Club news
Written by: Jack
“I met a man at a party.
He said, “I’m writing a novel”
I said “Oh really? Neither am I.”
Peter Cook
The small county town of Lewes in East Sussex is home to many literary revolutionaries, including Thomas Paine, Virginia Woolf and, currently, celebrated poets John Agard and Grace Nichols.
Lewes FC is nicknamed The Rooks, after the local birds and Lewes castle. It has been community-owned since 2010 when a group of fans saved it from financial ruin by mutualising it.
Since 2010, the club has also celebrated football’s place in modern culture, producing stand-out matchday posters from pastiches of famous album covers (remember those?), film posters and book covers. A few years ago, the club decided against boring Corporate Boxes and instead installed four Beach Huts overlooking the pitch.
So, a literary prize seemed like an obvious next step.
The Rooker Prize began as a hypothetical discussion at the club’s 2021 Christmas party – you know the kind of discission we mean. But it was an idea just too good to not do. So it was that, in 2022, the UK’s most innovative and democratic literary competition was born.
The winner receives an hour’s feedback/coaching session at Hachette UK’s offices in London where their entry will be discussed with an experienced editor, to hopefully help kickstart a new career. Plus, a beautiful hand-carved wooden trophy, plus £250 to go to the charity of their choice
Chair of judges is Baroness Lola Young, who previously chaired the Booker Prize judging panel too.
The Rooker Prize is sponsored by award-winning podcast hosts, successful musicians, writers and actors Gary Kemp & Guy Pratt of The Rockonteurs, as well as publishers Hachette UKwho, like Lewes FC in football, are keen to break new ground and challenge established thinking in publishing.
The Rockonteurs is the UK’s most popular music podcast and as Guy Pratt explains, “is all about great stories, like so many great songs”. He adds: “I’m also proud to support my brilliant local club in any way.”
The only condition for entry is that you are an owner of Lewes Football Club. But that’s easy, as anyone in the world can sign up for their single share (from just £5/month or £50 annual) right here. If you know someone who would thrive writing 250 words of a novel, then invite them to become an owner today!
HOW TO ENTER
• Type your 250-word opening to a novel and the book title, stating the genre. Please add your work as an attachment, rather than in the body of the email
• Then send the attachment via email to Karen@lewesfc.com with the subject line: ROOKER PRIZE ENTRY, and put your name and contact details in the email
• Closing date is Saturday 5 April 2025
• The winner will be announced on Friday 18 April, and the prize presented at half-time at the women’s match on Sunday 27 April (International Crow and Raven Appreciation Day)
We’d also like to express our thanks and gratitude to Karen for overseeing this amazing project, which has run since 2022
Enquiries to Karen@lewesfc.com with the subject line: ROOKER
Please send entries to Karen@lewesfc.com with the subject line: ROOKER PRIZE ENTRY