Football bad boy Joey Barton has spoken about his love of reading in a bid to inspire a similar enthusiasm in schoolchildren.
The Queens Park Rangers midfielder has joined the Premier League Reading Stars initiative to encourage youngsters and their parents to enhance their literary skills.
Barton is one of 20 Premier League footballers to recommend their favourite books as part of the initiative by the National Literacy Trust.
The scheme sees players from the game discuss their reading habits in a bid to encourage pupils and their families to read together.
Barton recommended Dracula by Bram Stoker.
He said: “It was a favourite of mine growing up and now I’ve probably read it about four times.
“I was really interested in ghouls and goblins and scary stuff. I tend to watch a lot of programmes on Transylvania and the conspiracy theories surrounding it which has all stemmed from my love of this book.
“If I was stranded on a desert island, this is the book I would take with me.”
Roald Dahl’s The Witches was his favourite children’s book, he added.
Other footballers taking part in the initiative include Liverpool’s Charlie Adam, Manchester City midfielder Owen Hargreaves, Everton player Tim Cahill and Fulham’s Mark Schwarzer.
The eclectic book list is made up of a mixture of autobiographies, fiction and non-fiction novels. Choices include Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, picked by Tottenham Hotspur’s attacking midfielder Niko Kranjcar.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho was selected by Bolton Wanderers’ Stuart Holden and Blackburn defender Ryan Nelsen said his favourite book was The Marks of Cain by Tom Know.
Roald Dahl appears to be a favoured children’s author by the stars and seven of his children’s books feature in the list.
The stars, who can be seen talking about their reading passions on a new website, have also set reading challenges for pupils online.
Three of the players are authors in their own right - Arsenal striker Theo Walcott, Schwarzer and Stoke City’s Carlo Nash.
Following the 2010 programme, where more than 700 children took part in the scheme, 71 per cent reported that they now read more knowing that footballers read. This year, PLRS hope that 30,000 youngsters will take part.
Players including Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Dirk Kuyt and Ledley King have previously taken part in the initiative.
The 2012 scheme, which targets primary and secondary school pupils who are not reaching the expected levels in literacy for their age, will be launched today by the Duchess of Cornwall, Walcott and Foul Play and Scrum author Tom Palmer at the Emirates Stadium.
Camilla is patron of the National Literacy Trust, an independent charity established in 1993 which aims to transform lives through literacy. A keen reader, she hopes to promote a similar enthusiasm among both children and adults.
Jonathan Douglas, director of the National Literacy Trust, said: “Our research shows that a quarter of boys (28.3 per cent) say that a sports person could inspire them to read. So getting footballers on board gives us a new and powerful strategy to get boys reading.”
Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore added: “The success of Premier League Reading Stars in encouraging children to read over the last eight years underlines the wonderful power football has in engaging young people.
“This new online element of the programme is very exciting because it means many more children and their parents will be able to access and learn from the Reading Stars resources.”
Schools minister Nick Gibb added: “Knowing that Premier League footballers, like Theo Walcott read for pleasure will go a long way to encouraging reluctant readers to pick up a book.
“The difference in reading ability between those who read for just half an hour a day is equivalent to a whole year’s schooling at age 15.”
To get more information about the scheme visit www.premierleaguereadingstars.org.uk
Footballers’ favourite reads
Here is the full list of children’s books and adults’ books chosen by the 20 footballers taking part in the 2012 Premier League Reading Stars initiative.
Megs and the Vootball Kids by Neil Montagnana-Wallace and Mark Schwarzer and Destined To Live by Ruth Greuner, chosen by Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.
“The children’s book I recommend is Megs and the Vootball Kids,” he said.
“One reason is because I helped write it, but also I think it genuinely is a very good read.
“In brief, it’s all about a young boy who emigrates from England to Australia, and how he wants to play football but his school doesn’t have a team. He makes some new group of friends and gets them to form a team. From there it’s all about how they build their friendship and how they stick together when one of the kids is going through a difficult period.
