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Many congratulations to local Wivenhoe writer Anthony Clavane who has deservedly won the Best Football Book at the 2011 British Sports Book Awards. Promised Land ties up perfectly football fandom from a personal perspective with the wider social and cultural importance of a football club.

The Promised Land may have just scooped a prestigious national prize, but Anthony chose the setting of the Wivenhoe Bookshop in which to launch the book. He also held a reading and Q & A session up at Wivenhoe Town FC for the launch of Broad Lane Future back in October.

With the day job involving writing about sport, Anthony told the Dragons’ fans that he gains more excitement from the community element at Broad Lane compared to watching any top flight Premier League match.

I would add in various online links, stating you can buy the book over here, blah blah blah. But simply take a stroll down to the Wivenhoe Bookshop, and buy the prizewinner at the place where it was launched.

Still not sure about Leeds United, mind…

Plus: Speaking of local sporting books, with apt summer timing, here comes the definitive story of Wivenhoe Town Cricket Club:

The Story of Wivenhoe Cricket by Jon Wiseman is published on 28th July, priced at £20. The extensive research covers Wivenhoe cricket from the mid-eighteenth century through to the present day, and tells how the “spirit of the Hoe” came into being.

With over sixty illustrations and ninety tables of stats, it looks like being perfect boundary reading material up at Rectory Road. You can download an order form on the club website, or reserve a copy via email over here.

And so that’s Wivenhoe football and cricket literary works covered. Now then – who wants to write a 20,000 word masterpiece all about crabbing down by the Quay?

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