A BOOK detailing the life of one of Alloa Athletic’s most famous footballers has been published.

Hutch, Hard Work and Belief charts Tommy Hutchison’s journey from Alloa to becoming one of Coventry’s greatest ever players in the 1970s.

Published by lifelong Coventry fan Kevin Shannon, the biography explores his life as a footballer and details some of the most famous games he played in.

Signing for Alloa in 1965, Tommy spent three years there in what he describes as an incredible atmosphere for the young footballer.

He told the Advertiser: “I want people to read the book and ask ‘how did he do that?’ or ‘how did he get there?’ and they’ll find the answer is I started at Alloa training two nights a week under floodlights on a pole.

“I had been on trial at Oldham but I was rejected because they didn’t think I would be strong enough to play league football.

“But when I came back, Alloa had asked about me so I signed after a trial game with Albion Rovers.

“There were a few lads from Fife that were in the team – Jim Baillie, the Hodges [Adam and Alex], Harry Rutherford – so it was good company.

“There were about five of us in the team that were 18 years old so it was easy to settle in.

“Playing on the slope at Recreation Park was a good laugh – I didn’t mind playing down the hill but I wasn’t too keen about going up the hill.”

Tommy is planning to make an appearance at the Alloa ground for the first time in over 50 years on Saturday, December 17 to watch his boyhood club take on Falkirk in the league.

“I’ll be bringing some books along with me to give out at the game and I’ll be up to watch the match.

“I really enjoyed my time at the Recs and Alloa launched my career so it’ll be great to go back.”

Following a three-year spell at Alloa, Tommy went on to sign for Blackpool in the English Second Division.

He then made a transfer to Coventry City in 1972 worth £140,000 in a move that would see him become one of the club’s greatest midfielders.

Alongside this, Tommy earned 17 caps for the Scotland National Team in 1972 and played in the 1974 World Cup

Following publication, Kevin spoke to the Advertiser to explain it was a dream come true to sit down and talk with one of his heroes.

He said: “I’ve been a Coventry fan all my life but I’d never had a chance to meet him so it was fascinating.

“We drove around Fife and he was showing me all these places he’d been and where he played, it was great.

“One thing that stood out for me was one particular game that Tommy played for Coventry where we were electric.

“Tommy didn’t remember that game even though he was absolutely brilliant in it and we had a laugh about that.”

Hutch, Hard Work and Belief is available to buy from bookshops and from Amazon.

Signed copies can be bought from Tommy by searching @dazzlehutch on Twitter or from the Kirkcaldy Waterstones.