Premier League Reading Stars: Footballers Favorite Books

Every year the Premier League Reading Stars – a scheme set up jointly by the Natural Literacy Trust, Arts Council England, Football Foundation and the Premier League to encourage inspire families to read more – releases a list of Premiership players’ favorite books. The list is especially valuable if you are an 8-year-old since that is the apparent reading level of most of the players. There are some exceptions of course and there are some surprises. Who knew that Ben Thatcher could even read? Who knew that Brad Friedel is a fan of poetry? Who could have guessed that none of the players would have selected Wayne Rooney’s autobiography as their favorite book?

Jens Lehmann (Arsenal) – The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini

Steven Davis (Aston Villa) – Back from the Brink, by Paul McGrath

Brad Friedel (Blackburn) – Fantastic Football Poems, by John Foster

Gary Speed (Bolton) – Winter in Madrid, by CJ Sansom

Ben Thatcher (Charlton) – The Tiger Who Came to Tea, by Judith Kerr

Wayne Bridge (Chelsea)- Horrid Henry and the Football Fiend, by Francesca Simon

Tim Cahill (Everton)- My Autobiography, by Shane Warne

Liam Rosenior (Fulham) – Fungus The Bogeyman, by Raymond Briggs

Jermaine Pennant (Liverpool)- Private Peaceful, by Michael Morpurgo

Nedum Onuoha (Man City)- It’s Not About The Bike, by Lance Armstrong

Alan Smith (Man Utd) – What if I Had Never Tried it?, by Valentino Rossi

Chris Riggott (Middlesbrough)- Action Replay, by SW Parry

Steven Taylor (Newcastle) – Tamar, by Mal Peet

David James (Portsmouth) – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, by Mark Haddon

Marcus Hahnemann (Reading) – Without Remorse, by Tom Clancy

Craig Short (Sheffield United) – Angels and Demons, by Dan Brown

Ledley King (Tottenham) – Krindlekrax, by Phillip Ridley

Malky Mackay (Watford) – The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell

Robert Green (West Ham) – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl

Arjan De Zeeuw (Wigan) – The Gruffalo, by Julia Donaldson

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Category: English Premier League, World Football