By Mark Bowman

The Yawning Giant - A Sliding Doors Football Tale

$5.00 - $9.99
$5.00
$14.99 $5.00
-$9.99

Dave Allenson, a gruff security guard, is no fan of football, but he takes his job seriously. When, in the 1997 play-off against Iran, Peter Hore tries to tear down the net of the Iranian goal, Dave tackles him and prevents the vandalism – setting off a series of events in an alternate timeline of Australian football.

In this alternative universe 'sliding-doors' narration, we follow a pivoted history where the results of the infamous game between Australia and Iran had gone differently.

One tiny moment can change everything. Through the eyes of various players, associates, and others over the course of twenty years, this book traces the course of “what if”.

What would Australian football and the National Soccer League have looked like if things were different?

It’s just one version of how, if that moment had gone differently, things could be today.

More Information

  • Format: Paperback
  • Published: March 2023
  • ISBN:  978-1-925914-71-9, 978-1-925914-72-6 (ePub)
  • Weight: 0.3kg
  • Size:  229mm x 152mm
  • Pages: 200 
  • Imprint: Popcorn Press

About the Author

Mark Bowman has spent most of his adult life juggling a passion for football with a career as a medical specialist in the treatment of infertility, in particular IVF.

After watching the Socceroos qualify for their first World Cup in 1973 on TV with his father, he spent the next 32 years in torment watching repeated qualification failure every four years, usually from the terraces. In between those big-ticket games, there was little to cheer for internationally and domestically, because while he attended many National Soccer League matches, Mark had no true club to support apart from during the brief existence of Northern Spirit FC.

Despite Australian football’s successes since 2005 on the world stage and at long last, a club team to support in Sydney FC, Mark has long dreamt about alternative outcomes for the game he loves and has often wondered what might have been, under different circumstances.

His late night musings, lateral thinking, love of both anecdotes and football culture more generally, finally came together in The Yawning Giant, which he is quite certain will be his only one and only novel.

Shipping Information

We offer standard postage services at cost provided by Australia Post to all destinations, which varies by weight and destination (Australia, New Zealand, and Rest of World).

We aim to dispatch Australian book orders within two working days and worldwide orders within five working days. Australia Post standard delivery schedule is 3-5 days after postage within Australia; up to 10 working days to New Zealand; and up to 15 working days elsewhere in the world. You will receive an email from us when your order has been despatched.

If you do not receive your order within the anticipated delivery time, please let us know and we will make inquiries of the postal service. 

We also offer a self pick-up option at Balgowlah Heights Shopping Village in Sydney.

Returns Policy

You may return most new, unopened items within 10 working days of delivery for a full refund. We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item).

You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper, the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it, and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request.

If you need to return an item, please Contact Us with your order number and details about the product you would like to return. We will respond quickly with instructions for how to return items from your order.

We do not accept returns of digital books or audio books.

$5.00
$14.99 $5.00
Lucas Gillard with Jason GoldsmithGeorge Best Down Under
George Best Down Under
Green and Golden Boots
Jason GoldsmithGreen and Golden Boots