“The story is loosely based on my own experience, and those of the other people involved in writing the book, of growing up in Australia coming from multi-cultural backgrounds and loving football in a country dominated by other sports.”
Barry Bannan
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl and David Beckham: My Side, by David Beckham, chosen by Aston Villa Barry Bannan.
The midfielder said: “My favourite book is David Beckham: My Side, his autobiography.
“David Beckham is a role model for me. He’s a great sporting icon that young people can look up to, and by reading his book you can learn more about how he lives his life.”
Chris Smalling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling and Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, chosen by Manchester United’s Chris Smalling.
The defender said: “I love all the Harry Potter books but The Goblet of Fire is a particular favourite, probably because of the Quidditch World Cup.
“I think I was around 11 or 12 years old when I read this book, and I remember my mum pre-ordered it because I had to have it on the day it came out.
“Harry Potter books are a great way to help you escape to another world. Once you start reading you just cannot put the books down. I had to read this one particularly quickly has my brother was desperate to read it after me.”
Ryan Nelson
Kiss! Kiss! Yuck! Yuck! by Kyle Mewburn and The Marks of Cain by Tom Know, chosen by Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Nelsen.
He said: “I enjoy reading so much because it’s a chance to use your imagination and get lost in a story.
“I feel like when you watch TV it’s kind of mind-numbing, you feel like a passenger. But when you read a book you feel like you’re involved, you interact with it. Whether you’re pretending to be adoctor or a superhero fighting villains, reading is a cool way to escape from reality.”
Stuart Holden
The Twits by Roald Dahl and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, chosen by Bolton Wanderers midfielder Stuart Holden.
“I didn’t so much enjoy reading in school when you were forced to read books, but I love it now that I have the time to find books and authors that I like,” he said.
“Books can teach you things or just give you a good laugh, but I like to read to keep my mind sharp so I can keep winning at Scrabble.”
Owen Hargreaves
The Cat in the Hat by Dr Seuss and The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo, chosen by Manchester City midfielder Owen Hargreaves.
He said: “I had a roommate when I was a young player and he used to highlight the words he didn’t know in the books he was reading.
“That shows that reading can not only be entertaining but it can improve your spelling and vocabulary. It’s also a great way to switch off and relax. Sometimes on the way to games I like to read just to focus on something different.”
Josh McEachran
Mr Messy by Roger Hargreaves and El Diego by Diego Maradona, chosen by Chelsea midfielder Josh McEachran.
He said: “I loved reading the Mr Men books when I was younger. There were so many characters who were each unique in their own way.
“They all live in Misterland which was full of funny, brightly-coloured people. Mr Messy was my favourite because he was always leaving a trail of messiness wherever he has been. I remember Mr Clean and Mr Tidy made him tidy up his house and have a bath. It was definitely my favourite Mr Men book.”
Theo Walcott
Arsenal’s Theo Walcott chose his own children’s book TJ and the Hat-trick and J K Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. “My favourite children’s book is TJ and the Hat-trick”, the England international said.
“I’m obviously very proud of the whole series, but the first one is special to me because it reminds me of when I was younger. I want to get young children to read books because these days a lot of kids don’t read.
“It’s easy when you relate everything to football, because kids all across the country love football.
“If I can just get one kid to read more that will make me happy. Who knows, one day maybe one of them will be doing the same thing I am doing now.”
Charlie Adam
Quack Quack! (Baby touch and feel) by Roger Priddy and May I have your attention please? by James Corden, chosen by Liverpool’s Charlie Adam.
“I like to read on the coach sometimes on the way to a game, or in the hotel the night before a game because it helps me relax,” said the midfielder.
“At the moment I’m reading James Corden’s autobiography. He’s one of those guys who seemed quite funny so I thought I’d read his book, and I’m thoroughly enjoying it.”