Lifelong Wire fan Rob Watson, who grew up in Grappenhall and Stockton Heath, has had books published before – and now he has two more to add to his collection.
Lupine Dreams follows a fictional Warrington Wolves rugby league team as they attempt to end the club’s 69-year wait to be crowned champions.
Pressure is on the coach after another disappointing play-off defeat, leading him to risk his job and some ridicule by changing tact.
Players battling their own personal demons and old legends wanting to show they have got one more great season left in them are among the thrilling backstories.
Stories for Cash meanwhile is a collection of short stories inspired by Johnny Cash songs, to help raise funds for Alzheimer’s Society.
Each story features authentic characters facing real world situations – with chasing a dream, searching for love, pursuing revenge and coping with trauma among them.
Speaking about his books, 47-year-old Rob, who has since lived in Appleton and Fearnhead, said: “I have loved writing stories for as long as I can remember, even when my spelling and grasp of the English language was not so great when I was a kid.
“The idea of creating something that would not exist if it was not for me has always appealed to me.
“As a big Wire fan, I have been writing about them for years. I have always been interested in thinking about the lives of the players and coaches off the field – the bits we tend not to get to see.
“That made me want to write a novel based on a fictional Wire team, where I could follow the players and coaches on and off the field throughout one season.
“Some of the inspiration for the stories came from elite sport team documentaries I have watched that give a peak behind the curtains.
“Plus, with it being fictional, I at least had control over the ending.”
On Stories for Cash, the former Bradshaw Primary School and Lymm High School pupil commented: “I wanted to do something in honour of my dad, who had Alzheimer’s for years before he died in 2021.
“I have always liked using songs as writing prompts and generating ideas for stories, and with Johnny Cash being my dad’s favourite singer, I thought it made sense to write a collection of shorts stories based on his songs, with half of my royalties going to the Alzheimer’s Society.
“The stories are inspired by the songs, and for the stories themselves, many of them are also based on my experience of working with young people for over 20 years, using the stories as a way to get their voices heard and perspectives seen.”
A contributor to the Warrington Guardian’s sports coverage over the years, Rob had his Spirit of ’55 published by Pitch Publishing back in 2013.
The book followed Wire in their 2012 season, and each season after that, he has always had a book ready to be written for the season when they finally win the Grand Final, so that the book has happy ending.
Both books are available on Kindle at or paperback, with Lupine Dreams found at amazon.co.uk/dp/B0D49KH8KG and Stories for Cash at amazon.co.uk/dp/B0D8D79M9X
