Whose Side Are You On

(Paperback)

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Description

A personal journey through sport in Northern Ireland. How did stars like George Best emerge from the rubble of sectarian violence From the late 1960s, Northern Ireland has been mired in violence. Yet it has had seen more than its fair share of sporting heroes - from footballer George Best, through snooker champion Alex Higgins, to boxer Barry McGuigan. Life was tough for these working-class lads, but they could shine on the football field or find refuge at the town boxing club. For other kids, like the young Teddy Jamieson, a knockabout in the back-lanes was as good as it got, but at least they had their heroes. Watching McGuigan on telly, Teddy could feel proud to be Northern Irish. But sport - like everything else in Northern Ireland - could quickly turn nasty when politics were involved. This extraordinary journey through sport and the Troubles has it all- from Olympic gold-medals to Gaelic football; from death threats to reconciliations. Then there is Teddy's own story, as we learn how the age-old playground question 'Whose side are you on' doesn't always have an easy answer.

Reviews

Candid, insightful and often hilarious. . . . Anyone who likes France, cycling, media coverage of sport, obsessives and above all the magic that is the Tour de France will enjoy this book. --Alastair Campbell

Author Bio

Teddy Jamieson is a writer for The Herald and Sunday Herald newspapers in Glasgow. His only sporting claim to fame is that he played in a championship winning five-a-side team at Stirling University. That was, though, quite a long time ago. This is his first book.