By VIKKI ORVICE
October 07, 2006
IT is one of the worlds biggest books and it is about the
worlds biggest football club.
The Manchester United Opus weighs a staggering 35kg thats 5st
11lb and prices start at £3,000.
The ultimate in coffee table tomes it is an 850-page testament to
the worlds most famous football club.
United greats such as Sir Bobby Charlton, Sir Alex Ferguson, Denis
Law, Ryan Giggs, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney are
interviewed in the 400,000 words.
And the book is lavishly illustrated with 2,000 previously unseen
photographs.
Charlton said: Its not something you can just pop in your pocket
and read on the train. Its enormous, a monstrous work.
Its a very important history of a truly great club, still the
biggest club in the world.
There is a huge story to be told and its very important to tell
it.
There are so many characters, great players and unforgettable
moments. Doing the book has brought back a lot of memories for me
and Im very flattered to be involved.
Its only the second time theyve published a book like this.
Muhammad Ali was the subject of the first, now United are the
second. It shows the standing of the club in worlds sport
history.
Its a marvellous story of a marvellous club. A celebration of a
great club.
Anyone interested in football will be fascinated by it.
The book, published next month, recounts the history of the club
along with a section on the cultural role that the club has played
in the citys history.
There is also a unique record of every competitive game United have
played.
All of the 10,0000 copies which are half a metre square are
personally signed by Charlton and Ferguson.
And copies 1-500 will also be signed by Old Trafford legends Bryan
Robson, Eric Cantona and Denis Law. Publishers Kraken Opus plan to
bring out 12 gigantic books on sport and entertainment over the
next three years.
There are five other titles currently under production in the Opus
series Superbowl XL, Diego Maradona, Formula One, Disney and
Wimbledon.
BOBBY CHARLTON sits pretty on top of the Manchester United
Opus.
The 850-page tomb weighs in at 35kg (5st 11lb) and includes 400,000
words plus 2,000 new photos. Prices start at £3,000 and just 10,000
copies have been published.
