Man Utd fan Mike Laycock reviews David Beckham's autobiography.

YOU may have thought you already knew everything there is to know about Becks.

For years, you have hardly been able to pick up a paper without reading about Beckham's latest clothes, hair-style, tattoo, holiday or shopping trip.

Oh, yes, and his footballing exploits. Mustn't forget those, of course, although this global icon has long been much more than a mere footballer to the media. More like Manna from Heaven for the red top papers - and now TV producers as well, with two Beckham documentaries being screened this week.

And now there's the autobiography, giving Becks' side of the story, the "inside story.". Much-hyped, or keenly awaited, depending on your point of view. So what more can you learn about David Beckham by reading the book? Quite a lot, as you may already know from the recent tabloid serialisation.

For example, here you will find the background to incidents that previously gripped the nation. Such as The Day Fergie Gave Becks The Boot. Remember that - it was the big newspaper story of February, eclipsing minor distractions such as whether or not Britain should go to war against Iraq.

We all knew then how a furious Sir Alex Ferguson had kicked a boot which hit Becks' eyebrow after an FA Cup defeat by Arsenal, for which the boss had blamed Beckham. (Funnily enough, my recollection of that game will always be the worst miss I have ever seen by Ryan Giggs as he ran towards an open goal and blasted over).

What we didn't know until now was what happened afterwards: how Becks nearly "went for the Gaffer" before being grabbed by Giggsy, Gary Neville and Ruud Van Nistelrooy - "like some mad scene out of a gangster movie". Or about how the strains between Beckham and his boss had gradually built up over the months and years until the spark had ignited the explosion.

But there are positive words about Fergie too, for example how he loyally supported his young player after Beckham's controversial sending-off in the 1998 World Cup. Former England boss Glenn Hoddle probably comes out of this book with a bigger pasting than Fergie, over his handling of the team in the 1998 World Cup.

The book recounts the sickeningly over-the-top attempt by national tabloid journalists to destroy Becks after his notorious sending off in that tournament - the same reporters who hailed him like Jesus Christ several years later for single-handedly getting us into the following World Cup.

There is plenty also for those interested in Becks' whirlwind romance with Posh, his devotion to his children, his childhood and emergence into the United team.

For long-standing Reds such as myself, who have seen Becks' major role in a decade of trophies and triumph, it's an interesting read, although I couldn't pretend I was riveted.

But for those who really couldn't care less, this book and the fuss surrounding it is probably confirmation, if one were needed, that the country's fixation with Becks is out of hand.

David Beckham: My Side, published by HarperCollins, priced £18.99.

Updated: 12:32 Wednesday, September 17, 2003