Man of the Match (16 page)

 

 

“Jamie! Over here!”

“Jamie! Just a few words! How do you feel?”

Jamie looked over at the throng of journalists waiting for him, all jostling to speak to him.

Strange
, he thought, a
few months ago, none of you wanted to know me. Now you all want a piece of me
.

Jamie looked among their faces. Even old Barry Digmore was there, desperately holding out his voice recorder.

But there was only one person Jamie was looking for in that sea of journalists.

Jamie spotted Jack immediately. She was standing aside from the other journalists, looking straight at Jamie. She wasn't smiling or trying to get an interview; she was simply pointing at her watch.

Jamie couldn't help laughing. He knew exactly what Jack was thinking:
Make sure you're not late, Jamie . . . I said eight o'clock, remember!

She needn't have worried. Jamie would never keep Jack waiting.

 

“Jamie!” shouted Archie Fairclough, his face flushed red with happiness. “Get yourself over here, son! Time to lift the trophy!”

Jamie sprinted over and gave Archie a massive high five, followed by a huge bear hug. He knew that, in Archie, he'd found someone else he could trust.

As he leapt up on to the platform to collect his medal, Jamie felt the ghosts of the last few months finally slip away from him. . .

Being betrayed again by his dad; finding out that Mattheus Bertorelli wasn't a superstar – he was only a cheat; being banished to Seaport Town . . . even questioning whether his whole career was over. All those dark shadows were departing. . .

Jamie wiped the sweat from his hands as he and his teammates edged closer to the prize. And as he drew nearer to the immaculate trophy, which was glistening now in the bright May sunshine, it occurred to Jamie that all of those old ghosts, all those challenges, had been part of the journey. His journey.

Which had led him here.

To exactly where he had always wanted to be.

Jamie roared with a joy that came from deep in his soul as he and his Hawkstone United teammates lifted the Premier League trophy for the first time in their history.

Now music was playing and the Hawkstone team were bouncing around in celebration, each taking their turn to kiss the trophy.

When it came to Jamie's turn, every single Hawkstone fan in the ground rose to their feet to applaud him.

They were his football family. They had seen him grow up. Seen him turn from a boy with limitless potential into the footballer that they had all hoped he would become. And right now, he was living out all their dreams.

They clapped him as a Hawkstone hero. As a Premier League star. And they cheered him as one of their own.

Jamie Johnson was back.

Back where he belonged . . . with the world at his feet.

Interview with Dan Freedman

 

 

You've been to the World Cup twice, what was it like?

 

Before becoming an author, I worked as a journalist with the England Football Team. That meant living in the team hotel, having breakfast with players like Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard and then going to watch them train and play in the World Cup Finals. They were some of the greatest experiences of my life. I realize how lucky I was and I thought about those times a lot when I was writing this book.

 

Can you do all of Jamie's best moves?

 

Of course I can – I'm a phenomenal footballer, one of the best in the world. See, that's the good thing about being an author: you can just make stuff up.

 

Who are your favourite footballers at the moment?

 

You can't ignore Messi's majestic talent and I absolutely love the way that Xavi never ever loses the ball. Gerrard for his passion and loyalty to his club and, for the future, Jack Wilshere. So young but soooo good!

 

You visit lots of schools – what's the funniest question you've been asked?

 

Lots of kids seem fascinated to know what car I drive (a Golf, if you must know). Some ask me if I ever get bored of football (no). And one boy asked me which footballer had the biggest appetite when it came to meal times! The school visits are great fun because they are a chance for me to meet the people that I write the books for.

 

Who is the most famous person you've interviewed?

 

Take your pick: David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Sir Alex Ferguson. At the time, I had pretend that it was no big deal and that I was all cool about it but inside I was thinking: “Oh my God! I can't believe I'm interviewing him!”

 

So have you ever had a kick around with Wayne Rooney?

 

No – I think I would be too worried about injuring him if I timed a tackle wrong! That would be a disaster! I did once get to play against Demetrio Albertini though. He was one of the best midfielders in the world when I was growing up – he won the Champions League with AC Milan. I played against him in midfield in a friendly game. Would you believe me if I told you we won?!

 

What inspires you to write these books?

 

When I was younger I wasn't a massive reader. People used to tell me to read all the time but there were no books out there that excited me. They all seemed boring. The Jamie Johnson series is for people out there who are like I was. I try to write the kind of books that I would have been desperate to read.

 

What's the best game you've ever been to?

 

In 2002, I was in Japan for the World Cup quarter-final: Brazil v England. It doesn't get much bigger than that!

 

Jamie Johnson books are often about triumphing over the odds. Can you give us any tips on how to become a professional footballer?

 

I think it's about your physical and mental dedication. Are you training as hard as you can? Are you working on your weaker foot? Do you believe in yourself? Are you trying to improve every time you play? And, if you get knocked back, how will you react? If you come back stronger, you've got half a chance.

And the other thing to remember is that even if you don't make it as a professional footballer, there are so many other jobs that you can get which involve football. Doctor, physiotherapist, coach, architect. . . The possibilities are all there, it's a case of going for your goals.

Want more
thrilling
footballing action?

Catch up on
Jamie Johnson's
journey to the top.

 

 

Jamie Johnson's desperate to become his school's star football player (and in his dreams, a top professional too). He's got so much to prove, and not just on the pitch – so why aren't his mum, teachers and best mate on his side?

 

 

Jamie Johnson can't believe his luck. He's playing for Kingfield School in a Cup semi-final and scouts from his favourite club, Hawkstone United, are coming to watch!

 

But Jamie's hopes of a professional career still have a long way to go…

 

 

 

 

There's a huge buzz around Jamie Johnson. He's being talked about as one of the country's most talented young players. But just when he's set for stardom, a shocking event threatens to end his career for ever.

 

Can Jamie cope with his toughest challenge yet?

 

 

 

 

 

“World class – genuine world class – that's for ever. Now, the question is: are YOU world class?”

 

It's the big one! At last, the World Cup beckons for Jamie Johnson. It's the defining moment of his career. But which country will he play for? And will his special skills match up against the greatest players on earth?

 

 

 

 

This was the team of teams. The club of clubs. And now they
wanted him to join them. A transfer to the best club in the world beckons for Jamie Johnson. This is big. This is huge!

 

However, a time bomb is already ticking within Jamie. . . Is the
final whistle about to blow?