Finding Row Z Interview- Mick Rathbone

Editor Dean Mears caught up with former Birmingham, Blackburn, Preston, Halifax player/ Halifax manager/ Preston and Everton physio Mick Rathbone about his career in both football and physiotherapy and his new book The Smell Of Football, which is available from all good book stores and some bad ones too.

Mick was a former Birmingham, Blackburn, Preston North End and Halifax player clocking up 384 league appearances. After injury forced him into retirement Mick moved into physiotherapy where he has worked for two of his former clubs, Halifax, Preston North End before moving with manager David Moyes to Everton in 2002. Mick has recently penned a book called The Smell of Football and I managed to have a chat with Mick about his new book. You can follow Mick on Twitter by clicking this link.


You had a long career spanning over 15 years, what was your personal highlights?

Winning promotion with Blackburn Rovers in 1980 and winning player of the year in 1982.

After you retired you went into physiotherapy, was physiotherapy and medicine always of interest to you?

Mick checking over Tim Cahill

During the last few years of my career, especially at Preston North End, I suffered with lots of injuries, which certainly stimulated my interest in Sports Medicine, and more precisely the psychology of recovering from injury.






Moving onto the book, I've just ordered my copy, what can I and other readers expect?

The Smell of Football

The book in terms of range, scope and variety over 35 years makes it unique. David Prentice from the Liverpool Echo describes the book as a "riotously entertaining romp through one man’s 35-year career as a player, manager and Premier League physiotherapist."

In a tweet, why should readers click this link, and buy your book?

The book is the story of football!!



I also asked for your thoughts on Twitter, and here's what you said about The Smell of Football:

@kimramshead: I'm only half way through it but it's a really good read! It has a mixture of humour in aswell as being an honest account of what it's really like to be a footballer i.e. nerves and as his career as a physio.

@daviddownie17: The smell of football is as unique as it is insightful. Fantasically funny and superbly written, Baz Rathbone tells it how it is.

You can also see what our very own Nathan Kosky thinks of the book by clicking here.
Finding Row Z would like to thank Mick for agreeing to this interview, and wish him the best of luck with the new book.