Whilst it also beautifully illustrates the life of a footballer, and such things growing up as Manchester ruled the music world, it is less about playing in football matches and more about what the game means to us all, and the despair and multiple lows when your dreams are snatched from your grasp. This is not just a book for City fans though. That had players doing comedy routines at Junior Blues meetings, and had Eddie Large delivering half-time team talks using a variety of celebrity impressions when City were on the cusp of promotion. This was a club that allowed drunks to shout abuse from behind a wire fence during training every morning. That treatment was too late, and at the age of 27, Lake was forced to accept that there was no way back, and retired.įor City fans the book is an eye opener, shedding light on the way the club was run under Peter Swales’ stewardship. The versatile Lake was soon holding down a permanent 1 st team place though, his proficiency across the pitch seeing him wear 8 different shirt numbers in one season. This being City, relegation followed soon after, and Lake was to experience the first of many bitter disappointments. Inevitably, he was soon in the senior squad, making his first team debut in January 1987. He made his way from the Denton Youth U12 side (aged just 8), through City’s youth sides, under the tutelage of the legendary Tony Book, to a YTS traineeship in 1985, and glory with the youth team, winning the FA Youth Cup against Manchester United in 1986.

At a young age, he realised he had a natural talent for football - he didn’t know why, but things came easily. His love of Manchester City was almost instant, and he grew up obsessed with football. Lake was born in 1968, just after Manchester City’s last league title. In his new autobiography, I’m Not Really Here: A Life of Two Halves, written with his wide Joanne, Lake describes the enormous highs and lows of playing for his beloved club.

I'm Not Really Here by Paul Lake