Association football (Soccer) Books
Headline Publishing Group Sven My Story
Book SynopsisPerhaps no football manager has ever had his personal life dissected as thoroughly as Sven-Goran Eriksson. Yet the man that monopolized the British press during five tumultuous years as England manager remains an enigma. Who, precisely, is Sven?Here, in his no-holds-barred autobiography, the secretive Swede takes us on one of the wildest rides in world football. Populated by fake sheikhs, Italian lawyers, Nottingham outlaws and, of course, many of the biggest names in the game, his is a 40-year-long career that coincides with the evolution of football into a global multibillion-pound industry.Most of all, this is a surprisingly tender, sometimes heartbreaking, but never bitter account of a simple man with a most complicated story. A man who has reached a crossroads in his life, who until now has never stopped to ask himself the question: was it worth it?
£11.72
Ebury Publishing I, Robot: How to Be a Footballer 2
Book Synopsis**A Daily Mail Book of the Year**What happens on the pitch is only half the story. Being a footballer is not just kicking a ball about with twenty-one other people on a big grass rectangle. Sometimes being a footballer is about accidentally becoming best mates with Mickey Rourke, or understanding why spitting is considered football’s most heinous crime.In How to be a Footballer, Peter Crouch took us into a world of bad tattoos and even worse haircuts, a world where you’re on the pitch one minute, spending too much money on a personalised number plate the next. In I, Robot, he lifts the lid even further on the beautiful game. We will learn about Gareth Bale’s magic beans, the Golden Rhombus of Saturday night entertainment, and why Crouchy’s dad walks his dog wearing an England tracksuit from 2005. Whether you’re an armchair expert, or out in the stands every Saturday, crazy for five-a-side or haven’t put on a pair of boots since school, this is the real inside story of how to be a footballer.Trade ReviewYou can dip into this book anywhere and will find delights: all football fans aged from nine to 90 will love it * Daily Mail, Books of the Year *Refreshingly self-deprecating * Robert Crampton *Where did he find time to write I, Robot? Whenever it was, the big man has hit the jackpot again, lifting the lid on the excesses and ridiculous lifestyles of the average Premier League footballer. Crouch does this as any sharp-eyed insider would: supplementing observations with very funny anecdotes that prove his point, constantly poking fun at himself. It’s a winning combination * PA Media *
£12.28
Ebury Publishing Get In
Book SynopsisIt doesn''t really matter who you support. Football is a cruel, cruel game. All of us fans have had moments of shock, disappointment, and feeling like a right knobhead. We want our teams to play like winners who'll fight for the badge to their last breath. More often, there''s so many clowns on the pitch we think the circus is in town. We''ve endured abject surrenders in the pissing down rain, watched multi-millionaire managers lose the plot, and signed players who couldn''t pass a parcel, all to the sound of Michael Owen''s ''expert'' analysis. Season after bloody season. It stings so much your team might as well be sponsored by Dettol. Why do we do it to ourselves?There's a lot to love I guess. Nothing will ever emulate the high that a major win or seeing your team lift a trophy brings. Take Manchester United winning the treble: footballing perfection. And nothing else will ever come close. Life doesn't get any better than that.As I talk you through everything from
£18.70
Authorhouse UK Hibernian's Cup Record: Scottish Cup, League Cup
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£20.85
Conker Editions Ltd The Fox Annual No 1
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£8.00
DB Publishing Expat Evertonian: The Diary of a Football Fan
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£9.49
DB Publishing The Golden Era of Carlisle United Fourth, First + Fulham
£11.69
DB Publishing 1 Honest Man: Four Different Perspectives: Forty Five Years as an Ayr United Fan
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£11.69
DB Publishing Charlie Tully Celtic's Cheeky Chappie
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£13.49
DB Publishing Bad Blood - Birmingham City v Aston Villa - a
Book Synopsis
£13.49
DB Publishing Paul Holland: Talking Double Dutch
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£13.49
JMD Media Celtic - The Invincibles 2016-17: The Story Of A Remarkable Season.
