Leo K. Doyle, a small-town kid from the States, has beaten all the odds and made it into a Premier League youth squad.

But he is far from the star player.

In fact, he isn't even a starter - and the U14 Lewisham Knights are the worst team in the league. They're so bad that if they don't improve this year, the owner will disband the team, which could jeopardise Leo's dream of becoming a professional footballer.

As if that wasn't enough to deal with, Leo has to keep up with his schoolwork, make brand new friends in a foreign country, deal with a manager who doesn't seem to like him, and survive away from home for a demanding season in the Youth Premier League.

Leo believes he has the talent to help his team, but can he juggle all these balls and prove himself on the world's biggest stage?

T.Z. Layton's inspiring second book in The Academy series is perfect for primary school readers and young sports fans looking for their next exciting read.

Ideal for young readers aged 7-13 looking for:

• Page-turning football chapter books
• A humorous, action-packed, sports adventure book series like no other!