When the Final Whistle Blows: Glory, Grief and Tottenham Hotspur –
New memoir intertwines football glory, friendship, and a powerful
farewell through voluntary assisted dying

In a deeply personal tribute, British‑Australian author Andrew Pettifer traces a
season of hope and heartbreak – including a friend’s courageous choice to say
goodbye with dignity – and resolves to donate all proceeds to cancer research
Sydney, Australia

As the UK continues to debate the right to die, a powerful new memoir offers an intimate, real-life perspective on friendship, football, and voluntary assisted dying.

When the Final Whistle Blows; Glory, Grief and Tottenham Hotspur tells the story of
a season – and a farewell. For Tottenham Hotspur’s 2024/25 campaign under
Australian head coach Ange Postecoglou, author Andrew Pettifer set out to chronicle
what he hoped would be a season of glory. Instead, his journey became a moving
tribute to Cameron Whyte, beloved former leader of the Sydney chapter of the
Australian Tottenham Hotspur supporters club, OzSpurs.

What began as a passionate travel diary — capturing midnight matches watched
from pubs, hotels, and cruise ships around the world — gradually transformed into
something far deeper. As Spurs battled on the pitch, Cameron faced his own final
battle against cancer, ultimately choosing voluntary assisted dying (often called
voluntary euthanasia in the UK) to end his suffering.“I thought I was writing about football,” says Andrew. “But it became a book about life, love, and the right to choose how we say goodbye.”
The book culminates in a poignant parallel: Spurs lift the Europa League trophy just
four days before Cameron’s passing, offering a moment of triumph amid heartbreak.

At a time when the question of voluntary assisted dying is front-page news in the UK,
When the Final Whistle Blows offers a raw, human look at what that choice means —
framed by humour, friendship, and the unique bond shared by sports fans around the
world.

Andrew believes Cameron’s story makes a powerful case in favour of the legalisation
of assisted dying in the UK, a practice that was introduced in New South Wales in
2023.

“Cameron faced his final days with the same spirit he brought to every
match,” Andrew adds. “This book is for every fan who believes in hope,
and for our Commander, who taught us how to live — and how to leave,
through assisted dying — with dignity.

All proceeds from the book will be donated by the author to Chris O’Brien Lifehouse,
Sydney’s world leading integrated cancer hospital to support their work in cancer
research, in memory of Cameron Whyte.

About the Author
Andrew Pettifer is a British–Australian author whose work explores the quirks of the
human condition, the joys of travel, and a lifelong devotion to Tottenham Hotspur
Football Club.

Born and raised in London, Andrew enjoyed a 35-year career as a chartered building
services engineer, holding senior roles with global firms Arup and Mott MacDonald
after relocating to Sydney in 2007. Throughout his working life, he cultivated an
interest in leadership, human behaviour and storytelling. He has written extensively
for the engineering industry, with articles published in The Fifth Estate and the
CIBSE Journal.

In 2023, Andrew retired to pursue his passion for travel, sport and writing. With
career ambitions fulfilled and a shared desire to live life to the full, he embarked on a
midlife gap year with his wife Tracy that took them across five continents and every
state in Australia. These journeys – filled with humour, insight and a fascination for
people and places – inspired his upcoming travel memoir Travels with Tracy.

Andrew’s first book, When the Final Whistle Blows, is a deeply personal chronicle of
the 2024/25 Spurs season under Ange Postecoglou, and a heartfelt tribute to
Cameron Whyte, former leader of the Sydney OzSpurs and a warrior in his fight
against cancer. Both books are published by Hembury Books.

Andrew’s writing invites readers to reflect on their own stories, embrace new
adventures at any age, and find meaning in life’s unpredictability. With a talent for
finding humour in everyday moments, he shares tales of reinvention and resilience –
and the emotional rollercoaster of following Tottenham Hotspur for over sixty years.

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I saw an interesting post on my FB feed today from Hannah Hampton who has recently been crowned the BBC Sport “Women’s Footballer of the Year” award. She is the Chelsea and Lioness keeper who has overcome much to reach her level. Hampton was born with strabismus, an eye condition that affects depth perception. By the age of three she had undergone three operations at Birmingham Children’s Hospital to try and correct it and is now an ambassador for the hospital. She is currently raising funds and wrote,

“Birmingham Children’s Hospital looked after me for 6 years – and now it’s our time to look after them.

