Hunting Grounds: A Scottish Football Safari by Gary Sutherland

 

In this amusing tale, author Gary Sutherland chronicles his visits to all 42 home grounds of all of the teams in the Scottish Football League. The book is sensibly split into 42 chapters, with information about the history and attached folklore of each club he visits. This even includes descriptions of the club’s badges – badges he can’t print, because just one of the 42 teams didn’t give permission. Scottish football fans probably narrow that down to one of two clubs, but no clues here (okay, one clue: the green half). This sort of book can be trainspotterish, but Sutherland’s eye for humorous details prevents that. Partick Thistle (in print, as in life) supply plenty laughs, with their tannoy announcer coming up with the not so typical: “If anyone here is willing to accommodate a German postgraduate student next semester, would they please let us know”. And then they get beat 5-1. Sutherland also manages to get a football correspondent for the Corriere Della Serra to come and watch East Stirlingshire play Stenhousemuir… and he actually enjoys it. For anyone who’s ever enjoyed Scottish Football, this will be a hugely enjoyable read. And anyone who hasn’t doesn’t matter anyway. [Gary Sutherland]