Bring Me the Head of Ryan Giggs - Reading Guide
Wednesday, 1st May 2013
“You’ve heard of me, right? I’m Marky Wilson, aka ‘Little Giggs’, the Manchester boy born to play at the Theatre of Dreams, and this is my story.” Bring Me the Head of Ryan Giggs by Rodge Glass
“A complex and moving portrayal of obsession, football and heroes with boots of clay. Rodge Glass skilfully warps sincerity with an ironist’s ear – great stuff.” – WILL SELF
This dark and moving story of a football player’s obsession with the game – and with another player – makes fascinating discussion material for a reading group. Download the reading group guide from this page – and see below for a sample of questions.
1. Primarily this is a story about obsession. In what ways are Mikey’s actions a representation of all ‘obsessed’ football fans and their religious devotion to the game? Can we use this more widely to comment upon the ‘hero-worship’ celebrity culture we live in today?
2. How does the mixture of first, second and third person narratives affect our reactions towards Mikey’s perception of his circumstances and the reality?
3. The plot sees Mikey’s professional career cruelly cut short by injury in 1992, whilst many of his playing teammates go on to achieve huge success. Glass seems to use Wilson as a cruel reminder of the cutthroat nature of the sport, and the crucial role luck plays in the life of sports professionals. Is this a fair assessment?
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