For £5 per ticket, you can enter the raffle and be in with chance to win signed lionesses shirts from Euro Winning Team, to raise money for the incredible kids fighting battles no child should face.

All money raised will go towards supporting the 100,000 sick kids the hospital treats every year.

Enter via the link in BCH bio or visit: uk2.emma-live.com/bch

Entries close at midnight on Wednesday 17

December 2025 and winners will be contacted on Thursday 18 December.

For full terms and conditions, please visit bch.org.uk

Please help whichever way you can, donate, or share – let’s make a difference together.”

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My previous post about James got quite some interest. So it should, QUALITY artist. We were talking earlier and I am delighted to see he has added a QPR History of Shirts page.

As always, all his work is available through his Gallery.
www.jkmartwork.com

Whilst I am choosing the Priestfield Stadium as my favourite, I know he is particularly pleased with his latest Stoke City (Victoria Ground) …and so he should be!

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Yes, it’s that time of year again. It is the last West London Programme and Memorabilia Fair. As always there will be a good range of dealers and hobbyists all with great offers for your loved ones (or yourself!)

I know Lee at NWM football has an extended selection of full season sets of all the main London clubs (and Arsenal) and I am sure Mark Barnes will have a wide range of shirts and leisure wear. Lee says he needs to be away by 1,15 so be sure to visit his corner early!

The Les Easterbrook stall is manly badges. “I have old and new badges. I have most of the current 92 League Clubs with their current crests. I also have 100s of Non League badges.”

BIG NEWS

Barry and Mark have arranged a VERY SPECIAL GUEST – Paul Parker

Paul (Fulham, QPR, Manchester United) will be in attendance and will be signing his Autobiography ‘ Tackling the Game’.

Last time they had a book signing at the Fair was for David Pleat and they ran out of books despite pre-orders being available.

The book retails at £25 and if you want to guarantee your copy at a discounted rate of £20 please email barry@dixey.net or phone / text on 07887 808102.

Look forward to seeing you all this Sunday.

I will not be exhibiting but would remind everyone that I have a large collection for sale.

FOOTBALL PROGRAMMES FOR SALE 

Sole reason for sale – health and retirement 

My entire collection is for sale as one single sale. It is 20,000 plus or minus items.

A quick overview:

# Approx. 20,000 programmes including hundreds and hundreds of big game programmes (Cup Finals/Internationals etc) and probably 500+each from Spurs, West Ham, QPR, Chelsea, Palace, Arsenal and Brentford.

# There are 3500 (counted) non league programmes going back to the 1970s.

# I also have almost 900 books about football and another 100 on different sports (primarily cricket but many others)

# I have 250+ Cricket magazines (Wisden, The Cricketer etc including 20+ complete years in binders) There are 100+ football DVDs and a similar number of annuals going back to the 1950s.

I need to be realistic on price and will be. I also have 18,000 non-football books and 500+ DVDs/Blu-rays available either as a separate one off sale or at an absolute give away price with the programmes. That is almost exactly 600 cubic feet of collections. They are available for collection from a storage unit near Heathrow. 

I repeat, l am not going to sell anything individually. No, this is a one-off sale at a bargain price.
It has been a great hobby for over 60 years but realistically now is the time to say goodbye.

See www.TheShirt2010.co.uk/uncategorized/programmes-for-sale

Please contact me on 07950 656654 (text only, I am deaf) or steve@theshirt2010 co uk

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Delighted to hear from Jim of Gillingham Legends who confirms that he has relaunched his Gillingham books that had been out of stock. He says, “I’m really pleased to say that due to popular demand both my books are now back in stock, just in time for Christmas – the perfect gift for any Gills fan.”

If you missed out on either first time round, here’s a quick recap of both – 

GILLINGHAM LEGENDS

Released in 2021, the A5 hardback book contains original digital illustrations of 175 Gills legends across all era’s including the likes of John Simpson, Damien Richardson, Tony Cascarino, Andy Hessenthaler, Bradley Dack and many more.

GILLINGHAM LEGENDS – THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE QUIRKY

Released in 2023, this book is jam packed with over 500 original images depicting some of the more bizarre moments in Gillingham FC history. This fun book includes the N’Gala transfer, Wolf from Gladiators, sets of tracksuits, Peter Beardsley, the Bryant shooting, the guttering incident plus much much more.

