The Ghost of White Hart Lane: In Search of My Father the Football Legend

by Rob White, Julie Welch

'Had John lived, he could have been one of the greatest footballers of all time' - Jimmy Greaves. When John White was killed by a bolt of lightning in 1964, the football world was rocked by the tragedy. White was just 27 years of age. Nicknamed the 'Ghost' for the way that he could drift into space undetected, White played inside-forward for the great double-winning Tottenham Hotspur side of the early sixties. British football was entering a golden period and Bill Nicholson's free-flowing Spurs side was right at the forefront. White himself was on the cusp of greatness. Even alongside giants of the game like Dave Mackay and Danny Blanchflower, he stood out as a playmaker with incredible vision and touch. White lifted the European Cup Winners' Cup for Spurs (the first European trophy won by any British side) and gained 22 caps for Scotland, but he was also a family man. Six months before he died, his beloved wife Sandra, gave birth to their second child, a son called Rob. Rob White never knew his father. The man who was known by hundreds of thousands of football fans across the country, was a complete stranger to him. "The Ghost of White Hart Lane" is the result of interviews with his father's teammates, followers, and family members. Within these pages Rob White and Julie Welch have built up a portrait, not only of a brilliant and gifted young man, but also of a lost era.

Genres: Biography

304 pages, Hardcover

First published March 10, 2011

Reviews

[Simon]

Five stars! Why?
Because it moved me with the clear and simple way it told the story. Because of the way it allowed the way words work poetically to enhance the touching love, love that has nothing to attach itself to at the outset, of the son for the father he never knew. Because it tells us an awful lot about the way football was in the early 1960s. Because it captures the glory glory years of an undoubted great team. Because it cuts across times, eras, players in a unique and remarkably successful way. Because it reminds us of the great football writers of the age from Bryon Butler and Peter Corrigan to Ian Wooldridge but most of all Ken Jones. Because it has moments of howl howl agony expressed with quiet dignity.
If I were only to pick out one snippet, it would be the meeting of the author with Danny Blanchflower's son where they compare the two deaths of their fathers. I watched my own father's ten year decline through Alzeimer's (Rob White says it has this 'that happened to me too' effect on you); it was the point where the tears that had banked up a time or two rolled.

[Pete daPixie]

A most unusual and unique footie biography that had me reaching far back into my own memory banks. I did see 'The Ghost'. My old granddad took me to Maine Road to watch Manchester City and Spurs when I was around eight years old. We sat very close to the touchline in the main stand and I can vividly remember watching Cliff Jones on the wing. John White was playing that day in the legendary 'Glory, Glory' Tottenham Hotspur team of the early sixties. In fact, I was at Old Trafford a couple of seasons later when United played Spurs, the night Dave Mackay broke his leg, and John White was in the Spurs team again.
A book written in search of the father he never knew, Rob White resurrects a lost football era.
Typical that Tottenham Hotspur felt that they could not accept this book in their club shop. Not unusual in these high finance days, but indicative of why something has been lost to the game, its spirits and ghosts.

[Hans Brienesse]

This is a great book. It is great if you are a Spurs fan, and equally great if you are not, but merely passionate about football. It is less a son's search for a father he never really knew and more at a fascinating look at football in the 1960's. The story of the footballer John White begins early on in his life and lays the groundwork for all the events that follow. The fact he was such an asset to the great Double winning Spurs side is not overshadowed by the mere fact of the tragic way he died but highlights that the game relies on great skill before prima donnas, man management before money, and above all, game sense. Read it, and become totally immersed.

[Paul Mullan]

Fantastic account of the life of a star player of the great 1960s Tottenham Hotspur team. Goes into honest detail of the affect not really knowing his dad and discovering secrets about him had on the author.

[Leaburn]

There are very few impressive books about football. A handful of exceptions aside, we tend to be served up fairly bland biographies, that struggle to reveal much character or too many deeply insightful revelations about the player’s career (Paul McGrath’s searing autobiography is the most notable exception).

