| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Anthony Keith Book | ||
| Date of birth | (1934-09-04)4 September 1934 | ||
| Place of birth | Bath, Somerset, England | ||
| Date of death | 13 January 2025(2025-01-13) (aged 90) | ||
| Position | Right-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1951–1952 | Peasedown Miners | ||
| 1952–1955 | Royal Army Medical Corps | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1955–1956 | Frome Town | ||
| 1956–1964 | Bath City | 387 | (12) |
| 1964 | Toronto City | ||
| 1964–1966 | Plymouth Argyle | 81 | (3) |
| 1966–1974 | Manchester City | 244 | (4) |
| Total | 712 | (19) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1974–1979 | Manchester City | ||
| 1989 | Manchester City (caretaker manager) | ||
| 1993 | Manchester City (caretaker manager) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Anthony Keith Book (4 September 1934 – 13 January 2025) was an Englishfootball player and coach who played as aright-back. Book spent a large part of his career inNon-League football with his home town clubBath City as well as other local sidesPeasedown Miners andFrome Town FC,[1] before entering league football withPlymouth Argyle. At the age of 31, he joinedFirst DivisionManchester City, where he became captain. Under Book'scaptaincy, Manchester City won four major trophies, making him the second-most decorated Manchester City captain of all-time. Book had a five-year tenure as Manchester City manager from 1974 to 1979, and subsequently held various coaching roles at the club until 1996. According to Book's former teammateMike Summerbee,George Best described Book as his "most difficult opponent".[2]
Book was born in Bath, but at the age of four moved to India when his father, an officer in theSomerset Light Infantry, was posted.[3] During World War II, Book's father served inBurma, and Book lived with his mother and brothers in army quarters in a number of places inBritish India, includingMumbai andMultan. In September 1945, the Book family returned to England. Tony started secondary school in Bath, and gained his first experience in competitive football when he was selected to play for both Bath boys and Somerset boys.[4]
After leaving school at 16, Book became an apprenticebricklayer and played amateur football as an inside-forward forPeasedown Miners, until he was called up fornational service in 1952.[5] While playing for his army team Book converted to thefull-back position and had a trial withChelsea courtesy of a recommendation from army teammateFrank Blunstone, but was not taken on.[6]
After completing his national service, Book returned to his bricklaying job in Bath and started playing forFrome Town.[4] During the 1955–56 season Frome suffered financial difficulties, and sent letters to all their players permitting them to leave if they wished. Book showed his letter to a colleague, who played forBath City of theSouthern League. He in turn informed the Bath chairman, and Book signed for the club in January 1956.[7] He spent seven and a half years at Bath, becoming captain in the latter part of his Bath career, and winning theSouthern League title in 1960. In the 1962 close season,Malcolm Allison became Bath manager, beginning a long association between the two.
At the close of the1962–63 season, Allison received an offer to coach Canadian teamToronto City over the summer and took Book with him. Though Allison left after a short time to take up a position atPlymouth Argyle, Book stayed three months, in which time he was voted the best full-back in Canada.[8]
Upon his return to England, Book was signed for Plymouth by Allison for a fee of £1,500, and Book enteredthe Football League for the first time at the age of 30, though Plymouth believed him to be 28 – Allison had advised Book to doctor his birth certificate as he thought the Plymouth board would not pay £1,500 for a 30-year-old.[9] After making 81 league appearances, Book followed Malcolm Allison again toManchester City two years later, this time for a transfer fee of £17,000.[10] ManagerJoe Mercer was initially reluctant to spend such a fee on a player over 30 years old, but was persuaded after Allison pointed out that Mercer's career had included a successful move at a similar age, when he joinedArsenal fromEverton aged 32.[11]
Book prospered under the management of Mercer and Allison. He made his Manchester City debut in the opening match of the1966–67 season, a 1–1 draw withSouthampton,[10] and became a near-permanent fixture in the team. In his first season at the club he missed just one game,[12] becoming the inaugural winner of the club'sPlayer of the Year award[13] in a season in which the club consolidated their position following promotion.
In the 1967 close season, Book was named captain following the transfer of previous captainJohnny Crossan toMiddlesbrough, and was henceforth nicknamedSkip by his teammates. His first season as captain was a very successful one, leading Manchester City to their secondleague championship while playing every game. AnAchilles injury sidelined Book for the first four months of the1968–69 season, but he returned to the team in time for the start of theirFA Cup run. In the week preceding the cup final, Book was named the 1969Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year Award, sharing the accolade withDave Mackay.[14] The following Saturday Manchester City playedLeicester in theFA Cup final. Manchester City won 1–0, and captain Book lifted the trophy. The following season City became the first English team to win a European and domestic trophy in the same season, theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup and theLeague Cup. Book retired from playing in 1974,[12] passing the captaincy toColin Bell. He made 242 football league appearances for the club, and for many years was City's most successful captain in terms of trophies won.
In November 1973, Manchester City managerJohnny Hart resigned due to ill health, and Book took temporary responsibility for first-team affairs, and was named assistant manager whenRon Saunders became the next permanent manager. At this point Book retired from playing to concentrate on management. Saunders was sacked after less than six months, and Book again took on the caretaker role, and was appointed permanent manager one game later. The first notable victory of Book's management was a 1–0Manchester derby win, best known for the back-heel scored byDenis Law.[15] Book's first full season as manager resulted in an eighth-place finish, an improvement upon the previous season, when the team finished 14th.[15]
In 1976, Book's City side won theLeague Cup, making him the first person to win the competition as both player and manager.[16] City continued their run of form into the following season, enjoying an impressive league campaign where they finished in second place, only a point behind winnersLiverpool.[16] City were playing entertaining football in the late 1970s and regularly drawing crowds atMaine Road in excess of 40,000.[16] Book remained manager until 1979, when he was replaced by his former mentor Malcolm Allison. In 1981 he was invited by new manager John Bond to look after Youth Development at the club. In 1986 working with another City legend,Glyn Pardoe, they coached a young City side that would win theFA Youth Cup for the first time that year. He then became a loyal stalwart to the club in several other roles until 1997, including as caretaker manager again in 1993.[17] He joinedHuddersfield Town in 1997 as Chief Scout underBrian Horton.
As of 2008 Book was retired, but still held two honorary positions; he was Honorary President of Manchester City[18] and Life President of the Manchester City Official Supporters Club.[19] He was inducted into Manchester City'sHall of Fame in January 2004.[20]
His brotherKim Book was agoalkeeper forBournemouth & Boscombe Athletic,Northampton Town,Mansfield Town andDoncaster Rovers, while Kim's sonSteve was also a goalkeeper, principally withCheltenham Town.[21]
Tony Book died on 13 January 2025, at the age of 90.[22][23]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other[a] | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Manchester City | 1966–67 | First Division | 41 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 49 | 0 |
| 1967–68 | 42 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 50 | 2 | ||
| 1968–69 | 15 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 21 | 0 | ||
| 1969–70 | 38 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 57 | 0 | ||
| 1970–71 | 34 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 46 | 2 | ||
| 1971–72 | 40 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 45 | 1 | ||
| 1972–73 | 30 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 39 | 0 | ||
| 1973–74 | 4 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7 | 0 | ||
Manchester City
Individual
Manchester City
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
