Memoir celebrates Plymouth, Argyle, and home park

A heartfelt tribute to Plymouth, its people, and its beloved football team, Home Park Heaven by Radu Herklots is a nostalgic, funny, and deeply moving memoir that revisits life in the city during the 1960s and early ’70s.

More than just a football book, Home Park Heaven is a personal reflection on childhood, community, and change. Herklots, a crime author turned memoirist, recounts growing up opposite Central Park, idolising Plymouth Argyle players, and absorbing the culture of a vibrant city.

The book name-drops familiar Plymouth figures like Angela Rippon, Sue Lawley, David Owen, Robert Lenkiewicz, Beryl Cook, and even Gus Honeybun, giving readers a rich sense of time and place. The narrative follows his life from a happy boyhood to the shock of moving away at 15, and later, to emotional returns — most recently in 2024.

“I hadn’t found any other book that captured the excitement of growing up in Plymouth in the ’60s,” says Herklots. “Once I started writing, the memories flooded back. I wanted something uplifting, not just another ‘misery memoir.’”

Known for his successful crime series featuring detective John Tedesco (named after a real Argyle player), Home Park Heaven marks Herklots’ first step into non-fiction. It’s a must-read for anyone with ties to Plymouth or a love of personal, place-rooted storytelling.

Review and interview opportunities available. Copies of the book can be provided for review, giveaway, or competitions. Radu Herklots is also open for interviews to discuss the book, Plymouth, football, and his career as an author.

A true love letter to a city, a team, and a time.