Hobby has now turned into an obsession for Posh chairman

MULTI-MILLIONAIRE, entrepreneur, property magnate, football club chairman, worldclass orator and now an author.

Darragh Macanthony, the man who has bankrolled three Posh promotions and a Championship survival, has written a book about his five-and-half year stint at the London Road helm.

‘From Hobby to Obsession’ will be released in June, but Macanthony has kindly allowed The Evening Telegraph a sneak preview of the book’s foreword.

Macanthony said: “The foreword of the book kinda gives you an idea of the contents of the book itself. I suppose what inspired me to write it was fact that lots of people would love to be in a position to buy a football club.

“So that led me to share my thoughts on actually owning a club and the goings on day to day over the course of a 5-6 year period.

“Hopefully people will enjoy it and see what Posh really means to me and how the club has turned into a day to day obsession for me and not what I initially bought it for which to be honest was a hobby!” to be a hobby for me and a nice distraction away from the daily grind of business interests and 24/7 travel on work-related matters.

“As a 30 year-old football-mad person, I was about to embark on a journey that 99 per cent of most football fans would love to take.

“I never ignore the fact that I live most people’s dreams and I am very grateful to be in this position and never take it for granted.

“When I became chairman of Peterborough United Football Club, who were a mid-table League Two side just over six years ago, little did I know that this hobby of mine would include:

Investing over £11 million of my own money.

Hiring the son of one of football’s most famous, if not the most famous, managers in the game today in Sir Alex Ferguson.

Going to war over becoming owner of the club for 12 long months.

Experiencing three promotions over five seasons.

Experiencing the depression of relegation.

Seeing my team score over 400 goals in the process.

Going through five different managers in such a short space of time thus effectively making me No. 1 hatchet chairman according to FourFourtwo magazine.

Seeing my club upset the odds and compete comfortably in the Championship.

Upsetting so many opposition fans like I did the Huddersfield supporters. Signing over 60 new players. Selling and paying off many more.

Making thousands of people happy on so many occasions.

Falling foul of the FA and getting fined.

Dealing with so many agents both qualified and unqualified.

Seeing the pressure of winning a football game practically give me a heart attack.

Becoming obsessed about making Posh a football club to be envied by other football clubs and their fans for succeeding with the right ideals and policies. “This book will lead you through the journey over the exciting often rollercoaster years with the good, the bad, the ugly, but above all the TRUTH about what it’s really like to own a football club and everything that goes with it. “Trust me when I say that a hobby it is not, it is an outright obsession and one that affects my everyday life for better or worse.

“There is nothing I would change, as I believe everything that happens in life is an education, which leads me to quote my favourite saying ‘We are all allowed to make mistakes, just as long as we never make the same mistake twice’

Enjoy the read, the journey, the highs and lows; enjoy the real side to the football world as experienced by me.

Darragh Macanthony, Chairman

Macanthony’s book will be released next month at a price of £14.99 in hardback or £9.99 digitally.

In celebration of this book, the chairman is holding a special evening to mark the occasion. On Monday, July 16 you can have the opportunity to spend an evening with him as he discusses the book and its contents along with a three course meal.

Tickets for this event are £300 for a table of 10 people, or individual tickets are also available for £30. The price includes a copy of the book.

At the end of the evening you will then get the chance to have your book signed by Macanthony.

Only 150 places are available for this event and tickets will be sold on a first come, first served basis. The event will take place in the Caroline Hand Executive Suite at London Road.

For more information or to purchase tickets please email neil@ theposh.com.

POPULAR WITH THE FANS: Darragh Macanthony.