Club Books: We Personalize & Publish Your Club's Book

Frequently Asked Questions

Book Questions
Photo Questions
Player/Member Profile Questions
Pricing Questions
Delivery Questions
Parents & Guardians Questions
Club Questions
Sponsors' Questions

Book Questions

What kind of book will my club receive?

In terms of size, the books come in a variety but the most common sizes are:

5 x 8"

5.5 x 8.5"

5.83 x 8.27" A5 size

6 x 9"

6.69 x 9.61"

Complete with glossy cover in colour and colour or black & white interior. The contents are made up of a full team/club history including any achievements your club has made; a listing of players and their profiles (where applicable); photo that will entail a head/torso shot picture of each member; full team photo; a history of your area (where applicable) and you can even have fixture lists etc.

Can we choose other sizes and can we have a hardback book?

Yes. The above paperback book sizes are generally the most popular and fit well to football, rugby and most other sports. For golf and tennis, for example, we provide other sizes and we can provide hardbook.

How many pages will my book have?

It depends on how big your club is and how much info you can supply but ideally we are looking at around a minimum of 100 pages. Between 100 and 200 pages is seen as the normal average but we have many clubs who have their own official club book page count between 300-400.

How long does it take to have our book?

The process takes a matter of weeks. The quicker you complete your profile forms (if selected) and collect orders from your members' families the quicker you can have your book in your hands. We like to work on a four to six-weeks schedule to have your book completed.

Can anyone order extra books even after our batch has been published and delivered to us?

Yes, anyone can order an extra book or more from a number of places like our website , your own private page (where applicable) and Amazon. If your club wishes to accept another batch of books they can order by quantity but for single buyers you can still purchase a copy of your book. Visit our Buy Books page and select your club's book.

Are the books really good quality?

These books are of exceptional quality. You will be stunned to see and feel the quality of these books in your hand and you and your club will be incredibly proud to own such a book. These books are not flimsy booklets stapled together. These are books with a quality you would find in the High Street.

Who would buy books from our player/members?

You probably wouldn´t need to look any further than your family members. A grandmother, two uncles, an auntie and a big sister/brother would be enough sales for one club member. Even if you only sold two books it won't really matter. One club member is also fine. We do not encourage door-to-door selling. This concept is pretty much an in-house situation.

Can we sell more books?

Of course. If you have a relative in another town or country and you cannot reach them they can buy your book online via our site and large sites like Amazon etc. Have a look at these samples:

Club book on Amazon

Photo Questions

Can we have coloured photos in our book?

Yes you can. However, the production costs are higher. Please contact your appointed Club Books rep or email us .

What size of photos do we get in our book?

In each page there will be a small photo in the top left-hand corner (or right) of a player or a club member. This photo is part of the player/member profile. Team photos are larger and take up most or all of the page. In other cases we produce photos of any size as long as it fits the page and its meaning in the book. For example, there could be a member who perhaps passed away and you want to have a page dedicated to this particular person; then that photo will be the size you want; providing it fits. We also have the facility where a club member can have a large photo for their profile but the large photos are only for non text profile pages: Non text profile pages are made up of the larger player photo, together with the very short details about this member (name, position, etc) and room for their individual autograph and for their sponsor's details.

What kind of photos are the player/member profile shots?

Basic headshots for the player/member profiles and of course dressed in the club´s wear. Headshots are from upper torso to head or neck to head but we prefer showcasing your club´s badge where possible; resulting in an upper torso to head shot. Traditional strip/costume/uniform/trackwear are most common but in cases of sports that have less sportswear (swimming, gymnastics etc) the player/member will be required to wear alternative clothing like tracktop/t-shirt/polo etc. For team photos it is normal to be dressed in clubwear (tracksuits/strips/etc).

Who takes these photos?

If a Club Book's rep is near your area then the rep will take photoshots. In the majority of cases a Club Books representative will take photos but clubs can also supply their own material. We have professional photographers on board so your photoshoot experience will be made all the more delightful.

How will these photos be taken?

At each photo snap there will be your club members present at all times. No photo will be taken unless your club has complied with all necessary disclosures. Photos will be taken digitally and any parent/guardian, club member(s), administrators et cetera can request the original master copy photos of each or all members. Staff on both sides (your club and Club Books) are always jointly present. We apply this rule for all age-groups.

What do you do with the photos once you take them?

