by Glyn WoodA treat for sports fans today. We have an interview with former rugby star, Olympic hopeful and all-round action man, Glyn Wood.
Interview – Glyn Wood
FR: Hi Glyn, thanks for giving us your time. We’re here to talk about your book, ‘Try and Conversion’, but first, could you tell us a little about yourself?
GW: No problem, thanks for having me. I’m from Sheffield originally, from a council estate, but I left at sixteen to join the Navy’s Fleet Air Arm and see what the world had to offer. Life then led me to playing rugby for Northampton Saints and Bedford Blues. I’ve played at Twickenham eight times and competed in the Field Gun Crew at the Royal Tournament.
FR:` Wow! That sounds like a very full and exciting life. What do you do now?
GW: I’m retired and I live in Northamptonshire with my wife, Alison. My hobbies include gardening, walking and helping my wife from time to time with her bee-keeping. I also give talks about my Christian faith, and my book is an open and heartfelt insight into that journey.FR: It’s great to meet you, Glyn. What was it that prompted you to write the book?
GW: I have 3 children, Natasha (30), Faith (28) and Rory (24). During their childhood we visited many places and met some of my old friends, as well as enjoying time with my extended family. I would often reminisce about memories associated with our encounters, until one day my children suggested that I should write my memoirs.
I’d frequently been told to stop telling some stories as I sounded like a tape recording set on repeat, so I naturally thought that they were joking! They encouraged me to begin writing down my experiences and I eventually decided to try and write a book.
FR: Ha, ha! Well, I’m glad they did. If you could sum up the message of your book in one sentence, what would it be?
GW: Encouraging anyone, from any background, to consider looking into the Christian faith, particularly those who would not normally attend church.
FR: I love it that you are so honest and open about your journey, Glyn.
And finally, if Hollywood were to come knocking on your door, who would play the main characters?
And finally, if Hollywood were to come knocking on your door, who would play the main characters?
GW: I would like to see Matt Damon as myself, after his role in the film Invictus.
FR: Perfect! Thanks for talking to me.
That was Glyn Wood, retired rugby player, author of Try and Conversion, and all-round good guy.
Available from your local bookstore, or online via Barnes & Noble, Waterstones, Amazon etc
ISBN: 978-1782227151, 234pp, 2019, Paragon Publishing
From the Blurb
Try and Conversion is the inspiring story of Glyn Wood, born in Sheffield in 1960 into a working class family, and who lived on a council estate until the age of five.With limited prospects having left school without any formal qualifications, he was encouraged to join the Fleet Air Arm in the Royal Navy and, as a naive young boy he left Sheffield, aged sixteen, to see what the world had to offer.
His story will tell you how a keen Sheffield United football fan finished up playing rugby union for most of his early teenage years and for part of his adult life, going on to play for Northampton Saints and Bedford Blues. Other accolades include playing at Twickenham on eight occasions, representing the Combined Services against Canada and Australia and performing in the Field Gun Crew at the Royal Tournament.
He talks about the highs and lows of starting up and running his own business, being overlooked for the Great Britain Bobsleigh team as a brakeman in the Sarajevo Winter Olympic Games, and how recurring injuries cut short his rugby career.
However, Glyn openly admits that one of his biggest challenges was to swallow his pride and put aside his ego; his greatest accomplishments have been discovering real peace and a spiritual awakening after his conversion to the Christian faith at the age of thirty-seven.
Glyn is now retired and serves at his local Anglican church in Kettering, Northamptonshire. He undertakes speaking engagements, talking about how his conversion affected his life, and he hopes that this book will encourage people from all backgrounds to seriously explore the Christian faith.
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Fay Rowland - Author 