The remarkable autobiography of the former Southampton and England footballer that charts his life from council house anonymity to his ownership of Her Majesty the Queen's former stables and his against-the-odds success as a racehorse trainer and breeder. Channon has made his name in horse racing as a trainer of two-year-olds: Bint Allayl, Miletrian, Tobougg (all winners at Royal Ascot), Queen's Logic and, more recently, Londonnetdotcom. He began the 2002 campaign with 105 horses, the largest string of any stable, including a first despatch from Sheikh Mohammed. A natural egalitarian figure, Channon is utterly unpretentious and not one who hides things. In his autobiography he reflects on how a highly successful career as a footballer proved to be just the stepping stone to another illustrious life in horse racing, from his first horse and love of gambling, to being turned down when first applying for his trainer's license, and culminating in his successful purchase of the Queen's former stables at West Ilsley. He looks back at his first season, a whirlwind year in which he defied the sceptics and snobs who predicted his demise by training no fewer than 16 winners, the first of which was owned by former Southampton team-mate and good friend Kevin Keegan. He also talks openly about the current state of flat racing, fellow owners and trainers, and the jockeys ('there's always been a difference of opinion between people who train horses and those who ride them'). Neither football fame nor the money have changed Mick Channon. An opinionated and amusing racing raconteur, he has scores of fascinating anecdotes to relate about the incidents and personalities that have shaped his colourful life.