A Manchester Derby: Part 1: Manchester Derby Series, #1

By Alex McNeil

Welcome to part one of 'A Manchester Derby'. A dark comedic story of football, misspent youth, anti-social behaviour, rags to riches and revenge.

 

It's Britain in the mid-90's. And specifically, Manchester, that one-time north-western powerhouse of industry.  Joy Division and The Durutti Column were direct products of that post-war flourish in culture, but a new swagger had come to town, personified by bands such as Oasis. An unruly 'lad' culture had come to dominate the landscape of entertainment, obscuring the potential of a new-found connection to Europe via the channel tunnel.

 

The economic recession of the early 90's ensured that poverty remained a driver for anti-social behaviour. However, the burgeoning technological explosion of laptops and mobile phones pointed towards an economic growth that would last until the late 2000's. It was a crossroads. You could adapt or take your chances with the old guard.

 

Wythenshawe, once the largest housing estate in Europe, is our theatre. Follow secondary student Col as he comes to terms with an unprovoked violent encounter with the school bully, B. Find out how Col's brilliant intelligence threatens to usurp all his achievements. Discover how B's actions trigger a cascade of karmic reactions that will ultimately threaten his family's very existence.

 

Simultaneously, keep up to date with the tense and often volatile relationship between two infamous football pundits as their hilarious narration runs parallel to the main plot. Their discourse mirrors the transition from the raw, unfiltered old Division One, to the sanitized vision of the newly installed Premier League.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LBMedia
• Release date: Sep 20, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201406875

Alex McNeil

Alex is an author of dark, comedic, short story fiction.

Book preview

Cast of Characters

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Col – Main protagonist. Victim, hero, or manipulator? Intelligence in abundance but will he use it for the greater good?

B – Primary villain. Limited prospects, limited intelligence. Uses violence as currency. Is he truly evil or just a product of his environment?

Peter Becksforth aka Pundit 2 – TV football pundit with a fiery disposition. Former player renowned for his no-nonsense approach. Will his archaic views and demeanour continue to draw audiences as the millennium approaches?

Steve Winkstaff aka Pundit 1 – Palatable face of TV sports punditry. On screen partner to Steve Winkstaff. Ticks all the boxes for the burgeoning transition into modern media.

Introduction

Welcome to part one of ‘A Manchester Derby’. A dark comedic story of football, misspent youth, anti-social behaviour, rags to riches and revenge.

It’s Britain in the mid-90’s. And specifically, Manchester, that one-time north-western powerhouse of industry.  Joy Division and The Durutti Column were direct products of that post-war flourish in culture, but a new swagger had come to town, personified by bands such as Oasis. An unruly ‘lad’ culture had come to dominate the landscape of entertainment, obscuring the potential of a new-found connection to Europe via the channel tunnel.

The economic recession of the early 90’s ensured that poverty remained a driver for anti-social behaviour. However, the burgeoning technological explosion of laptops and mobile phones pointed towards an economic growth that would last until the late 2000’s. It was a crossroads. You could adapt or take your chances with the old guard.

Wythenshawe, once the largest housing estate in Europe, is our theatre. Follow secondary student Col as he comes to terms with an unprovoked violent encounter with the school bully, B. Find out how Col’s brilliant intelligence threatens to usurp all his achievements. Discover how B’s actions trigger