As former England striker and television pundit Jimmy Greaves famously said, football is ‘a funny old game’. In A Load of Balls: Football’s Funny Side, John Scally confirms the truth of his statement by providing a potpourri of double entendres, timeless quips and amusing anecdotes from the tongues of football’s elite. Hundreds of silly stories and priceless nuggets have been sourced to recreate the unique excitement, drama and unpredictability of football in the words of the sport’s practitioners. The result is a wry, quirky and sometimes outlandish catalogue of comic creations. For lovers of the absurd, outrageous and totally bizarre, this selection of stories and quotes will amuse and delight. Packed with priceless gaffes from the likes of David Beckham (‘My parents have been there for me since I was about seven’), Bobby Robson (‘We didn’t underestimate them; they were just a lot better than we thought’) and Paul Gascoigne (‘I’ve never made any predictions about anything and I never will’), this hilarious collection is guaranteed to tickle the funny bone of even the most casual sports fan.