Burnley fan Alastair Campbell shows Coyle red card in new book (From Chorley Citizen)

Burnley fan Alastair Campbell shows Coyle red card in new book

6:50pm Monday 1st February 2010 in

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BURNLEY fan Alastair Campbell has revealed how he scrapped a character in his new book based on former boss Owen Coyle.

Mr Campbell said Maya - a tale of celebrity fame - features characters named after all 16 members of the Wembley play-off final winning squad.

He also revealed an eleventh hour decision to remove a character whose name was inspired by recently departed manager Owen Coyle.

Maya, Alastair’s second novel, is due to be released next month.

It features characters such as American film financier Jim Elliot, named after Clarets winger Wade, who bagged the £60m goal at Wembley last May.

Others include Colin Caldwell, Pat Duff, Matt Eagles and Adrian Alexander, who is a reporter on the London Evening Standard.

The inspiration behind their names had been kept secret from publishers - until now.

Mr Campbell said: “As with most novels, there are plenty of walk-on parts, people who get one or maybe a few mentions, where the name is not as important as it is for the main characters.

“And as I was putting the finishing touches to the book on holiday, post play-off final and pre-Premier League adventure, I could not resist cementing our Wembley heroes even more deeply into the fabric of my life.

“The deed having been done as I signed off the final proofs, I wondered whether I ought to explain to my publisher the reason why I was suddenly making more than a dozen surname changes at an important moment in the production process.

“But then I thought no, it's my book, and the characters are my characters, so I'll change them as I see fit!”

According to Mr Campbell, who was former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s spin doctor, he scrapped a character called Coyle because he thought Burnley’s former boss was too well known and feared his inclusion would reveal his plan.

He added: “Funnily enough, at one point I did have a Coyle in there, but something made me take it out!”

Set in modern-day Britain, America and France, Maya is part psychological thriller and part exploration of the psychology of fame.

The plot centres on Maya Lowe, who is one of the world's biggest movie stars, and her relationship with life-long friend Steve Watkins.