I keep my copy in a secret location, together with my medal from the tournament. I suppose I could have put Jenny-Jane’s boots there too, as they are as much of a memento as the medal, but I need those to play in.
It is Jenny-Jane’s turn to tell you what happens next with the Parrs. She is going to cover the start of the new season. Please don’t be discouraged if she comes across as a little bit blunt at times. She has a big heart underneath — and it is not made of cabbage!
Warm wishes to you all,
Nika Kozak
Acknowledgements
The story Nika’s uncle told her about FC Start really happened, but it wasn’t until many years later that it became known as the Match of Death. There are many Internet accounts of the match, but the two sources I found most helpful were James Riordan’s children’s book Match of Death, published by OUP in 2002; and for adults, Andy Dougan’s non-fiction Dynamo: Defending the Honour of Kiev, published by Fourth Estate in 2001.
I’d also like to thank Bohdan Drapan, Vera Drapan, Michael Drapan, Lily Hyde and Oleksandr Baranovskyi for their help with the Ukrainian language, and Tom of the Easter and Spring Festival of Football for his useful information about tournaments.
Helena Pielichaty, 2009
Helena Pielichaty (pronounced Pierre-li-hatty) has written numerous books for children, including Simone’s Letters, which was nominated for the Carnegie Medal, and the popular After School Club series. A long-standing Huddersfield Town supporter, there are few who could write with as much enthusiasm about girls’ football. A local girls’ under 11s team helps with the inspiration and tactical know-how, but Helena has been an avid fan of women’s football for many years. It clearly runs in the family: her aunt was in a women’s team in the 1950s and her daughter has been playing since she was ten (she is now twenty-four!). Helena lives in Nottinghamshire with her husband and has two grown-up children.
The Girls FC series
Do Goalkeepers Wear Tiaras?
Can Ponies Take Penalties?
Are All Brothers Foul?
Is An Own Goal Bad?
Who Ate All The Pies?
What’s Ukrainian For Football?
So What If I Hog the Ball?
Can’t I Just Kick It?
We’re the Dream Team, Right?
Has Anyone Seen our Striker?
Do Shinpads Come in Pink?
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or, if real, used fictitiously. All statements, activities, stunts, descriptions, information and material of any other kind contained herein are included for entertainment purposes only and should not be relied on for accuracy or replicated as they may result in injury.
First published 2009 by Walker Books Ltd
87 Vauxhall Walk, London SE11 5HJ
Text © 2009 Helena Pielichaty
Cover illustration © 2009 Sonia Leong
The right of Helena Pielichaty to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted or stored in an information retrieval system in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, taping and recording, without prior written permission from the publisher.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data:
a catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978-1-4063-4265-9 (ePub)
www.walker.co.uk
What's Ukrainian for Football? Page 6