A Natural
ROSS RAISIN

Ross Raisin’s previous two novels focused on male outsiders, men separated from mainstream society.  In his first award-winning novel, God’s Own Country, set in Yorkshire, the farm-boy narrator is born different and heads towards madness. In his second, a widower slips into homelessness and alcohol dependency. At the start of this third novel, however, it seems that Raisin’s hero could not be less of an outsider. Tom Pearman is quiet and hard- working; a good team player who is always ready to join in and be one of the boys. He is also that most admired of men, a professional footballer.

Spotted as “a natural” from an early age, Tom has had a starry career, even playing for England as a member of the youth team.  Now, aged 19, Tom is let go by his boyhood club. The words of the manager ring in his ears – “You’re going to be some player, when you grow into yourself” – until Tom learns that he has said exactly the same thing to the 13 other sacked football scholars.