Goldberg On Tour
On the road with 'Where's The Money Gone?'
My bags are packed, I’m ready to go - and to get myself in the mood for my forthcoming book tour, I’ve just started re-reading Motley Crue’s “The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band”, an unrivalled chronicle of wild living, sexual excess and uninhibited drink and drug consumption. This is what life on the road is like, right?
In my case, probably not. Truthfully, I’ll just be happy to renew acquaintance with some of the brilliant supporters whose stories are featured in ‘Where’s The Money Gone? The Battle For The Soul of English Football.'‘
First stop is Blackpool, where Christine Seddon and Tony Wilkinson shared their uplifting accounts of the fight against the Oyston family, whose rapacious ownership led to thousands of fans boycotting their own football club - what Tony describes as “the ultimate sacrifice.”
This wasn’t a case of fans just drifting away in the face of failure on the field; it was an organised and articulate campaign of resistance against owners who saw the arrival of Premier League football as an excuse to cash in on their investment. The High Court assessed their plunder as “illegitimate stripping” and forced them out. Blackpool’s tale has a tinge of melancholy, given that some older fans died during the years of the boycott and never got to enjoy a return to Bloomfield Road.
Come and see me tonight (9 October) in conversation with the Blackpool Supporters Trust, at the Armfield Club at 6.30pm.
Next week, on October 16, I’ll be in deepest Worcestershire at the Bewdley Festival, in the company of Midlands broadcasting legend Malcolm Boyden; and the week after (Oct 23) at the Rock n Roll Brewhouse in Birmingham with Pat Murphy from the BBC Sports Report, along with Alistair Jones from campaigning West Brom fans group Action 4 Albion, which did such great work in highlighting The Baggies plight under the hapless ownership of Guochuan Lai. Football writer Chris Lepkowski, my co-host on the The Liquidator podcast will be there, too, with Ian Passey of the ever excellent Humdrum Express providing a musical interlude.
On October 25, I’ll be signing books at the Cherry Red Records Stadium after AFC Wimbledon’s game against Burton Albion; followed by a trip to the CASA Club in Liverpool (November 6, 7pm) where I’ll be meeting up with Joe Blott from The Spirit of Shankly union. They, along with supporters of the other ‘Big Six’ clubs, fended off the threat of a European Superleague.
Then it’s on to the Green Duck Brewery in Stourbridge on November 11.
Maybe see you there - and if you want to arrange a talk or signing do get in touch. Rest assured - unlike the Crue, my rider extends to nothing more wayward than a small glass of red wine and a packet of crisps.