There’s a small quantity of each available from my website so be sure to be quick to secure yours!

Order here

If anyone is thinking what to give me for Christmas, just look above!

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BRENTFORD FC LAUNCHES A 24/7 SAFE HAVEN AT ITS GTECH COMMUNITY STADIUM

• As part of Brentford’s continued commitment to women and girls’ safety, Gtech Community Stadium now offers a 24/7 Safe Haven support to anyone feeling vulnerable

• Brentford’s home match against Burnley on 29 November will be dedicated to raising awareness of women’s safety with action including a post-match walk and talk session in collaboration with the local police and bystander intervention training for fans

Brentford FC’s Gtech Community Stadium has been accredited as a Safe Haven by the Safer Business Network.

The club’s west stand security hub, which is located on Lionel Road South outside the stadium, will provide support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to any member of the public who feels vulnerable or needs help.  The hub will be managed by trained security staff members and open to the community at all times. 

Safe Havens are dedicated spaces of support, which help people with their onward journey, providing various forms of assistance, such as contacting emergency services, phone charging facilities, calling a taxi or reaching friends and family.   

This Safe Haven accreditation is part of Brentford’s commitment to ensuring fans and those in the community, particularly women and girls, feel safe in the local area all year round.  

The space will be resourced by security staff who have received bespoke training provided by the Safer Business Network. The training equips staff with relevant skills and expertise to recognise vulnerability and how to offer help to those who need it. 

Brentford’s chief executive Jon Varney said: “We are a club that sits in the heart of the community and it is vital that we are able to support our fans and those living in the local area. In creating a Safe Haven space at our stadium, we are ensuring there is help available for anyone at any time of day. 

“This builds on the wide-ranging work we are doing with fans and partners as part of our continued commitment to create inclusive and safer environments for women and girls, not just on a matchday but everyday.” 

Eren Bessim, training and development manager at the Safer Business Network, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Brentford Football Club as the latest venue to become a Safe Haven. As a club deeply embedded in its community, Brentford continues to lead the way in championing safety, inclusion, and wellbeing both on and off the pitch. 

“Brentford FC is also a proud supporter of the Women’s Night Safety Charter, reinforcing its commitment to tackling violence against women and girls and making the Gtech safe for all. Their leadership and passion for creating safer spaces make them a powerful advocate for this initiative. We look forward to working closely with Brentford as part of our growing Safe Haven network.” 

Prioritising safety for women and girls 

Brentford is committed to ensuring the protection of women and girls and is undertaking a wide range of work to drive awareness, educate fans and take action to tackle this important issue.  

This week, the club will hold its first active bystander training session for fans who will learn about the importance of allyship and bystander interventions. The training aims to empower and equip our supporters with tools to safely step in if they witness harassment or abuse, which can help disrupt such incidents.    

The club’s Safe Haven and active bystander training is supported by funding from official club partner DeterTech, a company working to make communities safer through innovative solutions. Together, Detertech and Brentford are exploring new ways to keep women and girls safe in the local area. 

Brentford’s first team men’s players, Fábio Carvalho, Mathias Jensen and Ellery Balcombe have also been raising awareness of women and girls’ safety. On White Ribbon Day this week, the annual awareness day of the prevention of gender-based violence, the club released a short video in collaboration with the British Transport Police. The video shares steps on how we can intervene in incidents of harassment that may occur on the rail network. 

A long-term commitment  

Brentford’s home fixture against Burnley this Saturday will be dedicated to White Ribbon Day. Ahead of kick-off, the Metropolitan Police will be located outside the stadium with their promotional bus to speak to fans about their Violence Against Women and Girls plan.      

The police will lead a ‘walk and talk’ session from Brentford’s old club shop, Bees Superstore. Departing 15 minutes after the final whistle, the groups will help escort our fans home, and give supporters the opportunity to raise their concerns about safety. 

The safety of women and girls is a long-term commitment for the club. In 2023, Brentford signed up to the Women’s Night Safety Charter, which is a part of the Mayor of London’s Tackling violence against women and girls strategy.  

This season, the club set up Ask for Angela in the Gtech, ensuring that any woman or girl in our stadium can discreetly seek support from staff if they are feeling unsafe.  

