
Hammer Time
Me, West Ham, and a Passion for the Shirt
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed

Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $18.15
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Adam Price
-
By:
-
Julian Dicks
About this listen
'pulls no punches' The Sun
'full of eventful tales from the past' Daily Mail
'punchy, earthy ... entertaining stories that capture football in an era long before sanitised PR and Instagram self-promotion' The Independent
From West Ham's cult hero, Julian Dicks, a hugely entertaining romp through football and the East End of the Eighties and Nineties.
'Cult figure' is a term hardly used in football these days: where have they all gone? In the sterile and corporate modern game, is there room for the mercurial midfielder or the tough-tackling defender or the pot-bellied goal poacher? Rewind two or three decades and British professional football was stuffed to the gunnels with these 'one-offs': players with bags of talent, yes, but also lorryloads of personality and a hugely relatable quality which meant they'd all be playing Sunday morning park football if they hadn't become professionals. No media training, no filter, no 5% body fat, no cryotherapy chambers, and no quiet nights in with a curly kale salad and a glass of carrot juice.
Meet Julian Dicks. Wonderful name, wonderful player, and (alongside Paulo Di Canio), undoubtedly the greatest 'cult figure' to play for West Ham United for a generation.
Hammer Time is Dicks' hugely entertaining romp through his career with West Ham, shot through with all the great anecdotes of life as a pro back then, and peppered with all the marvellous characters who crossed his path in those halcyon days. It evokes memories of intimidating away crowds, muddy pitches, no-nonsense tackling, card schools on the bus, big nights out after matches, and the special camaraderie that was forged between players of that era.
Hammer Time will also be an open love letter to the unique character and atmosphere of West Ham United and East London, conjuring up - with great warmth and nostalgia - a fast disappearing world of strong working-class communities, proper East End boozers, Dagenham Motors and the docks, jellied eels, rollmops and those iconic pie and mash shops.
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Boleyn Boy
- My Autobiography
- By: Mark Noble
- Narrated by: Luke Francis
- Length: 6 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mark Noble joined the West Ham Youth Academy in 2000 and immediately made an impression. Tenacious, aggressive, brave and full of character, he was the perfect embodiment of West Ham’s values and was seen as having a bright future in the Hammers first team. But nobody could have dreamt of Mark’s career at the club: the most appearances in the Premier League for West Ham United and, by the time of his retirement in 2022, the longest-serving one-club player in Europe – his achievements cemented him as one of the club’s modern legends and earned him the nickname ‘Mr West Ham’.
-
-
Boleyn Boy is class.
- By Amazon Customer on 04-28-23
By: Mark Noble
-
Ball Four
- The Final Pitch
- By: Jim Bouton
- Narrated by: Jim Bouton
- Length: 18 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Ball Four was published in 1970, it created a firestorm. Bouton was called a Judas, a Benedict Arnold and a “social leper” for having violated the “sanctity of the clubhouse.” Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn tried to force Bouton to sign a statement saying the book wasn’t true. Ballplayers, most of whom hadn’t read it, denounced the book. It was even banned by a few libraries. Almost everyone else, however, loved Ball Four.
-
-
Three Ten Year Updates Give Bouton a 5th Star
- By Byron on 08-09-12
By: Jim Bouton
-
Lioness - My Journey to Glory
- By: Beth Mead, Ian Wright - foreword, Jermain Defoe - afterword
- Narrated by: Dipo Ola, Emily Spowage
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Beth Mead is one of the world's most talented female footballers - Golden Boot winner and Player of the Tournament at the UEFA Euros 2022, Arsenal Player of the Season 2021-22, and nominee for the 2022 Ballon d'Or. But long before this, Beth was just an ordinary kid from Hinderwell, North Yorkshire who wanted to play football.
-
-
Very inspiring
- By R. Burroughs on 01-17-24
By: Beth Mead, and others
-
A Life Too Short
- The Tragedy of Robert Enke
- By: Ronald Reng
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 13 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Why does an international footballer with the World at his feet decide to take his own life? On November 10, 2009, the German national goalkeeper Robert Enke stepped in front of a passing train. He was 32 years old. Viewed from the outside, Enke had it all. Here was a professional goalkeeper who had played for a string of Europe's top clubs, including Jose Mourinho's Benfica and Louis Van Gaal's Barcelona. Enke was destined to be his country's first choice for years. But beneath the veneer of success lay a darker story.
