Rise Of The Underdog: My Life Inside Football

DANNY HIGGINBOTHAM has always been honest. What he lacked in natural ability as a footballer, he made up for in raw passion and commitment to the cause.

He started his football education under the greatest – Sir Alex Ferguson – at his beloved Manchester United. After a headline-making loan spell in Belgium, he embarked on an eventful career journey, taking in stops at high-flying Derby County, Southampton, Sunderland and Stoke City.

Sharing Premier League dressing rooms and pitches with some big names, he experienced both sides of the game – from the gut-wrenching agony of relegation to the ecstasy of famous victories that defied the odds.

Along the way, he worked under charismatic bosses like Jim Smith, Harry Redknapp and Roy Keane – who delivered the most bizarre team talk he’s ever heard. At Stoke, he learned about the team-bonding tricks of Tony Pulis.

It was Pulis who recognised Higginbotham’s leadership potential and gave him the armband. Backed by the formidable passion of the fans, Higgy epitomised the never-say-die spirit that made the Britannia Stadium a formidable – and occasionally controversial – place to visit.

With the ultimate prize in sight, little did he know that his finest moment in the game would immediately be followed by his worst – spelling the end of his love affair with playing football.

As honest and whole-hearted as his career on the pitch, ‘Rise Of The Underdog’ is the entertaining inside story of how an ordinary lad worked his way up the professional ladder, learning the lessons it takes to survive at the highest level of the English game.