Newcastle-born and-bred Paul Willis has lived in the USA since 1984 but started his sporting life working with his on-course bookmaking father in the Silver Rings of the North but venturing as far south as the Epsom Derby, working the floor, clerking and tic tacking. He was also a talented footballer, a contemporary of Paul Gascoigne signed to Newcastle United up to Under 19’s. Paul then moved to the USA where he won awards for soccer, set up his own football club and championed steeplechasing in the USA with horses in training in the USA, Ireland and the UK including his Atlantic Friends syndicate. Meeting Paul Willis with Simon Nott.