Blinded by the light - Richard Hakin

"Blinded By the Light", a humorous and light-hearted travel journal, follows Sunderland FC for every match of the Millennium season. Lifelong fan, Richard Hakin, undertakes an 18,000-mile journey, braving floods, Railtrack and navigationally-impaired coach drivers. From the Divine Meccano Set at Old Trafford to tea with Granny at Ipswich, he describes not just the matches but the people, places and events he encountered in this sporting odyssey.;Discover why north-east women have the best tans, that Elvis is alive and well and living in Bradford, and which Premiership would best suit Elizabeth Taylor. A vegetarian breakfast in Wearside proves as elusive as the secret of Manchester United's half-time fare, but there is a miracle in a Newcastle chip shop. Modern football is as much about merchandise as matches, but what exactly is the great smell of Palace and where can you buy Yorkshire Chardonnay?;Football has always been at the heart of the north-east. Club and community are inseparably linked and Newcastle v Sunderland breeds a pride and passion beyond mere rivalry.;Most importantly, the book tackles the quetions: why spend two days and u70 travelling 600 miles to watch Sunderland play Luton on a wet Tuesday night? Is it J.B. Priestley's escape from reality or the Brechtian theatre, the drama, the acts and the players? Perhaps the title of the Sunderland fanzine says it all: "Sex and Chocolate Aren't as Good as Football".