The collection includes six interrelated stories:
No Such Thing as a Friendly
A Game of Two Halves
The Ref's Decision is Final
Get Your Fritz Out for the Lads
Football's Dark Arts
They Think it's all Over
What
they are saying about Richard
Staines:
“Please get in all the
Richard Staines horror books and chuck out all that other rubbish you have on
the shelves.” The T.L.S. (Tooting Library Service), message left
on their public noticeboard, 1975.
“Richard Staines is one of
the most valued contributors to our magazine and we are glad to have him,
despite the avalanche of protests. No animals were actually harmed in the
photo-spread referred to.” Readers Wives editorial, 1977.
“Unfortunately, the jury have
not been able to reach a verdict due to food poisoning, hit and run incidents,
and the disappearance of close family members, but the great British public
outside this courtroom will doubtless make up its own mind about your filthy,
depraved, sickening and contemptible books. Case dismissed. You may leave the
dock.” Lord Justice Haigh (deceased), summing up in the case of Regina vs
Richard Staines, 1978.
“Many horror authors insult
the intelligence of the people. Staines not only does this but is a bloody good
read, too. He is the future of horror in the 1980s.” Anonymous letter to Colour
Climax, 1979.
“We do not feel under any
obligation to have to respond on a point by point basis to your repeated claims
that the Nobel Prize committee for Literature have deliberately overlooked your
horror fiction and cannot undertake to reply to any further letters on this
matter.” Official letter from Lars Svenson (deceased), Nobel Prize Award
Committee, Secretary, 1979.
“That snob and has-been
Dennis Wheatley has never lived in a council flat on a Peckham estate with only
cheap cans of lager, a black and white telly, and Yes and Genesis records to
keep his muse lubricated. Dennis Wheatley's simply not as socially relevant in
today's world as a “man-of-the-people” like Richard Staines. The truth is that
Wheatley recognises all this and was just being a dick when he refused to write
the introduction to Staines' book Psycho Flasher.” Anonymous letter to The
International British Black Magic and Horror Club Newsletter # 8, 1975.
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