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£13.49
JMD Media Young Bobby - The Making of England's Greatest
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£13.49
JMD Media Revolution: Rangers (1986-92)
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£15.29
Fonthill Media Ltd Celtic: Changing Faces
Book SynopsisPaul Lunney has been a devoted follower of Scottish football creating a vast archive of images and anecdotes. In this book he weaves a wonderful tapestry of imagery of players who have done so much for the club in its 124-year history. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 43 occasions, most recently in the 2011-12 season, the Scottish Cup 35 times and the Scottish League Cup 14 times. In 1967 Celtic won an unprecedented quintuple: not only becoming the first British team to win the European Cup but also winning the Scottish League Championship, the Scottish Cup, the Scottish League Cup, and the Glasgow Cup. Celtic also reached the 1970 European Cup Final, and the 2003 UEFA Cup Final. This book encapsulates some of the glory by featuring star players down the ages.
£11.69
John Blake Publishing Ltd Tubesology: The World According to SoccerAM's
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£8.99
Meyer & Meyer Sport (UK) Ltd The Well-Rounded Soccer Coach: Form Your Team.
Book Synopsis"The Well-Rounded Soccer Coach is a unique book about coaching soccer. The author shares successful secrets for long-term player development, which is a current hot topic in the soccer world. This special resource combines credibility, experiences of a coach who has coached U9-U19 age groups (competitive club and high school teams), and comprehensive coverage of coaching soccer. The book raises the standards for coaching resources by including: •Proven methods and techniques •Examples of a complete season of actual training sessions •Explanations as to the “hows” and “whys” of selected exercises •Useful resources for coaches, players, and parents in a variety of areas on and off the field •Credibility through anecdotes from coaches, players, and parents •Objective results achieved by teams •Access to someone who is actively involved in the areas of player development, coaching excellence, team culture, and education Anyone wishing to become a successful coach of a winning team needs this book on his shelf. "
£17.06
Meyer & Meyer Sport (UK) Ltd Soccer Transition Training: Moving Between Attack
Book SynopsisThe 2018 soccer World Cup highlighted the increasing emphasis on transitional awareness and tactics. From elite domestic leagues worldwide to local youth coaching clinics, there is a pronounced effort to help coaches and players recognize and seize the advantages gleaned through controlling transitional moments. Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool), and Mauricio Pochettino (Tottenham Hotspurs), among many others, have climbed to forefront of the coaching ranks in recent years, espousing various pressing, counter-pressing, and counterattacking schemes that have made their teams so difficult to play against. Though coaches worldwide have focused on transitional moments as the next tactical revolution in soccer, there has been a remarkable lack of written coaching material on the subject. Transition in Soccer is the first complete study of critical transition moments in the beautiful game. This book offers everything coaches at any level need to help their teams dominate in transition, including: detailed, ground-breaking analysis of the phases of transition and terminology, including pressing, counter-pressing, and counterattacking; comprehensive examination of defending and attacking transition, emphasizing tactical considerations and opportunities; 100 distinctive exercises and dozens of additional progressions and variations to assure that coaches of every level have all the tools needed to train their teams to control transitional situations; and additional material which includes coaching instruction on how to condition teams for situations not always considered in transition discussions--from set-pieces to movement through time phases in the match. Written by two leading soccer educators with decades of experience coaching at the highest levels from youth to professional, Transition in Soccer is the book that soccer coaches have been waiting for, both as a discussion of the nature of transition in the ever-evolving game and as a teaching tool to help their teams dominate on both sides of the ball!
£17.95
Pitch Publishing Ltd Grandad; What Was Football Like in the 1970s?
Book SynopsisGrandson Charlie attending a Championship game at Hillsborough prompts Richard Crooks to transport himself back to the 1970s and recall what football was really like for supporters in the 1970s. Crooks provides an engaging and comprehensive narrative on all things football in that decade, and brings out the social context of the time. Reflecting on what it was like getting to a game, the grounds, the crowds, the clubs, the managers, players, referees, reporting the game, growing commercialism, the World Cups, and through to the spectre of the rise of hooliganism and racism. Using written and broadcast material of the time, as well as Crooks's own experiences, Grandad, What Was Football Like in the 1970s? provides a fascinating insight and description of a decade when things really started to change in football - and also sheds light on the oft-asked question 'Was football better then or in the modern era?'
