Suffolk News

The latest book by a Haverhill author is not only a personal account of life as a Tottenham Hotspur fan but a tribute to two men who helped to shape his love of the team.

Hayden Gribble’s new book, Post Traumatic Spurs Disorder: Being a Tottenham Fan in the Premier League Years, was released on September 9, the ninth anniversary of the death of his dad Alan, 56 – the man who took him to his first Spurs match.

The 35-year-old is a prolific writer who, since publishing his debut novel in 2012, the crime thriller The Man in the Corner, has gone on to publish another nine, covering genres such as horror, science fiction, non-fiction and autobiography. His new offering is his first based on sport.

All of Hayden’s books are available to buy on Amazon and through his website.

Hayden, who is married to Sophie with whom he has a son, William, three, and a daughter, Isabelle, six months, began writing his latest book six weeks after her birth.

Just five months later it has been written, re-written, proofed numerous times and published – all while also having a full-time job.

“It was a book I had in mind for about 15 years,” said Hayden.

“It’s probably the oldest idea for a book I had, but I didn’t know how to write it. I didn’t have a clue.”

Having written the book, he said: “I suppose things have been a bit painful as a fan and personally as well because my dad passed.

“There’s a lot of bits which are quite hard to look at because I lost my dad in 2015 and obviously he played a big part in it; father and son going to a match and introducing me to the team.

“I used it [the book] as a bit of therapy because I published it on the [ninth anniversary of the] day he died and it’s a tribute to him and my grandad as well, because he was a Spurs fan too.”

As for his favourite Spurs player, Hayden plumped for winger Gareth Bale, partly because he was ‘living the dream I had when I was younger’. His favourite manager was the Dutchman Martin Jol.

Ipswich Town have reportedly agreed a fee with Sunderland for winger Jack Clarke, with his medical set to take place today (Friday).

The 23-year-old, as claimed by SuffolkNews’ media partners TWTD, as well as other outlets, is set to move to Portman Road in a deal worth £15 million up front, which could rise to £20 million with add-ons.

Clarke’s former employers, Tottenham Hotspur, will receive 25 per cent of the fee from a sell-on.

The attacker scored 15 goals and registered four assists for the Black Cats last term, which followed his 24 goal involvements in all competitions the season before.

York-born Leeds United academy graduate Clarke made his first senior appearance for the Whites in 2018, for whom he scored twice for, before earning a move to Tottenham in the summer of 2019.

Clarke struggled for gametime during his tenure at Spurs and was sent out on loan to QPR, Stoke City and Sunderland. He made his move to the Stadium of Light permanent in 2022 and has already contributed a goal and an assist in his first two matches of this season.

Meanwhile, the Blues, who travel to Manchester City tomorrow (3pm), are set to confirm the signing of Armando Broja on a season-long loan from Chelsea – which will take their tally of summer incomings to 10.

Ipswich Town are reportedly in a ‘three-way fight’ to secure the services of Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Oliver Skipp.

The 23-year-old is, according to The Telegraph, attracting interest from the Blues and the Premier League’s two other newly-promoted sides, Leicester City and Southampton.

Skipp, who won the Sky Bet Championship title with Town’s East Anglian rivals Norwich City in the 2020/21 campaign, made 21 Premier League appearances for Spurs last term under Ange Postecoglou, starting five matches, but is likely to leave the Tottnham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

Since joining the north London outfit at eight years old, Skipp has gone onto make more than 100 appearances for the Lilywhites following his first-team debut against West Ham in the Carabao Cup in 2018.

The Welwyn Garden City-born player has also made 24 appearances for England’s Under-21s side and was in Spurs’ academy when Town boss Kieran McKenna was playing and coaching at the club.

Skipp has three years left on his contract after he signed a five-year deal in 2022.