Jake Rusby

I was born in London in 1984. At primary school, I fell in love with the beautiful game thanks to players like Roberto Baggio, Dennis Bergkamp and the original Ronaldo. In 2003, aged 18, I moved to Manchester where I studied journalism. After getting a Masters degree, in 2008 I became a news reporter and then Sports Editor at the Hemel Hempstead Gazette, before moving to become News Editor at M&Y News Agency, where I met my co-author Alex Crook. In 2013 I moved to the North East, where I now have a PR company. It was the legacy of my former boss at M&Y, Pat Symes, and the passion for football I found in the North East, that inspired 'Newcastle United Match of my Life'.