Baller Boys Read online

  Published in Great Britain by Hashtag Press 2020

  Text copyright © Venessa Taylor 2020

  Illustrations copyright © Kenneth Ghann 2020

  Cover Design © Helen Braid 2020

  The moral right of the author has been asserted

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  All characters in this publication are fictions and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  A CIP catalogue for this book is available from the British Library.

  ISBN 978-1-9162864-0-5

  eBook ISBN 978-1-9162864-1-2

  Typeset in Calibri 12.25/16 by Blaze Typesetting

  Printed in Great Britain by Clays Ltd, St Ives plc

  HASHTAG PRESS BOOKS

  Hashtag Press Ltd

  Kent, England, United Kingdom

  Email: [email protected]

  Website: www.hashtagpress.co.uk

  Twitter: @hashtag_press

  In loving memory of my late son-in-law Reece

  Darcheville. This is the book you asked me to write,

  I hope I’ve done you proud.

  Contents

  Acknowledgements

  Chapter 1: Football Crazy

  Chapter 2: School’s Out For Summer

  Chapter 3: We Can Do This!

  Chapter 4: The Trials

  Chapter 5: Every Boy For Himself

  Chapter 6: Run Like The Wind

  Chapter 7: The Big Wait

  Chapter 8: Are We In?

  Chapter 9: Thanks, But No Thanks!

  Chapter 10: Welcome To AC United

  Chapter 11: Settling In

  Chapter 12: The Lie

  Chapter 13: Frankie Learns The Truth

  Chapter 14: The Mascot

  Chapter 15: Sounds Like A Plan

  Chapter 16: Three Weeks Until The Run

  Chapter 17: Countdown

  Chapter 18: The Day Of The Run

  Chapter 19: Bring It On!

  Chapter 20: Three Is A Crowd

  Chapter 21: King Of The Ring

  Chapter 22: Eyes R Us

  Chapter 23: Footballers Wear Glasses Too!

  Chapter 24: 3 - 2 - 1 UNITED!

  Chapter 25: The Match

  Chapter 26: A Game Of Two Halves

  Chapter 27: Team Spirit

  Chapter 28: Let’s Play Football!

  About the Author

  Acknowledgements

  This book would not have been written without the help and support of countless people. My sincerest gratitude to my daughter Shenna and son-in-law Reece who asked me to write this book, coming up with some of the characters and content, to take my focus off my illness and redirect it to something we are all passionate about: diverse and inclusive books.

  My daughter Raia-Sunshine, my handbag, for her creative ideas, ‘child friendly’ word checking and patience. My daughter Mari for her long-distance phone consultations. Shay and Rayne, my beautiful grandsons, for their encouragement, invitations to watch them play football for research, for checking the football skills in the book were described accurately and for their belief in what I was writing, renaming me their ‘football gran.’

  My dear friend Joanne Meekes for her constant support and advice and spreadsheets and the rest!

  Saranna Maynard a real-life football mum for reading and re-reading my manuscript for authenticity.

  To Abiola and Helen for their advice and patience.

  To all the staff at St Bartholomew’s Hospital London, who saved my life so I could write this book.

  And finally, to all the children I’ve ever taught, a bit of each of you is somewhere in the characters.

  Definition of a Baller Boy:

  A player who is exceptional at football,

  passionate about the game

  and can execute skills to perfection.

  CHAPTER 1

  Football Crazy

  “Dad! Dad!” screeched Shay as he jumped on his parent’s bed to shake his dad awake. “Get up! It’s time to get ready.”

  Danny looked at his eldest son through sleepy eyes. Shay was dressed in his favourite football kit that had the number ten on the back. Long red football socks were pulled up to his knees with his shin pads tucked inside. On his feet were the well-used, orange and lime-green football boots that just needed the laces to be tied.

  This was Danny’s job. He always liked to make sure they were done up nice and tight.

  Shay’s Afro hair had been combed out into the usual high top. His teeth had been brushed and he smelt of his dad’s new aftershave. He had splashed a little on for luck and was hoping his dad wouldn’t notice.

  Finally, across his chest hung the black and white bag he took everywhere with him. Shay had prepared his clothes and packed his bag the night before.

  For once, Shay had gone to bed on time, without using a single excuse to stay up later than his eight o’clock bedtime. He’d usually try, “Can I have some water?” or “I haven’t finished my homework” (even though he had). But his favourite was, “Now that I’m eight and three quarters can I stay up a bit later?”

  His mum and dad looked at each other in surprise when he’d put away his football cards and simply declared, “Goodnight, I’m going to bed.”

  Danny stifled a smile, then rolled over in his bed and looked at the bright red numbers on the LED clock. It read 6:22am.

  “It’s not time yet, Cheeky Chops, and don’t think I can’t smell it. You’re way too young to be wearing my aftershave,” Dad whispered.

  “Shhh, keep your voice down,” Shay’s mum, Joanne hissed. “I don’t want you to wake your brother up.”

  As soon as the words left Joanne’s lips, four-year-old Rayne, with his freshly twisted hair dangling in front of his eyes, waddled into the room. He was wearing his Paw Patrol pyjamas. He rubbed his eyes and then yawned.

