From America to Uganda: Two Stories, One County
County may not be the biggest club in the world, but we certainly punch above our weight when it comes to the written word. Two volumes written by fans of the club recently landed on my bookshelf and will help keep the interest going between matches.
The first is “And Now For Something Completely Different…Living Life To The Full” by Keith Mills. Keith will be familiar to many, not just as a County fan of long standing, attending his first match in 1948, but also as the founder and leading light of the charity Forever Friends Of Uganda.
The book tells his life story, from his childhood in High Lane and Marple, through teacher training, where he met his wife, Jeanette, on through teaching in the USA, Zambia and Uganda. Retirement led them to Normandy where they ran a guest house and made their first forays into fund raising for Ugandan children.
Returning to England, they founded “Forever Friends” and, well into their eighties, they continue to help the poorest Ugandan children to get an education. The Co-op are making plans for an evening at Edgeley Park with a current player and will raise funds for Keith’s charity as part of the event.
Your local bookshop should be able to order Keith’s book, but if you prefer it can be obtained from Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/05Pqx2OI
By contrast with the first book, the second wasn’t written by a life-long fan but by a new recruit. American would-be author Todd Smith came over to Britain with the intention of visiting football grounds, meeting fans and finding out what made them tick.
The result is “Relegated, One American’s Pints-And-Pies Journey From The Top To The Bottom Of English Football.” Despite the subtitle, the book deals with games as far apart as Stornoway and Brighton and each chapter is a fascinating opportunity to see ourselves as others see us.
The chapter about County revolves around the 1-0 win against Wimbledon in season 2023-24 and describes in some detail Todd’s introduction to Stockport, its pubs and its football club by Dave Marchbank, the Co-op’s Chair. We must have made an impression, as he’s since been back to sample a meal at the Royal Nawaab in the Pyramid.
Your local bookshop should be able to order Todd’s book, but if you prefer it can be obtained from Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/032FqFfv