‘Cursed’ is released next week. All orders to date will be despatched shortly thereby guaranteeing delivery before it is readily available in the shops.
‘Cursed’ is the long awaited follow-up to last years best selling local paperback (Christmas 2003), ‘Why do I Do It?’
‘Cursed’ carries on from where ‘Why Do I Do It?’ left off looking in depth at the 2003-2204 season, personally, online, offline, on the pitch, off the pitch.
As the back cover declares;
Are we as football supporters cursed? The answer to that is a resounding yes we are! But, is that really such a bad thing? We are cursed due to undying affection we show towards our chosen club, and regardless of success we follow them through thick and thin, through rain and shine.
Here then is a book that explores the mind of a football fan cursed with following his club – Sunderland AFC; a club that promises so much but at times delivers so little.
Cursed! is the long awaited follow-up to Why Do I Do It? Sunderland’s best selling local paperback, Christmas 2003, and the continuing journey of one man’s obsession with supporting SAFC (concentrating on the 2003-2004 season) on the pitch, off the pitch, and within the realms of the World Wide Web whilst declaring at all times “Sunderland Till I Die!”
Why then does the author a lifelong Sunderland supporter, a loyal and dedicated ‘Mackem’ state that he loves Alan Shearer?
The answer lies in Cursed! By P. D. Han (Braiswick, an imprint of Author Publishing Limited).
Title: Cursed
Type: Paperback, 142 pages
ISBN: 1898030057
RRP: £6.99
So, what bitterness lies within the pages of ‘Cursed’? What shocking tales from the Internet are revealed in this new fandom novel? What take on Sunderland AFC’s ‘so near, yet so far’ 2003-2004 season is told within this year’s local best selling paperback?
From an SAFC’s point of view,’ Cursed’ looks at;
Life in Division One (or the Championship as it is now referred as) following the disastrous and embarrassing relegation from the top flight.
SAFC’s offloading of high profile players, the redundancy of many ordinary employees, and the harshness of playing in front of a half empty stadium.
The teams jittery start to the season (inconsistency that would ultimately deny us any chance of automatic promotion).
Racism in the West Stand!
The Cup run, the scramble for semi-final tickets, the superstitious nonsense regarding SAFC’s apparent God given right to win the F A Cup in 2004, and the whole semi-final experience (including an unfortunate case of hooliganism at Old Trafford).
Bob Stokoe
The demise of Wimbledon FC or MK Dons FC
The play-offs, the agony and heartache.
Online, ‘Cursed’ looks at;
The SMB, the online community (often affectionately known as an electronic fight club) and the differing styles of conversation that takes place within the realms of on of the UK’s biggest independent bulletin boards e.g.
– The Typical RTG Warped Humour Style Thread
– The Politically Motivated, Heated Debate Thread
– The Threatening Thread
– The Total Football Thread
– The Satirical Thread
Coventry City and the case of the Sky Blues webzine editors pleasure at Colin Healy’s broken leg.
Personally the author describes in detail;
Issues relating to the death of a loved one
An update of one or two unfinished issues left over from the ‘Why Do I Do It?’
Why SAFC are in the mind of the author cursed!
How and why ‘Why Do I Do It?’ came about and the case of desperately seeking publicity (e.g. a vane television appearance)
Why David Blaine is a Mackem!!
And finally an explanation as to why the author declares that he loves Alan Shearer.
Each chapter, twenty-three in total are uniquely titled, being relevant and inspired by the signatures used by the regulars of the SMB e.g.
Chapter IX – “We’re going to need a bigger boat!”
Chapter XIV – “One day I might just pull out a gun. Plenty of candidates for the first shot!”
Chapter XXI – “No Excuses. I went to the match on my wedding day I did!”
Chapter XXII – “An honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will stay bought!”
‘Cursed’ is out next week, available from Hills Bookshop, Ottakars (Sunderland), Ottakars (Darlington), The Sunniside (Internet Café, Sunderland), ALS.
Online it is available via www.amazon.co.uk, www.lockwoods.co.uk, www.author.co.uk and www.pdhan.co.uk (all orders made via www.pdhan.co.uk will include a free pamphlet – a new chapter that carries on from where ‘Cursed’ leaves off, a quick insight into the current campaign online and offline).
