Welcome back to Books With Cause. Let’s dive into my latest review. All In, the autobiography by Mary Earps, has not been short of controversy.
If you’ve been following my blog for some time, then you will already know that I’m a Manchester United fan. And that goes for the women’s team too. If anything, the women have been putting the men to shame for some time. My girlfriend is a season ticket holder for the women’s team, and I join her whenever logistically possible. The very first women’s match I went to was away to Everton in October 2023. We won 5-0, and United’s goalkeeper that day was Mary Earps. This was at a time when Earps had the world at her feet. This was following the Lionesses winning their first Euros, and also after Earps’s penalty save in the World Cup final. She would go on to win the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year a couple of months later.
When this book was announced, it wasn’t one I ever imagined I’d read. While I dip into non-fiction from time to time, I don’t think I’ve ever read a footballer’s autobiography before. The idea had just never appealed to me. I was also surprised that Earps had written an autobiography when she was quite young and still active in the game. Then again, I suppose she’s not the first. About a week before the book’s release, a few passages were made public, and the reaction created quite the seismic waves. At that point, I was beyond curious. I had to read this book.
For the most part, I actually enjoyed this book more than I expected. The first part is par for the course when it comes to an autobiography. Mary tells the reader about her childhood, her school days, and the various after-school activities she took part in before realising that football was the one for her. She goes on to talk about her journey from playing for a local girls’ side through her career as a professional for clubs including Bristol City, Reading, and Wolfsburg.
This book uses chapter titles as though it were a motivational self-help book rather than an autobiography. Upon reflection, I’ve come to the conclusion that why can’t it be both? Earps’s story, like that of many athletes, is one of highs and lows. And let’s be clear that the lows were extremely low. But without those lows, one cannot appreciate the highs. It’s through Earps’s personal lows that she found the determination to come back, prove people wrong, and achieve her dreams. Her achievements speak for themselves. Women’s Euros, Women’s World Cup finalist, Finalissima, and not to mention the individual awards, including the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Truth be told, I did find this book inspirational in that regard. As someone who has my own ambitions and things I want to achieve in life, reading Earps’s story gave me that burst to chase my dreams too. And if this book has that sort of effect on a little girl who wants to be a footballer, then I think Earps will think it’s been worth it.
There’s no doubt that Mary Earps has had a remarkable career on and off the pitch. At a time when women’s football needed representation and little girls needed someone to look up to, Mary Earps was that someone. She was the person brave enough to confront Nike when they didn’t stock the England women’s goalkeeper shirt. For good reason, too. I can’t remember the last time I went to a match and didn’t see at least one fan wearing a goalkeeper shirt. I still see Earps shirts at United games, and she’s been gone for over a season. So her legacy lives on.
However, and there is a big however, the book does take a turn in the final third. And it’s from the final third that some of the excerpts have come from, and it’s in this section where she covers her retirement from the international stage. Truth be told, it’s hard to see this part as anything more than sour grapes. It starts with her explaining that Hannah Hampton was first dropped from the England squad due to what Earps describes as a bad attitude and behaviour, but she doesn’t actually give further details on this. Then, at a later point, Hampton is recalled to the squad, and Earps describes it as bad behaviour being rewarded. Again, as we have no details on this, it’s hard to determine if her complaints are valid or not. It’s worth noting that Hampton is only 25 now and would’ve been around 21 when she was dropped from the team. I’ll be the first to admit that I made some stupid mistakes when I was in my early twenties, and I’d hate to be judged for them for the rest of time.
The fact of the matter is that we may never know the full circumstances of the situation. Maybe only those closest to Earps, Hampton, and Sarina Wiegman will ever have that privilege. With the information we do have, I’m inclined to side with the manager. What this boils down to is that Wiegman decided that Hampton was her number one for the 2025 Euros, and Earps decided to retire rather than settle for being number two. Earps tries to spin it, but in this book, she literally says that she sped up her plans to end her international career on her terms.
I preface this part with the fact that I’ve never been any good at football. I never had a chance. So I can’t relate. I can only ever imagine how it feels. But the fact is that Father Time is undefeated. Every player declines at some point. Very few have the longevity of a Ronaldo. Every player eventually has to retire, and in my lifetime, I’ve seen some all-time greats retire. Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van Der Sar, if we’re only talking about goalkeepers. I love David De Gea, but it came to the point where he had to go. With respect, the same is true of Mary Earps. In her last League game for United, she conceded six goals to Chelsea at Old Trafford. I was there. It was a low point. There was a better goalkeeper waiting on the bench in Phallon Tullis Joyce, and the club have improved since Earps’s departure. Likewise, I’ve seen England play without her. It’s hard to say they missed her in the Euros this year. And I’m not going to sit here and claim I’m a Hannah Hampton fan. She’s been a mighty thorn in my side at club level. I was there for the FA Cup final this year. 3-0, and Hampton took the time to wind up the United fans.
My Goodreads Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3 stars)
