“All I know most surely about morality and obligation I owe to football”,
Transformed
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by Linvoy Primus, Legendary Publishing, Fareham, 2007. ISBN 97809526760 2 7
The autobiography of Linvoy Primus is a good read. The account of a footballer who failed to made it at Charlton, then played for Barnet and Reading before reaching the Premiership with Portsmouth is a story of ups and downs, failures and successes, celebrations and disappointments in equal measure.
The inside story of Portsmouth's promotion to and survival in the Premiership, the coming, departure and return of Harry Rednapp is a riveting read.
The book is more honest that most sports autobiographies. Linvoy gives details of his income and contracts at various stages of his career. Pages 211-14 give an interesting account of how an offer to join Norwich leads to him re-negotiating a contract he had signed only 4 months earlier. His description of the £4.3 million that Portsmouth paid in agents' fees as "a price that was worth paying" gives us an interesting player's perspective on agents.
Linvoy does not exactly disguise his Christian faith - the title gives some clue, there is a Bible verse on the title page, the book is dedicated to "my Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ", the acknowledgements too start with faith!
The book shows Linvoy rejecting his family's faith and then encountering the living Jesus Christ as a Portsmouth player and being transformed. We read of his witness to other players and the pre-match prayer meetings in the laundry room as wel. The formation of his charity "Faith and Football", the mission trips to Nigeria, India, China as well as the support of local projects reveal a footballer who is thankful for what he has been given and is keen to use it to make a difference..