Get ready to kick off a brilliant reading adventure with this standout collection of football‑themed poems! Bursting with all the agony and ecstasy of the beautiful game, it brings together an all‑star squad of poets including Paul Cookson, Bash Amuneni, John Cooper Clarke, Sarah McCreadie, Julie McNeill, Roger McGough, Michael Rosen, Liz Carney‑Marsh, Coral Rumble and Joshua Seigal. With so many voices on the pitch, you’ll find scores of poems to enjoy in this pitch‑perfect anthology.Whether you’re a dedicated footie fanatic or simply love kicking a ball around, this collection is for everyone — all ages, all abilities, all backgrounds. Build your connection to the game on a whole new level through laugh‑out‑loud verses, thoughtful reflections, and unforgettable characters: Back of the Net captures all the joy, drama and humour of the sport. So lace up, dive in, and join the poetry party — your next great reading match starts here.
Paul Cookson lives in Retford with his family, a dog and several ukuleles. He has worked as a poet for over 35 years, visited thousands of schools and sold over a million books. He is The National Football Museum's Poet In Residence and was commissioned by Everton to write a poem called “Home”. As part of the National Year of Reading he was nominated a National Reading Hero and received his award at 10 Downing Street.
One of the most prolific and celebrated illustrators in children's publishing, Martin Chatterton has illustrated over 150 books – including collaborations with multiple Children's Laureates, and co-authored the Middle School series with James Patterson. His dynamic, bold visuals fizz with energy and fun.
Bash Amuneni is a prominent Nigerian performance poet, and creative consultant known for his emotive spoken word and work exploring the human condition, memory, and identity; he's the author of There Is a Lunatic in Every Town, the Poet-in-Residence for Portsmouth Football Club, and a key figure in Nigeria's literary scene, bridging art with global organizations. He has performed internationally, worked with brands like the UN and USAID, and supports emerging poets through the Abuja Literary Society.
Coral Rumble is a popular, Multi-award winning poet and author. She has worked as a poet and performer for many years, and now specialises in writing and performing for children. You will find her work in many poetry collections and, being a keen football fan, she is very proud that one of her poems was included in a poetry exhibition at the National Football Museum!
Coral performs and gives workshops at art centres, museums, bookshops, libraries, theatres and festivals, as well as in schools, in the UK and abroad. She has given workshops in some unusual places, too, the grandest venue being Buckingham Palace!
Julie is a poet, author, performer and workshop facilitator. She specialises in delivering creative writing workshops and talks with a particular interest in writing for wellbeing & mental health and supporting children and adults with additional support needs (ASN). She is a football enthusiast and is the Poet in Residence for St Mirren FC Charitable Foundation and the Makar for The Scottish Women’s National Football Team Poets Society. Passionate about inclusion and making work accessible for neurodivergent children and adults, she is an experienced performer – recently reading her work at Wigtown Book Festival, StAnza International Poetry Festival, Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, Paisley Book Festival and Aye Write in Glasgow.
