Pass Master
Football, Fergie, Big Jack and My Life in the Beautiful and Sometimes Brutal Game
Published on 6. October 2025
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-1-83680-189-4 (ISBN)
Description
Former Newcastle, Manchester United and Ireland midfielder Liam O'Brien lifts the lid on his eventful playing career and shares previously untold behind-the-scenes stories.
Written with veteran journalist Jimmy Geoghegan.
Liam grew up in working-class Dublin, but he didn't become a full-time professional until signing for Manchester United at age 22. Two years later, despite being offered a new contract by Alex Ferguson, Liam made the brave call to leave Old Trafford and join struggling Newcastle United instead.
Read this gripping memoir to discover:
What life was like at Manchester United in the 1980s
What it was like to play under Sir Alex Ferguson as he rebuilt Manchester United
What it was like to play for the Magpies as Kevin Keegan sparked a dramatic change in the club's fortunes - to this day, Newcastle fans still sing a song about Liam and the famous goal he scored against Sunderland
An insider account of playing under Jack Charlton, Jim McLoughlin and Johnny King as well as Ferguson and Keegan
The story of his spells playing for Bohemians, Shamrock Rovers, Tranmere Rovers and the Republic of Ireland
What day-to-day life in football was like for a player in the 1980s, before the game was flooded by money
How Liam fought back from a serious leg injury that threatened his career, and how he made a new life for himself, in and outside football, after his playing days were over
A must-read for Manchester United and Newcastle fans, this is a story of 1980s and 90s football, of exhilarating highs but also crushing lows.
Written with veteran journalist Jimmy Geoghegan.
Liam grew up in working-class Dublin, but he didn't become a full-time professional until signing for Manchester United at age 22. Two years later, despite being offered a new contract by Alex Ferguson, Liam made the brave call to leave Old Trafford and join struggling Newcastle United instead.
Read this gripping memoir to discover:
What life was like at Manchester United in the 1980s
What it was like to play under Sir Alex Ferguson as he rebuilt Manchester United
What it was like to play for the Magpies as Kevin Keegan sparked a dramatic change in the club's fortunes - to this day, Newcastle fans still sing a song about Liam and the famous goal he scored against Sunderland
An insider account of playing under Jack Charlton, Jim McLoughlin and Johnny King as well as Ferguson and Keegan
The story of his spells playing for Bohemians, Shamrock Rovers, Tranmere Rovers and the Republic of Ireland
What day-to-day life in football was like for a player in the 1980s, before the game was flooded by money
How Liam fought back from a serious leg injury that threatened his career, and how he made a new life for himself, in and outside football, after his playing days were over
A must-read for Manchester United and Newcastle fans, this is a story of 1980s and 90s football, of exhilarating highs but also crushing lows.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Hove
United Kingdom
Dimensions
Height: 242 mm
Width: 163 mm
Thickness: 27 mm
Weight
556 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-83680-189-4 (9781836801894)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Liam O'Brien, who played in the top flight of English football and was capped 16 times for the Republic of Ireland, has teamed up with Jimmy Geoghegan to tell his story. Jimmy has been a journalist for more than 30 years and has been nominated for numerous awards for sportswriting and general features. This is his second book.