Finn McCool's Football Club: The Birth, Death, and Resurrection of a Pub Soccer Team in the City of the Dead

(Paperback)

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Description

In 2004, Belfast-born Stephen Rea moved to New Orleans, a city where "football" means something entirely different than what it does back home. After struggling to find a place to watch European soccer games, Rea discovered Finn McCool's pub and its mixed clientele of good-humored European ex-pats, charismatic New Orleanians, and assorted matchless personalities. Before long he was playing on the pub's motley over-thirty-five fledgling soccer team. Gathered at the bar on August 27, 2005, members of the team were discussing their upcoming match, untroubled by the impending storm and unknowing that their city and team would nearly be obliterated by Hurricane Katrina in a matter of hours. Days later, the lucky among them were scattered across the country; the others struggled to survive as they awaited rescue in New Orleans. With clarity and compassion, Rea examines the disaster as he profiles the experiences of his teammates and their efforts to resurrect the team and pub that had become so central in all of their lives. A gripping and moving memoir about an unusual pub team and a devastating natural disaster, Finn McCools Football Club is a celebration of ex-pats and pubs, soccer and sportsmanship, and the strength it takes to rebuild a team, a city, and a life.

Reviews

An uplifting account of friendship, football and overcoming the odds in the face of tragedy. Stephen Rea has scored an impressive winner. Derek Rae, senior UEFA Champions League commentator, ESPN

Funny, touching, troubling and ultimately inspiring story about a crew of colorful characters who bond at a gritty Irish pub in New Orleans to watch English matches and form an amateur squad that is shattered by Hurricane Katrina. Steven Goff, Washington Post

Given the growing number of books about American soccer fans trapped in a country that doesnt value or even understand their sport, Reas take adds an enjoyably different perspective. Rea is an agreeable chronicler, and his blend of comedy, tragedy, and social observation moves briskly...Reas thoughts on the pains and pleasures of globalisms diaspora, and the horrors of Katrina and its aftermath, make worthwhile reading. Keir Graff, Booklist Online

Great story about real characters bonded by a passion for football and life. Stephen Nicol, ESPN commentator

This book is hardly just about soccer. Its about New Orleans through an Irishmans eyes, an amalgamation of stories and experiences. Angus Lind, columnist, New Orleans Times-Picayune

Stephen Rea uses one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history as the backdrop for a love story not your average love story either, as its also the love of a city, the ties that bind friends, and the passion for a sport. Soccer brings fans from around the globe together and that has never been proven more true than in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Reas book brings one of the biggest stories of the century down to a touching, emotional, personal level in a solid debut effort. Phil Schoen, GolTV commentator

Stephen Reas gripping tale of how he and his New Orleanian band of futbol player/friends survived Hurricane Katrina and regrouped is a study in tenacity Sports lovers, particularly those who dig soccer, can find plenty of action within the pages, as well. This is a book for fans of New Orleans, of the universal ball game, of ex-pats and of pubs. Score 10-nil for Rea and the McCools. The Irish American Post

Finn McCools Football Club is a must-read for soccer fans. The grit and determination displayed by these lads in the face of disaster was amazing. Their spirit and never-say-die attitude is captivating. When the history of soccer is written in the U.S., I hope the players, management, and fans of the Finn McCools club will get proper recognition for the major role they were able to play in promoting the Beautiful Game. Tommy Smyth, the Auld Onion Bag Man, ESPN commentator

A powerful and often haunting account, which shows how, in the wake of disaster, the friendships formed by football were all that some survivors had left. Jon Spurling, 4-star review, FourFourTwo magazine

The tale of their quest for football glory and the transplantation of neighborhood football clubs from across the pond has been perfectly told in a fine book written by Irish New Orleanian Stephen Rea...Rea, from Belfast, brings to the table an Irish lyricism, intricate wordplay, occasional gravitas and excellent humor, ultimately producing an extremely readable book that is a snapshot of our citys times. Paul Wegmann, New Orleans Living magazine

The book follows the team as they cope with the hurricane and its aftermath, and rejoices in the unlikely return of Rea, the club, its members, the pub, and the city itself The book is an unlikely success story set in an unlikely city. New Orleans Review

As the best sports writing can be, Finn McCoolss is so much more than a book about just a game it is in the face of what was surely one of the most difficult experiences imaginable that Rea is able to write so powerfully about the importance of family, friendship and football With his debut Stephen Rea has written a work of literature well worth reading. Patrick Thurston, 90 Minutes magazine

New Orleans is not a place you immediately associate with the beautiful game, nevertheless, the Big Easy is responsible for one of the best books about soccer ever to emerge from this side of the pond Reas account of his experiences forming a pub team and living through Hurricane Katrina with his teammates is a must read for all soccer fans. Anyone who has ran away to America and joined a pub football team will identify with the humor and passion of this incredible story David Witchard, First Touch Magazine