We send them to our graphics department where we format them for printed requirements. We take large-sized photos to enable us to scale the photos down to a high quality required for print. The final size will be small for the book but as in the above question, the authorized parties can request the master copies of these photos. In fact, in almost all cases we always hand over the original photos to the club as clubs like to have fresh material for their websites and of course, family members and friends like to have an original copy. The originals are large format size and can be used for your own printing purposes. In the end the photos are owned by you - the club - and you can do what you want with them as they belong to you. You can even use them for any media projects as they are copyrighted to you.

I am a parent/guardian/relative of a player/member. I Would like to have a copy of the photo of my child/relative. Can I have the photo developed?

You could use the master copy (as in above) and take it to a photo processing unit. To obtain the master copy you will have to go through your club. Only the club with authorization can present you with the master copy of any photos. If you contact us direct we can help you but only in conjunction with your club. The club will have to verify your identification before handing over any photos of anyone to you: we send direct to the club and the club can then pass on your requested photo(s).

Who owns the photos after they have been taken?

The club will own everything to do with their book (except where graphics or text has been submitted or legally acquired from outside sources). As in above, all photos of your players/members/team et cetera that have been taken by Club Books are automatically handed to you including ownership rights. For other images, graphics or text not created by Club Books the rights are owned by those third party sources. In some circumstances we grant rights to our professional photographer but those rights do not interfere with your club's rights. If our photographer has taken a unique photo that might be used for your club book then we would grant the rights of that photo to the photographer. All your members' and teams' photos belong to you.

Can we take the photos ourselves?

Yes but please be aware of the requirements. Although the end photo that you will see in the book will be small in size and mainly in black & white, you will first have to take photos with a good quality digital camera with at least a 5 mil pixel. You must take a headshot or a torso to head shot. Initially you would need to have your photo uploaded from your camera to your computer and the photo file size can be no smaller than a 1000 x 1000 in size. It is strongly recommended you contact us for more details before you go ahead and submit your own photos.

How can we send you the photos if we take them ourselves?

If you have a lot of pictures it may be too much to send by email attachment. They can be handed to your club admin on a disc and then collected by your Club Book's rep. In cases of submitting your own material please call or email us for one-to-one consultation on these matters. There are many things to go over like photos should have the correct spelling of your club member and must be spelled exactly how it will appear in the book. In layman´s terms you cannot just send us a disc full of photos alone; we would need the information of that particular member (which age-group the player/member is attached to et cetera).

Player Member Profile Questions
Please note that we have made changes to profile forms.

The traditional way of filling in a form and handing to your coach has now been changed to an electronic version.

Large profile Form Version - You will receive the form to fill in upon request via email and you will then be required to fill your form in and send to Club Books or your club via email.

On-the-Spot Profile Form Version - This version is completed together with your photoshoot. The profile question form is smaller but still offers the main questions and details.

Can we make our own questions up?

Yes. As long as the questions are sincere and in no way lessen the quality of your book. Questions and answers should reflect your sport and individual nature. Please be aware that your book will not only represent you but your club. Avoid nonsense questions and answers and anything that may put readers off. Your book and all its contents reflect your club and will be a part of your club´s history for years to come so please keep this in mind when filling in your profile forms. Naturally you will look back at your profile and discover your favourite tv show has changed but that is about change and evolving in some cases; it is perfectly normal that your profile form will be strange to you in years to come but when you put a silly answer to a question you might actually regret it. Think carefully about all your questions because you will be creating your own special history and you will want to look back in years to come and feel affection for your answers and not cringe because you inserted something stupid just because you thought it was cute to get a laugh from your friends.

How do we fill in the forms?

Club Books will issue each club a form to fill in by email attachment. The club can send this form to all club members by email. This form should only take about ten-minutes to complete. The forms should then be submitted to your club.

Are there any rules and tips you have for filling in these forms?

Please make sure you type in your form neatly. Do not write in mobile phone text style. You will hand the form into your club coach/administrator by email. If your coach or club administrator cannot read your profile then the chances are we can´t. Please make sure you spell things correctly. If your favourite pop star is Rihanna then please write Rihanna. If you spell Rihanna's name Rianna or Reanna then it will be wrong...unless there is another pop star named Rianna or Reanna. It is important to be precise. If you are unsure please take the time to Google a name you are not 100% sure of and remember: what you finally submit will be printed.

Please note* If anyone has difficulty in filling in their profile form then please do not be shy to contact your club or Club Books. If any person in any club has any writing or reading difficulties they should come forward to receive help. At Club Books we do not discriminate or judge people´s academic abilities and we are sure your club will have the same views. No-one should feel left out or be treated differently. Please read next question below...

