An irrational hatred of everything : my continuing odyssey as a West Ham fan 2003-2018

It has been a long fifteen years since cult favourite An Irrational Hatred of Luton took readers on a tortured journey through the world of a committed football supporter. Author and lifelong Hammer's fan Robert Banks is back with a fresh dose of perspective on what it means to be a West Ham supporter. When his first book came out the internet was still in nappies and West Ham United's home was Upton Park.

This new volume is born into a very different world, where football fans seek instant gratification via social media - a world where everyone has an opinion and no matter how positive the mood there is always someone who will bring it down.

But football is just a game, after all. It is on the back pages of the newspaper for a reason.

It doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things.

We make it important because of what it means to us - it helps us to forget about what is on the front pages and the more pressing issues in our own lives. This new book of musings, by turns funny and poignant, describes what it means to be a true football fan.