The (mostly) Football World According to Ollie

Nobody does offbeat like Ian Holloway – known to one and all in football as ‘Ollie’. 

As manager of Blackpool FC – and having somehow guided them to the Premier League – he told thousands of fans at the civic reception in the town that he had something in common with Blackpool.. “we both look better when the lights are out.” 

His penchant for laughing at himself and enjoying sharing his wisdom became his forte, but Ollie is no clown. Father of three profoundly deaf daughters, Ollie guided Blackpool to the top division against all odds, almost took Plymouth Argyle to the Promised Land and managing established Premier League clubs such as Leicester and Crystal Palace as well as maintaining a dignified presence throughout a turbulent spell as QPR boss during a career that has spanned 40 years as player and manager (plus a spell where he fulfilled both roles).

He has been dubbed as ‘inspirational’ by those who played for him, a ‘genius’ by those who owned the clubs he managed and made huge profits for, and a loveable rogue by football fans in general.

Now, he turns that wisdom, passion for the game - and occasional feistiness - into a reflection of football that only he could provide. 

With 100 topics covering everything from VAR to the Saudi Pro League – from FFP to man-buns, mullets, playing from the back, pundits, the penchant for employing German youth coaches nobody has heard of, plus American ownership, ‘The (mostly) Football World According to Ollie’ is a one-stop shop to the bonkers world of football and so much more.

Add in the odd curve ball of the Antiques Road Show, dad dancing, Donald Trump and his genuine love of women’s football and you have the perfect read or gift for any football fan.