£13.49
Pitch Publishing Ltd Why Are We Always On Last?: Running Match of the
Book SynopsisWhy Are We Always On Last? Running Match of the Day and Other Adventures in TV and Football is a fly-on-the wall account of Paul Armstrong's career working on Britain's favourite TV sports show (including nearly 15 years as the editor, defending his running orders) and a lifetime spent around sport, and football in particular. From a virtual BBC monopoly of sports coverage and working at the Hillsborough disaster, to the era of Sky, social media and megaclubs, Paul takes us behind the scenes at MOTD and chronicles the joys and pressures of seven World Cups and live broadcasts of varying quality. He provides an honest and humorous account of the seismic changes he's seen, both in broadcasting and the football industry. With inside stories of working with everyone from David Coleman and Brian Clough to Thierry Henry and Alan Shearer.. All infused with the pessimism and jaundice acquired during almost five decades following Middlesbrough FC.
£17.09
Pitch Publishing Ltd The Overcoat Men: How Two Unsung Heroes Thwarted
Book SynopsisThe story of two men who almost single-handedly saved their football club from extinction. In the early 80s David Kilpatrick and Graham Morris spied architects' plans to turn Spotland, the home of their beloved, beleaguered Rochdale AFC, into a housing estate. They set about saving the club but first had to take on the alleged 'enemy within'. They worked tirelessly, persuading companies to write off debts while securing loans and donations, a tricky proposition when your club is bottom of the Football League. Meanwhile, the town of Rochdale was on its knees, the last of the cotton mills closing down. The limit of most fans' investment in their club is routinely the price of a season ticket. Directors often risk their houses and businesses, sometimes forfeiting marriages, families and their health in the name of their club. People such as Kilpatrick and Morris - moderately wealthy local businessmen - who serve on football club boards are the unseen, unsung heroes of football, even in the modern age.
£11.69
Pitch Publishing Ltd What Was Football Like in the 1980s?
Book SynopsisWhat Was Football Like in the 1980s? provides a fascinating and insightful perspective on the game in a decade when football faced major challenges on and off the field. The author's own memories and experiences are augmented by a wealth of research to bring you a compelling account of the clubs, players, managers, referees, grounds, crowds and competitions that defined '80s football. The book highlights the Hillsborough, Heysel and Bradford tragedies, along with the increasingly commercialised aspects of the game and the evolution of televised football. The scourge of hooliganism - which reached its height in the 1980s - is brought to the fore. What Was Football Like in the 1980s? is an enthralling and illuminating account of a truly remarkable decade for the beautiful game, penned by a respected football author. How different was the sport 30 to 40 years ago? Richard Crooks gives you the answer, leaving no stone unturned.Trade Review"Thanks for whisking me back to the 1980s with this new book. I'd forgotten so much of it ! A nostalgic and intensely thought-provoking reminder. Exhaustively researched and a great read." -- Alan Biggs * Talksport football reporter and Sheffield Live host *"Get the book it really is a fascinating read." -- Steve White * BBC Radio Sheffield *"Throughout there is a recollection of nuggets from the decade - the government's failed membership scheme, the television blackout... the book allows the reader to reflect on thinking from another age." * TheSubstantive.com *"For a child of the 90s and early 2000s, this is very educational." -- Raf Diallo * Sports Journalist, RTE *"Fabulous book packed with stories of how the game was changing at a national and international level coupled with anecdotes." * My Kind of Town magazine *"A must for all soccer fans." -- Keith Hackett * ex-FIFA referee *
£11.69
Pitch Publishing Ltd He's Here; He's There: The Gerry Gow Story
Book Synopsis'He's here, he's there, he's every-f*cking-where, Gerry Gow, Gerry Gow' was an anthem that could often be heard reverberating around Ashton Gate in the 1970s as Bristol City climbed towards the first division. Gow was one of football's original cult heroes that emerged throughout the seventies and eighties; often sporting long hair and bushy moustaches. Gow pulled off both with style during spells at Bristol City and Manchester City. Written with the help of the Gow family, He's Here, He's There: The Gerry Gow Story celebrates the career of the Ashton Gate 'Enforcer'. It provides a fascinating insight into a player that fans of a certain vintage consider the greatest to wear the red of Bristol City. With fresh insight from Gerry's family, friends, team-mates and opponents, including the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, Peter Reid and Chris Kamara, this is a captivating insight into a cult hero, a football hardman, a Bristolian icon; but also Gerry the man, and a man sorely missed but still loved by so many.
