TO MILLIONS of fans, football is just about the players on the pitch.

But there are sporting heroes backstage too and one of them, who enjoyed an illustrious career at Blackburn's Ewood Park, is hoping to get his autobiography into print in the next few weeks.

Fred O'Donoghue spent 15 years as Blackburn Rovers' chief scout.

He has stars such as Simon Garner and Jason Wilcox under his belt and was so well thought of by the club that he was granted a testimonial year in 1985 - almost unheard of for a scout.

Mr O'Donoghue, now 69 but still with an eagle-eye for up and coming football talent, has written an account of his younger life and his sporting connections in Scouting For Glory. Everything was progressing well until the publishing company which had so eagerly taken him on its books went into liquidation.

He had already acquired a list of 400 subscribers, among them Laurie McMenemy and numerous staff at Ewood Park who had paid for the book as an assurance for the publishers.

Now Mr O'Donoghue has vowed to get his book in print one way or another and to make sure all those who supported him receive their copy.

He said: "I was devastated when I heard that the company had gone bust.

"I was on the verge of getting the book on the shelves and so many people had given me backing.

"Now I am determined to get a publisher and make sure everyone who subscribed gets a book, even if it costs me a fortune."

Mr O'Donoghue supported Preston North End as a little boy and has been involved in the soccer scene for around 40 years.

He worked at Blackburn Town Hall as a technician in the traffic section for about 25 years but his real love was always football.

After his 15-year stint at Ewood in which, he says, he worked everywhere from youth development to scouting - "every job except manager" - he joined Preston North End as chief scout and spent just over six years there.

After six years he moved to Blackpool, where he has been for the last three years, and has concentrated on scouting for young players with the youth liaison set-up.

He said: "I kept all my papers from my years in football and those, along with the memories of growing up and working in a mill town, have been the basis for my semi-autobiography.

"I hope, when it does finally arrive in the bookshops it gives an insight into what goes on behind the scenes at football clubs."

Mr O'Donoghue is hoping that Blackpool Football Club will help out with his book.

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