Overview

"""We'll support you evermore"" - Northern Ireland fans. ""ChampIAN STEWARTnova"" is the first GAWA-focused book from travel writer Jonny Blair after his epic ""Backpacking Centurion"" series came to a culmination in March 2015. Conceived in the 1970s, collecting Jim Platt stickers in the 1980s, watching Iain Dowie goals in the 1990s and witnessing the heroics of Healy in the 2000s, this story is brutal, rewarding, footballic, sickening and addictive. This story is only about one thing - the rollercoaster that is supporting the Northern Ireland football team. Nothing else matters. Jonny kicks things off during the 1980s glory days where his Dad bought him his first Northern Ireland kit and scarf while cheering on his World Cup heroes Norman Whiteside, Ian Stewart, Pat Jennings and Gerry Armstrong. Defeating the Germans, the Spaniards and the Romanians in the early 1980s felt commonplace. But those were glory days - with a population of less than 2 million people, Northern Ireland were always punching above their weight. After the Mexico 86 curtain fallation, some barren years followed on the pitch, but love don't wane. Jonny writes passionately about those days as a Bangoric Ulsterman attending Windsor Park dreaming of Adrian Coote hat-tricks, Alan Fettis pelanty saves and top of the table destructions of Germany. Most of our dreams as Northern Ireland fans never come to fruition but we dare to dream. Expect tales of crushing home defeats intertwined with shock away wins and uninspiring draws. Be ready for GAWA trips abroad full of over indulgence in both alcohol and football. In the midst of all of that, Jonny will enlighten you with his real life stories, quirky anecdotes, geek facts and unusual tales as he dreams of reaching another major tournament. When Jonny walked out of Windsor Park in 2009, an era had come to an end. He left Europe behind to travel the world but he left part of his heart in Belfast's Windsor Park. And we know he will be back there again. When the sun shines over Cavehill and the dust settles on the Lisburn Road, will life ever be the same again? ""The stars in the bright sky looked down where Healy"" - GAWA."

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9781447877547

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Jonny Blair is a self-confessed GAWA nut. Jonny was born in Newtownards in 1980 and grew up in Bangor in Northern Ireland. Since leaving his homecity in 2003, Jonny has travelled far and wide, detailing his journeys on his one man travel blog, Don't Stop Living. Jonny has visited over 200 countries across all seven continents including places like Bangladesh, Lesotho, Curacao, Nauru and Mauritania. Jonny has also travelled to some lesser known places such as the Kingdom of Romkerhall, Karakalpakstan, Adammia, Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Herm, Antarctica, Gorno Badakhshan, Transnistria and Eneko Island. As well as working as a freelance writer, editor, author and copywriter, Jonny has also worked in bars, hotels and restaurants as well as on ferries, in farms, in schools and in offices. At the time of this book's publication, Jonny was living in Poland. Jonny writes every day in some capacity and is also a poet, a teacher and a football fanzine editor. Aside from GAWA stuff, Jonny is a passionate football supporter of Dunmurry Rec., Glentoran FC, AFC Bournemouth, Klub Pilkarski Starogard and Legia Warszawa. Jonny aims to inspire other people to get out there and see the world with their own two eyes.

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