“UNCONSIDERED TRIFLES” LAUNCHED

Former league chairman publishes autobiography

Mike Amos, multiple-award winning North-East journalist and Ebac Northern League chairman for 20 years until 2016, has written and published a 390-page autobiography called Unconsidered Trifles.

Though by no means just a football book, it contains many anecdotes from his time in the game – starting from the occasion that his inability as a goalkeeper reduced his God-fearing grammar school housemaster to swearing.

There are memories of how the ground hoppers’ weekends were given to the football world, affectionate stories of FA chief executive Graham Kelly – “the most traduced man in sport”– and of how chain-smoking entrepreneur Brooks Mileson became the league’s sponsor in perpetuity. (He also had an ostrich called Amos.)

A particular favourite is the strange story of how the Northern League chairman, often at loggerheads with the governing body, found himself a black tie guest – him and Prince William – at the FA’s glitzy 150^th anniversary dinner.

Many more stories concern Mike’s 55 years in North-East journalism, almost all with The Northern Echo. They include the time he successfully intervened after a North-East prison side reached a local league cup final – and were thrown out because rules said the final had to be on a neutral ground.

Shildon lad and proud of it, Mike was appointed MBE in 2006 for services to journalism in North-East England. He won more than 40 regional and national awards, many for his bi-weekly sports column, and was an inaugural member of the Provincial Journalism Hall of Fame.

He produced the Northern League magazine from 1989-2016, edited the league’s centenary and millennium histories and wrote and edited Northern Conquest, the 125^th anniversary publication.

The book launch was to have been at Shildon FC, where he learned to love the Northern League, but for obvious reasons has had to be abandoned.

Unconsidered Trifles, comprehensively and often nostalgically illustrated, also reflects the nationwide decline of the provincial newspaper industry. It’s available in softback (£10) or hardback (£22) – plus £3 20 postage – from Mike at 8 Oakfields, Middleton Tyas, Richmond, North Yorks DL10 6SD. Cheques payable to Mike Amos.

The book is also available through Amazon or by on-line banking. Socially distanced personal callers would also be welcome. Details from mikeamos81@aol.com