Rea shares footballers stories with realistic details and colorful quotes More to the point, Rea holds up Finns as a model of post-Katrina community spirit. Leigh Ann Stuart, New Orleans magazine

A classic Irish story Author Stephen Rea has scored a major hit with this book A must-read book. Mark Stokes, The Irish Emigrant
An uplifting account of friendship, football and overcoming the odds in the face of tragedy. Stephen Rea has scored an impressive winner. Derek Rae, senior UEFA Champions League commentator, ESPN

Funny, touching, troubling and ultimately inspiring story about a crew of colorful characters who bond at a gritty Irish pub in New Orleans to watch English matches and form an amateur squad that is shattered by Hurricane Katrina. Steven Goff, Washington Post

Given the growing number of books about American soccer fans trapped in a country that doesnt value or even understand their sport, Reas take adds an enjoyably different perspective. Rea is an agreeable chronicler, and his blend of comedy, tragedy, and social observation moves briskly...Reas thoughts on the pains and pleasures of globalisms diaspora, and the horrors of Katrina and its aftermath, make worthwhile reading. Keir Graff, Booklist Online

Great story about real characters bonded by a passion for football and life. Stephen Nicol, ESPN commentator

This book is hardly just about soccer. Its about New Orleans through an Irishmans eyes, an amalgamation of stories and experiences. Angus Lind, columnist, New Orleans Times-Picayune

Stephen Rea uses one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history as the backdrop for a love story not your average love story either, as its also the love of a city, the ties that bind friends, and the passion for a sport. Soccer brings fans from around the globe together and that has never been proven more true than in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Reas book brings one of the biggest stories of the century down to a touching, emotional, personal level in a solid debut effort. Phil Schoen, GolTV commentator

Stephen Reas gripping tale of how he and his New Orleanian band of futbol player/friends survived Hurricane Katrina and regrouped is a study in tenacity Sports lovers, particularly those who dig soccer, can find plenty of action within the pages, as well. This is a book for fans of New Orleans, of the universal ball game, of ex-pats and of pubs. Score 10-nil for Rea and the McCools. The Irish American Post

Finn McCools Football Club is a must-read for soccer fans. The grit and determination displayed by these lads in the face of disaster was amazing. Their spirit and never-say-die attitude is captivating. When the history of soccer is written in the U.S., I hope the players, management, and fans of the Finn McCools club will get proper recognition for the major role they were able to play in promoting the Beautiful Game. Tommy Smyth, the Auld Onion Bag Man, ESPN commentator

A powerful and often haunting account, which shows how, in the wake of disaster, the friendships formed by football were all that some survivors had left. Jon Spurling, 4-star review, FourFourTwo magazine

The tale of their quest for football glory and the transplantation of neighborhood football clubs from across the pond has been perfectly told in a fine book written by Irish New Orleanian Stephen Rea...Rea, from Belfast, brings to the table an Irish lyricism, intricate wordplay, occasional gravitas and excellent humor, ultimately producing an extremely readable book that is a snapshot of our citys times. Paul Wegmann, New Orleans Living magazine

The book follows the team as they cope with the hurricane and its aftermath, and rejoices in the unlikely return of Rea, the club, its members, the pub, and the city itself The book is an unlikely success story set in an unlikely city. New Orleans Review

As the best sports writing can be, Finn McCoolss is so much more than a book about just a game it is in the face of what was surely one of the most difficult experiences imaginable that Rea is able to write so powerfully about the importance of family, friendship and football With his debut Stephen Rea has written a work of literature well worth reading. Patrick Thurston, 90 Minutes magazine

New Orleans is not a place you immediately associate with the beautiful game, nevertheless, the Big Easy is responsible for one of the best books about soccer ever to emerge from this side of the pond Reas account of his experiences forming a pub team and living through Hurricane Katrina with his teammates is a must read for all soccer fans. Anyone who has ran away to America and joined a pub football team will identify with the humor and passion of this incredible story David Witchard, First Touch Magazine

Rea shares footballers stories with realistic details and colorful quotes More to the point, Rea holds up Finns as a model of post-Katrina community spirit. Leigh Ann Stuart, New Orleans magazine

A classic Irish story Author Stephen Rea has scored a major hit with this book A must-read book. Mark Stokes, The Irish Emigrant

Author Bio

Stephen Rea is a freelance writer who has been watching the World Cup for four decades. He is originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland but has lived in New Orleans, Louisiana since 2004. A former national newspaper journalist in the UK, he penned the critically-acclaimed memoir Finn McCool s Football Club and writes a weekly column for the official website of the English Premier League club Chelsea.