THE autobiographies of Kevin Pietersen and Roy Keane have been well publicised, but the sports book I am looking forward to reading is the lesser-known Hard Case.

Jimmy Case may not sell as many copies as Pietersen and Keane, whose publishers will be rubbing their hands at the number of headlines their tomes have created in the build up to Christmas.

But that typifies Jimmy, he will just be happy to have got his memories and experiences down on paper.

I only had him for the last few games of my managerial career at The Dell after getting him on a free transfer from Brighton interest.

But he is one of my best signings.

Not many people know that he has always been quite hard of hearing in one ear.

I used to joke that on the day I signed him he turned his head one way when I talked to him about football but when I talked about money it went in the other direction! I The long hair he had in those days meant I didn’t notice his hearing aid!

He went on to play more than 200 games for Southampton and loved his time down here so much he still lives in the area, while still attending Liverpool’s home games as a club ambassador and radio pundit.

Jimmy was a terrific man to have around the club. He has never been one to blow his own trumpet, but he won so many medals during his glory days at Anfield that just walking into the dressing room gave him the respect of the senior players – and the youngsters looked at him in awe.

He didn’t have to tell people what to do, he just showed them whenever he put his boots on, in training and in games.

Jimmy had a reputation as being a hard man and I would put Mark Dennis and Franny Benali in the same category.

What you usually find with these players is that, while you wouldn’t want to play against them, off the field their characters are the complete opposite.

Jimmy didn’t have to shout from the rooftops about his ability or what he had gained but it’s all there in black and white.

He would not get the publicity of goalscorers like Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush but those famous forwards would be the first to acknowledge they could not do their jobs without the likes of Jimmy.

Like Alan Ball, he was not as mobile as he was in his pomp when he arrived at The Dell, but commanded all around by example, which was invaluable.

Jimmy continues to help charities – I often see him at my golf day for autistic children – and I hope his book does very well.

I’m sure it will make interesting reading.

And in case you’re wondering I plan to finish my own book one day. I’ve been working with an old journalistic friend of mine.

At one point this Christmas was the target but after seeing the number of sports books out at the moment maybe it’s just as well to leave it for now.

I’ll probably bring it out as Jimmy has done, a little more quietly, without writing something to gain a headline or two.