.
Yes, indeed, it is the hope we just can't cope with...a cracking piece of journalism.
There is actually a story to be told here and it is told well. The team is struggling. Players confront the manager. A lot. There is not much in the way of job security or money. Bad games take a long time to get over. People shout at each other. It's always raining. The manager looks stern and withdrawn. And without giving away the ending, it does not end well. And of course it starts like all pre-seasons for all teams with the belief that this year is the year it will all happen. For Millwall, for Dunphy, this will be the year they break into the First Division.
Yes, indeed, it is the hope we just can't cope with...a cracking piece of journalism.
January 26, 2016
Can't explain what took me so long before I read this exceptional account of the life of a Professional Footballer in a non glamorous division and on a non glamorous but tight knit at least at the beginning division two team, Millwall.
Well worth a read even if professional football has moved on to much more lucrative career for the players whose power in the team has since this book been transformed out of all recognition. The basis of the assessments of players attitude still seems probably relevant.
Well worth a read even if professional football has moved on to much more lucrative career for the players whose power in the team has since this book been transformed out of all recognition. The basis of the assessments of players attitude still seems probably relevant.
December 23, 2009
Couldn't give a toss about him or Milwall,
June 22, 2011
Simply put, the best football book ever. Why? Because of it's honesty, it's unorthodox structure, and the interpretation of a sport that can only come from somebody who played and loved it
August 7, 2011
Fantastic "diary of a season" in the style of Jim Bouton's Ball Four. Way more honest and far less clichéed than most autobiographical tripe that athletes have ghosted for them these days.
June 24, 2012
A really enjoyable book about professional sport. Ahead of its time but doesn't stand out as much now.
August 12, 2012
An excellent book read years ago written by a proper writer. It is honest and succinct. A great read for any proper football fan.
February 1, 2013
Really interesting viewpoint on professional football from a professional footballer who has something to say and can actually say it!
January 28, 2015
BOOK IS VERY BAD!
May 22, 2012
An interesting view on a professional footballer's life in England in the 70s
November 29, 2014
Insightful and well-written.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews