Robbie Blair is a talented young schoolboy who dreams of being a professional football player when he grows up. He possesses the necessary skills but unfortunately is also set apart from the pack by his tendency to break bones – lots of them!
When Robbie breaks his leg for the third time during an important trial he is resigned to the grim reality that his footballing dream is finally over.
But, is it over?
‘We can all learn from Robbie Blair.’
Joe Hart – Celtic FC
JG Nolan was born and raised in a sleepy village in Shropshire and loved writing stories and playing football as a child.
He has been a teacher for many years, working mainly with children who have had difficult beginnings in life. He strongly believes in positive thinking and feels most things are achievable if you put your mind to it.
When his football mad son, Robbie, was much younger, he kept breaking bones and was told by the doctors that he should never play football again. It was during one of his many lengthy stays visiting Robbie in the local children’s hospital that the idea for ‘Jump!’ drifted into JG Nolan’s mind.
JG Nolan began to read the exploits of famous, maverick footballers from the past, to inspire his son and give him hope. Whilst doing this, he became more and more drawn to the tales of famous Celtic legends from the 1920s, whose names are still chanted in Parkhead to this day. It soon became clear to him- his first book would have to be set in Scotland.
JG Nolan’s research led him to discover the iconic, ethereal, Cathkin Park.
After meeting Scottish actor Simon Weir, who has helped preserve the park for many years, the pieces of the jigsaw fell into place and ‘Jump!’ was born.
When JG Nolan’s son started on his long road to recovery and fitness, his determination to succeed reached the ears of famous local footballer Joe Hart, then at Manchester City. Joe very kindly sent Robbie some signed goalkeeper gloves to cheer him up during treatment. Robbie would eventually follow in Joe’s footsteps and attend the same secondary school in their home town, Shrewsbury. Years later, after Joe had transferred to Celtic, he was thrilled to be asked to read ‘Jump!’ and offered to write the foreword. A truly serendipitous chain of events!
Carina Roberts is an award-winning artist and illustrator who loves creating characters and telling stories. Carina spent her childhood drawing, reading and befriending animals – it was in these first few years that her dream to be an illustrator was born. She’s been running with it ever since!
She specialises in creating books, particularly for young readers – a lot of her inspiration comes from the wilds of Wales where she lives. She adores fiction and nonfiction alike – after working on illustrations for the National Trust in 2020 she is especially keen that her work encourages more people to go on an adventure.
Cover design © [email protected]
Cover image © Carina Roberts
Over de auteur
Joe Hart joined the Hoops on a three-year deal from Tottenham Hotspur in August 2021.The goalkeeper, who has been capped 75 times for England, arrived having twice won the English Premier League during 12 years with Manchester City, where he also won the FA Cup and two League Cups. After climbing the ranks at his local club, Shrewsbury, Joe Hart signed on a permanent basis for Manchester City in the summer of 2006 at the age of 19. Loan spells at Tranmere Rovers, Blackpool and Birmingham City followed in the four years after that, before the 6’4′ stopper became the Sky Blues’ first choice goalkeeper ahead of Shay Given at the start of the 2010/11 English Premier League campaign.The following year, Hart played an integral role in City’s first-ever EPL win – when a last gasp Sergio Aguero goal, scored on the 94th minute against QPR on the final day of the season, saw Roberto Mancini’s men win 3-2 and leapfrog runners-up Manchester United on goal difference. That season, Hart conceded 45 goals in all competitions while keeping an impressive 20 shut outs at home and in Europe.In the summer of 2016, Hart spent a season-long loan away from the Etihad to Italian Serie A side Torino, before returning to England to spend a subsequent year on loan at West Ham. A permanent move to Burnley kicked off a two-year stay at Turf Moor between 2018 and 2020, before Hart moved to Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer last summer.During his time in England, Hart featured 340 times in the English Premier League and recorded 127 clean sheets. Upon putting pen to paper at Paradise, Hart said: ‘This is a great moment for me in my career and I am absolutely delighted to be joining a club of Celtic’s stature.’
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