Troy Deeney – Redemption:My Story

I was invited to take part in this books tour and I must be honest, I didn’t even know who Troy Deeney was! I was attracted by the synopsis and felt I should ‘give it a go’ as they say. After asking my husband who he was I started on the Book, not knowing whether I would enjoy it or not. Looking back I am glad I got the option to sit and learn about this footballer and his life. Now, just have a look at what the synopsis says, and understand why I wanted to be on this tour.

TROY DEENEY is best known as Watford FC’s former captain and a thorn in Arsenal’s side. But behind the successful and gritty football persona is a remarkable story of resilience.

In this brutally honest and inspirational memoir, Troy shares what it was like to grow up on Europe’s largest council estate, where his mum worked three jobs and his father, a notorious drug dealer, was frequently in and out of prison.

He shares stories of self-sabotage, from simply not turning up to Aston Villa’s football trials as a teenager, playing while drunk to being imprisoned for affray at the height of his career.

But Troy never gave up, even when it meant playing professional football with an ankle tag. He went on to score 20+ goals in three successive seasons and became the Club Captain, an FA Cup finalist, promotion winner and Watford’s record scorer. He also became an outspoken player advocate and – in an age of bland footballer interviews – is a sought after voice on football and footballers today.

Engaging, endearing and insightful, this book is where Troy comes to terms with his turbulent past.

Knowing nothing about Troy Deeney certainly helped me to immerse myself in his world. I felt like I could have been there with him while he was telling this story. One that is told so well in a relaxed kind of way, this made it even easier to read.

He lays all his cards on the table as he opens up about his upbringing and the challenges he faced. He doesn’t shy away from the mistakes he made along the way. I felt sorry for his mum and did ponder the emotional strain on her throughout this time. He talks about his prison sentence and his life while inside. I had to keep reminding myself that this is a true account and not fiction. It made for a very intense and emotional read.

As well as his personal life he does dip into his professional life and if you are a fan of Watford I am sure you would enjoy Troy’s personal glimpses into the club. This gives you the whole picture of a man who has had adversity in his life and comes out the other side, triumphant in a way.

I must say as I read this I admired the man for his brutal honesty, which doesn’t ways paint him in a good light. From a celebrity this is refreshing and I even felt quite proud of his strength to write this book. To show the world what he went through and what shaped him into the man he has become today.

A brilliant read in that I have learned a lot about one man. The good, the bad and the ugly…and that takes guts! If you are at all tempted I say read it, you won’t regret this story of a flawed human being who has bared his soul on these pages.

Thank you to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours and the publisher Cassell for gifting me the copy of the book.