But they still love it, and they like going down to the park for a kick-about. My experience of playing football was that most kids are never going to make it as professionals. I know my daughter’s friends have done that. One of the things that’s great about football is when the underdog triumphs.Īnd after they’ve read your books those kids can go and have a kick about in the park and play out the characters and stories. An adversary, a time limit with a rising arc of tension as your heroes constantly try and fail, a moment when you think all is lost - which happens a lot with my team. You’ve got those David and Goliath battles. Plus, there are so many parallels with storytelling and football. Football provides a great stage – a dramatic backdrop for this” “Stories are all about helping us try to make sense of this crazy rollercoaster we call life. You could go to a match and relax with your work mates – it was entertainment that was also a key part of the local community. Which I suppose is where football originally came from, isn’t it? That’s why they have it on a Saturday afternoon at the end of the working week. Going back to football itself, the thing that occurs to me is – why do I care? Why do I go and spend my money and my time on this game? Part of it is being in a stadium with thousands of other people and feeling that electricity in the air – feeling a part of something, and having something beyond the day-to-day existence. Football provides a great stage – a dramatic backdrop for this.Īpart from being a fan why do you think football is such a great background for kids books? Stories are all about helping us try to make sense of this crazy rollercoaster we call life. In your books, certainly in the Charlie Merrick series, football is a big theme, but these are also stories about friendship and growing up.įriendship and growing up is something we can all relate to, and struggle with at times. Unfortunately, for me it’s all about the pain of following Birmingham City. I’m watching the World Cup at the moment and I’m really enjoying that, but I’m not one of those people who will just watch whatever’s on. I’m not a sport fan in general, I just love football. I’m in the stands, and there’s this emotion. I suppose you try to pull away a little bit. So, yes, to answer your daughter’s question, I certainly was as a kid. Now, I read that opening bit of Charlie Merrick, and I’m like, ‘Oh, yeah. The thing is that you don’t always realize how much of yourself is in a character until somebody points it out. I was always drawing football, I’d draw entire games… When I wasn’t down in the park playing football with my mates I would be drawing football pictures – because I love drawing as well. It was just a part of me, and I suppose it’s always been that way.Īs a kid I wouldn’t even use claret and light blue colouring pens because they were Villa colours: that is how serious football was to us then. I grew up in Birmingham, and I’m a Birmingham City fan. Foreign Policy & International Relationsįirst of all, and quite aptly, my daughter wants to know if you are as football obsessed as your character, Charlie Merrick?įootball has always been a huge part of my life.It’s all about Frankie, Louise, Charlie and Max who love playing football. One of the things we’re excited about is Frankie’s Magic Football – a series of books written by the football legend Frank Lampard! The World Cup has arrived! And we’re getting truly in the spirit by looking at loads of cool football videos, books and stories.
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