Off the Bench

As a father to two football-mad children and a long-suffering Sheffield Wednesday fan, I’ve always wanted to write a football book. We’ve all read enough narratives about a star striker getting an injury before a cup final or an underdog triumphing against the odds, so I wanted to go for something different. Based on my experiences on the touchline of my son’s games (you won’t believe the behaviour of some parents – or maybe you will) and my love of Football Manager, I thought it’d be interesting to focus on a kids’ team and a player who, actually, isn’t very good. I think it’s more laudable to play sports (or engage with anything) that you’re not naturally talented at, it’s brave for one thing, and this isn’t often discussed. The book, therefore, is dedicated to all players, like me, who aren’t gifted but give it a go anyway. That’s showing real love of the game!