Kicking things off with Tom Palmer…
By Saskia Calliste
When it comes to all things football, one name comes to mind… Tom Palmer. From the Football Academy series to The Squad Series to Armistice Runner, Tom brings his love of football and reading back to Barnes Festival 2019 and we couldn’t be more excited!

Which football team do you support?
Leeds United.
If you could meet one footballer, past or present, who would it be?
Jack Cock, scorer of England’s first goal after WW1 – and subject of my children’s book, Over the Line. (And I mean it. I’m not just saying to advertise my book.)
Were you good at sports as a kid?
Not bad at football.
What is it about sports you enjoy writing about most?
The action and tension. Two sides to every story: a winner and a loser. And the unpredictability that leads to great cliff-hangers. But – mainly – it is a chance for people show resilience and never-give-up-ability.
What’s coming up next?
D-Day Dog. Based on a true story about a dog called Glen who parachuted in on D-Day to help liberate Europe from the Nazis.
