By Dave Bowler

ONE LOVE: THE STORY OF JAMAICA'S
REGGAE BOYZ AND THE 1998 WORLD CUP
Robbie Earle & Daniel Davies (Andre Deutsch, £14.99)
Another verdict on the World Cup, but thankfully not England's. In a successful writing partnership, Davies is able to take the wider view, charting the initial euphoria, through the question of "where did the money go?" and onto the eventual disenchantment. Earle endures a very emotional ride, discovering things about himself, his heritage and football. The difference in lifestyle between Earle and the Jamaican-based players is massive, the gulf never quite bridged, however united the team. The Reggae Boyz gimmick became a millstone and, as things went sour following the broadcast of the ill-advised TV documentary, the Boyz couldn't wait to get out of France. Which was a shame because, as Earle reflects, the fairytale may have ended nightmarishly, but it was a fairytale for all that. 4/5

RELIVING THE DREAM: THE TRIUMPH & TEARS OF
MANCHESTER UNITED'S 1968 EUROPEAN CUP HEROES
Derick Allsop (Mainstream, £7.99)
Just as the title-drought once loomed large at Old Trafford, now they pine for the European Cup. Thirty-one years have passed since the 4-1 demolition of Benfica. It was the 1968 team which closed the circle opened in Munich a decade earlier, and allowed Busby to claim his undisputed spot as the club's greatest manager. This remains the zenith of United's achievements and Allsop chronicles it well. The difficulty for the club was that, as the fourth goal went in, United had already passed their peak. Charlton was ageing, Best was becoming harder to handle, Shankly, Revie and Clough were wresting supremacy from Old Trafford. But the team that graced Wembley that night are still the real United legends. Schmeichel and company will not supplant them until they get hold of the medal that really counts. 3/5

REFEREE! - THE DIARY OF BRITAIN'S TOP FIFA REFEREE
David Elleray (Bloomsbury, £16.99)
The way things are going, next year the pie-seller outside the ground will publish a diary. Although Elleray's account lacks the tension of a title-chasing player's, it does offer a fairly interesting look at another side of the game. Worryingly, Elleray admits to dreams of Princess Di and of keeping tabs on the number of cautions he's administered, but he also reveals himself to be as passionate about football as the rest of us. His views on Batty's push on him and on Di Canio's sportsmanship are revealing, as are his thoughts on that refereeing bugbear, consistency. As he explains, greater consistency means a more exact application of the laws and less application of "common sense", which effectively is just another excuse for Gordon Strachan to get on Elleray's back.3/5

CHASING PERFECTION
Ryan Giggs witb Colin Cameron (Boxtree, £9.99)
If the Nevilles' diary illustrated how hard United's youngsters work, then the point is hammered home by Giggsy. Another slim volume, it concerns itself with Ryan's preparation for games, both mental and physical. Presumably designed as a coaching aid, it's all a bit humourless and relentless to make an easy read, but it's a useful flipside to the front-page coverage some of our supposedly hedonistic players get. Youngsters will get a useful insight into the sacrifices needed to make it to the top, but those of you who are past running around may find it all a bit exhausting. 3/5

MOTTY TAKES THE MIKE
(VCI Video, £13.99)
A simple premise, beloved of 'funny football' video producers. Motty runs through a batch of categories - best goal, daftest own goal, greatest free-kick - distributing hideously misshapen 'Motty' statuettes to the best of them, simultaneously emptying his reservoir of stomach-turning puns and dispensing self-deprecating references to his status as "a bit of an anorak". There's some pretty choice footage too - Gazza's FA Cup free-kick against Arsenal, Owen against Argentina - though Motson may regret his description of Roberto Carlos as an "incredible big bender". Undemanding, but easy enough on the eye.3/5