Bob Booker Biography

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Is sir Bob on the list for future forum t-shirts Foxy ?

Pete McKee has just done one. I've not added the link on purpose. But it's got Bob, Morgs, TC and Hockey on it. Another nod to how well regarded he is.
 

Happy memories. I am the person smiling at 9:27 on the left though I can't say I remember much of the day!
 
Just to let everyone know that I have now written almost 60,000 words about Bob Booker and have finally got up to the point when he joins Sheffield United after Simon Webster's injury in November 1988.

Bob has given me the numbers of Harry Bassett, Andy Pack, Andy Dakin, Kevin Cookson, Michael Rooker
and John Garrett and I will be calling them all early in the new year.

I now need to become an instant expert on Sheffield United and have several books to read.

I wonder if anyone has any detailed scrapbooks covering the 1988/89, 89/90. 90/91 and 91/92 seasons that I might be able to look at or even borrow?

Otherwise I was thinking of coming up to read and take notes from back copies of either the Sheffield Star or Telegraph covering those periods.

Does anyone know if they are held at a library (ideally paper copies not microfiche!!) or if the newspapers themselves will have back copies?

Thanks in advance for any help or assistance.

Best wishes

Greville Waterman
 
Greville Waterman said:
Just to let everyone know that I have now written almost 60,000 words about Bob Booker and have finally got up to the point when he joins Sheffield United after Simon Webster's injury in November 1988.

Bob has given me the numbers of Harry Bassett, Andy Pack, Andy Dakin, Kevin Cookson, Michael Rooker
and John Garrett and I will be calling them all early in the new year.

I now need to become an instant expert on Sheffield United and have several books to read.

I wonder if anyone has any detailed scrapbooks covering the 1988/89, 89/90. 90/91 and 91/92 seasons that I might be able to look at or even borrow?

Otherwise I was thinking of coming up to read and take notes from back copies of either the Sheffield Star or Telegraph covering those periods.

Does anyone know if they are held at a library (ideally paper copies not microfiche!!) or if the newspapers themselves will have back copies?

Thanks in advance for any help or assistance.

Best wishes

Greville Waterman
Click to expand...

Looking forward to reading it.
 
Greville Waterman said:
Just to let everyone know that I have now written almost 60,000 words about Bob Booker and have finally got up to the point when he joins Sheffield United after Simon Webster's injury in November 1988.

Bob has given me the numbers of Harry Bassett, Andy Pack, Andy Dakin, Kevin Cookson, Michael Rooker
and John Garrett and I will be calling them all early in the new year.

I now need to become an instant expert on Sheffield United and have several books to read.

I wonder if anyone has any detailed scrapbooks covering the 1988/89, 89/90. 90/91 and 91/92 seasons that I might be able to look at or even borrow?

Otherwise I was thinking of coming up to read and take notes from back copies of either the Sheffield Star or Telegraph covering those periods.

Does anyone know if they are held at a library (ideally paper copies not microfiche!!) or if the newspapers themselves will have back copies?

Thanks in advance for any help or assistance.

Best wishes

Greville Waterman
Click to expand...
A good starting point would be Foxy - if he won't have stuff himself I'm sure he knows who does. there was a fanzine called flashing blade that might be worth referencing too. John Garrett is the club historian (I think that's the title) so he'd be a good one to discuss archives with.

I hope you enjoy this stage of the research. Judging by the contacts you have there you will have some very interesting stories told to you. I look forward to the finished article. Good luck with it.
 
Greville Waterman said:
This is just to let everybody know that I am currently writing a biography of Bob Booker. This will cover his life and times at all three clubs with which he was associated as a player, coach or assistant manager, Brentford, Brighton and Sheffield United. Bob is very supportive of this project and is assisting me in every way possible.

The book will be published around this time next year by Bennion Kearny who have already published a couple of my books on Brentford (see https://www.amazon.co.uk/Growing-Pai...ville+waterman if you are interested).

I am initially focusing upon his spell at Brentford but will soon be gathering details and interviewing former team mates and colleagues of his from his time at Sheffield United and I am well aware of just how popular he remains to this day. I have already spoken to Derek French and any other suggestions gratefully received.

