Ghyllgrove Junior School, Basildon

Next week I'm going back to Ghyllgrove Junior School in Basildon to work with a group of children who adopted me earlier this year.

I did this thing called Adopt an Author. I worked with a group of lads, talking about reading and writing about football. Most of them were West Ham fans. But they said they liked Leeds too. We read some magazines, wrote some stories and took some penalties.

I think it's still the highlight of 2008. The day all the lads stood up in front of assembly and read their stories. They were brilliant. All of them. I'd never have been able to do that when I was their age. And their stories were great too.

So I'm going back. They're going to help me start book 5 of the Football Academy series that's out next July. Then, next month, we're off for a tour of West Ham with their parents. It should be a good laugh.

They have this brilliant teacher called Diane. She sets all these events up. And more.