Tales from the Touchline

Pies, pints and football talk will be served up at Ellesmere Boathouse on Wednesday 24 July as Shropshire Council’s library service presents “Tales from the Touchline”.

Two Shropshire lads will be in conversation when The Independent’s football correspondent Ian Herbert, and BBC Radio Shropshire sports reporter, James Bond, have their say about the state of play in British football today.  They will talk about their personal journeys in journalism and how their shared passion for football finally landed them a perfect pass to the press box.

Along the way they’ll reveal some of the highs, humour and heartbreak that unique access to top players and footballing personalities uncovers, and talk frankly about the issues some perceive to be scarring the modern game – cheating, corruption, racism, celebrity and inflated wage bills.

Gwilym Butler, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for leisure, libraries and culture, said:

“Tales from the Touchline promises to be a unique and enjoyable evening for football fans and pie-lovers alike.  Our libraries are a real asset to the community and this event showcases the diversity of topics and interests they cater for.”

This is the perfect event for anyone interested in talking football and footballers with two highly engaging and entertaining sports journalists at the top of their own game.  Tickets are £5 and include a pie, plus a pint generously donated by award–winning local brewery Stonehouse.  During the interval, draw tickets will be on sale in support of the CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) charity.

The venue will be open from 7pm on the evening, with the event starting at 7.30pm.

For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Ellesmere Library on 01691 622611 or email ellesmere.library@shropshire.gov.uk.  Limited tickets are also available from The Boathouse on 01691 623852.

Further information

Ian Herbert is the deputy football correspondent for The Independent.  He started writing on football 15 years ago in Liverpool, and the city remains in his ‘patch’, reporting on a few teams in the Premier League.

James Bond, a former local football referee, broke into sports reporting working for the Hartlepool Evening Mail.  A keen fan of all sports, he now covers sport across the county for BBC Radio Shropshire.