The Damned United
A gripping tale of ambition and rivalry in football
David Peace author Anders Lustgarten editor
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Published:4th Mar '16
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This compelling narrative follows Brian Clough's tumultuous journey as he attempts to manage Leeds United, a club he once loathed. The Damned United explores his inner turmoil.
When Don Revie took charge of Leeds United, the club was situated in a rugby league town with little interest in football. Attendance was below 10,000, and the team had never tasted victory. Revie transformed the club, creating one of the greatest teams in English football history, built on sheer determination and tactical acumen. This remarkable journey is marred by jealousy and misunderstanding from others in the football community, who failed to appreciate the qualities that fueled his success.
In 1974, Brian Clough, known for his controversial persona in British football, attempts to restore his managerial reputation by taking on the daunting task of leading Leeds United to glory in the European Cup. This is particularly challenging given his long-standing disdain for the team he now manages—a team that reciprocates his feelings. Clough's journey is fraught with internal conflict as he grapples with the ghosts of his past and the weight of expectations.
The Damned United, adapted from David Peace's acclaimed novel, invites audiences into the complex psyche of a footballing genius facing his limitations. The stage adaptation, crafted by Anders Lustgarten, premiered at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, showcasing the fierce beauty and harsh realities of football, often described as the working man's ballet. It captures the essence of a sport that is both a passion and a battleground for its players and managers alike.
In his novel, Peace has created a character who seems infinitely more human and "real" than those who appear in any number of non-fiction books – it is quite an achievemen * Scotsman on the original novel of 'The Damned United' *
Lustgarten’s script captures the complexity of Clough as a flawed hero – there is self-belief verging on arrogance but also passionate vision and the thin-skinned vulnerability of a player whose promising career on the field ended prematurely * Yorkshire Post *
Anders Lustgarten's compellingly strange, thoroughly theatrical adaptation makes Clough a kind of tragic antihero, a Richard III of the dugout, impelled to ruinous overreach by the same instincts that take him to triumph. * The Times *
Peace’s unique vision is well translated to the stage. * Exeunt *
ISBN: 9781350005136
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 100g
88 pages