The Kick Off (13 page)

 

 

 

From beneath the pile of Kingfield players who were celebrating uncontrollably on top of him, Jamie could just about make out the muffled sound of the full-time whistle.

He pulled himself away from the scrum of delight and ran over to his mum, Mike and Jack.

Jamie burst between them, roaring: “Have that!”

He'd never been this happy in his life.

Jack jumped on his back.

“I spotted you first – remember that!” she shouted, giving him a massive kiss on the cheek.

Karen Johnson was next in line to hug her son, the goal-scorer.

“You were brilliant, Jamie,” she said proudly. “And you would never have forgiven me if you'd lost, would you?”

Jamie looked up.

“Forgiven you? For what?”

“Your boots,” said Karen. “I took them out of your bag to clean them last night and in all the rush this morning –”

Then it all clicked in Jamie's mind.

He looked at his boots, dangling by their laces from his mum's hand. Then he looked down at the crusty old pair that Marsden had found in lost property.

He couldn't help but laugh. Maybe he had some apologizing to do too.

“Forget it, Mum. It's fine,” he said. “It didn't exactly work out too badly in the end!”

Then, from nowhere, Ollie and Jason Inglethorpe came rampaging towards Jamie.

They clasped their arms around Jamie's legs and lifted him on to their shoulders. They were singing his name.

From his lofty perch, Jamie could just make out the figure of a man and his dog walking away into the woods behind the fields. Jamie nodded towards them.

Although he couldn't see Kenny Wilcox's face, he could have sworn there was a smile etched all the way across it.

That day Kingfield School found a new hero.

But what no one knew – least of all the young footballer himself – was that this was just the start of Jamie Johnson's story.

Only the kick-off.

 

 

 

 

Interview with Dan Freedman

 

 

You've been to the World Cup twice, what was it like?

 

Before becoming an author, I worked as a journalist with the England Football Team. That meant living in the team hotel, having breakfast with players like Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard and then going to watch them train and play in the World Cup Finals. They were some of the greatest experiences of my life. I realize how lucky I was and I thought about those times a lot when I was writing this book.

 

Can you do all of Jamie's best moves?

 

Of course I can – I'm a phenomenal footballer, one of the best in the world. See, that's the good thing about being an author: you can just make stuff up.

 

Who are your favourite footballers at the moment?

 

You can't ignore Messi's majestic talent and I absolutely love the way that Xavi never ever loses the ball. Gerrard for his passion and loyalty to his club and, for the future, Jack Wilshere. So young but soooo good!

 

You visit lots of schools – what's the funniest question you've been asked?

 

Lots of kids seem fascinated to know what car I drive (a Golf, if you must know). Some ask me if I ever get bored of football (no). And one boy asked me which footballer had the biggest appetite when it came to meal times! The school visits are great fun because they are a chance for me to meet the people that I write the books for.

 

Who is the most famous person you've interviewed?

 

Take your pick: David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Sir Alex Ferguson. At the time, I had pretend that it was no big deal and that I was all cool about it but inside I was thinking: “Oh my God! I can't believe I'm interviewing him!”

 

So have you ever had a kick around with Wayne Rooney?

 

No – I think I would be too worried about injuring him if I timed a tackle wrong! That would be a disaster! I did once get to play against Demetrio Albertini though. He was one of the best midfielders in the world when I was growing up – he won the Champions League with AC Milan. I played against him in midfield in a friendly game. Would you believe me if I told you we won?!

 

What inspires you to write these books?

 

When I was younger I wasn't a massive reader. People used to tell me to read all the time but there were no books out there that excited me. They all seemed boring. The Jamie Johnson series is for people out there who are like I was. I try to write the kind of books that I would have been desperate to read.

 

What's the best game you've ever been to?

 

In 2002, I was in Japan for the World Cup quarter-final: Brazil v England. It doesn't get much bigger than that!

 

Jamie Johnson books are often about triumphing over the odds. Can you give us any tips on how to become a professional footballer?

 

I think it's about your physical and mental dedication. Are you training as hard as you can? Are you working on your weaker foot? Do you believe in yourself? Are you trying to improve every time you play? And, if you get knocked back, how will you react? If you come back stronger, you've got half a chance.

And the other thing to remember is that even if you don't make it as a professional footballer, there are so many other jobs that you can get which involve football. Doctor, physiotherapist, coach, architect... The possibilities are all there, it's a case of going for your goals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jamie Johnson can't believe his luck. He's playing for Kingfield School in a Cup semi-final and scouts from his favourite club, Hawkstone United, are coming to watch!

 

But Jamie's hopes of a professional career still have a long way to go…

 

 

There's a huge buzz around Jamie Johnson. He's being talked about as one of the country's most talented young players. But just when he's set for stardom, a shocking event threatens to end his career for ever.

 

Can Jamie cope with his toughest challenge yet?

 

 

Jamie Johnson is playing the best football of his life for his beloved Hawkstone. But surviving at the top of the league isn't easy. After Hawkstone splash out on a big new signing, Jamie suddenly has a serious rival on the team. And when a series of dramatic events threaten his game, Jamie fears it could all be over…

 

 

“World class – genuine world class – that's for ever. Now, the question is: are YOU world class?”

 

It's the big one! At last, the World Cup beckons for Jamie Johnson. It's the defining moment of his career. But which country will he play for? And will his special skills match up against the greatest players on earth?

 

 

This was the team of teams. The club of clubs. And now they wanted him to join them. A transfer to the best club in the world beckons for Jamie Johnson. This is big. This is huge!

 

However, a time bomb is already ticking within Jamie. . . Is the final whistle about to blow?