-
-
Depression is real, this story brings it home.
- By Bob Seavers on 12-13-19
By: Ronald Reng
-
Amazing Tales from the Chicago Bears Sideline
- A Collection of the Greatest Bears Stories Ever Told
- By: Steve McMichael, John Mullin, Phil Arvia
- Narrated by: Tony Craine
- Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Chicago Bears are more than a football team - they are a legend. Founded in 1919, the Bears have won more regular season games than any other NFL franchise. With 26 players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and thirteen retired jerseys, it’s no wonder the Bears can be defined by three phrases: Big, tough, and full of characters. The Bears, like Chicago, are not just people. They are personalities. In Amazing Tales From the Chicago Bears Sideline, Bears fans can hear about the men who have made the Bears one of the greatest franchises in pro football....
-
-
Steve mcmichael
- By teamjed on 08-13-24
By: Steve McMichael, and others
-
Loose Head
- Confessions of an (Un)Professional Rugby Player
- By: Joe Marler
- Narrated by: Joe Marler
- Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This book is not just about how I got back on my horse and went clippity-clop all the way to the World Cup final in Japan. It's the story of how a fat kid who had to live up to the nickname Psycho grew up to play (and party) for over a decade with rugby's greatest pros. From just about surviving the equivalent of 30 car crashes a game and crooning Adele for team spirit, to extensive field notes on the smell of the Scrum and the fine art of on-pitch relief. Then there's rugby's secret naked wrestling scene and how it was exposed. In my world, you never know how the ball will bounce.
-
-
Average
- By Anonymous User on 09-10-21
By: Joe Marler
-
Boleyn Boy
- My Autobiography
- By: Mark Noble
- Narrated by: Luke Francis
- Length: 6 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mark Noble joined the West Ham Youth Academy in 2000 and immediately made an impression. Tenacious, aggressive, brave and full of character, he was the perfect embodiment of West Ham’s values and was seen as having a bright future in the Hammers first team. But nobody could have dreamt of Mark’s career at the club: the most appearances in the Premier League for West Ham United and, by the time of his retirement in 2022, the longest-serving one-club player in Europe – his achievements cemented him as one of the club’s modern legends and earned him the nickname ‘Mr West Ham’.
-
-
Boleyn Boy is class.
- By Amazon Customer on 04-28-23
By: Mark Noble
-
Ball Four
- The Final Pitch
- By: Jim Bouton
- Narrated by: Jim Bouton
- Length: 18 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Ball Four was published in 1970, it created a firestorm. Bouton was called a Judas, a Benedict Arnold and a “social leper” for having violated the “sanctity of the clubhouse.” Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn tried to force Bouton to sign a statement saying the book wasn’t true. Ballplayers, most of whom hadn’t read it, denounced the book. It was even banned by a few libraries. Almost everyone else, however, loved Ball Four.
-
-
Three Ten Year Updates Give Bouton a 5th Star
- By Byron on 08-09-12
By: Jim Bouton
-
Lioness - My Journey to Glory
- By: Beth Mead, Ian Wright - foreword, Jermain Defoe - afterword
- Narrated by: Dipo Ola, Emily Spowage
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Beth Mead is one of the world's most talented female footballers - Golden Boot winner and Player of the Tournament at the UEFA Euros 2022, Arsenal Player of the Season 2021-22, and nominee for the 2022 Ballon d'Or. But long before this, Beth was just an ordinary kid from Hinderwell, North Yorkshire who wanted to play football.
-
-
Very inspiring
- By R. Burroughs on 01-17-24
By: Beth Mead, and others
-
A Life Too Short
- The Tragedy of Robert Enke
- By: Ronald Reng
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 13 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Why does an international footballer with the World at his feet decide to take his own life? On November 10, 2009, the German national goalkeeper Robert Enke stepped in front of a passing train. He was 32 years old. Viewed from the outside, Enke had it all. Here was a professional goalkeeper who had played for a string of Europe's top clubs, including Jose Mourinho's Benfica and Louis Van Gaal's Barcelona. Enke was destined to be his country's first choice for years. But beneath the veneer of success lay a darker story.
-
-
Depression is real, this story brings it home.
