Benali Autobiography

[Paulwantsapint81]

Saw an advert for Sir Francis Benali’s autobiography last night

Has anyone brought it yet?

Will it sell many copies outside of SO postcodes?

Edited 21 August, 2021 by Paulwantsapint81

[Essruu]

Judging by the level of enthusiasm your discussion has generated on this thread on a Saints forum, it's not looking good 🤔

[skintsaint]

I'll wait for the film.

[lambtiss]

27 minutes ago, skintsaint said:

I'll wait for the film.

With Tom Cruise playing a tough little soccer ball player from the Bronx who wins the World Soccer Cup for the USA and then goes on to win Olympic Gold in the marathon beating a Russian and a Chinese athlete

[skintsaint]

1 hour ago, craig said:

With Tom Cruise playing a tough little soccer ball player from the Bronx who wins the World Soccer Cup for the USA and then goes on to win Olympic Gold in the marathon beating a Russian and a Chinese athlete

Sounds epic!

[Wade Garrett]

Hope there’s a whole chapter about the time he put John Fashanu about 6 foot in the air.

Well worth a red.

[rallyboy]

It's a good read - I learned some interesting stuff about a couple of players in particular, and managers....and Cortese! 😲

[Paulwantsapint81]

Needs to be read by everyone 
 

MLT was a early teens hero but Franny is a legendary hero of late teens & adulthood 

[Cumbria Saint]

8 hours ago, Paulwantsapint81 said:

Needs to be read by everyone 
 

MLT was a early teens hero but Franny is a legendary hero of late teens & adulthood 

Franny is one of my heroes. But I'm stuck abroad under Covid lockdown. An ideal time to read his autobiography. Is his book available online at all?

[Toadhall Saint]

49 minutes ago, Cumbria Saint said:

Franny is one of my heroes. But I'm stuck abroad under Covid lockdown. An ideal time to read his autobiography. Is his book available online at all?

There are kindle & audio versions available via Amazon 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

On my wishlist for Christmas.

[Streaky]

4 hours ago, Toadhall Saint said:

There are kindle & audio versions available via Amazon 

Also a hard copy for £13.99 on amazon. I've just ordered.

[Colinjb]

Ordered a copy too. Been too long since i've enjoyed a good read.

[Saint Shady]

Just finished listening to this on audible and was very enjoyable. A must for all saints fans. Well read by Franny himself which is a nice touch. 

[Cumbria Saint]

A good read on Kindle. Cortese is definitely not Frannie's best mate.

An all round good bloke with a body as hard as nails and a mind of steel.

[Miltonaggro]

Should be an interesting read as was at Saints for almost 20 years under twelve managers - remarkably, McMenemy to Sturrock.  My memory is of a limited player probably lucky to get 300 games in the top flight (which I think he'd admit, and certainly not alone in terms of SFC teams of that era), but bringing loads of positive energy, 100% committed and Saints through and through.  Had some ups and downs since playing days but comes over as a stoic, straight up and thoroughly decent human being.  My favourite Benali moment was the kung fu kick on the precocious Nicky Barmby at White Hart Lane - had a good view that day and Chuck Norris would have been proud.  There was an audible gasp from the Spurs crowd... :) 

[Sunglasses Ron]

I've got the hardback and will launch into it in the near future.

I'm keen to know more about his approach to completing his fitness challenges as much as reading about his Saints career.

[Wurzel]

Just got to the end of the first section that Kindle allows you to read as a free sample. Went straight to the Buy It Now button to download the rest of the book. Looking forward to reading the rest.

[Sinned]

Broke off from all my usual reading material to give Frannie’s book a look in.   Just finished it.   Very good read.   He is rather different to what we understand many professional footballers are like.   Strictly tee-total, non smoking and very much a family man, who idolises his wife and kids.

 

 

[WestMidSaint]

Just finished the audiobook and absolutely loved it. Should be a must read/listen for any Saints fan in late 30s or older. 
 

So often I had goosebumps listening to how much he loved the club and never wanted to play anywhere else. 
 

Loved that he wore his saints vest under the Forrest kit v Pompey. 
 

Sounded like he managed the megalomaniac NC situation as well as he could and I’m glad the club invited him back into the fray. I’m sure every club has their Franny’s and they should not be forgotten. 
 

I still can’t believe what he achieved for charity and the length he pushed himself too. That section was moving and I don’t think he could’ve come across better. At no point did it come across as self publication, just an unbelievably decent man. 
 

It sounded like a significant proportion of his career was spent trying win around new managers which can’t be easy. 
 

Proper family man and proper Saints fan!

[bangkoksaint]

I’ve never met Franny. However at Anfield a couple of seasons ago I met his son and we exchanged seats so he could sit with his GF. He was a thoroughly decent, polite and amiable young man.

[Lord Duckhunter]

I thought it was pretty poor to be honest. I read a lot of biographies/auto biographies and this one wasn’t great, just a list of “this happened”, then “that happened”, without any opinions or context. Too nice to everyone, bar Cortese, and even then it wasn’t particularly hard hitting.  Maybe the audio one would have been better but I didn’t think it was particularly well written. Just an opinion, doesn’t deflect from my opinion of his career in anyway shape or form, just a shame as I thought it would be better. 

Edited 15 October, 2021 by Lord Duckhunter

[haddock22]

First half of book talking about his career with saints is good.Second half talking about his various fundrasing events while admirable is not that interesting .