Once Upon a Toon

SHORTLISTED FOR THE SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2026 – SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT BOOK OF THE YEAR

“Very entertaining… A lot fun.”
HAWKSBEE AND JACOBS, TalkSPORT

“A must-read for any Newcastle fan.”
ALAN SHEARER

“A triumph... Beautifully written.”
LES FERDINAND

FASCINATING CHRONICLES OF AN UTTERLY UNIQUE LIFE IN FOOTBALL AND 18 YEARS AT NEWCASTLE UNITED.

Once Upon a Toon offers a unique perspective on life behind the scenes at one of England’s most famous football clubs. No other individual has had the immense privilege of working at Newcastle United in the capacity that Paul Ferris once did: as a player between 1981 and 1986, as a physiotherapist between 1993 and 2006, and finally as a key member of Alan Shearer’s management team in 2009.

This is a light-hearted, often hilarious and sometimes unbelievable retelling of the events Paul experienced and characters he encountered. His numerous, otherwise forgotten, tales from the bygone era of 1980s football include the likes of Kevin Keegan, Jack Charlton, Arthur Cox, Paul Gascoigne, Peter Beardsley, George Best and more. Ferris’s chronicles from 18 years at Newcastle United also feature managers such as Graeme Souness and Sir Bobby Robson, the tumultuous 1993–2006 period and Alan Shearer’s ill-fated short tenure.

If you are a Newcastle United supporter, football fan, or loved The Boy on the Shed, this book is the ultimate way to revisit the club’s precious glory days of football.