What goes hand-in-hand with being a West End and Broadway performer, writer of multiple hugely successful stage shows, TV specials and series’, and the face of one of the most successful theatre groups in recent memory? If you didn’t say a co-chairman of a semi-professional football club…you’d be forgiven. Before Ryan Reynolds became famous for owning Wrexham, a different public figure was dabbling into British football leadership, with slightly less successful results.
Nowhere To Run is a (mostly) true account of Mischief Theatre’s Jonathan Sayer and his dad’s experience of buying and running a semi-professional football club. Going through the problems and tough times that running Ashton United FC brings, this recount of what being a co-chairman at a football club with mounting debt, bitter rivalries and a few unconvinced loyal fans means, and exposes the true meaning of being in over your head.
This book was simply a joy to read. Besides watching The Lionesses, I’m not much of a football fan by any metric, but this read had me captivated the entire time. It’s not a long read, but I had it finished in several days because it was such a fun book. From the mix of comedy in the real-life accounts to the relationship shown between Jonathan and his dad, and the wider club, and the very real experience of attempting to balance running a football club with eight-show weeks in the West End, seeing the world of football chairmanship from an outsider’s perspective is simply a beyond enjoyable experience.
If you’re not a football fan, don’t worry! This book is perfect for anyone, whether you like or dislike football, and regardless of what you know about football. It’s a great read for everyone, that delves into the sport itself as little as needed, and is a true story of people, a community and teamwork, mixed with a healthy dose of hilarity!
Rating: ★★★★★
Nowhere To Run (ISBN: 978-1-7876-3689-7) was published in 2023
