The Rough Diamonds are a close knit team. Kev McGovern, their captain, makes sure they work hard and play hard, but Kev acts swiftly when too many of the lads just aren't playing the game and let pressures off the pitch threaten the team's future.
Alan Gibbons is an author of children's books and a Blue Peter Book Award. He currently lives in Liverpool, England, where he used to teach in a primary school. His father was a farm laborer, but was hurt in an accident when Alan was eight years old. The family had to move to Crewe, Cheshire where Alan experienced bullying for the first time. He began to write for his pupils as a teacher, but never tried to get any of his work published.
Gibbons trained to be a teacher in his mid-thirties and starting writing short stories for his students. Later, he began to write professionally. In 2000, he won the Blue Peter Book Award in the category "The Book I Couldn't Put Down" category for Shadow of the Minotaur. He was a judge for the 2001 Blue Peter Book Awards. He was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal in 2001 and 2003 and shortlisted twice for the Booktrust Teenage Prize. He has also won the Leicester Book of the Year, the Stockport Book Award, the Angus Book Award, the Catalyst Award, the Birmingham Chills Award, the Salford Young Adult Book Award and the Salford Librarians' Special Award.
I think the book was very good because people who love football it is very good for you and you would love to read it because there is this kid who is very good but he plays for a bad football team so he helps them get really good and they end up winning loads off games and leagues and cups. He also helps them get a better team and they become an amazing team. Also they are incredible and they win loads of trophies I have finished the book and I recommend it to any football fans out there. I think there is also another book like this comin out and it looks really good