The Ghost tells a tale that was fresh to me as I had never read about the great Spurs team of the early 60s. Always meant to read Hunter Davies’ The Glory Game about the subject but ultimately it never appealed enough to make the top of my reading list. Reading good reviews of the Ghost and hearing an interesting angle about John White’s premature death, made me pick this book up.

There are two main areas covered. Firstly we have the footballing life of John White. The most informative part was hearing about the wider team and their exploits on the pitch. Was great background knowledge for why Spurs became one of the great clubs in English football. However, this history was interwoven with a frustrating hagiography of White’s role. It felt incredibly repetitive and at one stage I was close to giving up on the book.

The other topic covered is the author’s feelings of loss, a family secret unravelled and how White’s son desperately tried to piece his father together using whatever anecdotes he could accumulate from former acquaintances. This had the potential to be emotionally involving and heart rending but somehow, maybe owing to the tone of writing, it just didn’t grip me. It’s an issue I should be able to relate to but it didn’t grab me, I hate to say it but the book felt self indulgent, self pitying and most bluntly, I’d describe it as pointlessly dull.

A difficult book to finish.

[George Ring]

Excellent book, as a 10 year old growing up in Eldon Road, Wood Green (just off White Hart Lane) it was hard being an Arsenal fan when the Spurs team was so magnificent (especially John White and Dave Mackay) and Arsenal were fairly average.

The book brought back great memories of alternate weeks at Highbury and White Hart Lane watching my team and the best team in the World, possibly the best team EVER!

[Dan Cohen]

This is a good book describing the life and career of footballer John White and also describing the author's personal journey. It is written by his son working with Julie Welch, who has previous for writing about the Double team in which John White played. It's an easy read and moving at times, and it's wonderful to read about that era, that team, and that player.

[Mr K Torres]

Great read

John White...what a legend. Worth a read for any Spurs or football fan. The glorious 60s. Wish I could have lived it. COYS

[Stephen Tucker]

A wonderful but heartbreaking story of what might have been and a son's search for the father he never knew.

[Mike Perryman]

Sad story of a man who had it all and never really got there after all and his son finding him after he has died

[Craig]

A biography of John White, a Scottish footballer, who spent most of his career at Spurs. He played a major part in Spurs double winning side. Tragically, he was killed by lightning whilst sheltering under a tree on a golf course at the age of 26.

I was interested in this book as John's second senior club was Falkirk, the team I support. I'm too young to have seen John play but remember my dad and other relatives describing a skillful player who was highly regarded by other players and fans. I'm curious to look on the Internet for old footage.

The book was co-written by his son Rob and seems a balanced and informative account of a young man who was a gentleman on and off the pitch and it never veers into maudlin sentimentality. I think it will appeal to all football fans and anyone interested in a talented human being from a bygone era.

[Steve Parcell]

It was a good book well written by his son but I felt it could have been better. Because all the stories were written from other people's perspective it lessened the impact. Also other books told the story of how distraught everybody was it has death. I don't think this book goes in to enough detail. However you can forgive the author as it must be difficult to write a book about your dad and his needless death.

[Andi Garbett]

All about John White and how he helped Tottenham Hotspur win the league and cup double in the early sixties. The European win soon after and his tragic death at the young age of 27 after being struck by lightning while playing golf. RIP John White!

[Steve Chilton]

A book that was going to strike a chord however good it was, as I watched Spurs in this era and often used to run through the golf course where he was struck by lightning. It was quite well written by his son, and has good detail of his life and the effects of his death.

[Kevin Coaker]

The bookends of unearthing your father's story and then secrets make for a good read. The middle trawl through his childhood and football career were less involving. A talented player, but not the most interesting.

[Graham Stacey]

A touching account of a son searching for knowledge of the father he never knew, who happened to play in the best Spurs side ever.