100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ

Auckland Bookstore open Sunday 8:30am-5:00pm ๐Ÿ“š

Joe Cole, Luxury Player

The candid memoir from the Chelsea, West Ham and England legend
Brief Description
SHORTLISTED FOR AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR AT THE 2026 SPORTS BOOK AWARDS A WATERSTONES SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025 'EVOCATIVE' The Guardian 'COMPELLING AND BRILLIANTLY CANDID' Daily Mail 'A GREAT BOOK' Jake Humphrey, High Performance Podcast CANDID, RAW AND UNFORGETTABLE, THIS IS JOE COLE'S STORY... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2999
Pre-order
Releases 15th September 2026 (Approx. Date) Pre-order  "Joe Cole, Luxury Player" now to secure your copy from our first shipment

Found a better price? Request a price match

The long-awaited memoir from England, Chelsea and West Ham legend

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

SHORTLISTED FOR AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR AT THE 2026 SPORTS BOOK AWARDS

A WATERSTONES SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025

'EVOCATIVE' The Guardian

'COMPELLING AND BRILLIANTLY CANDID' Daily Mail

'A GREAT BOOK' Jake Humphrey, High Performance Podcast

CANDID, RAW AND UNFORGETTABLE, THIS IS JOE COLE'S STORY - A MUST-READ FOR ANY FOOTBALL FAN

One of the best players of his era, Joe Cole grew up playing football in North London's estates, and his ability, grit and hard work took him to the very top. But Joe was often mistrusted by managers and out of step with the style of English football in the 2000s. The game was suspicious of creative footballers it considered luxury players - the kind it could regard as an indulgence.

With honesty and an eye for the absurdities of football, Joe takes us inside the dressing room to reveal it all. From his days at the FA's School of Excellence at Lilleshall and rising through the ranks at West Ham, to winning it all under Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea, whilst playing with England's so-called Golden Generation.

But the trophies, goals and moments of magic couldn't last forever. After battling severe injuries - and suffering devastating family loss - Joe walked away from the sport that had given him everything, bringing one of football's most remarkable careers to a close.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781399637350

Publisher: Orion Publishing Co

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 04 June 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Seven Dials

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 126.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 275g

Pages: 352

About the Author

Joe Cole is a former footballer who played for West Ham, Chelsea, Liverpool, Lille, Aston Villa, Coventry City and Tampa Bay Rowdies. A club legend at West Ham and Chelsea, he is widely regarded as one of the most technically-gifted English players of his generation. He made 679 club appearances in his career, scoring 94 goals and won three Premier League titles, two FA Cups and a League Cup (and not forgetting the Intertoto Cup at West Ham). Joe also won 56 caps for England and played at three World Cups. He is now a pundit for TNT Sports.

Also by Joe Cole

View all
  • Joe Cole, Luxury Player
    A WATERSTONES SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025 'EVOCATIVE' The Guardian 'COMPELLING AND BRILLIANTLY CANDID' Daily Mail 'A GREAT BOOK' Jake Humphrey, High Performance Podcast Candid, raw and unforgettable, this is Joe Cole's story - a must-read for any football fan. One of the best players of his era, Joe Cole grew up playing football in North London's estates, and...
    Hardback
    $6000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

More from Biography & Memoir

View all
  • This Angry Pen of Mine
    This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...
    Hardback
    $7299
    Elsewhere:
    $8999
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    Famesick
    Chronicling the tumultuous decade between the premiere of Girls to her 2021 shotgunย wedding (minus the baby, because she has no uterus), Lena Dunham takes us through herย journey with her trademark mix of humor, unsparing honesty, and keen eye for detail. We peek behind the scenes - of her work, her family, her relationships, and her battle to reclaim her body...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    Dogs, Boys and Other Things I've Cried About
    From the social media superstar behind @SimonSits, Isabel Klee--known for her heartwarming tales of dog rescue--comes an utterly winning memoir about a twentysomething woman's search for true love in New York City and the dogs who helped her find it. A Jersey girl by birth, Isabel Klee had always wanted to live in New York City. At age 20, she...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Signed Copy
    New Release
    Stakes
    Read our interview with author Noelle McCarthy! A darkly funny, sparkling follow-up to the authorโ€™s bestselling memoirย Grand. You have to invite him in. You have to want the vampireโ€™s badness in the house with you. Growing up in Catholic Ireland, Noelle McCarthy is captivated by Bram Stokerโ€™sย Dracula. The vampire is a risk-free fantasy, a suave alternative to the fraught realities...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    Built for This
    Raised among strong women, butcher's benches, and hard ideas about what men are meant to be, Brad Poulter grows up knowing he's different long before he has the words for it. But in late '90s small-town New Zealand, 'different' isn't discussed, it's managed. Joining the Royal New Zealand Navy offers escape, certainty, and belonging. The rules are clear, the uniform...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Even the Good Girls Will Cry
    Thanks to a thrown beer bottle and a fan letter to a P.O. box, Melissa Auf der Maur's first band scored an opening slot for the Smashing Pumpkins in her bohemian home town, Montreal. Sensing Melissa's talent, Billy Corgan recommended her to Courtney Love. Whisked from her local scene, Melissa joined Hole just after the deaths of Kurt Cobain and...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    An Ocean and a Day
    An utterly riveting, moving and poignant memoir of grief and loss that will speak to anyone who's ever lost someone they love. An Ocean and a Day is Hannah Richell's personal account of losing her husband, Matt, in a surfing accident on Tamarama beach in 2014. It is the story of the grief journey she travelled over the first two...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    A Place to Stand
    A Place to Stand by Clare Ward is a profound memoir that delves into the life of a country doctor living and working in the Hokianga Harbour area in the far north of Aotearoa New Zealand. This region is sparsely populated and poses numerous health challenges. This thoughtful account details Clareโ€™s thirty-year career, highlighting the people she works with and...
    Hardback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Rule of Lies
    Written with all the pace and energy of a John Grisham novel โ€ฆ An incredible true story and a great read! BILL BROWDER, author of Red Notice and Freezing Order An American lawyerโ€™s brilliant, propulsive story of witnessing and playing a part in the transformation of Russia under Yeltsin and Putin. A true tale of fascinating personalities, criminal intrigue, harrowing...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    (1)
    Backorder
    Ships late August
  • New Release
    Rory
    Theย New York Timesย bestseller The #1ย Irish Timesย bestseller The definitive biography of Rory McIlroy, the most important, popular and confounding player of the post-Tiger era. Rory McIlroy contains multitudes. The child of a working-class family from a small town in a war-torn homeland now commutes to work in his own private jet and counts billionaires as confidants. He can overwhelm a golf...
    Paperback
    $3699
    Elsewhere:
    $4199
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    Te Kaikaukau | The Swimmer
    Novelist, memoirist and playwright Witi Ihimaera โ€“ author of Pounamu, Pounamu and The Whale Rider โ€“ decided, at the age of eighty, to dive back into the water and spend a year full-time at Te Wฤnanga Takiura, immersing himself in his own language, in te reo Mฤori. This book tells the story of this kaikaukau, this swimmer, and his year...
    Paperback
    $3500
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    This Is Me: A Reckoning
    This is a searingly honest and moving memoir from double Golden Globe-nominatedactress Hayden Panettiere. Hayden Panettiere has been in front of the camera since before she could talk. She roseto stardom typecasted as Hollywood's blonde girl next door. As a young celebrity,naysayers were certain she would crash and burn. Not one to disappoint, she did.Hayden Panettiere's irreverent memoir satisfies our...
    Paperback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.