Our club doctor Simon Leeson has recently published a book entitled Don't call me doc! that chronicles our 2021-22 season. It will be available at our home game against Saltney Town on Saturday 25 March and costs £7.50. We recently interviewed Simon about his boc and why we doesn't like being called doc...

Your recently published book Don't call me doc! tells the story of your first year as Bangor 1876's club doctor. What inspired you to write the book?
I am not sure why I started writing but the words came really quickly. I had spent a professional lifetime writing scientific papers which are cold and objective. I wanted to put my feelings and my storytelling to paper. It was something I had not done before. I ended up writing the entire book over 3 months, which was manic! It is a short book, a novella but that is how long it wanted to be. The story had a life of its own. The inspiration was the team, the second half of the season and the countdown to possible promotion. I intended to write about myself but I quickly dropped out of the main subject of the storyline. It was 1876 for obvious reasons. There are so many rich characters within the team, the fans and in management. Quite quickly there were subplots and stories to tell flying off in several directions. Some I could write about, others I had to keep to myself!

So doc, why isn't that you don't like people calling you doc?
I am not doc, I am Mr! I spent six years at Uni to train as a doc and another six to regain the title I had in the first place. I am a barber surgeon. The doctor told the surgeon what to do in days of old. But really I am plain old Simon. That is my birth name. I don’t like pompous titles! So the retort ‘Don’t call me doc’ spurred me into action!

What are the things that have either surprised or impressed you the most during your time with Bangor 1876?
Relentless chasing of performance, friendship, camaraderie and mutual support. We are a gang and as thick as thieves. It is great to see how a football club works from the team all the way to the chairman.

Could you tell us about what you were like as a football player yourself.
Not much good. Right footed, played right back at school and at Uni and gave up in my 30s due to bad knees. No-one missed me. Never courageous enough to head the ball properly! Enjoyed watching football more than playing it. Nonetheless I should warn you that I was a Subbuteo champ at home (once) after beating my brother in our 'World Cup' final. Our family used to have regular competitions. I don’t remember which team I was at the time! Maybe Austria.

Near the start of the book, you mention that you grew up a Manchester City fan. If you could sign one current Manchester City player for Bangor 1876, who would you choose and why?
The Stockport Iniesta, Phil Foden. Young, can play almost anywhere, totally loyal to City (will move to Real Madrid now I have said that) and De Bruyne is too obvious.

What would you say are your all-time favourite football books?
I have a few football books I like: particularly - Alan Rowlands' Trautman (I think this was made into a film recently - The Keeper which incidentally has a great version of Blue Moon by Ella Fitzgerald) and Steve Mingle’s Lows, Highs and Balti Pies, Manchester City Ruined my Diet. The latter a tale of how good luck charms can be taken a bit too far.