Teacher and football coach from Harborough penned book in a bid to get his son into reading

A school teacher has found an inventive way of helping his son get into books – by writing one of his own.

Simon Wellard says his son was a reluctant reader and found books he brought home from school uninspiring.

So the teacher – who was formerly a coach at Harborough Town Football Club - began using Roy of the Rovers football comics in a bid to get his sports-mad youngster into reading.

Simon then came up with the idea of writing his own book, and penned Tommy Green: Football is Magic, which he has published through Harborough company Fuzzy Flamingo.

Simon said: “Helping children develop a love of reading is vitally important, so I have written my first novel to do just that.

“I hope it will capture the imagination of football-mad youngsters and help them develop a love of reading as well.”

The book is about troubled youngster Tommy Green who is given magic boots which help him onto the school football team and prove the bullies wrong.

Simon has donated copies of the book to local youth groups, schools and also held writing and illustrating workshops in Harborough.

And he has already started work on his second book – with children at Ridgeway Primary co-writing one of the chapters. It is set to be released next year.

Click here to order the book for £5.99 or email premiersoccer@sky.com to book Simon for a free writing or illustration workshop.