I’m with the Cosmos: The Steve Hunt Story

by Steve Hunt, Ian McCauley

I'm with the Cosmos' was the phrase New York Cosmos players used to get a table reserved at the city's best restaurants or skip the queue at the glamorous Studio 54 nightclub. And it was one Steve Hunt became used to trotting out, after he was transferred from Aston Villa to New York Cosmos at the tender age of 20, having played just seven times for the first team at Villa. He walked straight into a world of celebrity and a team of superstars including two of the world's finest players, Pele and Franz Beckenbauer. This is Steve's story of those heady days in New York - but also a stellar career back in England during the early 1980s. Returning to the West Midlands, Steve played for Coventry City, West Bromwich Albion and returned to his beloved Aston Villa for a second spell - and at the age of 28, he won the first of two England caps under Bobby Robson, realising an ambition held since early childhood. This is Steve's story, and in it he writes frankly about his football career, as well as his life outside the game. Steve Hunt collaborated with Ian McCauley on his autobiography. Ian is a former teacher, now living on the Isle of Wight. This is his first book although he enjoys writing short stories for pleasure. Ian is a Birmingham City supporter and Steve - a lifelong Aston Villa fan - has long since forgiven him.

244 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 8, 2021

Reviews

[Paul Kirkwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Steve had an extraordinary career, it has to be said. After a handful of games for Aston Villa he was transferred to New York Cosmos where he played in the same team as Pele and Beckenbauer, and later either alongside or against the likes of Cruyff, Best, Banks and Moore among many other superstars. Wow!

The snag with the book is that he covers off the Cosmos era in about 50 pages and they, along with the rest of the book, are light on detail. His experience of playing on the fringe of the England side is quite interesting. Not so sure about the sections relating to his love of dogs and Bruce Springsteen and there are too many references to other biographies to further pad out the thin narrative.

You can almost hear Steve recounting what he can remember to his ghost author for transcription. It all makes for a light, easy read, though. I cantered through it in a day.

His tale is probably better suited to a magazine feature or radio interview. I first heard about the book that way - on the Paul Ross show on TalkSport.

[Jamie Brogden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hunting for gold

I didn't know what to expect from the book. Steve Hunt was somebody I have heard in the seventies but never knew really about him. The book starts at the highlight of his career. Meeting Pele is great but playing in the same team as him and being one of the chief providers for his goals. He played with greats at the end of their career which is a shame. In my opinion his career started too high. Injuries and poor decisions hinders his careers. The book has a large amount of regrets but which is sad. Good book with a lot of good stories and anecdotes

[Jon Bounds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contemplative and revealing autobiography. Come for the Pele anecdotes, stay for the honest and warm words on the powers of friendship.