One Shot at Glory (Dave Shaw: A soccer prodigy)

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One Shot at Glory (Dave Shaw: A soccer prodigy)

Author(s)

PJ DAVITT

Publisher Name

PJ DAVITT

Genre(s)

Age Range

12+

Release Date

December 16, 2014

ISBN13

9781311352507

ISBN10 or ASIN

Dave Shaw is a young man with a big dream. Come with him on his journey inside the secretive world of professional soccer as he tries to make it at his hometown club. Dave must confront the dark side to the beautiful game. The one most of us never get to see. A professional contract and big time beckoned for Wolston's teen hotshot. Until it happened. A serious ankle injury turns Dave's world upside down. Now Dave has to convince Rovers' tough academy chief, Rob Duncan, he still deserves a scholarship and that once-in-a-lifetime chance to pull on the shirt of the team he’s adored for as long as he’s loved soccer. It all comes down to 90 minutes to prove he can be part of Wolston’s future in the biggest match of his life. But above of all he needs to convince himself he still has what it takes to survive in a cut-throat world where only the very best ever get a shot at stardom.

User reviews

2 reviews

Overall rating

4.0

Writing Style

4.0(2)

Plot

4.0(2)

Characters

4.0(2)

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

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Jill Murphy (The Bookbag.co.uk)

February 04, 2015 (Updated: February 04, 2015)

Overall rating

4.0

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N/A

Plot

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I loved this story. Dave is just one among thousands of soccer hopefuls. His story will equally resonate with thousands of readers. And the search for the football stars of the future is a ruthless one. Young players are taken in, chewed up and, more often than not, spat back out again. So Dave's story will resonate with thousands of parents, too. Davitt tells it warts and all - the dashing of dreams by injury and by ruthless culling, the brattish behaviour on the pitch, the behind the scenes financial wrangling. It's an honest story.

But it's also a romantic one. You can really feel the levels of Dave's desire. And his love of the beautiful game. And his loyalty to his club.The match sequences in the book are really well done and Davitt communicates the joy of playing soccer superlatively. Despite his occasionally brattish behaviour, you're really rooting for Dave the whole way though the story. I particularly loved it that the height of Dave's ambition is to play for Wolston Rovers. He'd choose Rovers over an established Premier League club any day. Rovers, with their single FA Cup title, over Manchester United or City, or Chelsea, or Liverpool, or Arsenal. That's the love of soccer right there, isn't it?

All boys who love football will love One Shot at Glory. And their parents will love it. And girls who love football will love it, too. I think Davitt should write a story about a girl player. I know I'd read it.

PJ DAVITT Top 1000 Reviewer 2 reviews

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Jill Murphy

February 04, 2015

Overall rating

4.0

Writing Style

N/A

Plot

N/A

Characters

N/A

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

I loved this story. Dave is just one among thousands of football hopefuls. His story will equally resonate with thousands of readers. And the search for the football stars of the future is a ruthless one. Young players are taken in, chewed up and, more often than not, spat back out again. So Dave's story will resonate with thousands of parents, too. Davitt tells it warts and all - the dashing of dreams by injury and by ruthless culling, the brattish behaviour on the pitch, the behind the scenes financial wrangling. It's an honest story.

But it's also a romantic one. You can really feel the levels of Dave's desire. And his love of the beautiful game. And his loyalty to his club.The match sequences in the book are really well done and Davitt communicates the joy of playing soccer superlatively. Despite his occasionally brattish behaviour, you're really rooting for Dave the whole way though the story. I particularly loved it that the height of Dave's ambition is to play for Wolston Rovers. He'd choose Rovers over an established Premier League club any day. Rovers, with their single FA Cup title, over Manchester United or City, or Chelsea, or Liverpool, or Arsenal. That's the love of soccer right there, isn't it?

All boys who love football will love One Shot at Glory. And their parents will love it. And girls who love football will love it, too. I think Davitt should write a story about a girl player. I know I'd read it.

PJ DAVITT Top 1000 Reviewer 2 reviews