T.J. and the Penalty
Read T.J. and the Penalty Online
Authors: Theo Walcott
Contents
About the Book
Jamie loved playing football and was trying his best . . . but that didn’t seem to be enough any more.
He’s becoming unfit and Mr Wood has no choice but to drop him from the team.
But the District Tournament is coming up and Jamie really wants to play.
What will it take to win his place back?
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FOR MY MUM AND DAD
S
QUAD
S
HEET
TJ
: A skilful forward with an outstanding turn of speed. He has an incredibly powerful shot, and he’s good in the air too.
Tulsi
: A strong, powerful striker. When she has the ball at her feet all she thinks about is scoring!
Rodrigo
: He’s from Portugal and he doesn’t speak much English, but he’s a wizard with a football in midfield or defence.
Rafi
: A midfielder who never stops running and tackling. His mazy runs are legendary and he always brings a ball to school!
Tommy
: When he’s not skateboarding he’s a fearsome tackler in Parkview’s defence.
Jamie
: A big, strong defender. It’s almost impossible to get past him, but when he clears the ball it could go anywhere.
Danny
: He’s not popular, but he’s a terrific defender and Parkview can’t do without him.
Ariyan
: He can play anywhere and do a good job for the team. A really useful squad member.
Cameron
: He plays in midfield or defence. Always works hard and almost never gives the ball away.
Rob
: The team statistician. He dreams about being a footballer, but he’s too nervous to join in training.
Leila:
She’s new to football, but she always stays calm under pressure. She can play in defence or midfield.
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C
HAPTER
1
‘CAN I GET
you some more, Jamie?’ Mr Wilson asked.
‘Yes, please. This is really great, Mr W. I think it might be the best thing I’ve ever tasted!’
TJ’s dad grinned. ‘I knew you’d like it,’ he said. ‘Everyone does. It was my granny’s favourite recipe. Lamb and peas.’
TJ watched his friend Jamie tuck in to his second helping. They were supposed to be going to the park after lunch for a kickabout, but if Jamie carried on like this he wouldn’t be able to move. ‘Watch it, Jamie,’ TJ said.
‘People
sometimes eat so much of Dad’s food that they explode!’
‘Right,’ said TJ’s big brother, Joey. ‘They swell up like enormous balloons. They get bigger and bigger and then—’
‘Leave him alone,’ said Lou, TJ’s sister. ‘The more he eats, the stronger and handsomer he’ll get. Like Matt.’
Jamie blushed. TJ sighed, as he saw the dreamy look in his sister’s eyes. Lou had been going out with Jamie’s brother, Matt, since the day they’d all helped to mend the football pitch at Parkview School three weeks before.
‘Come on, Jamie,’ TJ said, as Jamie gulped down his food.
‘We’ll be late.’
Jamie groaned, as he stood up.
‘I warned you,’ TJ laughed. ‘You’re going to burst.’
‘I don’t care,’ Jamie said, as they left the house. ‘I’d eat it all again, honest I would. Thanks, Mr Wilson. Bye.’
When they reached the park the others were already waiting. Tulsi and Rodrigo were sitting on the swings. Rafi was riding on a roundabout while he tried to do keepie-uppies with his head. On the far side of the park TJ saw Tommy’s red hair rising and falling on the ramps in the small skate park.
Rodrigo grinned when he saw TJ. ‘Good,’ he said. ‘Now we can match.’
Rodrigo was from Portugal. He had started at Parkview School six weeks ago, at the beginning of September, on the very same day as TJ.
‘Now we can
play
is what you mean,’ Tulsi
said
. ‘I’ve been teaching Rodrigo some new things,’ she told them. ‘Go on, Rodrigo.’
Rodrigo paused, trying to remember. ‘You need a glass, referee,’ he said.
‘Aaaagh!’ Tulsi held her head in her hands, as they all laughed. ‘I keep telling him. It’s glasses! Like Rob wears, see.’
She pointed to where a small curly-haired boy was coming through the gates. He was wearing huge spectacles with square frames and carrying a large notebook.
‘Oh, yes,’ said Rodrigo. ‘Referee needs glasses.’
‘Better,’ said Tulsi, as Rafi jumped off the roundabout.
‘We’re wasting time,’ he said. ‘We should be playing football. Me and TJ against the rest of you. Rob can be our goalie.’
Rob shook his head. ‘I have to concentrate,’ he said. ‘I can’t keep a proper record of what happens if I’m playing.’
‘It’s just a kickaround—’ Tulsi began, but TJ interrupted.
‘It’s up to Rob,’ he said. ‘He’s our official assistant coach, remember?’ They started to argue about teams, but then TJ saw a bunch of kids arriving on bikes. ‘Look,’ he said. ‘Hillsiders.’
‘What are they doing here?’ Rafi said. ‘I thought we’d scared them off.’
They hadn’t seen the kids from Hillside since they’d beaten them in their first proper match as a school team a couple of weeks ago. ‘We knew we’d find you here,’ said the tall black girl who was their leader. Krissy Barton was the top striker in the Under-Elevens league. ‘We thought you might want a game.’
‘Sure,’ said Tulsi. ‘We’ll beat you any time you like.’
TJ looked suspiciously at Krissy. Then he looked at the other Hillside kids and
realized
that one of them was new. ‘Who’s he?’ he asked, pointing at the skinny Chinese-looking boy at the back of the group.
Krissy shrugged. ‘Who, Deng?’ she said innocently. ‘He’s just a new kid. D’you want a game or not?’
‘We’d better watch him,’ TJ muttered to Jamie, as they got ready. ‘Krissy’s up to something. I bet Deng is really good.’
Tulsi passed the ball to TJ, and immediately he found Deng in front of him. He turned, looking for somewhere to pass the ball, but Deng moved even faster.
Right then, TJ thought, I’ll go past him. He pushed the ball one side of Deng and raced by him on the other. It was no use. TJ was fast, but Deng was even faster and he beat TJ to the ball, then turned and squeezed a pass to Kelvin, the barrel-shaped Hillside midfielder.
‘Stop him, Jamie,’ yelled Tulsi.
Jamie tried to move, but he was far too slow. He panted as he ran, and when Kelvin slotted the ball past Rafi into the goal, he groaned and held his stomach. ‘Sorry, guys,’ he said. ‘I’ve got to rest. Maybe I’ll play later.’
‘But you haven’t done anything!’ Tulsi complained.
‘Yes, he has,’ TJ said. ‘He’s eaten my dad’s lamb and peas.’
‘So have you, I bet.’
‘Yeah, but I didn’t eat as much as Jamie,’ TJ laughed, as Jamie flopped onto the bench where Rob was sitting.
They carried on playing, but it was a very one-sided game. Deng was a magician.
