Old Too Soon, Smart Too Late, Oliver Holt
Old Too Soon, Smart Too Late, Oliver Holt
List: $24.99 | Sale: $17.50
Club: $12.49

Old Too Soon, Smart Too Late
My Story

Author: Oliver Holt, Kieron Dyer

Narrator: Damian Lynch

Unabridged: 8 hr 10 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Headline

Published: 02/22/2018


Synopsis

Kieron Dyer's memoir, Old Too Soon, Smart Too Late, is the first intimate and unsparing portrait of the failures and excesses of the generation of English footballers made rich beyond their wildest dreams by the post-1990 World Cup boom in the game and the explosion of the Premier League. It shares the same brutal honesty and self-awareness of the bestselling No Nonsense by Joey Barton and GoodFella by Craig Bellamy.

In the public mind, Kieron Dyer came to symbolise so much of what was self-destructive about a group of football players known collectively as the 'Baby Bentley generation'. Nicknamed 'The King of Bling' by the tabloid press, Dyer was caught up in many of the scandals that characterised the history of a talented crop of players who promised so much and delivered so little, a generation whose wages and lavish lifestyles began to alienate them from the fans who once worshipped them.

The brash young man is gone now, and in his place is the quiet, caring, wise man who was such a favourite on I'm a Celebrity, Get me Out of Here! in 2015. Dyer narrates, in uncompromising detail, how a generation of talented English footballers, taken out of working class childhoods and presented with a world of glitz, glamour, wealth and temptation, failed to cope with the riches that were presented to them and often fell apart.

Old Too Soon, Smart Too Late is about a moment in time, a social and historical record of English football at the start of its gold rush. For Dyer, the end of the book brings a measure of personal redemption and peace but for the English game, there is only a lingering sense of waste and regret for an opportunity lost.

(P)2018 Headline Publishing Group Ltd

About Oliver Holt

Oliver Holt worked on the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo for three years before moving to The Times in 1993. He was Motor Racing Correspondent, Chief Football Correspondent and Chief Sports Writer. He joined the Daily Mirror as Chief Sports Writer in 2002. He is now Chief Sport Writer at the Mail on Sunday. His previous books include Miracle at Medinah and GoodFella, with Craig Bellamy.

About Kieron Dyer

In an 18-year career in professional football, Kieron Dyer played for Ipswich Town, Newcastle United, West Ham United, QPR and Middlesbrough. He won 33 caps for England. In 2015 he was a contestant on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!


Reviews

Goodreads review by Yousif on October 29, 2018

Well-written memoir that keeps you well engaged right from the beginning as he is about to reveal "The Secret" which he kept to himself for around 3 decades. Kieron Dyer, one of the finest and most outstanding talents in his generation, was meant to be a world-class player among the likes of Steven......more

Goodreads review by Pamela on December 27, 2022

Fascinating portrayal of how footballers developed into the multi- millionaires they are today. Going from an apprentice cleaning boots to an England player driving fast cars, 'too much too soon' is both sad and heartwarming. Excellent read of a very difficult time for the sport.......more

Goodreads review by Harry on February 23, 2025

Even more total respect to Dyer.... As a Newcastle fan from outside of England, around that time... Internal news around the club practically nonexistent in my country. Internet access was not as easy as it is today.. So.. I've learn lots of things by just reading this, and got so much more respect f......more

Goodreads review by Derrick on March 19, 2023

This is a great book. You know, in a world where the truth doesn't always come out for fear of a pointed finger or two, sometimes testimony carries more weight. And this is definitely one of those times. I appreciate that Kieron was a coach's player, even though not always a fan's player, at least n......more

Goodreads review by Grant on January 09, 2023

Kieron talks candidly about being abused as a child and his injury blighted career. I found this a bit more thoughtful than the usual footballers autobiography. Keiron comes over as fairly sensitive and regretful of a lot of the excesses of his youth and early days in the sport. Enjoyable football m......more