Retired Kent journalist Tony Rickson has completed a hat-trick with the publication of his third book.

During a long career in newspapers, he was editor of the Dover Express, Folkestone Herald and Whitstable Times and until he retired was group sports editor for Kent Regional Newspapers.

In retirement he wanted to keep mind and body as fit as possible, and decided to try his hand at writing books.

All of them are about football. Gooaal! The Joy of Football Celebrations and Football is Better with Fans are the first two and now he’s written Kicking On, a feelgood story about the huge variety of enterprising, charitable, imaginative, community-spirited things that professional footballers do after retiring from the game.

Rickson, who lives in Whitstable, said: “I love writing, I love football, and I really enjoy researching all the information for the books. You get a real buzz when you find something that will add to the story you’re telling.

“It’s a great hobby and I’m proud of being able to display books at home with my name on.

“There’s been some lovely reviews of the first two books, and I’ve now got it in my head that I want to write one more after Kicking On comes out.”