The career of a former footballer who played for Workington in their final Football League season has been documented in a new book.

John Honour came through the ranks as an apprentice at West Bromwich Albion and was dubbed 'the new Johnny Giles' after the Leeds United midfielder.

He later played for Hartlepool United before Workington paid £1,500 to lure him to West Cumbria in 1976.

His time at the club only lasted one season as they were voted out of the Football League a year later but he made an impression on late Workington fan Bob Coulter, who compiled a record of the player's career and presented it to him.

The statistics lay forgotten for more than 40 years before being discovered in an attic in Horden, where Mr Honour grew up.

Many of the statistics have now been included in A Man of Honour – The Forgotten Footballer, a book by sports journalist John Riddle about Mr Honour's career.

Mr Riddle said he decided to write the book because Mr Honour was one of thousands of young footballers who dreamed of being a star but never made it beyond the lower leagues.

He said: "There was a £40,000 price tag slapped on John's head but it was all paper talk.

"He signed for Workington because there were some old Hartlepool players on the staff, mainly a man called Malcolm Dawes, and Alan Ashman the manager had won the cup with West Bromwich Albion."

Since retiring from football, Mr Honour has moved to Tenerife and opened a bar called The Hop and Grapes.