Soccer Comes First
Encyclopedia
Soccer Comes First is a 1966 children's novel
by prolific British author Michael Hardcastle
. It is the first in a series of books focusing on the fortunes of fictitious English football team Scorton Rovers.
striker
Andy Blair who has recently moved to the town of Scorton watching the local team struggle in a Second Division
match. After the game he is approached by club chairman Herbert Graydon who convinces him to come out of retirement and play for Rovers. As the story progresses Andy, whose performances begin to lift Rovers up the table, introduces his eighteen-year old son Bobbie into the team. Bobbie, despite playing well, becomes mixed up with some local match-fixers and experiences some difficulties in his relationship with his girlfriend Adrienne who he follows to Bristol
on the eve of a big game to try to resolve their problems. Andy feels forced to take matters into his own hand and tackles the match-fixers himself before retrieving his son. At the novel's conclusion the Blairs are reunited and can finally concentrate on trying to ensure Rovers win promotion to the First Division
.
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
by prolific British author Michael Hardcastle
Michael Hardcastle
Michael Hardcastle is a British author of sports fiction for children. He has written more than one hundred and forty books on a range of sporting subjects but is probably best known for his books about Association Football...
. It is the first in a series of books focusing on the fortunes of fictitious English football team Scorton Rovers.
Plot summary
The book begins with retired EnglandEngland national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
Andy Blair who has recently moved to the town of Scorton watching the local team struggle in a Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
match. After the game he is approached by club chairman Herbert Graydon who convinces him to come out of retirement and play for Rovers. As the story progresses Andy, whose performances begin to lift Rovers up the table, introduces his eighteen-year old son Bobbie into the team. Bobbie, despite playing well, becomes mixed up with some local match-fixers and experiences some difficulties in his relationship with his girlfriend Adrienne who he follows to Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
on the eve of a big game to try to resolve their problems. Andy feels forced to take matters into his own hand and tackles the match-fixers himself before retrieving his son. At the novel's conclusion the Blairs are reunited and can finally concentrate on trying to ensure Rovers win promotion to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
.