This is a simple tale of one person’s rites of passage. It chronicles the changing world of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s as it was reflected through family life, music and Rugby League. In this, his first book, the author explores how that most ‘northern’ of sports and particularly ‘His’ beloved club Hull FC, fits into the tradition and community of Kingston upon Hull, a City with which the game will always be synonymous.
‘Roamin’ the Range Together’ chronicles thirty years in the history of that world famous rugby team and one fan’s life growing up in the local fishing community, with all its tragedy, hardship and humour. It’s also the tale of a hopeless sports fanatic who appears to be linked to his ‘Family’ club through his DNA and is powerless to do much about it.
When fans chant at match officials, ‘You don’t know what you’re doing’ it’s just possible that this frantic statement is an accurate reflection of their own state of mind most of the time. The love of a sports club is a hard emotion to define because it manifests itself to different people in different ways. Here an ordinary supporter tries to explain through his personal memories, that he did know what he was doing and that he’s eternally glad he did it.
This isn’t a Rugby League book or a social history book, but as a poignant and sometimes humorous account of one person’s ordinary life growing up in a wonderful community and supporting an extraordinary rugby team, it’s probably a little of both.