A GROUP of former footballers who spent years collaborating, researching and writing the Warrnambool Football Netball Club history at times struggled to keep their eye on the ball.``It was easy to get side-tracked,'' co-author Ron Cole admitted.Cole, Ian Wright, Ron McCorkell and Harry Keilar have completed the 250-page Birth of the Blues - Warrnambool Football Netball Club 1861- 2007 to coincide with the club's reunion.An afternoon tea will be held at half-time of the seniors match at Reid Oval against Koroit today with the reunion to be held at the St Pius Hall from 7.30pm tonight.The men, with the help of the late Don Grossman and the late Bill Toleman, spent years gathering historical data and trawling through old newspaper articles at the Warrnambool Library, piecing together the birth and growth of the Blues.Grossman had already conquered the tedious project of writing a football history book when he and Fred Bond produced Evergreen Hampden.``He died on the way home from one of his many trips to the local library,'' Cole said.``His wife phoned not long after his death and offered all of his notes and books for our use.''Once a month the authors used to meet to share information but often conversations were side-tracked.``Don used to start off telling us what he had learnt sifting through old newspapers but he would always go off track reading about other things in the paper,'' Cole said. Cole had been collecting information and writing reports for more than a decade but worked with the group for the past five years.Twelve months ago Allansford couple and former schoolteachers Graeme and Barbara McLean were recruited to edit the book. It was initially to be no longer than 350 pages but Cole and Keilar conceded they had exceeded expectations, trimming the book down to 250 pages.Cole said 300 books had been made available with the option of printing a further 100 at a cost of $35.