July Book of the Month: NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH!
It may be off-season for the Premier League, but we're bringing you equally gripping entertainment with our July Book of the Month. NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH! takes you straight to the heart of Chelsea FC in the 1970s, told from the first-hand perspective of defender Steve Wicks.
This isn't just a football memoir, it's an inside look at one of the most chaotic chapters in the club's history. From dressing-room drama and financial turmoil to last-chance promotions and makeshift leadership. Wicks found himself at the centre of it all.
A far cry from the modern-day glitz and glamour, NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH! is a raw, revealing portrait of what it really meant to wear the kit, when the stakes were high, the boots were muddy, and saving the club wasn't just a slogan, it was your job.
About the author
A lifelong fan of the Blues, Steve Wicks grew up idolising Chelsea, and by the age of 12, he was already playing for their youth team. He stood out not just for his talent, but for his striking presence and composure on the pitch.
"Steve Wicks? He's better in the air than Peter Pan!" - Eddie McGreadie
Wicks would go on to become one of Chelsea's most dependable centre-backs in an era defined by chaos rather than trophies. For a young fan-turned-player, it was the opportunity of a lifetime, even if it came wrapped in crisis. These were the years of financial ruin, managerial meltdowns, and desperate, last-ditch dressing room speeches.
RRP: £20.00 | Publication Date: 30 June 2025 | ISBN: 9781915616241
Publisher: Empire Publications
A dream start... that quickly turned sour
Wicks joined the senior team during what looked like a golden era. But the glitter faded fast. Big names like Alan Hudson and Peter Osgood were sold, manager Dave Sexton resigned, and relegation soon followed. The club's ambitious East Stand project plunged Stamford Bridge into financial chaos, and what began as a dream turned into a survival mission.
Thrown into the deep end alongside fellow rising star Ray Wilkins, Wicks found himself at the heart of a club in crisis. Reserve players were called up to "save the club," and the pressure was relentless. With Wilkins captaining at just 18, Chelsea clawed its way out of the Second Division in 1977, defying the odds in a story equal parts grit and desperation.
Wicks captures the full drama, from dressing ultimatums to pitch-side heroics, and takes readers beyond Chelsea, too. His career brought him under the wing of Tommy Doherty at Docherty at Derby, into the transformative era of Terry Venables at QPR, and back to a crumbling Chelsea under Ken Bates, where dysfunction reigned. What emerges is more than a memoir; it's a front row seat to the chaos, comedy, and cutthroat reality of English football in the 1970s and 80s.
A tribute to the legends we've lost along the way
Ray Wilkins, Ian Britton, and Peter Bonetti were at the heart of Chelsea’s golden years, shaping the club’s legacy with skill, spirit, and resilience. Their impact lives on in the history books, but in this memoir, we get the stories behind the glory. Through Steve Wicks’ eyes, we see how these icons helped steer the club through its most turbulent era and left an unforgettable mark on English football.
If you think today’s football is dramatic, NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH! will make you rethink what “chaos” really looks like. Part memoir, part survival story, it’s a must-read for any true Blues Fan.