The Damned Utd

The Damned Utd by David Peace Faber and Faber HK$104

Anyone who has seen the recently released movie of The Damned United might be rather confused by David Peace's original novel. Where, you might wonder, did all these strange, impressionistic flights of fancy come from? And just how did Peter Morgan (The Queen, Frost/Nixon) transform this brave and brilliant character study into such enjoyable but unexceptional fare? In the early 1970s, Brian Clough, the manager of English football club Derby County, took the job of managing arch rivals Leeds United. The relationship lasted 44 days. Clough was arguably the finest football manager England has ever produced (Clough would delete 'arguably' and swap 'England' for 'the world'). In tandem with Peter Taylor, he had dragged Derby from Second Division obscurity to the English First Division championship, dethroning Leeds. In the process, he formed a bitter rivalry with Don Revie, the stolid but successful Leeds manager. What is extraordinary is what Peace does with all this - using vibrant, funny and expletive-rich prose he examines one man's quest to rule the world. Whether you like football or not, buy The Damned Utd at once, young man.