- By Bob Seavers on 12-13-19
By: Ronald Reng
-
Amazing Tales from the Chicago Bears Sideline
- A Collection of the Greatest Bears Stories Ever Told
- By: Steve McMichael, John Mullin, Phil Arvia
- Narrated by: Tony Craine
- Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Chicago Bears are more than a football team - they are a legend. Founded in 1919, the Bears have won more regular season games than any other NFL franchise. With 26 players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and thirteen retired jerseys, it’s no wonder the Bears can be defined by three phrases: Big, tough, and full of characters. The Bears, like Chicago, are not just people. They are personalities. In Amazing Tales From the Chicago Bears Sideline, Bears fans can hear about the men who have made the Bears one of the greatest franchises in pro football....
-
-
Steve mcmichael
- By teamjed on 08-13-24
By: Steve McMichael, and others
-
Loose Head
- Confessions of an (Un)Professional Rugby Player
- By: Joe Marler
- Narrated by: Joe Marler
- Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This book is not just about how I got back on my horse and went clippity-clop all the way to the World Cup final in Japan. It's the story of how a fat kid who had to live up to the nickname Psycho grew up to play (and party) for over a decade with rugby's greatest pros. From just about surviving the equivalent of 30 car crashes a game and crooning Adele for team spirit, to extensive field notes on the smell of the Scrum and the fine art of on-pitch relief. Then there's rugby's secret naked wrestling scene and how it was exposed. In my world, you never know how the ball will bounce.
-
-
Average
- By Anonymous User on 09-10-21
By: Joe Marler
-
Fighting Back
- By: Rocky Bleier
- Narrated by: Rocky Bleier
- Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The inspirational journey of american hero Rocky Bleier is narrated by Rocky himself. It is one of the greatest comebacks in sports history told by a man who, seriously wounded in Vietnam, was described by the U.S. Army as 40 percent disabled. However, against tremendous odds he fought his way back and became a four-time Super Bowl champion. This special edition includes a new content including a forward written and narrated by Army Ranger and Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Alejandro Villanueva.
-
-
Rocky
- By Michael on 01-18-23
By: Rocky Bleier
-
Sevens Heaven
- The Beautiful Chaos of Fiji's Olympic Dream
- By: Ben Ryan
- Narrated by: Ben Ryan
- Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It is late summer 2013. Ben Ryan, a red-haired, 40-something, spectacle-wearing Englishman, is given 20 minutes to decide whether he wants to coach Fiji's rugby sevens team, with the aim of taking them to the nation's first-ever Olympic medal. He has never been to Fiji. There has been no discussion of contracts or salary. But he knows that no one plays rugby like the men from these isolated Pacific islands, just as no one plays football like the kids from the Brazilian favelas, or no one runs as fast as the boys and girls from Jamaica's boondocks.
-
-
Brilliant
- By Karissa Townes on 06-13-23
By: Ben Ryan
-
The Football Ramble
- By: Marcus Speller, Pete Donaldson, Luke Aaron Moore, and others
- Narrated by: Marcus Speller, Pete Donaldson, Luke Aaron Moore, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Downloaded over 10 million times a year, The Football Ramble podcast has established itself as the essential independent voice of football punditry. The weekly podcast has resonated with supporters around the world, and their sold-out live shows have been a massive hit with supporters. This audiobook is a collaboration by all four presenters and tackles the real issues from fans you won't see or hear on Sky Sports - or anywhere else, for that matter.
-
-
Best Performance
- By Amazon Customer on 11-15-16
By: Marcus Speller, and others
-
How to Be a Footballer
- By: Peter Crouch
- Narrated by: Peter Crouch
- Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Towering at six feet seven inches, Crouch is prized for his self-deprecating humour, having famously answered the question “what would you be if you weren’t a footballer?” with the one liner “a virgin”. At the same time, he has had an incredible career, from World Cups to Champions League finals. He has scored more headed goals than anyone else in Premiership history and has a better goals-to-minute on the pitch ratio for England than even Michael Owen. A humble professional with a great sense of humour, Crouch is one of the few players that is liked by fans of all clubs.
-
-
Fantastic Honesty
- By Anonymous User on 05-12-19
By: Peter Crouch
-
What a Flanker
- By: James Haskell
- Narrated by: James Haskell
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of rugby’s most ferocious flankers and biggest characters, James Haskell has had an extraordinary, global experience of the game, having played for the Lions, Wasps, England and in New Zealand, France and Japan . After 17 years and with 77 international caps under his sizeable belt, he has a shitload to say about rugby life - from pitch to pub and everywhere in between. In What a Flanker, Haskell sheds fresh light on the dynamics and the day-to-day of the game.
