A CRYSTAL Palace fan of more than 50 years has written a novel inspired, in part, by the club's spell in administration in 2010.
Steve Goddard, 60, wrote Rattles And Rosettes off the back of the dramatic last-day escape from relegation against Sheffield Wednesday in 2010.
The book tells two different yet intertwined stories – one of an Eagles fan in 2010 and another of a young Burnley fan on his club's run to the FA Cup Final, held at Crystal Palace in 1914.
Steve said: "I saw pictures of the FA Cup final at the Crystal Palace when all these fans would travel down from the north, possibly for the only time ever, to see their team. There are pictures of about 40 men hanging out of the trees and I just became intrigued by this support.
"Palace were going through their last run of administration at the time so I thought it would be interesting to investigate the differences between that and fans who supported ancient football."
Steve has lived in St Helens, on Merseyside, since 1987 but was born in Croydon and educated at Selhurst Grammar School.
This is the freelance journalist's first novel and is set against the backdrop of both recession-hit Britain in 2010 and the First World War in 1914.
But the fictitious account is less about the clubs involved and more about fandom, especially what modern football has lost.
"I was interested in looking at the industry we have inherited and what we are in danger of getting rid of," Steve added.
"The character is against everything modern football stands for and even changes his name by deed poll to Football League Division One.
"The second strand to the book is the fact he is in a 60s cover band. It is a discussion as much of how the modern generation feel betrayed by modern popular culture."
Steve's main influence for the book was Fever Pitch writer Nick Hornby and he said he started writing it because he was fed up of waiting for a sequel to the 1992 football classic.
He added: "I always thought he would return to football but he seems to have moved on, so I thought I would have a go."
Steve's book will be available from the Crystal Palace club shop soon.
