Scratching Shed Publishing

ON SALE LATE NOVEMBER – PRE-ORDER NOW FOR CHRISTMAS

By Roger Pugh

‘From the first time I saw them I was a Rovers fan – for better or worse ―and always will be’ – historian Roger Pugh, of a life-long passion that began in 1968.

In this second, updated edition of his official history of Hull KR, Pugh takes us back to the founding fathers of a club whose name has become synonymous with rugby league, and traces their story up to the present day, culminating in their record-breaking treble of Challenge Cup , League Leaders Shield and Super League Grand Final wins of 2025.

Over almost 600 pages, this is a fascinating tale of the of their initial growth in the late nineteenth century against all the odds; of heady forces of economic depression in the city; of a renaissance and transition to becoming ‘nearly men’; the glorious breakthrough to the very top; followed by a slide into obscurity, administration before their rescue and return.

That Hull Kingston Rovers have survived at all through their dark periods is testament to the determination and dedication of men who simply would not let the club die, whose contributions should not be forgotten, their achievements and tribulations properly documented and celebrated. The book contains a new foreword by owner Neil Hudgell, who has done more than anyone to get the club to where it is today,

‘The Robins’ also contains profiles of iconic players through the eras; a focus on the great matches; a list of club honours; and club-by-club analysis. Putting the Robins in their social context, it is a meticulously researched volume that will appeal not only to fans of the red and whites of East Hull, but also sporting historians more generally and those who tales of defiance and social pride.

PUBLISHED 24 OCTOBER 2025 – PRE-ORDER NOW

By Tommy Cannon

with a Foreword by Robbie Williams

Edited by Paul Thompson

“I would rather make people laugh, than make them do anything else…”

Hilarious, irreverent, poignant, fanciful, quirky, imaginative, original, musical. Jake Thackray was a storytelling genius who loved using words to entertain, move, surprise and provoke. While his extraordinary songs are rightly celebrated, they were not the beginning of his life as a wordsmith, nor the end. Jake Thackray – The Unsung Writer is a chance to explore Jake’s other writings: love poetry; an experimental short story; his charming script for a school musical; amusing pen portraits; his first published work; tall tales crafted for his concerts; and his acclaimed, colourful columns for the ‘Yorkshire Post’ and ‘Catholic Herald’. This entertaining collection provides fresh insights into Jake’s creativity and the development of his distinctive voice.

Paul Thompson is also the co-author of critically-acclaimed biography Beware of the Bull – The Enigmatic Genius of Jake Thackray

by Ally Shepherd

After a decade overseas, Ally Shepherd got stuck in the Northwest of England amid 2020’s pandemic chaos. She promptly became a born-again Northerner and, probably annoyingly, wanted to tell the world.

Documenting her journey to understand herself through the region in which she grew up, she explores its pressing questions, such as:  Is there still a North/South divide?  Was she descended from a Pendle witch?  Why does Liverpool have a slavery museum?  What’s with Scouse and Geordie accents?  Where are Northern women’s stories in TV, film, and literature?  And is it okay to eat chips, cheese and gravy? (Spoiler: The answer to the last question is ‘yes’).

Drawing on history, politics, pop culture, and folklore – as well as a childhood in Cheshire, family stories from Lancashire, and an education in Yorkshire – Back Up North explores the region’s diverse legacy of food, music, literature, dialect, social change and superstition. Give it a read, pet. Tha might learn summat.

By Tom McCooey

Maggie has been an almost constant presence in Tom McCooey’s life.

An old MG Magnette, she was not much to look at and desperately in need of some love and attention. But to young Tom, sitting in the driver’s seat, smelling the brittle leather and gripping the huge steering wheel, what was sitting in his parents’ garage was more than just his dad’s old car.

He had never seen Maggie move or heard the engine roar into life, but the fact his dad, Will, wouldn’t let go added to the magic and mystique. Aged 14, Tom embarked on bringing the characterful car back to life with Will, but life threw diversions in front of Maggie’s journey back to the road. Tom’s new priorities – including Bon Jovi – ensured the car stayed put and Will’s dream on hold.

Told through the view from the passenger and driver’s seats of the cars throughout Tom’s life, this love affair with the road – and Maggie – has not always been smooth, as each small victory uncovered another seemingly insurmountable problem.

But with understanding, supportive and capable people around them, from family, mechanics and friends willing to push an old car up a hill, will the pieces of Tom and Maggie’s journeys gradually come together in a tribute Will would have been proud of?

For Tom, it was never about what the car was, or might be, worth but preserving something central to his family’s history, and a 36-year perseverance to finally see the job through.

This is a story of restoration in its widest sense. Not just of a classic car but a son paying homage to his father; it’s about relationships, dealing with grief and finding perspective and true value.