Fan pens Sir Bobby book for charity

A BUDDING author and lifelong Ipswich Town fan has launched a fundraising bid after penning a book detailing Sir Bobby Robson's glittering career at Portman Road.

All proceeds from Nick Fuller's account of the Blues' glory years under one of football's best-loved sons - entitled On The Map - will go to cancer-related charities.

The 46-year-old said: “There have been plenty of books written about Sir Bobby's career but most are fairly brief about his time at Ipswich.

“It seems to me that everything that happened after he left Ipswich was because of what he achieved at Portman Road.

“My hope is that anyone who lived through that time will find the book evocative and anyone who didn't will find it informative.”

While publishers were interested in buying the rights to the book, Mr Fuller has decided to make it available electronically only. A website will be created where fans can download On The Map in return for a charity cash donation of their choice.

While the book is principally a biography of Sir Bobby during his time in Suffolk, Mr Fuller personalises the story with his memories of the 70s and early 80s.

He said: “The book is seen through the eyes of me as an eight, nine or ten-year-old but it is mostly about how Sir Bobby built the club again.

“People are not always aware of just how tough it was in the early years and how loyal the Cobbolds were.”

The dad-of-one described the 50,000-word book as a “labour of love”.

Mr Fuller, who works in marketing, was born in Kent and still lives in Tonbridge but has loyally followed the Blues from an early age and is still a regular at Portman Road.

“When I was growing up, my local teams were Charlton and Gillingham but I wanted to be different,” he said.

“I have been a Town supporter ever since.”

What are your memories of Sir Bobby's reign as Town boss? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk