{"product_id":"hammer-time-me-west-ham-and-a-passion-for-the-shirt-9781472296566","title":"Hammer Time: Me, West Ham, and a Passion for the Shirt","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'pulls no punches' \u003ci\u003eThe Sun\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e'full of eventful tales from the past' \u003ci\u003eDaily Mail\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e'punchy, earthy ... entertaining stories that capture football in an era long before sanitised PR and Instagram self-promotion'\u003ci\u003e The Independent\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eFrom West Ham's cult hero, Julian Dicks, a hugely entertaining romp through football and the East End of the Eighties and Nineties.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e'Cult figure' is a term hardly used in football these days: where have they all gone? In the sterile and corporate modern game, is there room for the mercurial midfielder or the tough-tackling defender or the pot-bellied goal poacher? Rewind two or three decades and British professional football was stuffed to the gunnels with these 'one-offs': players with bags of talent, yes, but also lorryloads of personality and a hugely relatable quality which meant they'd all be playing Sunday morning park football if they hadn't become professionals. No media training, no filter, no 5% body fat, no cryotherapy chambers, and no quiet nights in with a curly kale salad and a glass of carrot juice. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eMeet Julian Dicks. Wonderful name, wonderful player and undoubtedly one of the greatest cult figures to play for West Ham United. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eHammer Time\u003c\/i\u003e is Dicks' hugely entertaining romp through his career with West Ham, shot through with all the great anecdotes of life as a pro back then, and peppered with all the marvellous characters who crossed his path in those halcyon days. It evokes memories of intimidating away crowds, muddy pitches, no-nonsense tackling, card schools on the bus, big nights out after matches, and the special camaraderie that was forged between players of that era. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eHammer Time\u003c\/i\u003e is also an open love letter to the unique character and atmosphere of West Ham United and East London, conjuring up - with great warmth and nostalgia - a fast disappearing world of strong working-class communities, proper East End boozers and those iconic pie and mash shops.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Headline\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 09\/26\/2023\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781472296566\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 320\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.20lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.29h x 5.98w x 1.26d","brand":"Julian Dicks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43205035622581,"sku":"9781472296566","price":24.64,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/files\/img_b2a41b09-7a2d-4753-8fdf-08ec9aba7ac1.jpg?v=1698127857","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/hammer-time-me-west-ham-and-a-passion-for-the-shirt-9781472296566","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}