NOVEL EXPERIENCE: Australian writer Shivaun Gleeson on her visit to Bootham Crescent

The story of a teenager's ambition to play for York City is told by a young Australian writer in a new book due to be published in the spring.

Author Shivaun Gleeson plucked York City at random as the soccer club to be at the centre of her debut novel 'Kit and Boots' which she wrote without having been to the city or seeing the Minstermen play.

Gleeson, who hails from a town south of Brisbane in Queensland and is an assistant English teacher in the north of Japan's main island Honshu, came to York for a few days just after Christmas and saw City lose to Cheltenham at Bootham Crescent.

"The novel is aimed at young adults," she explained. "The story involves a young Australian girl seeking friendship and she makes contact with a young man from Yorkshire who plays for a fictional Conference club Danford Heath.

"The book is written from the girl's viewpoint through her letters to her friend, Matthew Gallagher. He wants to play for York City. I had no special reason for choosing York City. I picked them at random from looking through lower division clubs.

"I have made him a defender because there is so much emphasis on strikers so I decided to focus on a player at the back of the team. I was a defender when I played soccer in the student team at college.

" I contacted York City and they have been very helpful. It was nice to be able to come to York and see them play."

The English team she supports, though, are Aston Villa - "because of the unusual name and their different colours" - and she was able to see them during her visit to England after spending Christmas in Ireland visiting relatives.

"The novel is basically about young people finding friendship. There is a climax to the story, but you'll have to read the book to find out," she added with a grin.

"This is the first book I have had published and it is very exciting. I have seen my publishers and they are all set to get to book out in the spring. I might write a sequel but have not definitely decided."

'Kit and Boots' by Shivaun Gleeson is due to be published by Minerva Press in the spring.

l YORK City's Division Three match at Darlington, postponed on Monday due to the state of the Feethams' pitch, has been rearranged for Tuesday, January 18, kick-off 7.30pm.

Tickets purchased for Monday's match remain valid but any supporters requiring a refund should take their tickets to the Bootham Crescent ticket office.

City reserves' Pontin's League fixture at Notts County, scheduled for the afternoon of January 18, will now kick-off at 2pm on January 11.

As reported in later editions of yesterday's Evening Press, Stockport were unable to field a side for last night's match at Bootham Crescent and the Football League gave them permission to postpone.

The match has been re-arranged for Wednesday, February 9, at Bootham Crescent, kick-off 7pm.

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