£16.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Watch the Throne: The Tactics Behind the Premier
Book SynopsisWatch the Throne: The Tactics Behind the Premier League's European Champions, 1999-2019 lifts the lid on the tactics used by Premier League clubs on their respective journeys to Champions League glory. Beginning with Manchester United in 1999 and concluding with Liverpool's 2019 triumph, Watch the Throne provides detailed analysis of how Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool overcame their opposition to claim the ultimate prize in European club football. While United's 1999 victory was an outlier, Liverpool's win in 2005 began a period of domination for Premier League clubs, with eight English finalists in eight seasons from 2004/05 to 2011/12. Changes in tactical trends saw the absence of Premier League finalists between the 2012/13 and 2016/17 seasons as Spanish, German and French sides briefly overtook their Premier League rivals, before an all-English 2019 final between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur marked the technical and tactical recovery of the world's wealthiest football league.
£12.34
Pitch Publishing Ltd The Fix: How the First Champions League Was Won
Book SynopsisThe Fix: How the First Champions League Was Won and Why We All Lost is an engrossing examination of the 1992/93 UEFA Champions League season. In 1980s Europe, revolution was in the air and the corridors of footballing power were not immune from the forces sweeping the continent. The breakup of Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and the USSR gave UEFA a problem. There were more national teams and league champions than their post-war competitions were designed to handle. Rather than the collapse of communism, the bigger headache for administrators was the success of capitalism. Gordon Gekko-styled businessmen like Silvio Berlusconi (AC Milan) and Bernard Tapie (Marseille) were beginning to involve themselves in football with less than benign motives. Against the backdrop of constant threats from the continent's most powerful clubs to form a breakaway super league, the UEFA Champions League was born. The Fix looks at that infamous first season, from its humble beginning on a Faroese hillside to its ultimate conclusion in a French courtroom.
£15.29
Pitch Publishing Ltd Marcelo Bielsa: Thirteen Steps to the Premier
Book SynopsisIn June 2018 Leeds United made an appointment that shocked the footballing world. Despite being stuck in the second tier of English football and tagged the Championship's perennial chokers, they attracted one of the most revered coaches in world football. What followed captivated the hearts and minds of Leeds United's legion of passionate supporters worldwide. Marcelo Bielsa has crafted a team in his image, a team that plays in an almost bewildering attacking style with fluidity across the pitch. Leeds have become synonymous with exciting, attacking, vertical football and this style has seen them promoted back to the Premier League. Professional football analyst Lee Scott explains how, breaking down the tactics that have made Leeds so successful during Bielsa's time. He shows just how they occupy spaces and overload defences; how they press and cut off passing lanes to deny the opposition space to attack in the defensive phase; and more than that, he delves into Bielsa's mindset, to explain what makes the Argentine mastermind tick.
£11.69
Pitch Publishing Ltd Celtic Minute by Minute: Covering More Than 500
Book SynopsisIn a unique first, Celtic Minute by Minute takes you through the Hoops' matchday history and records the historic goals, penalty saves, sendings off and any other memorable moment and crucially, the minute it happened in. From Celtic's early beginnings and successes to the days of Scottish and European trophies; from the Jock Stein and Billy McNeill era through to the domestic domination of more recent times under Martin O'Neill, Brendan Rodgers and Neil Lennon, learn about the club's most historic moments or simply relive some truly unforgettable moments from Celtic's glorious past. You will also discover just how many times a crucial goal has been scored in the same minute over the years. From goals scored in the opening few seconds to the last-gasp extra time winners that have thrilled generation of fans at Parkhead or around the world. Celtic Minute by Minute has it all with countless goals from Dalglish to Larsson and from Nicholas to Petrov.
