Mike Gyles' entertaining sporting memoir, Smokies & 'Pies (with a hint of Tartan Sauce), is now available to purchase from the club shop with all proceeds going to Lifeline.
Mike first visited Meadow Lane in September 1970 and during the early stages of lockdown decided to put his time to good use and write a sporting memoir detailing the many tales, scrapes and (mis)adventures he has enjoyed/endured over the past 50 years.
His initial motivation was to provide something of interest for his grandsons. As a result, the early chapters cover how he came to develop a love of sport, football in particular, as he grew up in Arbroath. NB - hence the mention of Smokies in the title.
However, when others proof read individual chapters, they assured him that his was a story that deserved a wider audience and that he should try to get his work published. Six months on, Smokies & ‘Pies (with a hint of Tartan Sauce) is the end result and is now selling well in the club shop and online.
This is no ordinary book however, and as well as being a thoroughly entertaining read, Mike has promised that all proceeds from sales will go to Lifeline, something he himself joined back on that memorable evening in October 1986. Retailing at £10/copy his aim is to see at least 250 copies sold thereby raising £2,500.
In addition, and just to show that the stereotypical image of his fellow countrymen being tight is entirely misplaced, Mike has promised to add a further £10 to Lifeline every time an eagle-eyed purchaser of the book contacts him to correctly identify the three (relatively minor) factual errors that readers have now made him aware of.
For a precis of the style and content (or simply to point out those errors!) Mike can be contacted via mike.gyles@hotmail.com.
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