By Bea Swallow

BBC News

Jilly Cooper says the "most beautiful club in the country" was the inspiration for her latest book.

'Tackle!' features main character Rupert Campbell-Black, as he becomes chairman of a local football club while his wife is unwell.

Mrs Cooper said her many visits to League Two club Forest Green Rovers inspired characters and descriptions in the book.

"It's [football] more exciting to the world than sex," she added.

Rupert Campbell-Black has been involved in sports such as horse riding, polo and show jumping in previous books but 'Tackle!' sees him navigating the world of football.

The book follows fictional club Searston Rovers in their journey towards the Premier League.

Mrs Cooper told the BBC that Forest Green Rovers is "a local, beautiful club surrounded by trees and lovely wildflowers".

"I love describing nature," she added.

Image caption, Jilly Cooper's most notable works are the Rutshire Chronicles, a series of romantic novels

During her research, Mrs Cooper said she not only attended many matches at Forest Green Rovers' home stadium in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, but became friendly with club members.

She even attended the play-off final at Wembley which saw the club promoted to the Football League.

"Terribly exciting"

"They were so friendly and asked me to matches, and gave me delicious vegetarian food which I've become quite fond of," she said of her visits to Forest Green Rovers.

"I loved them all," she said.

"Football cheers everybody up, all over the world," Mrs Cooper added.

"I think the world is quite depressed at the minute, and we all need cheering up."

The hardback version of the book is due to be released on 9 November by Bantam publishing.

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