In bringing this book to publication a sincere debt of gratitude is owed to many family, friends and colleagues from my personal and professional life. Too numerous for all to be listed here, omission by name is by no means a lack of recognition for all those who have provided inspiration in conversations, however fleeting; from school-days, on film sets, in the football world and Higher Education. Thank you to you all.
To my family for their love and support in this venture and many others in my working life, often taking me far from home on too many occasions. To my wife, Julie Lee for her faith in me and spectacular patience, for always being by my side to see a project through. To my children, Daniel, William, Amy, Callum, Alfie, Freddie and Vinnie, thank you for your encouragement, for putting up with my stories and not least, tolerating my long absences at the computer whilst at home. To my sisters and brother-in-law’s, Lorraine and Malachy McNally, Jackie and Andy Murray, Debbie and Les Gillam, beware, you are all in this story too, somewhere. Similarly, thanks are due to other family members, filtering in to my larger-than-life characterisations; Alanda Ogilvie, Fred and Pat Gosling, Alan and Linda Gosling. Thanks also to close friends for fuelling my already vivid imagination with memories from the New Addington Estate in Croydon and beyond, Arron Tarry, Tom Woodcock, Darren Hoskins, and also to Steve Sallis, from www.solutionsmindset.com for his moral support and straight talking in life and in football (if there is a difference).
For their technical support, critical feedback and generosity in time spent to help me shape the episodes, and then publish this book, my heartfelt thanks are to Anita Wood, Hayley McIlroy, Al Street and Andrew Raines for proof reading the text, Ian Doughty for his artistic input, Dan Green at Trimpanda.com for the website design www.thenelsonboys.co.uk Nicholas Bolt for legal advice and Lee Cole, my business partner at Sports Education and Training Ltd., thanks for taking the helm whilst my mind and body have been elsewhere – often physically in another country or my thoughts tied up in some action between episodes five and six. Last but not least to Clive Palmer from Dane Valley Press who has shared his experience not only in editing books but promoting the interests of a keen but novice learner like me. This book has only been made possible by Clive saying ‘don’t just talk about it, do it!’. So, what was once a dream, has become a reality, I cannot thank you enough.
Finally, to Mum and Dad, Pam and ‘Dickie’ Lee who are not here to share this story but I know would be so proud. They helped me more than they could ever realise, from cherishing family values, to on-set professionalism in the film industry, they set the bar high for me, thank you for your spirit, support and love.
To my wife, my son’s and my daughter. Family truly is the most wonderful gift a man can have. Every chapter I have ever lived within my lifetime has been driven by the love of my family, past and present.
In fond memory of my sister Lorraine and cousin Alanda, Mum and Dad; Pam and Dickie Lee.
You can learn to live without someone, but it doesn’t stop it hurting