£13.59
Pitch Publishing Ltd Programmes! Programmes!: Football and Life from
Book SynopsisProgrammes! Programmes! Football and Life from Wartime to Lockdown is a fascinating archaeological dig through a collection of 2,000 programmes. From the bleak wartime era when players had to shelter from air raids and depend on army leave, to tragedies and the 'Slum Game', through to the glitz of today's global stars, noodle partners and fan-owned, community-based clubs - every aspect of football's evolution, its highs and lows can be found in match-day programmes, along with a dose of bad poetry, adverts for sex magazines, boy bands who never made it and explanations of a 'magic sponge' for American fans. There are unforgettable games, World Cup winners, schoolboy internationals destined for stardom and others whose glimpse of glory proved fleeting. The stories play out against a backdrop of technological, economic and social change in Britain and beyond, rekindling the memories of generations of fans. Programmes! Programmes! is a 'must' for lovers of football nostalgia, with fascinating, funny and quirky tales galore.
£15.29
Icon Books Martial: The Making of Manchester United's New
Book SynopsisOn 1 September 2015, Anthony Martial completed his transfer from Monaco to Manchester United. At just 19 years of age, the fee of £36m (potentially rising to £58m) made the France international the most expensive teenager of all time.Eyebrows were raised at the landmark fee but a goal against Liverpool in his first game helped get the supporters onside, while a number of key strikes in his debut season soon won over the critics as he became integral to Manchester United's attack.Renowned sports biographers Luca Caioli and Cyril Collot talk to coaches, teammates and even Martial himself, to provide an unrivalled behind-the-scenes look at the life of the teenage superstar.
£7.59
Austin Macauley Publishers QPR Away Day Travels
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£9.49
C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd Football in the Middle East: State, Society, and
Book SynopsisFar and away the most popular sport in the world, football has a special place in Middle Eastern societies, and for Middle Eastern states. With Qatar hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, this region has been cast into the global footballing spotlight, raising issues of geopolitical competition, consumer culture and social justice. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, this book examines the complex questions raised by the phenomenon of football as a significant cultural force in the Middle East, as well as its linkages to broader political and socioeconomic processes. The establishment of football as a national sport offers significant insight into the region's historical experiences with colonialism and struggles for independence, as well as the sport's vital role in local and regional politics today--whether at the forefront of popular mobilisations, or as an instrument of authoritarian control. Football has also served as an arena of contestation in the formation of national identity, the struggle for gender equality, and the development of the media landscape. The twelve contributions to this volume draw on extensive engagement with the existing body of literature, and introduce original research questions that promise to open new directions for the study of football in the Middle East.Trade Review‘[T]his book includes illuminating chapters on subjects of great importance both in and to the Middle East.’ -- The Markaz Review‘The power of this book lies in its ability to take a bird’s-eye view of political events in the various countries in the region and at the same time to look through the eyes of individual players: a football fan, a woman football player struggling for equality in sport, a Palestinian refugee and more.’ -- Asian Journal of Sport History and Culture'From Morocco to Iran, this volume illustrates vividly and convincingly the political significance of the beautiful game. Timely, original and well written, it is a must-read for anyone interested in the fascinating and multifaceted story of Middle Eastern football.' -- Tamir Sorek, Liberal Arts Professor of Middle East History, Penn State University'From football's links to Egyptian anti-colonialism to Qatar's rise to prominence off the back of the 2022 FIFA World Cup to the role Algerian ultras played in creating the protest aesthetic that helped force President Bouteflika from power, Football in the Middle East is yet more evidence that football has always been a vital, but often ignored, window into understanding the region. Fantastic.' -- James Montague, journalist, and author of When Friday Comes'An insightful analysis of different facets in the study of the region through the lens of football as a complex social phenomenon. A timely and interesting study of football as a space for contestation, celebration, inclusion and exclusion.' -- Mahfoud Amara, Associate Professor in Sport Management, Qatar University, and author of Sport, Politics and Society in the Arab World'An outstanding, highly accessible and very timely volume which breaks new ground in the depth and breadth of its analysis of football across the Middle East from a variety of academic, policy and fan-based perspectives.' -- Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Fellow for the Middle East, Rice University
£23.75
Headline Publishing Group Mohamed Salah: The Ultimate Fan Book
Book SynopsisMohamed Salah: The Ultimate Fan Book takes you into the Egyptian football superstar's world like no other book. Learn about his amazing journey from growing up in a suburb of Cairo, to Basel, Chelsea, Fiorentina, AS Roma and Liverpool, where he has become a superstar of the Premier League. Written in a lively style and filled with fun features, thrilling action photographs and enlightening quotes, Mohamed Salah: The Ultimate Fan Book celebrates his greatest moments and most famous goals, including the goals which have made him one of the world's most watchable superstars. Table of ContentsIntroduction • The Early Years • Playing for El Mokawloon • Playing for Basel • Egyptian Hero • Playing for Chelsea • On loan in Italy • Chelsea Milestones • At Home with Mohamed • Mohamed's Super Skills • Great Roma Goals • Training with Mohamed • Egyptian Milestones • Mohamed Salah in Numbers • Mohamed's Superstar Team-mates • Mohamed and his Fans • Playing for Liverpool • Reds Hero • Mohamed Salah at Africa Cup of Nations 2017 • Mohamed and his Coaches • Great Egypt Goals • Global Superstar • Record Breaker • Look inside the Trophy Cabinet • What Next for Mohamed Salah?
