The launch week of ‘Cutting the Mustard’
On Monday 4th August I travelled to Norwich along with my partner, Rebecca, and a car-load of boxes of ‘Cutting the Mustard’. I had received them fresh from my publishers, Axis Projects, the previous week, and I was excited to share my new book with NCFC fans in the fine city.
I arrived just in time for an evening appearance with Rob Butler and Chris Reeve on BBC Radio Norfolk’s ‘The Scrimmage'. It was a lot of fun and I felt more like a fan than an author trying to promote his book. It had even taken quite a while to decide what NCFC shirt I should wear …. on the radio (a repro 1985 Milk Cup Final shirt since you ask, branded with the name of our first sponsor, Poll and Withey). I enjoyed the banter and joining in the excitement around the new season. Rob and Chris loved the book and the quality of its production, commenting on its appeal as a “coffee-table book”. It was an interesting take and highlighted the wide readership it might attract: those looking for a serious read, but also those who just want to dip and browse.
An extract from ‘Cutting the Mustard’ had already been featured by Along Come Norwich and on Tuesday 5th, My Football Writer also promoted the book. But Wednesday was the big kick-off for ‘Cutting the Mustard’. I was using Legends in the South Stand for the launch event and it felt very special to have our table set out with the Carrow Road pitch directly behind us. Ben East, journalist and writer, and fellow Northern Canary, acted as Master of Ceremonies and set the scene nicely for the evening to follow. Rebecca reminded the 50 fans and friends joining us that the book could be purchased at www.robinireland.com. I then relayed many thanks – there are so many people involved in a successful production – before introducing publisher and book designer, Alan Ward, who described how special it had been for him to be involved in a project about NCFC.
I had assembled a panel for the evening, expertly chaired by Ffion Thomas, Deputy Editor of ‘When Saturday Comes’ and Chair of Capital Canaries. Ffion was joined by Cameron Huggett, football historian and contributor to Along Come Norwich, and George Harrison, writer of debut novel, ‘Season’. We shared our various perspectives on how commercialisation had affected the club. Whilst it is clear that football is now very much a business and an entertainment product – arguably, it always has been – our discussion highlighted that some aspects of commercialisation have been positive. It is a much safer experience visiting a football ground in the 21st century than it was in the 1970s or 80s for example. And whilst no-one would pretend that racism has been entirely eradicated from the stands, at least offenders can expect to be both thrown out of stadiums today, and have their season tickets revoked whilst acquiring a criminal record. The panel also explored their personal experiences of fandom which reflected today’s world where football supporters are more likely to be enjoying their sport on a screen rather than in-person at a match.
The impact of foreign owners together with the riches created by inflated broadcasting packages and commercial income has nevertheless created huge and seemingly unbridgeable gaps between the chosen few of the Premier League and those seeking to secure their place in the top league. The UEFA Champions League is now effectively a European Super League with clubs like Norwich very firmly locked outside the golden gates.
There was time for several questions from the floor. One enquirer asked whether we thought the German Bundesliga rule around football ownership was a better model than the foreign ownership now prevalent in both the EPL and the EFL. Another reflected on whether we could learn anything from American sport (certainly!). Finally, there was an interesting question on the growth of interest in women’s football in England, and how that might develop given the changes that have taken place in men’s football.
I spent Thursday visiting bookshops around the city. I am delighted that Norfolk-based fans will now be able to find ‘Cutting the Mustard’ on sale at the Book Hive on London Street, Waterstones on Castle Street, and at On the Stall City in The Forum.
The Eastern Daily Press had promoted the launch online on Wednesday 6th and followed this up with a full page spread on Friday 8th. Quite the week! What a shame the team hadn’t read the script. After all the excitement, we started the season with a very unsatisfactory 1-2 loss to Millwall. But that’s football. Even as a business, things often do not go to plan!
Photos from Legends (courtesy of Rebecca Connet)
