{"product_id":"the-gaffer-paperback","title":"The Gaffer - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eP. J. Laverty\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eAnastasiia Osypova\u003c\/b\u003e (Illustrator), \u003cb\u003eAna Sečivanovic\u003c\/b\u003e (Designed by)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt's January 1989. Neighbours rules the screens, Madchester bosses the airwaves, Lineker, Barnes, Gazza and Co are lording it on the football field, and there's a fresh wave of optimism breezing through the nation. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNot everyone's happy though.\u003cbr\u003eThomas Bamford, known disparagingly to all as Tam Bam, is an angry man. He may have pride in his hometown on the Isle of Guff - situated 30 miles off Cornwall - but he hates everyone on it. And the feeling's mutual as he's spent most of his 47 years gorging on pasties and Lucozade (he's a good twelve stone overweight) while cursing and whinging about his never-ending ailments.\u003cbr\u003eThe only thing Tam lives for is Guff Rovers, his local fourth division football team. Though you'd be hard-pushed to call him a fan. Despite never missing a game, his brutal and unrepentant abuse from the sidelines makes him a menace to the struggling side and a nightmare to anyone sitting near him. And don't get him started on Cockney manager Gary Pullman and silver-spooned owner Gus Pinkle as he really, really hates them. \u003cbr\u003eTam's miserable existence flips when he discovers his AWOL father struck it rich in the Middle East before kicking the bucket and has left him  5million. After trying to buy Manchester United (he claims to be a childhood penpal of Alex Ferguson), Tam settles for a majority share in Guff Rovers, installing himself as the gaffer.\u003cbr\u003eTam, though, is dangerously out of his depth, sacking the entire team and buying in a hodgepodge of journeymen including a cleaner, a kebab van owner, a caber toss champion, and half of Swindon Town's reserves. The club quickly spirals out of control teetering towards their first relegation into non-league football in their 99-year history and financial ruin as Tam Bam learns there's more to football management - and life itself - than he ever realised.\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 314\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.66 x 9 x 6 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e November 15, 2022\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42122731487367,"sku":"9781925914467","price":24.46,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0601\/2623\/2711\/files\/f14952b5f7473838fbfea477ad47f82f.webp?v=1732561965","url":"https:\/\/booksby.splitshops.com\/products\/the-gaffer-paperback","provider":"Books by splitShops","version":"1.0","type":"link"}