£7.59
Octopus Publishing Group The Way to Win
Book Synopsis***'Essential reading for anyone wanting to achieve their dreams. Liv is an inspiration.'- Grant Cardone, New York Times bestselling author'Liv's extraordinary ability and passion is admirable. A winning read.'- Gary LinekerIn The Way To Win, Freestyle Football World Champion and TikTok sensation Liv Cooke opens up about her journey to becoming the best freestyler in the world. Drawing from experience Liv shares an easy-to-follow 10-step guide to achieving your dream - from correctly setting out your goals and forming good habits to handling nerves and maintaining success.With a positive attitude and holistic approach to productivity, Liv explores how you can find inspiration in your life... and of course, provides an insight into how she achieved incredible success at such a young age.The Way To Win is the ultimate guide to reaching the top of any industry and becoming your best self.
£13.49
Pitch Publishing Ltd Trivquiz World Soccer On This Day: 1001 Questions
Book SynopsisHow much do you really know about world soccer? Put your knowledge to the test with this bumper book of brainteaser quizzes and fascinating facts, beautifully illustrated by one of the world's leading sports artists. From Ardiles to Zidane, from Aguero to Zlatan, this book provides hours of highly dippable fun and entertainment. The major milestones, legendary players and unforgettable moments are all here. Which Brazil winger overcame childhood polio to win two World Cups? What is the name of the annual award given to the best young player in European football? Which USMNT star almost had his feet bitten off by an alligator while playing golf in Florida? Who was the first Australian-born player to win the Champions League? Who made his international debut at the 1990 World Cup and finished the tournament as top scorer? Trivquiz World Soccer On This Day holds the answers to all these questions and hundreds more.
£9.49
Pitch Publishing Ltd Europe's Next Powerhouse?: The Evolution of
Book SynopsisChelsea FC have enjoyed unprecedented success in England and Europe since Roman Abramovich arrived in 2003. The men's team has set a phenomenally high benchmark, which the Chelsea women's team now aims to follow. Club director Marina Granovskaia has one overarching mission: to replicate the men's team model and transform Chelsea Women into a European powerhouse - a side to rival the acknowledged queens of Europe, Olympique Lyonnais Feminin. So how has coach Emma Hayes set up her side to achieve superpower status? This book dissects the tactical concepts of the team, breaking down each phase of play, and explores the factors that make them a super-club with a viable chance of winning the elusive UEFA Women's Champions League. From team tactics to in-depth player analysis, Europe's Next Powerhouse? reveals the factors that have put them on a path to be a force in England and Europe for years to come.
£11.69
Pitch Publishing Ltd Qarabag: The Team without a City and Their Quest
Book SynopsisOn 23 July 1993, under the rain of artillery fire from the army of the self-proclaimed republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, the city of Agdam was levelled to the ground. The population fled to other villages or to the capital of Baku, while 60,000 of Agdam's inhabitants - their homes reduced to rubble - were forced to become refugees in their own country. The last standard-bearer of the once-bustling and historically important city of Agdam was its football team. Qarabag instantly became the embodiment of this obsolete city, and took on the role of keeping it alive for a population that had lost everything - a beacon of light in the darkest of times. The team, led by coach Gurban Gurbanov, would amaze the whole of Europe, first reaching the Europa League groups and then the Champions League group stage. This book tells the story of that incredible sporting feat and how the club's two-horse logo has become the emblem of an entire people, of a nation that struggles, suffers and holds tight to the dream of one day returning home.