  “Can I have breakfast please?” he asked.

  This was quickly followed by a loud rumbling noise, which seemed to come from the depths of Rayne’s pyjama bottoms.

  “Oh, Rayne!” cried Joanne as she pulled the pillow over her head in anticipation of what would come next.

  Danny and Shay quickly pinched their noses.

  “Oops!” said Rayne, wiggling his bottom.

  Everyone laughed except for Joanne who was still buried under her pillow with only the red of her nighttime hair scarf showing.

  *

  Two doors down the street, Shay’s best friend Frankie was also wide awake.

  Shay and Frankie had been best friends since they’d met at Parkfield Nursery in North London. They’d gone on to Parkfield Primary School and found themselves sitting together in their first class. Now aged eight and about to begin Year Four, they were still the best of friends.

  Frankie tiptoed into his parents’ bedroom, not wanting to wake up his new baby brother.

  As Frankie peeped into the room, his mum Tina smiled, she was sitting up in bed feeding the baby.

  Katie, his younger sister, was beside their mum in her favourite, pink-and-white, spotty, Minnie Mouse pyjamas. She was holding her pink blankie and sucking her thumb.

  “Good morning, Frankie. How are you feeling about today?” Tina asked.

  Frankie shrugged his shoulders and turned to leave the room.

  “Frankie, wait love. You’ll be fine and I’m sure the extra training you’ve been doing with Dad and Uncle Danny will have helped,” Tina said softly.

  Frankie looked at his mum thoughtfully and was about to say something when he was interrupted by his sister Katie yawning loudly.

  “Don’t I get a kiss?” Tina asked.

  Frankie walked over to the bed and gave his mum a kiss on the cheek. He then looked at his baby brother and smiled. He was a proud big brother and was hoping that they would name him Sanchez after his favourite football player.

  As he tried to leave the room again, his little sister Katie squealed, “Me too! Where’s my kiss?”

  Frankie sighed and walked to the side of the bed where she was sitting.

  As Katie threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on his nose, her blankie fell to the floor. Frankie quickly, but gently, undid her arms and picked it up.

  “Here you go,” he said handing it back to her. The last thing he needed today was Katie having one of her tantrums.

  As Frankie tried to leave for the third time, Katie said, “What about the baby? You’ve got to kiss the baby or it won’t be fair!”

  Frankie looked at his mum who was already holding the baby up for him to kiss.

  As he walked back over his eyes grew wider.

  “Please Mum, can we call him Sanchez? That name would be perfect for him!”

  Frankie planted a kiss on his brother’s forehead. As Tina chuckled, the baby began to fuss. Unbuttoning her gown, she placed the baby against her chest and began to feed. He quickly settled.

  “You’re such a good boy Frankie and a great big brother,” Tina said softly. “His name will come to us. Just as yours and Katie’s did.”

  “Okay… but just let it be Sanchez.”

  As Frankie stood stroking his baby brother’s cheek, Tina admired all three of her children. Frankie and Katie had taken after her with their caramel-c
oloured skin and tight, kinky, dark hair, but so far, the baby looked more like her husband Colin with fair skin and straighter blonde hair.

  As Frankie stood gazing at the baby, he heard a noise in the kitchen. He knew it would be his dad getting home from work. Excited by his arrival, Frankie raced down the stairs to see if his dad had any more advice that would help him.

  Today was going to be a big day for Shay and Frankie, and no doubt for lots of other boys that lived in their local area.

  Just before school had broken up for the summer holiday, they had found out about the football trials and Shay and Frankie were going to try out.

  CHAPTER 2

  School’s Out For Summer

  Four weeks before the football trials, Shay sat tapping his foot impatiently in his classroom. His bag was slung over his shoulder and staring at the clock didn’t seem to be making the time move any faster!

  Frankie, sat next to Shay, was squinting at the clock. He knew it was nearly home time, but the numbers on the clock looked blurry.

  A loud knock at the classroom door made the whole class jump.

  A girl from Year Six walked in with a pile of letters for the teacher. Shay’s foot stopped its tapping as the teacher passed smaller piles to the front of each row and requested each child hand the letters along.

  Moments later, the bell rang, signalling the start of the long-awaited summer break. Most of the children, Shay and Frankie included, just stuffed the letters into their book bag without even giving them a second look, before darting out the door.

  Shay spotted his mum standing with Frankie’s mum on the playground. Rayne and Katie were on their scooters and Shay was excited to see their mums had brought their scooters along too. He ran over with Frankie on his heels.

  The boys eagerly jumped on their scooters. Shay handed over his school bag and was already off! Frankie was about to follow him but his mum held him back.

  “How was your last day in Year Three?” Tina asked, but Frankie was too busy looking at how far ahead of him Shay had gone. “Did you get any letters about next term, love?”

  Bouncing on the balls of his feet, he shrugged his shoulders in response.

  Tina rolled her eyes. “Go on then. I’m sure you’ll catch him up.”

  “Thanks Mum,” Frankie said as he sped off.

  Joanne, however, had already rifled through Shay’s bag, looking for newsletters and reports from school.