You say what we submit will be printed. What if a club member doesn´t know how to spell a particular brand or name or even has writing disabilities like dyslexia for example.

If any member has any problems with filling in their form they only need to ask us. We will always help in situations like this. Members have family, friends and their club to call on anyway but Club Books are always at hand to help out any member no matter how small or large the problem may be. Club Books carefully scan all text submitted to us. As parents ourselves we know only too well that there are many variations of spelling that young members usually provide us with and often brands can be a little tricky. For example Pokémon is the correct spelling but most write Pokemon without the little thingy above the e. What we would do is try and stick to the proper spelling. We change the differences. Another example is PlayStation. We receive profiles whereby the members write their favourite game as Play Station but we change to fit what we feel to be the correct way of writing PlayStation. If there is something we are not sure of we will contact the club and find the accurate profile form answer to a question. One member´s favourite band was a local band; we had never heard of this band so we checked it out through the club and the club member to make sure...to get the spelling correctly and to establish it wasn´t a mistake of a band´s name. These things are important so if there is something we find in a filled in profile form we still work to finalize that form into a properly-written profile and eliminating as much errors as possible.

Please note* For young members we recommend parents/guardians or older family members to help the young members with their profile forms.

Pricing Questions

Is there a reason the book has a starting price of £10.99 for some books?

£10.99 is the most general price for a book with under 200 pages. Other sizes of books, colour pictured books and hardback books are priced differently (more expensive). Books with more than 200 pages have a small cost per extra page. Consult your Club Books representative.

How do you calculate the book price?

The price is based on production costs. It has nothing to do with the quality of contents or how magnificent your club's story maybe; it is based purely on page count, weight and measure.

Our club is really small. Can you still produce our book?

Yes but in order for us to make our arrangement a success it is best your club can achieve a minimum order of 100 books. If you cannot meet this requirement or you feel you may struggle to do so then please contact us where we will endeavour to come to an arrangement for you. In a lot of cases we have produced short runs on books with low volume count. Club books will work to try and find a suitable solution for small clubs. You only need to ask and if we can match your wishes we will do our very best.

Are the books always the same price to buy?

Should you wish to purchase a copy thereafter then there will be post & package costs added. It is a good idea to get your order in beforehand. The reason we order in bulk is to cut out extra costs so that you get the book at the base price.

Delivery Questions

How are the books delivered?

Books are delivered by courier service.

What kind of packaging does the books come in?

Bulk load books are delivered in well-wrapped and packaged carton(s). Individual book order deliveries are also well-wrapped and neatly package in sturdy flat cartons. Every care is taken to make sure your books are delivered in first-class condition.

Can my club track the delivery?

On occasions tracking is available to Club Books but not always.

Can the books be delivered directly to each parent?

Yes & No. The object of this pricing and delivery structure is to order in bulk and delivery one time to one place. If a parent/guardian/relative wishes to order a separate or extra book and have that book delivered to their door then that can be done but through a different order method (via our site) . A facility will be available should any parent, guardian or player wish to purchase their book at a later date than the original delivery to club date.

How can I order separately?

You will be able to purchase a book on our website just like you would do when ordering any other book online. Simply click here and select your book. Where it says Buy Now just click on it and it will allow you to ether pay via Pay Pal or with your own credit card details. See a demo graphic by clicking this arrow

Parents/Guardians Questions

I have the Book Order form. Where do I send it to?

You hand it into your child's club with your payment. The club take in all orders then make a complete bulk order with Club Books.

How long does it take to have the book with my child in it?

We have a very quick turnaround time but the quicker the player/member fills in their Player/Member Profile Form and the parents/guardians hand in their Book Order Form the quicker you can have the book(s) in your hand. You have to remember that all parents/guardians must work within a recommended timeframe of 21-days. With all parents/guardians working in unison the better and quicker the process is. We target a three-week schedule to round up all the club's information and collect orders then we can then carry out our work which can take another couple of weeks. This is why we work on a 4-6 weeks schedule.

We have relatives overseas. Can you deliver a book?

Yes. We can deliver worldwide. Preferably the European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand. If you have a relative in Asia or South America then the delivery costs are much higher and the delivery times much longer.

Where else can I buy a book with my child in it?

