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Gemma Sutherland isn’t happy. Her dad has got married to lazy, selfish Shelley Dixon whose daughter, Portia, is a spoiled brat. As if that wasn’t enough they’ve moved house and Gemma has to go to Naylorsfield Comp where they don’t play girls’ football like they did at her old school. Frustrated with her new life, Gemma rebels, shocks her dad by becoming a Goth, dying her hair black and wearing all black clothes. She vows to drive Shelley and Portia away, but soon feels sorry for Portia, who desperately wants to lose weight so that the girls at her new ballet class won’t laugh at her. Gemma persuades Portia to go on a diet. They both join the local junior football club where Mr Cassidy, Gemma’s PE teacher, coaches the boys and his twin sister, Lizzie, coaches the girls. Portia tries hard to stick to her diet and the football and slowly starts to lose weight.

Gemma starts a campaign at school to introduce girls’ football. Mr Cassidy lends his support and the other girls, including the loud and cocky Candice, become interested, but there’s strong opposition from Mrs Lawford, the Head of Games, and Tyrone Collins, Shelley’s big-headed nephew and star of Naylorsfield’s First Eleven. Tyrone is furious when Gemma causes his leg injury which forces him out of the First Eleven team. Nor is he very happy when the headmaster announces he is introducing girls’ football or when Daz, his best mate, decides to help with the girls’ training. Mrs Lawford pins up a notice for girls who are interested in joining a girls’ team to add their names and there’s chaos and confusion when the notice disappears. Gemma blames Tyrone for removing it and decides to collect the names herself. She gets over a hundred and this means trials have to be held. Three girls’ squads are formed: the Juniors, Middles and Seniors. Gemma, as the most experienced girl footballer in the school, is made captain of the Middle Team.

Tyrone forms the Lads’ Liberation Front which will do anything to prevent the girls from training or playing in fixtures. Before their first match against the lads’ Second Eleven, the Middles’ kit is slashed. Tyrone is blamed but acquitted when he comes up with a solid alibi. On another occasion Gemma is attacked by Tyrone’s mates, Tommo and Zack. Other peculiar things happen and all the suspicion falls on the Front, but it turns out it was Candice who slashed the kit and played the other tricks to try and please Tyrone because she fancies him. Daz has been suspicious about Candice for some time and tries to get her to confess to Gemma. When Gemma finds out the truth she ends her friendship with Candice.

At the same time, a mystery develops off the pitch involving Shelley and Mr Cassidy. Gemma is convinced they are having an affair. She turns detective and tries to catch them out but without success. She blurts out to Mr Cassidy what she suspects. He admits he knows Shelley but tells Gemma she has the wrong end of the stick. Gemma has it out with Shelley too and tells her dad about the affair but he doesn’t believe her. Shelley finally confesses she is the Cassidy twins’ natural mother and she gave them away when she was still at school. She has been secretly meeting up with Mr Cassidy ever since he got in contact with her and was trying to find a way to tell Gemma’s dad. He agrees to meet the twins but Gemma is annoyed her suspicions have come to nothing. However she has to abandon her new plans to get rid of Shelley when Shelley becomes ill and when they find out Portia has bulimia.

Gemma and Tyrone finally call a truce when Tyrone saves her from another attack from Tommo and is badly injured in the leg. Gemma gives him first aid and gets him to hospital. Tyrone is grateful for her help and announces he wants to help with the girls’ training when he returns to school. Gemma is pleased until she finds out what a tough coach Tyrone is!

Please feel free to contact me at

t-mitchell@blueyonder.co.uk

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