Fellowship among authors

Having been in fairly frequent contact with my fellow author, and friend, Stewart Taylor, during the writing of his latest masterpiece, Truly, Madly, Charlie, I eagerly awaited its publication, knowing that if it was anything like his previous book, the fantastic Stuck in a Moment: The Ballad of Paul Vaessen, it would be oozing with quality and the kind of research that takes years to simmer into the final narrative (as indeed it did).

As a fellow Arsenal fan, I, like thousands of others, idolised the young Glaswegian, Charlie Nicholas, when he shunned the advances of better placed clubs to sign for us in the summer of 1983.

We could barely believe that this free-scoring striker had chosen us over the likes of Liverpool and Man Utd, at a time when Arsenal were a far cry from the free-flowing, attacking side epitomised by the Arsene Wenger era over a decade later. We had acquired a reputation as a boring, trophyless club that lacked flair, and it was Charlie, we hoped, who would herald a new era for the club… one built on attractive football and, with it, success.

That didn’t quite turn out to be the case, though we took Charlie to our hearts and he was, for most of us, the club’s talisman.

There were highs, lows and plenty in between, and Stewart expertly encapsulates Charlie’s time at the club, via quotes from the man himself, former teammates, players from rival clubs and – this is where I came in – fans with anecdotes about him.

I was one of a number of Gooners who were asked to make contributions to the book, and it was my pleasure to do so. Reading them in print, and the rest of the book, transported me back in time to the four-and-a-half years Charlie spent with us, as well as my own life during that era. That’s the power that well-written books from a certain period can have over us while, for those who weren’t there, giving an impression of what was going on socially too, should they afford their readers that kind of context.

I was also grateful to be mentioned in Stewart’s acknowledgments section, for introducing him to his publisher, Pitch, which brings me onto another element of writing: the importance of looking out for fellow authors where possible.

For all but a lucky few, making a living out of writing can be challenging, to say the least, so if I’m ever able to connect people who may be a good fit, I consider it an obligation. I’ve been fortunate enough to benefit from the recommendation of other writers and former clients. In recognising the potential for collaboration between Stewart and Pitch, I was not only able to have the honour of featuring in the resulting book, but of helping oil the wheels of a process that culminated in a fabulous tale that lovers of the beautiful game can enjoy.

While Stewart was writing the book, I was lucky enough to speak to Charlie for an hour or so when working on a story of my own. Stewart kindly put us in touch and, for the duration of our time chatting, I was able to speak to one of the few idols from my youth (and, indeed, my entire life to date).

Among many other things, Charlie gave me precious insight into his time at the club I adore, including the high of scoring a brace in our League Cup Final victory against Liverpool in 1987 (a game that I attended), the near-ceaseless abuse he received from opposition fans, and not forgetting the splendid mullet that he and countless others sported in the eighties (yes, of course, I had one too).

Truly, Madly, Charlie, published by Pitch, is available to buy now.