Strong Sales of New Hereford Book

The interest in the new Hereford United book, A Corner Kick from the Middle of Nowhere, has delighted the author, Mitch Stansbury. He was worried he might have to spend Christmas surrounded by unsold books but that now looks a distant dream with sales going so well. Over 600 copies have already been sold.

Bulls News has spoken to Mitch and started by asking what prompted him to write a book about those nine long years Hereford United spent in the Conference.

Mitch: I saw our Conference years as a fantastic story, so why not try and tell it. I quite liked the idea of writing a book, and have read enough football books, good and bad, to have an idea of how to pitch it. Once started, I sort of couldn't stop.

BN: How did you go about doing the research?

Mitch: Quite simple really. Talking Bull and the archive website jogged my memory, and because it isn't a comprehensive record or statto's bible, the missing bits didn't really matter.

BN: How did you find a publisher?

Mitch: If you are either unpublished, or not in OK magazine every week, it's almost impossible. I had several agents reject the project, but a very helpful chap at Vision Sports suggested the local route, and Logaston Press at Almeley took me on. It was something of a risk, but I'm now not far away from recouping the print costs.

BN: You appear to be blessed with an excellent recollection of the facts over nine seasons - did you need to do much checking?

Mitch: I can't pretend to have that good a memory, but anecdotes stay with you a lot better than facts or figures. Add to that the eagle eye and good sense of Richard Prime (cheers fella), and I hope that the bloopers aren't too big or embarrassing.

BN: Can you suggest a couple of your favourite passages from the book and why?

Mitch: Anything in there that makes people laugh. I'm as down as most Bulls fans when we lose, but sometimes we can take the game a little too seriously.

BN: And any particular games that stick in your memory from the nine years?

Mitch: Billericay and Hitchin away, and for different reasons, Stevenage away in 2003, near perfect football.

BN: You had a booksigning session at Waterstones in Hereford - how did that go? And there have been mentions of the book on BBC Hereford and Worcester. Any other promotional ideas?

Mitch: It nearly didn't. I had visions of a sad little fellow surrounded by books and nobody buying them, but it actually went very well. Great to meet a lot of Bulls fans genuinely pleased to read my scribbles. Terry Goodwin at BBC H and W was yet another nice chap, happy to talk to him. As for the rest, I'm working on it.

BN: Those of us who have read your book are impressed with the balance yet Hereford United have refused to sell it in the club shop.

Mitch: The book was twice offered to the club. I'm sorry they failed to see it for what I think is overrall, a positive picture of a football club who achieved a small miracle in escaping a tough league.

BN: What's your next project?

Mitch: My next project is repairing any damage caused by neglect to my day job, hopefully nothing too drastic. After that it will be surviving a weeks skiing without recourse to the emergency rooms.

As for writing, I really don't know. I would like to be inspired again, but there is only one United.

BN: You're obviously very pleased.

Mitch: Yes and I'd like to say a big thank you to everyone who has read the book, and taken the time to let me know their feelings. It means a lot, and made the effort absolutely worthwhile.

A Corner Kick from the Middle of Nowhere is written by Mitch Stansbury and published by Offside Publishing. It is available in several shops in Hereford, Waterstones and online at Amazon.co.uk

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