In January 2008, life-long Arsenal fan Greg Adams founded GCR Books with a desire to bring classic Arsenal books back into print. Almost five years later, nine books have been republished under the GCR Books imprint and now they’ve branched out by publishing two fascinating new Arsenal books - The Wenger Code by Richard Evans and The French Connection by Fred Atkins.

Both authors are interviewed in the latest issue of The Gooner, which will be on sale around the ground at the matches against Spurs and Montpellier, but is also available to buy by mail order from our online store, and a digital edition can be read via The Gooner app for iPhones and iPads, the Exactly app for Android devices and on your internet browser at www.exacteditions.com.

Here we speak to the man whose idea it all was, Greg Adams, and start by asking him why he started GCR Books and how he went about getting permission to republish the books?

My initial plan was just to republish The Arsenal Stadium Mystery. I'd stumbled across the book by chance a long time before I republished it and it was a few years before I actually got my hands on a copy to read. Having read the book and realised that it was out of print I thought it might be fun to try and bring it back into print.

So I set out to find out who owned the copyright. The author, Leonard Gribble, had been dead for many years but by contacting a publisher that had reproduced another of his books I was able to write to the authors daughter. She was very supportive and gave me the permission to republish the book.

This was initially a very low budget venture with the books printed "on-demand". I'd get orders for the book and get the PoD printers to print one or two copies at a time. It was an expensive way to produce a book but, fortunately for me, Arsenal took about 150 copies for their stadium shop and online shop which gave me enough funds to republish my second book, Forward, Arsenal!

Of the books you've republished so far, which one is your personal favourite and why?

It's not easy to decide because they're all special for different reasons. It's a bit like asking me which of my three children I love the most. However, if I had to choose I think it would be Herbert Chapman on Football partly because it took me a long time to find an original copy of the book (they're becoming very rare items) and also because it gives a unique insight into the mind of one of Arsenal's greatest managers......if not the greatest.

Arsenal have selected two of your books for inclusion in the membership packs in recent years. How did this come about?

I knew that Arsenal had included books in previous membership packs so when I'd completed the republication of Football Ambassador by Eddie Hapgood I decided to send this together with a copy of Forward, Arsenal! for consideration. I didn't rate my chances very highly but, to my surprise, I received an email a few weeks later asking me to provide a quote for the supply 125,000 copies. I tried again a year later with Herbert Chapman on Football and struck lucky once more.

I'm very grateful to Arsenal for selecting these books partly; for bringing them to a much bigger audience but also because it gave me the resources to invest in other book projects, notably the two new hardbacks which I've had to print in fairly large numbers.

Are there any titles you'd like to republish which you've not been able to get permission to do (yet)?

Yes, but only because I've been unable to trace the copyright holders. I'd like to republish Allison Calling by George Allison and also Behind the Scenes in Big Football by Leslie Knighton but locating their descendants has been impossible to-do......so far.

The new titles by Fred and Richard are a bit of a change of direction for you. What brought that about?

I was contacted by Fred and by Richards literary agent earlier this year. When I first heard from Fred I was reluctant to take on the project because I hadn't done a new title in hardback and had two paperbacks in the pipeline at the same time. I passed him on to another publisher and regretted the decision immediately. Fortunately, the other publisher was unable to take Fred's book so, with much relief, I decided to take the plunge. Two sample chapters for Richard's book arrived about two weeks later and, having read them, I knew I had to publish his book too.

With hindsight, taking on two new books at the same time wasn't a good idea because it involves alot of work especially when you're doing 95% of the work alone. Inevitably I made some mistakes but I'm proud of both books and I really hope that they do well.

What’s next for GCR Books?

Well I've just finished a second Billy Gooner book titled Billy Gooner at the North London Derby which I plan to publish next year. This gave me the opportunity to have a real pop at Spurs which is always enjoyable. I'm planning another book in the series titled Billy Gooner goes to Wembley which will be set in 1979 and will give me the chance to mock Man Utd as well.

If the two new hardback books do well then we'll be producing updated versions in paperback next autumn and I may even find room for another republished classic. I think that's enough to keep me busy next year.

You can follow Greg on Twitter.