Books choices to delight Leeds Rhinos fans at Christmas

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Struggling to find a Christmas present for the Leeds Rhinos fan in your life? Here’s a couple of suggestions.

Thirty nine players - from Alan Smith, who made his first appearance in 1962, to Blake Austin, a debutant 60 years later - were interviewed by fan James Oddy for his book Blue and Amber Voices: Stories from Leeds Rugby League. The result is a first-hand account of the club’s highs and lows over seven decades.

Most of the interviewees are well known male players, but to his credit, Oddy has also included three members of Rhinos’ successful women’s side, coach Lois Forsell, along with star backs Caitlin Beevers and Sophie Robinson. That gives the book a unique perspective.

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Beevers, an England international and Wembley try scorer, for example reveals she got into rugby league because her parents thought a contact sport would calm down her “naughty” twin brother and she didn’t want to be left out. The book is full of similar details; not explosive revelations, but an insight into what makes individual players tick.

Caitlin Beevers is among the players interview in Blue and Amber Voices: Stories from Leeds Rugby League. Picture by Olly Hassell/SWpix.com.Caitlin Beevers is among the players interview in Blue and Amber Voices: Stories from Leeds Rugby League. Picture by Olly Hassell/SWpix.com.
Caitlin Beevers is among the players interview in Blue and Amber Voices: Stories from Leeds Rugby League. Picture by Olly Hassell/SWpix.com.
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For instance, Stevie Ward recalls being in the changing room - having just suffered catastrophic knee damage - at Huddersfield Giants when the club doctor burst in to tell him Ryan Hall had scored the winning try in the final game of the 2015 regular season. Ward remembers “thinking a few things. That means we’re on the road for the treble. The next thing I am thinking is, I’m going to get a better bonus now. And the third thing I am thinking is, what about me? What’s wrong with me? Why are these injuries happening”.

Most of the interviews follow a similar format: how the individual got into rugby league, career memories and what he or she did after rugby. Who knew Cliff Lyons - Leeds’ Australian cult hero of the 1980s - now has an electrical lighting service business, employing 60 workers? Or that 1998 Grand Finalist Darren Fleary now works in the prison service? He writes: “I have Leeds Rhinos academy come in every year or so to have a look around. These young players can see what happens if things go badly wrong and they don’t take opportunities.”

Other observations to watch out for include why not staying longer at Leeds is one of Lee Jackson’s biggest regrets, what stopped Adrian Morley returning to the club after playing in Australia and Marc Glanville’s less than enthusiastic view of Rhinos before he joined them in 1998. It’s an informative, interesting read and most fans will find at least one or two of their favourite players included.

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The story behind the building of AMT Headingley Stadium is revealed in a new book. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com,The story behind the building of AMT Headingley Stadium is revealed in a new book. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com,
The story behind the building of AMT Headingley Stadium is revealed in a new book. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com,

And now for something completely different, John Beckett - a Leeds fan, former history teacher and property law expert, has taken a deep dive into the origin of Rhinos’ home ground in his book The Birth of Headingley Stadium. The text does what it says on the cover, but it turns out, the story isn’t quite as straightforward as previously thought. This is a slim volume at just 28 pages, but is highly recommended for stadium or history buffs.

Blue and Amber Voices: Stories from Leeds Rugby League. By James Oddy. Pitch Publishing. £18.99.

The Birth of Headingley Stadium. By John Beckett. Scratching Shed Publishing. £7.99.

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