  She had found the sticky, crumpled-up leaflet amongst two or three other letters. After straightening it out, she let out a little snort.

  “No doubt if you’d read this, it would be in a better state!” she called out to Shay, now too far ahead to hear.

  Tina peeked over her shoulder and agreed with a soft laugh. “Oh, the dynamic duo will definitely be interested in that!”

  They walked out of the school towards home. As they turned onto their road, Rayne suddenly stopped his scooter.

  “Mummy, can we go to the park first. Just for five minutes, please?”

  Katie’s eyes lit up at the mention of the word ‘park’ and as if by magic, the ‘dynamic duo’ Shay and Frankie stopped their scooters and turned around to listen for the answer.

  The mums looked at each other and laughed, then gestured their children towards the park, as they tried to keep up behind them.

  Shrieks of laughter filled the play area. It was full of school children already enjoying the freedom of the summer holiday.

  “Oi! Pass us the ball,” a boy yelled as a football whizzed towards Frankie.

  Frankie caught the ball on his chest and the boys ran off to join the football game without a second thought, whilst Rayne and Katie headed for the swings.

  Joanne collected the scooters the boys had dumped on the floor. Tina walked ahead, trying to catch up with Katie and Rayne.

  Joanne glanced over at the boys and noticed that they were in a huddle with their classmates.

  “I wonder what’s going on over there?” she murmured to herself.

  Suddenly, Shay and Frankie came racing back, eyes wide with excitement, almost tripping over their own feet.

  “Mum, can I have my bag please?” Shay asked reaching for it before she had a chance to respond.

  Frankie did the same and fished out the leaflet that they hadn’t bothered to look at earlier.

  “Hassan was telling the truth!” Frankie said with his eyes wide. “He said his team are looking for new players.”

  “Can we go?” Shay asked.

  “Can we try?” Frankie said. “It says Coach Reece will be there!”

  The two mums slyly looked at each other.

  “What’s all this about?” asked Joanne, pretending not to know.

  “FOOTBALL TRIALS!” shouted Shay and Frankie in unison.

  Joanne and Tina laughed.

  “We know! We’re just messing with you!” Tina said. “And yes of course you can both try out.”

  “We wouldn’t let you miss it,” Joanne said.

  “Yes!” Shay shouted, punching the air. “And I can ask Dad to bring us to the park more during the holidays to do some extra training!” He held out his hand and Frankie high-fived him.

  CHAPTER 3

  We Can Do This!

  “Dad, Frankie and his mum are here. Come on let’s go. I don’t want to be late!” Shay shouted up the stairs before he raced to open the front door.

  “Morning Shay,” Tina said, walking into the house with Frankie behind her.

  “Morning love,” Joanne said, greeting Tina with a hug.

  “Thanks for taking Frankie.” Tina looked gratefully at her friend.

  “No need for thanks. When he makes it as a professional baller, he can give me a cut of his first million!” said Joanne.

  Tina laughed. “Oh, he will! Right, better get home so Colin can get some sleep. He’s just got back from his night-shift and I’ve left him with the baby. Good luck boys.”

  Frankie ran up to her for one last hug. Tina kissed him on the forehead and whispered in his ear, “You’ll be amazing.”

  She closed the door gently on her way out.

  “Right everyone, let’s go,” said Danny, zipping up Rayne’s jacket.

  “It’s about time,” said a frustrated Shay with his arms crossed over his chest.

  “Shay, have you got your bag?” Joanne asked.

  “Yes, look, I’m wearing it, and yes, I’ve got everything in it. I checked.”

  He unzipped his bag so his mum could peer inside.

  “Good boy. Right then, let’s go.”

  When everyone was loaded into the car, Joanne went around to check Shay and Frankie had put their seat belts on properly, before strapping Rayne into his booster seat.

  “Mummy, you forgot something,” giggled Rayne.

  “I have… what?”

  Rayne pointed to her head. “Your scarf that you wear to bed. You’ve still got it on.”

  Joanne put her hand up to her head and pulled it off. She looked at Danny and the three boys who were all laughing.

  Joanne rolled her eyes. “Someone could have mentioned it,” she said before joining in with the laughter.

  “Right boys, how are you both feeling?” asked Danny looking through the rear-view mirror.

  Shay and Frankie, who were both dressed in their favourite football kits, fell silent. They nervously looked at each other and neither of them replied.

  “Just think about all the training and practice you’ve been doing to prepare for this,” said Danny. “Your fitness has improved; your shooting is better. Shay, your penalty shots are great and Frankie your pace is phenomenal! Just go out there today and give it your best.”

  It was a short distance to Marshals Playing Fields but the roads were really busy. Traffic in North London on a Saturday was always bad. As they sat quietly waiting for the traffic to get moving, Joanne turned around in her seat to talk to the boys.

  “You boys have been at the park with Dad more times than I can remember, practicing your drills and skills, always coming back tired and excited. Come on, you’re ready for this!” Joanne frowned when neither of the boys said anything.

  “Shay, this morning you said you were ready. What’s changed?” asked Danny.

  “Well, nothing Dad. I think I’m ready,” Shay replied.

  “Son, you were born ready and so were you Frankie, just give it—”