The Rodfather

Inside the Beautiful (Ugly, Ridiculous, Hilarious) Game

By: Roddy Collins, Paul Howard

Narrated by: Roddy Collins

Brought to you by Penguin.

Roddy Collins is a football man - now in the sixth decade of a career as a player (at sixteen clubs), manager (twelve clubs) and commentator. And he is a funny man: an unequalled raconteur with a sharp eye for the absurdities of the professional game and spectacular recall. He has made friends wherever he has gone, along with some high-quality enemies. When John Delaney said he could get Roddy a job if he'd just stop criticising him, Roddy replied that he'd 'rather dig holes in the road'.

Now, with the brilliant Paul Howard, Roddy puts it all down on paper for the first time - the adventures, the rows and the craic - in what will be not only one of the funniest but one of the most eye-opening books ever written about professional football.

© Roddy Collins & Paul Howard 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Critic reviews

There isn't a funnier sports book this year - there might not be one for the next decade

Terrific. You will love it. Raw and tender and wild and honest, it will captivate you . . . great stories pack the pages

A rollercoaster ride and a great read. It's hard not to love Roddy Collins after reading The Rodfather (Tadhg Coakley)

Excellent and hilarious

Hard to imagine there'll be a more entertaining sports book for quite a while

A riot! (Brendan O'Connor)

Fascinating and hilarious. Starts with a bang and never falters. Anarchic and wonderful (Joe Brolly)

Fantastic. Can't remember a sports book with so many stories to propel it along. There's at least three different movies in it (Malachy Clerkin)

Candid tales of football, family and everything in between - it's no surprise The Rodfather's memoir is just brilliant

A big man, with big emotions, and a big life . . . a fascinating read

Brilliant

Great listen and highly recommended it for anyone interested in a great life story. Up the Rodfather!!!!

A life lesson in friendship, charm and resilience

Bizarrely Life affirming.
A 100% must listen.
All the better for the coauthors narration which will have you laughing out loud and weeping like a child all in the same 10 minute window.

Give him the Ireland job!

It's sad to hear of all of the League of Ireland struggles over the year. It's financial health caused a lot of ruin in many peoples lives. Roddy lived to tell the tale. His open ambition takes him down many of the league traps. His story telling is second to none. There is a great authentic story here. It's fast paced and very funny. Highly recommended!