I would be very interested and grateful to hear from any Sheffield United fans who would like to share their thoughts and reminiscences on Bob and what he has contributed to your club. I would really like to understand how and why you took him to your hearts and why he has remained so popular to this day.

Please leave your messages here or I can be contacted at [email protected]

Many thanks.

Greville Waterman
Click to expand...

He epitomised an era at this club, an era of incredible success, all things considered.

Dave Bassett had just taken over and we had just gone down to Division Three. We were making a good stab of going straight back up, but the club was skint - our chairman wanted to sell but nobody wanted to buy - so Bassett had to do it all on a shoestring.

Booker was part of that. If memory serves, he was knocking on for 30 and was on the verge of packing in playing and going into double glazing sales when Bassett called. In his first season we went up from the Third Division. In his second we went up from the Second. In his third we stayed in the First despite being dead and buried at Christmas and Booker scored the goal at Loftus Road that secured our status. As an ex Brentford lad, he must have enjoyed that.

Our team in those years was like the Dirty Dozen. Cheap kids, grizzled old journeymen, has beens, never weres, all expected to achieve miracles. And, more often than not, they did. To outsiders it was bloody ugly, to us, or most of us, it was like fighting Rorke's Drift or some other doomed, desperate last stand week in, week out.

As a kid that team and its ethic had a big effect on me, and the same might go for other Unitedites my age (I'm 36 now). You saw that reputations didn't matter, that you could get stuck into anyone and win. You learned that losing wasn't the worst thing, not fighting in the first place was. You learned self belief and not giving a fuck what other people thought.

And, as I say, the player who probably encapsulates that era better than any other was Bob Booker, an aging journeyman on his way out of the game when he got a phone call from the manager of a Third Division football club. He was no Paul Gascoigne, bloody hell, he was no Glyn Hodges in terms of skill, but he ran his bollocks off for this club. A real legend and still, as I approach 40, a hero of mine.

His signing for us features on this video...



The Booker years can be seen here...









Best of luck with the book, I look forward to reading it.
 
6 foot tall, cost fuck all, say Ooh Aah Bob Bookaa, say Ooh Aah Bob Bookaa !!
3 thousand Blades fans singing that song after he had majestically scored the winner at QPR which guranteed our place in the premier league was one of the most vivid and poignant times I can remember as a Blade , Legend
 
One night ay.the Derwent Water Arms in Calver, the Calver Juniors were having their end of season do. My ex wife, being a barmaid there, was asked if me and our son would like to attend. The guest was. Bob Booker.

This guy spent what seemed like hours, talking to the kids, their parents, signing shirts (my sons - twice and my daughter's a Wendy fan!). He was so....so......genuine and friendly. I rated BB so much before but so much more, after. Ooh Aah Bob Bookah!
 
I was on that trip to Fulham.. brilliant weekend .. 2 hours wasted at the match though travelling to n from the pub.. left the match about 4:20!!

On the boat ...... my mate had been gone for ages... "where've you been? ... thought you'd fallen overboard!!"

"I've been for a shit... first shit I've ever had whilst looking at the Houses of Parliament through the window..."

I also needed to use the facilities (a waz!!!) but it was my round.. my mate went for me... "I've got summat for you"

When he gave me my change back
He had got Bob Booker to sign my £5 note..... still got it in the house somewhere!!
 
WalthamstowBlade said:
He epitomised an era at this club, an era of incredible success, all things considered.

Dave Bassett had just taken over and we had just gone down to Division Three. We were making a good stab of going straight back up, but the club was skint - our chairman wanted to sell but nobody wanted to buy - so Bassett had to do it all on a shoestring.

Booker was part of that. If memory serves, he was knocking on for 30 and was on the verge of packing in playing and going into double glazing sales when Bassett called. In his first season we went up from the Third Division. In his second we went up from the Second. In his third we stayed in the First despite being dead and buried at Christmas and Booker scored the goal at Loftus Road that secured our status. As an ex Brentford lad, he must have enjoyed that.

