The book's celebrated double ending meant that for a long time it was considered unfilmable, until Harold Pinter's screenplay of 1981 proved this to be magnificently untrue.

The Italian led the Blues to a Premier League and FA Cup Double last season but his side face ending this campaign without a trophy.

Glance at any parent's Facebook page, and you'd think that parenthood is a picture-perfect joyride, filled with constant sunshine, never-ending ice cream sundaes and breathtaking double rainbows.