We have a superb marketing system whereby your child's book will be on Amazon and many other top-rated online retail stores. We try and offer as many purchasing opportunities as possible for parents/guardians/relatives...home or overseas. You are more then welcome and we try and encourage buyers on our site. Click here >>>

Club Questions

What are the steps we need to take to get our club book published?

First you need to email us or call us . From there we can establish how many members you have and what (if any) kind of sponsors you also have. After that we set a date to send you and your members Profile Forms and Book Order Forms. We may post the Book Order Forms if we cannot personally deliver them by hand. We email the Profile Form to you. On the return of these forms we then book a photoshoot session. After we have collected all three elements of the process (Player/Member Profile forms, Book Order forms and photos) we then proceed to go to print.

How Do We go About The First Steps?

Simply call or email us: Tony: 07752 269 130 - John 07521 319 194 or
E-Mail us here Just let us know where you are and roughly how many club members you have and we´ll take care of the rest. If you´ve already made that call we then arrange for a meeting with your club or at least a call if you are nationwide.

Do we get to keep in touch throughout the process?

Absolutely. We issue the club with a personal page inside our website and you can check all the details from start to finish. You will be notified by email when there has been a step further in your book's publishing journey or you can just view your page 24-hours. Inside this page you can see the book cover and the book interior.

What assurances do you provide that you will deliver our book once payment is made?

Only if there is a postal strike or anything untoward that is out of our hands can we not guarantee a said delivery time. It is fair to point out that on each step of your club book´s journey you will be able to view the whole process online via the private page we allocate to you. We keep you notified as your book gathers momentum to the finished end product.

How much of a chunk will this affect our already existing club funds?

Nothing. This system does not require you to dig into your club´s kitty. The club members take the order form to their household and 1 or more family members can pre-order the book. That club member collects the pre-order payment(s) and brings to the club. That way the club will know how many books you wish to order.

When does this money go to Club Books?

First, we send your club the necessary forms (player/member profiles and book order forms) with a date on which these forms should be returned. We then arrange for a photo shoot of your club and its members. Once that information is gathered we do the interior layout and your book cover layout then give you - your club - a special link where you can download your pre-published book. You will go over it and on proof we then collect the amount required for your book orders. Clubs also have the opportunity to pay Club Books during the whole process.

What is the situation regarding disclosures?

Club Books require parent/guardian signatures with their order form (in most cases the parents/guardians have probably already signed a disclosure agreement with their child's club) regarding photos of their child but clubs should provide proof of their disclosure otherwise we will not proceed with the publication of your club´s book. Club representatives are present at all times during photography sessions. For younger members we do not put a name beside a photo unless a club requests otherwise. All go ahead given to us is done so by parental/guardian and club permission.

It all sounds so simple, what's the catch?

There simply is no catch. Not for you, for your sponsors or for us. It is a mind-blowing concept where all parties concerned win out of it. If there was any catch at all we wouldn't be involved, our partners wouldn't be involved and it just wouldn't work. It is because this model and way of making money for your club is almost unheard of people naturally assume there must be something in it for just one side but this is a three-pin plug effect (as we like to call it). All three involved gain out of this concept. To give you an idea how brilliant this concept is we are so confident that sponsors come to us to get on board and we don't need to worry about the other way round.

Sponsors Questions

What are the benefits for sponsors?

Sponsors - and in particular local sponsors - donate generously but in truth they probably don't get much in the way of a return. But, if you have a business and you help to fund a club book for a local team you get the obvious exposure in a novel-sized book and that is most likely a rare occasion.

We have our own advert. Can we send you it to be included in a book?

Yes but we would require written confirmation that the advert is either owned by you or you have the rights to use it.

We noticed that you design the adverts yourself. Is this the norm?

Generally we would like nothing more than for all sponsors to submit their own adverts; this would save us time but due to copyright issues we cannot accept any advert given to us. We are in the publishing business; therefore very strict on who owns what. If we cannot have an original advert that you either own or have the rights to use we design one for you.

Can I send you the advert I have in the Yellow Pages?

No. We would need written consent to use that advert as we didn´t create it and you may not be the original creator of that particular advert.

But the advertising people made an advert for us so this advert is ours, right?

Strictly speaking the company name maybe yours and all your contact details but the creators of the advert have worked on it and are most likely the originators of that advert. To be safe, it is always best to contact your designer and ask for permission.

*Questions are genuine and are based on real clubs and sponsors alike asking us these questions. As each question arises we add it to this collection. If you have a question why not pop it over to us and if relevant we will add it to this section.