Our team in those years was like the Dirty Dozen. Cheap kids, grizzled old journeymen, has beens, never weres, all expected to achieve miracles. And, more often than not, they did. To outsiders it was bloody ugly, to us, or most of us, it was like fighting Rorke's Drift or some other doomed, desperate last stand week in, week out.

As a kid that team and its ethic had a big effect on me, and the same might go for other Unitedites my age (I'm 36 now). You saw that reputations didn't matter, that you could get stuck into anyone and win. You learned that losing wasn't the worst thing, not fighting in the first place was. You learned self belief and not giving a fuck what other people thought.

And, as I say, the player who probably encapsulates that era better than any other was Bob Booker, an aging journeyman on his way out of the game when he got a phone call from the manager of a Third Division football club. He was no Paul Gascoigne, bloody hell, he was no Glyn Hodges in terms of skill, but he ran his bollocks off for this club. A real legend and still, as I approach 40, a hero of mine.

His signing for us features on this video...



The Booker years can be seen here...









Best of luck with the book, I look forward to reading it.
Click to expand...


I was welling up reading that!
 
WalthamstowBlade said:
Our team in those years was like the Dirty Dozen. Cheap kids, grizzled old journeymen, has beens, never weres, all expected to achieve miracles. And, more often than not, they did. To outsiders it was bloody ugly, to us, or most of us, it was like fighting Rorke's Drift or some other doomed, desperate last stand week in, week out.

As a kid that team and its ethic had a big effect on me, and the same might go for other Unitedites my age (I'm 36 now). You saw that reputations didn't matter, that you could get stuck into anyone and win. You learned that losing wasn't the worst thing, not fighting in the first place was. You learned self belief and not giving a fuck what other people thought.

Best of luck with the book, I look forward to reading it.
Click to expand...

Amen brother.
 

Hodgesleftpeg said:
I was on that trip to Fulham.. brilliant weekend .. 2 hours wasted at the match though travelling to n from the pub.. left the match about 4:20!!

On the boat ...... my mate had been gone for ages... "where've you been? ... thought you'd fallen overboard!!"

"I've been for a shit... first shit I've ever had whilst looking at the Houses of Parliament through the window..."

I also needed to use the facilities (a waz!!!) but it was my round.. my mate went for me... "I've got summat for you"

When he gave me my change back
He had got Bob Booker to sign my £5 note..... still got it in the house somewhere!!
Click to expand...

In terms of Blades days out where the result was of no real significance this was definitely the best ever.

It was the first time that I met the London Blades of the day and paved the way to many great away days with a great set of lads and lasses, many of whom I still see regularly.

It was what football should be all about to me.
 
Greville Waterman said:
Just to let everyone know that I have now written almost 60,000 words about Bob Booker and have finally got up to the point when he joins Sheffield United after Simon Webster's injury in November 1988.

Bob has given me the numbers of Harry Bassett, Andy Pack, Andy Dakin, Kevin Cookson, Michael Rooker
and John Garrett and I will be calling them all early in the new year.

I now need to become an instant expert on Sheffield United and have several books to read.

I wonder if anyone has any detailed scrapbooks covering the 1988/89, 89/90. 90/91 and 91/92 seasons that I might be able to look at or even borrow?

Otherwise I was thinking of coming up to read and take notes from back copies of either the Sheffield Star or Telegraph covering those periods.

Does anyone know if they are held at a library (ideally paper copies not microfiche!!) or if the newspapers themselves will have back copies?

Thanks in advance for any help or assistance.

Best wishes

Greville Waterman
Click to expand...
I think you may be the expert required here Silent Blade
 
The goal he scored at the sty in the last minute to bring us level in the Zenith Data Cup sticks in my memory everyone went nuts. Any United player scoring against the pigs is instantly a legend in my eyes.
 
Here is an extract from my forthcoming Bob Booker Biography. Hope you all like it. It covers his first few frenetic days after he joined the Blades before he made his debut against Bristol City.

Any comments, stories, additions, corrections really welcomed.

Thank you.

