Laughing So Much You Will Dribble - Rated 
Currently the majority of football books are written by overpaid and underperforming players. There books are hollow are often leave with a sense of anger, and often disgust, that you have contributed to the income of another egotitstical maniac who's experience of football is nothing like the one you know.
This book however shows all that is good about football, the experiences of the fans and the long journeys that people make to follow their team. It has moments so funny that I did laugh out loud on the bus and their will be at least one part of the book that someone will relate to. This is one of the best books about football I have ever read.
Searingly funny - Rated
A very ,very funny account of football in the North East. As a Newcastle fan & intermittent Gateshead FC supporter, I could readilly identify with some of the characters & scenarios the author describes.
This is not just a book for the North East fan - any football fan will love it. Non league supporters will ,no doubt, have a chuckle or two as they read large sections of this book, they will readily identify with some of the characters Harry runs into in the North East non league scene. If you haven't been to a non league game, this book could well persuade you to go, if anything,just to see if you can spot some of the characters Pearson describes.
This is what football is all about - enjoying the game, enduring the pain of mediocrity,having a laugh,a pint & savouring the atmosphere & the people .
Pearson does all of this in this marvellous book - brilliant. A must for football fans everywhere.
Spot on...North East footy is just like this - Rated
What a great book. It hits the spots beautifully and describes not only what football means to the supporters of the big teams but what is means to play for your local town or pub side and the culture that goes along with it. I've bought this book for many people that I know just so Mr Pearson's writings can be enjoyed by more people. Buy it, you won't regret it.....
Buy it, read it and laugh out loud. - Rated
I'm not a great reader but was originally leant this book along with Mr Pearson's account of his travels around Belgium. I owe a debt of gratitude to the lender and now intend to buy ALL of Mr Pearson's books, three I think, from Amazon. I didn't think there were books that actually make you laugh out loud, it is absolutely hilarious and gives you a real feel for football at it's grass roots. Everything form his struggles to get to far flung grounds, to the players and crowds, the refreshments they consume, are described with great humour and sometimes very touching. Reading the chapters on each match you could be standing there beside him. I've never been inspired to write a review here before, so do yourself a big favour and travel with Harry around the North East and enjoy, and laugh til you cry, the atmosphere of real football. It's a book that once you've read it you'll go back to page one and start again. Whatever Harry Pearson's earnt from his books it's not enough!
The literary equivalant of a 30 yard screamer. - Rated
“The Far Corner” is a warm homage to North East football, the title allaying to the regions geographical location as well as the more obvious football reference. Harry Pearson while in the throes of moving back to the area spent a season trawling round this football mad region watching games from all levels. Jeez, as if moving house isn’t stressful enough. He goes from the dizzy heights of the Premiership with Newcastle through to the more dubious delights of Blyth Spartans vs. Tow Law Town in the Federation Brewery Northern League Division One. In a way, this is as much a travel and to some extent an historical book as well as a football one. Mostly though it’s just bloody funny. So much so you could find yourself ,like I did ,laughing out loud on public transport, unless you go everywhere by car in which case in the interests of road safety I’d recommend you stick to reading it at home.
Most of the high comedy comes from Pearson’s empirical observations of his fellow fans but he also has a wry eye and sharp turn of phrase for the most mundane of subjects. Hence;” It was so cold the sun was wearing a balaclava”. But there is also an undertow of melancholic nostalgia as he gives brief potted histories and biographies of teams and players.
This book has been compared to “Fever Pitch” which is a bit inaccurate as that is a more forensic examination of the hardcore fans psyche and while “The Far Corner” lacks “Fever Pitch”, s poetic style it is the much funnier work. Thus we get a wincingly amusing account of Pearson’s encounter with the Sunderland Skinheed or the classic face off between two old timers on the terraces which culminates in a virtuoso performance so hilarious I almost popped a kneecap laughing.
As a strict armchair football fan, something that will earn me the eternal scorn from most of the people featured in this book, I can say it’s the only thing that makes me yearn to see a live game. Of course this soon passes as I remember I’m not that fond of frostbite and would really rather not have some twenty stone bruisers yelling vitriol in my ear throughout the game. I wish the girlfriend wouldn’t insist in coming too…As Pearson would say..”only joking”.
“The Far Corner” along with Simon Hughes “A Lot of Hard Yakka” is the most enjoyable sports book I’ve read and is a joy every time you re-visit. Read it and weep…….with laughter…Ohh and if anyone fancies commissioning a similar book about cricket in West Yorkshire , I’m up for the job!
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