-
-
Great View into the Interesting life of Mr Haskell.
- By Jeff on 01-19-23
By: James Haskell
-
Robbo: Now You're Gonna Believe Us...
- Our Year. My Story.
- By: Andrew Robertson
- Narrated by: Nicholas Nunn, Andrew Robertson
- Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The inside story of an unrivaled period in the illustrious history of Liverpool Football Club, Robbo: Now You’re Gonna Believe Us... is a personal account as seen through the eyes of author Andrew Robertson. Taking you behind the scenes at Anfield and Melwood, he'll reveal how it all happened - how doubters turned to believers - and brought the league title home after a 30-year wait.
-
-
Robo, I believe
- By Diane on 05-03-24
By: Andrew Robertson
-
How Not to Be a Professional Racing Driver
- By: Jason Plato
- Narrated by: Jason Plato
- Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two-time championship-winning and record-breaking racing driver Jason Plato is a living, breathing example of what you shouldn't do if you want to become a professional racing driver. Since joining the Williams Touring Car team in 1997 it's no coincidence that he has had more race wins than Lewis Hamilton and Stirling Moss, competed in more races than Jenson Button and set the largest number of fastest laps ever. But it's also no coincidence that he once spent several days in prison in Monaco for stealing a JCB.
-
-
Hilarious with great inside stories!
- By MJ27 on 12-04-23
By: Jason Plato
-
Spain
- The Inside Story of La Roja's Historic Treble
- By: Graham Hunter
- Narrated by: Graham Hunter
- Length: 16 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is the story of the greatest achievement in the history of international football. After decades of failure, Spain won the European Championship in 2008 and then the World Cup in 2010. At Euro 2012 they became the first team to win three consecutive tournament titles. Graham Hunter was inside the dressing room as the players celebrated after the finals of the World Cup and Euro 2012.
-
-
Insider look masterclass
- By Peter on 08-07-15
By: Graham Hunter
-
My Greatest Save
- The Brave, Barrier-Breaking Journey of a World Champion Goalkeeper
- By: Briana Scurry, Wayne Coffey
- Narrated by: Briana Scurry
- Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A deeply moving and painfully honest memoir from the trailblazing World Cup-winning, Olympic gold medalist, and US Women’s soccer goalie Briana Scurry, My Greatest Save is a story of triumph, tragedy, and redemption from a woman who has broken through barriers her entire life.
-
-
A true Olympian
- By Caitlin Fry on 08-02-22
By: Briana Scurry, and others
-
Jenson Button: Life to the Limit
- My Autobiography
- By: Jenson Button
- Narrated by: Jack Hawkins
- Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The full-length, in-depth and intimate autobiography from Jenson Button, one of the greatest racing drivers of his generation. His 17 years in Formula One have seen him experience everything the sport has to offer, from nursing duff cars round the track to winning world championships and everything in between. Here, Jenson tells his full story for the first time in his own honest, intelligent and eloquent style.
-
-
Absolutely Amazing
- By Carlos C. on 05-23-18
By: Jenson Button
-
Straight 8
- The Autobiography
- By: Kieran Read
- Narrated by: Toby Webster
- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Forthright and frank, Read's well-respected views on the game and its future are a must-listen for rugby fans, and his take on the myriad personalities and the peccadilloes of his teammates, coaches and opponents will be sure to surprise and delight. From the playing fields of Papakura to the summit of the sport, Read has faced every challenge head on. His life story is no exception.
-
-
Favorite No8
- By Johanna Karlsson on 03-10-23
By: Kieran Read
-
Slow Getting Up
- A Story of NFL Survival from the Bottom of the Pile
- By: Nate Jackson
- Narrated by: Nate Jackson
- Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nate Jackson’s Slow Getting Up is an unvarnished and uncensored memoir of everyday life in the most popular sports league in America - and the most damaging to its players - the National Football League. After playing college ball at a tiny Division III school, Jackson, a receiver, signed as a free agent with the San Francisco 49ers, before moving to the Denver Broncos. For six seasons in the NFL as a Bronco, he alternated between the practice squad and the active roster, eventually winning a starting spot - a short, tenuous career emblematic of the average pro player.
-
-
Almost unlistenable...AND I'M A DENVER DIEHARD!
- By JROD2133 on 07-02-14
By: Nate Jackson
Dicksie The Legend
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.