Best wishes

Greville Waterman

https://bfctalk.wordpress.com/2017/02/19/bob-booker-biography-extract-2/
 
Greville Waterman said:
Here is an extract from my forthcoming Bob Booker Biography. Hope you all like it. It covers his first few frenetic days after he joined the Blades before he made his debut against Bristol City.

Any comments, stories, additions, corrections really welcomed.

Thank you.

Best wishes

Greville Waterman

https://bfctalk.wordpress.com/2017/02/19/bob-booker-biography-extract-2/
Click to expand...
‘He might be older than you, Stan, but he’s played more games already than you’ll every play and he can score goals too.’”
 
Greville Waterman said:
As a favour, if you like it I wonder if you could all forward this link to any other places or communities where Blades congregate.

Is there anywhere else?

Many thanks

Greville

https://bfctalk.wordpress.com/2017/02/19/bob-booker-biography-extract-2/
Click to expand...
Really enjoyed that little taster. If you're after some constructive feedback I'd ask whether Bob had even heard of Tony Pritchett or Praise or Grumble, let alone was worried about them as he signed. As for the rest of it, very good. The more quotes from others the better as a general rule for the book.
 
Greville I enjoyed that chapter, good read, however just two or three points to note:-

"How would he deal with the prospect of nearly 20,000 supporters baying their disapproval at him should his performances fall short of their expectations? "

When BB signed for us our usual home gates were around the 12k mark.

"How would he feel when he read Tony Pritchett’s articles and match reports criticizing him in the pages of The Sheffield Star"

Tony Pritchett very rarely, if ever criticised players in print, in fact most Blades fans felt he was far too lenient in his appraisal in Monday night's Sheffield Star!

"We all caught our breath for a while whilst Harry and Geoff had a discussion. I looked behind me and Carl Bradshaw and Simon Tracey were wrestling with each other on the floor"

Carl Bradshaw didn't sign for United until the season after.
 
Geville, if you're looking for someone to proof the chapters on BBs time at United send them through to me, I have quite a good knowledge on United, especially the era when Bob was at the club.
 
Thanks SUFC Handsworth, I might well take you up on your kind offer. What's your email address? I still have a fair bit to write first though!

Thanks to everyone else and I will make suitable amendments to the copy in the light of your comments.
 
SUFC Handsworth said:
Greville I enjoyed that chapter, good read, however just two or three points to note:-

"How would he deal with the prospect of nearly 20,000 supporters baying their disapproval at him should his performances fall short of their expectations? "

When BB signed for us our usual home gates were around the 12k mark.

"How would he feel when he read Tony Pritchett’s articles and match reports criticizing him in the pages of The Sheffield Star"

Tony Pritchett very rarely, if ever criticised players in print, in fact most Blades fans felt he was far too lenient in his appraisal in Monday night's Sheffield Star!

"We all caught our breath for a while whilst Harry and Geoff had a discussion. I looked behind me and Carl Bradshaw and Simon Tracey were wrestling with each other on the floor"

Carl Bradshaw didn't sign for United until the season after.
Click to expand...
Good point about Bradshaw, thinking about it I don't think Tracey was there either at that point was he? He didn't make his debut until the Huddersfield home game which was late in the season although he obviously might have joined earlier.
 
Tracey was there and I think it was Whitehouse who did the wrestling !! BTW I spoke to Benno who still has no idea why he was suddenly dropped and replaced by Tracey for the promotion run in. Bassett has never given a proper reason either. Anyone got any clues?
 

Greville Waterman said:
Here is an extract from my forthcoming Bob Booker Biography. Hope you all like it. It covers his first few frenetic days after he joined the Blades before he made his debut against Bristol City.

Any comments, stories, additions, corrections really welcomed.

Thank you.

Best wishes

Greville Waterman

https://bfctalk.wordpress.com/2017/02/19/bob-booker-biography-extract-2/
Click to expand...

I think our fanzine, Flashing Blade, was up and running when Booker signed. Have you been able to access copies of that? It would be your best source for contemporary fan opinion on him. If you haven't, I have near a full set which you're welcome to look through.
 
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