In the summer of 2013, I was feeling a bit restless. I'd been teaching English in Italy for five years, and while I enjoyed my job, that's exactly what it was - a job. The love of teaching didn't live in me. What did I like, I asked myself one very self-indulgent day? Football, per forza, and writing, were the answers, among others. So, almost on a whim I decided that I'd try and write a book. And thus the tiny acorns of Around Serie A in 20 Days were planted.
More than one year later, I'd been to every stadium of the teams who fought in the Serie A season 2013/14. I'd watched as many matches as possible from the Curve, the die-hard fans' stands. I'd interviewed some of them. In the process, I'd got lost countless times. It was time to write about what I'd seen.
As the back cover reads: "This is one Scot's journey through the sights, the sounds, and the billowing banks of smoke in Serie A's stands.
"A humorous and informative tale of football matches, trains, beers, trains and the bel paese."
And who am I to argue with that?
Clicking on the following images will whisk you to extracts of each chapter. I did the travelling so that you don't have to. You're welcome (although I did enjoy it).