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The QPR History Day will be back on Saturday 28 March 2026. An international break weekend.

The Subbuteo Tournament will also be taking place again and, after the Memorabilia Fair ends, there will be an afternoon entitled “R History” taking place with 3 special guest speakers.

More details to follow soon.

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Join Stanchion Books and Brixton Library for the third London Football Book Market, celebrating the wealth of independent football publishing that is transforming the way we see and speak about the beautiful game.

An exciting mix of publishers, authors, illustrators and other football brands will be present selling books, magazines, fanzines, photobooks, shirts, prints and other merchandise.

The event is free entry all day, open to all ages.

Confirmed stallholders so far:

Confirmed stallholders so far:

Among Good People
Away End Prints
The Blizzard
Escapismo
Football Scribbles
Footy Sweats
Girls United FA
Glory
Hoolicards
Legends Publishing
Lower Block
MUNDIAL
OOF
Patterns of Play
Pitch Publishing
SEASON
Seen Enough
SHUKYU
Sportika UK

Freddie Bonfanti
Will Dalton
Robert Davro
Dan Evans
Sebastian Frej
Lukman Ipese
Jessica Sian
Alexander Stone

If you’re a football-related author of books, magazines, fanzines or a brand selling kits, merch art, illustration, board games etc – and you fancy being one of the sellers, please email londonfootballbookmarket@gmail.com

Artwork by Dan Evans.

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It’s always great to hear uplifting stories. I was excited to learn about the election of the mayor of New York …..until I found he was an Arsenal fan! Shortly afterwards I read about Tom Beaver’s incredible story of endurance and commitment.

With kind permission of his daughter, Julie Raghib, I add it here.

“At the age of 63 my father Tom Beaver walked solo from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

Why did he embark upon such an arduous task ?

Two main reasons those being to help him cope with the profound grief he felt following the death of his much lived wife and also to raise vital funds for his local Children’s Hospice, Francis House in Manchester.

What he lacked in sophisticated navigational gizmos and expensive equipment he certainly made up for in strength of spirit and gritty determination.

So with a second hand rucksack, compass, map, first aid kit and clothing he set off on his mammoth adventure.

At the end of each day’s walk he wrote an account of the places he visited and the characters he met along the way.

Sadly in October 2021 my dad passed away.

In order to honour his memory and great achievement and to raise funds for the children’s hospice I decided to self publish his book.

May I say at this point NO payment is required until you have safely received the book. All profits from every book sold will be donated to Francis House Children’s Hospice.

People who have read the book describe feeling like they are walking alongside him seeing the places he visited and experiencing the highs and lows of this walk. Some have been inspired to embark upon the walk and it has proved to be a very enjoyable read.

Who would this book appeal to?

Those who have completed all or part of the walk and wish to compare notes.

Those who are contemplating doing the walk and require inspiration and information.

Those who would dearly love to do the walk but due to commitments or health limitations are unable to do it and would like to be transported along the journey by the written words of somebody who has partaken in this feat of endurance.

Those who like a good inspirational read.

It would make an ideal Christmas gift for somebody.

The cost of the book is £9.95 and the postage is £2.70.

Payment only required after you have received the book. All profits to go to the Hospice.

If you would like a book please message me and I will send one to you.

Thank you for reading this. Please get in touch with me here “

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Only one week to go as our next Football Programme & Memorabilia Fair is next Sunday, 9th NOVEMBER at Tooting & Mitcham Utd. FC, Imperial Fields, Bishopsford Road, Morden. SM4 6BF. Starting at 10.30am.

Dealers confirmed to be in attendance: Barry Dixey, Elmo Books, Michael Pudney, Batman & Ian Wilson, Trevor Jones, Paul Manuel, Mono & Stan, Andy Trassler & Chris Briscoe and Tooting & Mitcham United FC

Space still available if you are either a dealer or a collector with spare stock.

Please email asap if that is the case or if you are looking for something specific: barry(at)dixey.net

I should add that Lee Hermitage from North Middlesex Football Programmes and Memorabilia will not be in attendance. He has been a pillar at these exhibitions for many years but he confirms you can always make contact with him through his recently-updated website

Equally, I will not be exhibiting but I am still looking for a buyer for 20,000+ programmes and am happy to visit anywhere in the South East of England ….or further!

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