From the author of The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle and Becoming Ted, a brand new enemies-to-lovers romcom for fans of Ted Lasso and Red, White and Royal Blue . . .
'Heart-warming and joyful' LORRAINE KELLY 'A great big hug of a book' MICHAEL BALL
Toddington FC defender Tom Horrocks is never happier than when he's on the football pitch, but when it comes to love, he's hiding a big secret. Worried about his young daughter and sick father - and with his team finally in the Premier League - he avoids all media.
Journalist Cosmo Roberts wants to change the world, so is angry when he's sent to a quiet northern town to cover a sport he sees as anti-gay. Then something about Tom catches his eye.
Cosmo hates football. Tom hates journalists. Perhaps this time they've both met their match.
'Filled with joy and strength and optimism' RUSSELL T. DAVIES 'Romantic and heartbreaking and uplifting' LAURA KAY
Reader love Matt Cain
'Wonderfully uplifting' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Absolutely brilliant' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I loved every second of this book' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Release date:
April 11, 2024
Publisher:
Headline
Print pages:
128
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‘We’re doing a media project,’ says the manager as he switches off the TV. ‘Jackie’s going to have a word after lunch.’
Tom Horrocks touches his collar bone. He was gripped by the video analysis of Saturday’s game but off the pitch he doesn’t want anything to do with the media. ‘What’s it about?’ he asks.
Sergio Santos frowns. When he was appointed manager of Toddington FC, he moved to the UK from his native Spain and he has learned to speak excellent English. But there are still some things he finds confusing. ‘I don’t know, something about BLG. Or is it BGT?’
‘Britain’s Got Talent?’ asks Kyle Skinner, a striker with long hair which he wears up in an Alice band. ‘You know I can do a banging pec dance.’
Sergio rakes his fingers through his black quiff, which is flecked with grey. ‘Sorry, I must have got the letters mixed up. It’s the one to do with gays.’
Tom clenches his jaw.
‘LGBT,’ offers Nigerian striker Uche Usman, Toddington FC’s captain and star player. ‘Or LGBTQ+ as people say now.’
I’ve got a bad feeling about this, thinks Tom.
‘Do you think they’ll ask us to play in drag?’ Kyle says. ‘I can just see you in pink sequins, Uche.’
‘Red’s more my colour,’ Uche says. ‘But you’d look great in pink, Kyle. You could do your hair in pigtails.’
Despite Uche’s impish grin, Tom senses a crackle of tension. Kyle played centre forward until Uche was bought by Sergio when he came to the club five years ago. Kyle was moved over to the right wing, mainly to provide the assists for Uche to score.
‘I don’t know any of the details but the media team will explain,’ Sergio says. ‘Now let’s get out on the pitch!’
Tom turns around and picks up the clothes the kit man has laid out for him. The squad are in the dressing room at the training ground, which is between two areas of housing to the west of the town centre. The room is basic, with white walls made of breeze-block, wooden benches and dull grey steel lockers. But the training ground is where the players spend most of their time, and it’s where Tom has always felt most at home.
He tugs off his tracksuit and pulls on his kit, including a shirt with the number five. Once he’s done up his boots, he takes a quick look at himself in the mirror. His red hair, freckles and Celtic complexion work well with Toddington’s purple, unlike lighter colours that make him look washed out.
But Tom has never been one of the team’s heartthrobs, which suits him perfectly as it’s helped him dodge attention. Nor does he play in any of the hero positions; as a centre back, he’s a big, powerful man who forms the heart of the defensive wall. He’s also tall, so he can win the headers when the opponents kick the ball long and high. As his dad is fond of saying, he’s built to be a defender.
At twenty-eight, Tom has only ever played for Toddington, or the Toddies as they’re known. Unlike most of the other players, he grew up in the town and trained at the youth academy before playing for the under eighteens. Eventually he joined the first team and for a few years he quietly lived his dream.
Then Toddington FC was taken over by a group of rich Malaysians. The new money brought about a change of manager and a flurry of transfers. The Toddies were soon promoted from third-tier football to the Championship, then – after two seasons – the all-important Premier League.
Seen as the plucky underdogs and lifted up by the goodwill of the public, they’ve climbed the league table and are now ranked fourth. If they can just hang on in there, they’ll qualify for the UEFA Champions League – something way beyond Tom’s childhood dream.
As he trots out onto the grass, he’s determined to do everything he can to make that happen. But, as he stretches his muscles, one worry intrudes. What’s this gay thing? he thinks.
Tom wonders if he can duck out by saying he needs to pick up his daughter from school. But no, he remembers, Sergio asked us to stay.
As usual, the second Tom’s boot touches the ball, his worries disappear and he focuses on football. Today is about recovering from the game the day before so the team are doing ninety minutes of light training – mainly passing exercises, plus some work on team shape.
Once training is over, he and Uche go to the gym for a short workout. The two men have been close ever since the club asked Tom to keep an eye on their new player. Although they’re from very different backgrounds, they soon found they have a similar sense of humour.
‘Just imagine Kyle’s challenged you to a pec dance-off,’ Tom teases as Uche struggles to complete a set of chest flies. ‘Imagine his muscles popping up and down.’
Uche tosses his heavy dumbbells onto the floor. ‘Mate, I just did a sick in my throat.’
After the gym, Tom and Uche shower, change back into their tracksuits, and go to the canteen.
As they do every day, the club’s chefs have prepared lunch with an eye on nutrition rather than taste; today’s meal is brown rice, grilled chicken and steamed spinach. Generally, Tom has no problem with the bland food, but today he’s lost his appetite.
Uche raises an eyebrow. ‘What’s up? Are you nervous about this media thing?’
Tom shoots him a glare.
Uche shrugs. ‘I was thinking of volunteering. If you don’t mind?’
Tom’s mouth falls open. But before he can reply, the club’s publicist Jackie Broomhead sweeps in, clapping her hands. A blonde woman in her forties, Jackie has a booming voice and a broad Lancashire accent. She announces that Toddington FC is leading this year’s Rainbow Laces campaign, the FA’s plan to promote greater acceptance for LGBTQ+ people in football. ‘The media launch is on Friday. It’s not difficult, just some photos and interviews – and obviously I’ll tell you what to say. Now who’s going to volunteer?’
Suddenly, the players tuck into their lunch as if it’s the most delicious food they’ve ever tasted. Being asked to take part in media events a. . .
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