Paul Gerald, Founder & Owner of Groundhopper Soccer Guides
This whole thing actually started from my core mission in life: Go to interesting places, do interesting things, meet interesting people, then share the story and maybe help others do the same.
I have been a professional writer and ardent traveler since the mid-1980s. A little while before that, I used to watch a highlight show called “Soccer Made in Germany,” and I fell in love with the game and the singing of the fans. I decided I would have to get to one of these games one day. Starting in college in the 80s, I had a career in newspapers, mostly in sports, and by the 90s I had moved to Portland, Oregon. I became a freelancer, specializing in sports, travel and the outdoors, and along the way I have written five guidebooks to Portland and Oregon. The best known is the best-selling 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Portland; one that I self-published was Breakfast in Bridgetown: The Definitive Guide to Portland’s Favorite Meal. For more on all of that, see PaulGerald.com. I am also a devoted fan of the Portland Timbers, a member of the Timbers Army, and actually got to see them win the 2015 MLS Cup on a magical night in Columbus. The soccer book idea came from a simple combination of facts: I love to travel and write, I love soccer, and nobody has ever written a book like this. All I needed to know! Also, near as I can tell, nobody else is offering consulting or guiding services to American fans heading to England to watch games.