Author Description

Andy Armstrong is a borderer from rural Northumberland. His father is a postman with a pigeon ducket. When Andy is six in 1978, England haven't qualified for the World Cup, so he supports Scotland instead. First Plane Home follows Andy as he grows up over four World Cups following the Tartan Army. It's a story of finding identity, of friendships and the legacy of the Border Reivers, Georgie Best and, of course, soccer. The Thatcher years provide a backdrop to the novel, with her presence looming large before she becomes Prime Minister in '78, The Falklands War in '82 and the aftermath of the Miner's strike in '86. First Plane Home is a nostalgic look back at working class culture and the last of the British blue collar manual workers while also examining the nature of the Border itself.