Brian greenhoff autobiography vs biography

by Brian Greenhoff
Empire, £14.99
Reviewed by Joyce Woolridge
From WSC 315 May 2013

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Rarely can five years have generated as much football print as Tommy Docherty’s stint at Manchester United.

Although Docherty’s managerial skills and style continue to polarise opinion, no one has argued he was a defensive genius. The statistics bear that out: away from home his United team always let in more than they scored, apart from their one year sabbatical in Division Two.

Brian Greenhoff’s blunt autobiography, fully embracing the Yorkshire stereotype of never being afraid to call a spade a shovel, at least has the merit of bringing into focus what, especially in the mid-1970s, could be considered as one of the most cultured centre-half pairings in British football: himself and Martin Buchan.

Sammy McIlroy here deems them “absolutely one of the great underrated defensive partnerships”.

When Greenhoff signed for United as a