Mark Hodkinson's written an absolutely cracking book about suporting Rochdale - and it carries loads of parallels with supporting Hornets.

Spotland the brave - a book review

There was a defining moment that confirmed the true depth of my love for Rochdale Hornets. Emon Ratu skirted a desperately lunging Gary Connolly and found himself, not only in open field with only Steve Prescott to beat, but also with the mercurial Chris Churm on his shoulder. What happened next was both textbook and wonderful. Prescott committed to the tackle, Ratu delaying his pass to the last half second, Churm gathering at pace and sprinting under the posts unchallenged for a magical try. In that moment every reason to watch Rochdale Hornets became crystallised - underdogs ripping the cup holders' defence to shreds, the whole move uncharacteristically executed with flawless precision... and the most intense upsurge of emotion. Like our hearts, we leaped; we sang, we hugged each other as brothers and, as the St Helens supporters stood in stunned silence we choked back real tears of unbounded joy. It was beautiful. It was perfect. And it lasted nine whole minutes before Saints restored the world's equilibrium.

Rochdale isn't a glamorous town. Hardly surprising, then, that its professional sporting clubs share its stoic characteristics. I've written before that only a true understanding of defeat can enhance the appreciation of moments such as this - and both Hornets and the Dale have plenty of experience in this field. Both are clubs sewn with doughty battlers; raised on the importance of graft, not craft; reaping small, but fragrant moments along the way. So why do we subject ourselves to such sweet torture? Lifelong Dale supporter Mark Hodkinson endeavours to explain in his new book 'Life Sentence' (Parrs Wood Press, £8.95). From a diehard supporters perspective he invites us into the world of supporting one of football's perpetual strugglers as both club and fans stand on the brink of new, uncharted territory - success. Given Hornets amazing performance last season, Mark's - and the Dale's - story has unsurprising parallels. He writes with blunt passion about his love for the club, its place in his life, its role in the town - and his own intense personal dilemma over whether to travel to Plymouth or not. Any Hornets fan having made the Wednesday night trip to Whitehaven last season will understand and sympathise. Whilst the round ball is alien in our egg-shaped universe, there is much in Mark's book that is familiar. The gnawing doubt that we can't actually be this good; the warmth and strength of the bond when we stand together away from home; the pride in our support in the face of Superleague/Premiership peer pressure. Most importantly, it explains our completely (ir) rational belief that our support really does make a difference.

'Life Sentence' tells of the physical ache you get when your team plays and you're not there; of dashed hope, unbending optimism and singing to stop yourself from crying. As supporters of an unglamorous club in an unglamorous game, it speaks our language. Geographically and metaphorically, you'll know exactly where Mark Hodkinson is coming from.

And, as both Hornets and the Dale shape to leave the perpetual strugglers tag behind and turn Spotland into a place where home teams actually win, it shows that - ball shape aside - both sets of supporters really aren't that different at all.

In the void between now and the new season, you'll need something to kindle the spirit. As flints go, they don't get much sharper than this.

One Winter - Romance, Rock 'n' Roll and Rugby League in the Swinging Sixties - by Geoff Lee Click here to buy the book

At first glance, One Winter looks like your typical rites of passage story. Young man grows up, discovers work, women and other distractions - you know the sort of thing. Read closer and it's a social documentary of the industrial North of England's (in)glorious progress through the sixties. All the stuff that permeated my early life is here - factory hooters, wakes holidays. And Rugby League. The fictional town of Ashurst in South Lancashire provides the backdrop for this almost obsessively detailed novel. So, not only do you follow the hero of the book through his first stumbling steps in the adult world, you get to follow Ashurst's season as they take on the best in the league (and Oldham) during one of the worst winters in living memory.

Published by Parrs Wood Press and available at Waterstone's in Manchester, whether you like Rugby League - or just remembering how it was when you were a kid - you should track it down or get it on your Christmas list.

R.L. World cup book Click here to buy the book

Two weeks on the trot of no Hornets game has left a void. What else is there to do than settle down with a good book based on Rugby League. If only I had found this book, instead I read the newly published "The Rugby League World Cup".

The book is published by League publications Ltd. the boys who do "Rugby League Express".

Published at £12.99 softback and covering 175 pages

A book that proved to be a big disappointment. Half the book is dedicated to the 2000 tournament and another large slice to the 1995 one.

The tales from the early tournaments are the most interesting but there simply isn't enough of them.

The book has all the statistics of each tournament so could prove useful as a reference work for Statto.

Maybe in 10 years time the coverage of the 95 and 2000 tournament might be more interesting? but at the moment it's just taking up space on the shelf

The Glory of Their Times

Great to have a book that has a Rochdale Hornets connection, in one of the chapters Harry Edgar tells of how Joe Levula travelled to England from Fiji in response to an advertisement placed by the Rochdale Hornets in 1961! Rest of the review