SUNDAY LEAGUE

Sunday League is a novel set in the mud and orange slices world of Sunday football. It follows Danny Milburn, a 29-year-old striker for the Coal & Iron pub team. Danny works in a boring office job, and dreams of playing for his beloved Premier League club East End. Now, thanks to a drunken bet made on the day he was born by his Dad, he might suddenly get the chance.

 

Set in the North East of England, the novel exists in a fictional but authentic world of modern football. The featured Premier League team is Newcastle East End, who play at Strawberry Park. Although not connected with the real Newcastle United, or St James' Park, the names are drawn from history.

 

East End was the name of the club that changed its name to Newcastle United in 1892. St James' Park was named for the adjacent St James Street, but could just as easily have been named for the adjacent Strawberry Place. Many other names in the book are also drawn from history, including Murton's , which was one of Newcastle upon Tyne's first department stores.

 

Christian Flinn is an author from the North East of England. This is his first novel.

 

The cover illustration is by Alice Devine.