David Mitchell

Retired from teaching, David Mitchell has now written 12 books. 'Living the Dream' tells the story of the rise of Fleetwood Town Football Club over recent seasons. 'Big Hands Big Heart' is the story of former Manchester City and Tranmere Rovers goalkeeper Eric Nixon. 'Life's a Ball' features physiotherapist Ian Liversedge who has worked at every level from international down to non-league football.The others are 'Time to Declare', about his teaching career, and 'Hannah, Same Both Ways', the inspirational story of a disabled friend of the family.

My Dad inspired me to write and I so nearly went down a journalistic career before going into teaching. Sadly, he died in 2015 and I produced a book of his extensive work on Yorkshire which came out on October 1st 2016. Its title is ‘Bill Mitchell’s Yorkshire’ and is published by Dalesman, the magazine he edited for nearly twenty years.

‘Hannah Moving On’ came out at the end of 2017 and follows up from where ‘Hannah Same Both Ways’ left off, including the momentous move into her own home.

A year later, ‘From Snicket to Wicket’ was published. It is about the part that cricket has played in my life, from my schooldays down the snicket in Settle through to adult cricket. As well as documenting some of my exploits, it is a celebration of the great game.

Number nine came out in September 2020. It is a collaboration with John Gwynne, the well-known broadcaster in darts, football and cricket. ‘Soccer Satisfied’ is a nostalgic homage to football, the game he has followed all his life. Publication was delayed by the pandemic.

The pandemic featured significantly in ‘Alexa, when’s it going to end?’ (2021), my diary of a Covid year, and in ‘Hannah Unmasked’ (2022), the third in the series about the inspirational Hannah Rose. 2023 saw the publication of my first poetry anthology’Fifty Shades of Beige’, poems about retirement.

So it has been a busy retirement so far. I have had time to spend with Susan, our three daughters-Helen, Kathryn and Gillian-and grandchildren, Max and Evie. In 2019 we moved from Thornton Cleveleys to Lymm, near the grandchildren! Membership of the University of the Third Age, golf, crown green bowling and holidays are further pleasant diversions. In addition, I produced pieces for the Fleetwood Town programme and contributed to the match day operation until August 2020.