There’s brilliantly paced football excitement on and off the pitch in this fast moving adventure. The future of Hatton Rangers is resting on Nat Dixon, their mysterious new signing, but what neither the club nor the fans know is that Nat is only 13! Nat’s been busy learning a new past but there is nothing that can prepare him for the high octane excitement of what lies ahead. Will he be able to save the club’s fortunes?
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Just a few days after Nat Levy's thirteenth birthday, he and his dad Dave return to England for the first time in seven years. Since his mother died, the two of them have been traveling from country to country, wherever Dave can pick up work, and Nat has been playing street soccer with the local kids whenever he has a chance - even on Copa Cabana beach in Rio de Janeiro!
Now it's a bit of a shock to come back to England, where the cottage Dave has bought turns out to be a wreck, and the prospect of going to school is looming for Nat. The only positive aspect is that they are close to Hatton Rangers, the soccer team they both follow, but even the team is struggling to avoid relegation and possible bankruptcy. Amazingly, Nat's soccer skills are spotted and he is put forward for a tryout with the team, but there is something fishy going on that is looking increasingly dangerous...
In this soccer-centered thriller, Nat learns about being part of a team, when to take chances, when to accept criticism and when to stand up for himself. His independence and self-reliance help him through some tricky and risky situations.
Jonny Zucker has worked in radio, played in several bands and has worked as a stand-up comedian and a teacher. He started writing full-time and has now written over thirty books for adults, teenagers and children. These include the Venus Spring books for Piccadilly Press and the Max Flash for Stripes. He also wrote the Festival Time! series for Frances Lincoln. He lives in London with his family.