Launch of Football Encyclopedia @ QPR

---

 

Thanks to Queens Park Rangers Football Club and children’s publisher Kingfisher, dreams will come true for a whole class of football-mad children. They’ll be given the chance to meet their heroes from the team and to score a goal on the pitch at Loftus Road.

Year 6 pupils from Pope John Primary School in White City have been invited to a special event to mark the launch of the Kingfisher Football Encyclopedia, during which they will:

- Meet the book’s author, Clive Gifford, and hear him talk
about some amazing football facts
- Take part in QPR’s ultimate football quiz
- Meet team members, including Dan Shittu who is featured in
the book
- Enjoy a special training session on the pitch at Loftus Road

The Kingfisher Football Encyclopedia includes in-depth coverage of every aspect of the world’s most popular sport, stunning imagery of world-famous moves and goals, weblinks to popular football websites and even a World Cup 2006 wall chart. Topics covered include: the rise of football, the rules and skills of the game, the greatest players, tactics and formations, the best international and club sides, fans and the media, wages and transfers, hooliganism and match fixing and the great competitions.

Author Clive Gifford says: “As a big Rs fan, I make many trips from my home in Manchester to Loftus Road every season, but this visit is really special. I’m very excited to be able to launch the book at the club I’ve supported since I was six.

“Football is a terrific game and one that is not only superb to play and watch live, but also fascinating to read about. I’m delighted to get the chance to talk to local children about some of the game’s amazing achievements and amusing incidents contained in the book.”

The event will be hosted by QPR’s Study Support Centre, which works with students from the local community to help improve literacy, numeracy and computer skills – using football as a motivational and learning tool.

Ben Hogarth, manager of the QPR Study Support Centre, says: "We're happy to be hosting this event as it means we can give some of our local children a real treat. They are never usually allowed on the pitch - so the prospect of a training session on the pitch itself should cause great excitement. At the Study Support Centre we are always looking for imaginative ways to motivate students and a football encyclopedia is a great learning tool."

Clive Gifford lives and breathes football. He says: “I’m fascinated by the game and its constant ability to generate action, drama, glory and controversy.” Of his previous title for Kingfisher (Football, the ultimate guide to the beautiful game) The Independent on Sunday said:
“This book is about love…it all adds up to a marvellous introduction,”
whilst the Manchester Evening News stated, “This has to be the classiest football book around at the moment.” Clive is a journalist and award-winning author, with hundreds of articles and over 80 books to his name.

April 23, 2006