Kicking Off

Mike Padgett's new novel is set in a former mining town in the north of England. It is a story of a football match between a women's team of young care workers and a pub team of middle-aged men, back together after 30 years. Sparks fly as the two sides prepare for the challenge.

Brian, a middle aged widowed joiner, thought his footballing and romancing days were long gone. But when Jean, supervisor at the dementia care home looking after his dad, challenges him to put his old pub side back together and play her team of young women care workers, he discovers the game is not over yet.

Women v men; past v present; caring v uncaring; tolerance v racism; fairness v sexism; blame v forgiveness. It is a big match.

Mike Padgett is the author of two books: As Far As We Can, a travel memoir ('It fair rattles along' - Ian Clayton) and SCRAP, a novel ('Authenticity accomplished with aplomb' - Ian McMillan).