Talk Of The Tyne Competition

Some of you will know Ian Cusack from the old site, a controversial member but well versed nevertheless, Ian has worked hard to get this off the ground and I would personally like to congratulate him on his achievement.

So, here's what the book's all about;

THE NORTH EAST has been known as "the hotbed of soccer" ever since Arthur
Appleton coined the phrase with his book of the same name in 1961. Yet, how true is the
description? The 2009/2010 season saw recently relegated Newcastle United storming
back to the Premiership in front of the biggest attendances the Championship had ever seen. However, less than 10 miles away from those rarefied climes, Percy Main Amateurs celebrated the 90th anniversary of their triumph in the Northumberland Minor Cup by striving to gain promotion from the Pin Point Recruitment Northern Alliance First Division.

Village Voice tells the semi-dramatic story of the Main`s sometimes nerve shredding,
sometimes triumphant but always expletive-strewn, ultimately successful attempt to escape from the 11th tier of English football. With a couple of cup final appearances thrown in, we follow the Villagers` season on and off the pitch as the economic realities of running a club where players on the pitch outnumber fans on the terraces are never far from the
author`s mind.

Topics such as the incomprehensible fashion choices of most of the squad, a winter of
such severity that the Villagers go 112 days without playing a league game and the need to offer the best quality hot dogs in the Northern Alliance are addressed alongside mere fripperies such as the 2010 General Election by a world-weary, all-seeing author who discovers, despite himself, that his love for Percy Main deepens by the day.

Here's a review for you all, personnaly I'm looking forward to haveing a read of it...

Ian Cusack`s affectionate and articulate book provides a fascinating and supremely honest insight into the world of grassroots football in the North East, with the bonus of a happy ending thrown in. Village Voice will make you adopt Percy Main Amateurs as your second team.

Anyways, I'd like to thank Ian for giving us a couple of copies, all you need to do now is answer the question below:

Which 70s rock star was nicknamed 'Percy?'

Please add your answers below in the comments box, the winners will be selected at random, good luck to you all..

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.