£15.29
Pitch Publishing Ltd In the Heat of the Midday Sun: The Indelible
Book SynopsisIn the Heat of the Midday Sun is a love letter to the 1986 World Cup. A tournament viewed via the shimmering satellite images of an age before the dawn of high-definition coverage - which was introduced four years later, at Italia '90 - it was the last World Cup where the commentaries sounded like they were broadcast from the surface of the moon. Mexico took on the tournament after Colombia failed to deliver on their host candidature, relinquishing the rights in 1983. With a devastating Mexico City earthquake just eight months before the big kick-off, it was a miracle that the Estadio Azteca was still able to be the venue of Diego Maradona's greatest and most infamous hours. As well as Argentina's most gifted son, Mexico '86 was blessed by the presence of Socrates, Platini, Francescoli, Butragueno, Belanov and Elkjaer to name but a few of the icons on display. This is the story of an evocative World Cup that seemed to be held together by Sellotape.
£15.29
Pitch Publishing Ltd Philosophy and Football: The PFFC Story
Book SynopsisPhilosophy and Football: The PFFC Story is the extraordinary account of how a team of friends kicking a ball about in Regent's Park was transformed by European travel in the shadow of Brexit. Playing in shirts adorned with the words of Camus, Shankly and Cantona among others, Philosophy Football FC created its own philosophy in opposition to modern football. Its occasional players travelled from London to take part in tournaments in unique venues such as a national football stadium in Rome, a Spanish bullring in Bilbao and Taksim Square in Istanbul. Practising its 'slow foot' philosophy, it exported the idea of a revolutionary and more complex three-sided football. Inspired by European culture, PFFC was transformed from a team that regularly lost heavily to winning three consecutive London league championships. Over 25 years PFFC attracted players from 24 countries and six continents. Its story illustrates the power of football to reach people from all walks of life: to travel, play, eat, drink, win and lose together.
£15.29
Pitch Publishing Ltd Radical Football: Jurgen Griesbeck and the Story
Book SynopsisFrom using football to promote peace on the gangland streets of Medellin, to building a global network of 'Football for Good' organisations, Jurgen Griesbeck is now, through Common Goal, leading transformational change across the football industry. Set up in partnership with World Cup-winner Juan Mata - and with the likes of Megan Rapinoe, Mats Hummels, Pernille Harder, Paulo Dybala. Jurgen Klopp, Casey Stoney, Julian Nagelsmann and even entire competitions and clubs already taking the one per cent pledge of earnings - Common Goal aims to reconstruct football's role in society and put purpose, people and the planet at the heart of the game. This incredible story of one of the world's leading social entrepreneurs captures Jurgen's passion, drive and leadership, and presents a hopeful vision for the future of football, with contributions from some of the most disruptive, innovative and progressive thinkers in the game - the Radical XI. This remarkable book shows how the power of football can - and must - be unleashed for social change.
£13.49
Pitch Publishing Ltd Big Boots to Fill: The New Maradona, Riquelme,
Book SynopsisBig Boots to Fill is the story of Argentina's search for a worthy heir to the great Diego Maradona. When Maradona led Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986 and Napoli to their first Italian title a year later, he was regarded by many as the greatest footballer of all time. Since then, in his homeland of Argentina, generations of players have been hyped as the 'new Maradona'. Some of them achieved eminence in their own right - players like the great Juan Román Riquelme, troubled Ariel Ortega, beloved Carlos Tevez and magical Pablo Aimar. Others wilted under the huge weight of expectation and ended their careers in obscure backwaters, playing in lower leagues. It was not until the emergence of Lionel Messi that the country had a worthy wearer of the sobriquet 'the new Maradona'. This is the tale of Argentinian football between Maradona and Messi, of all the highly touted players who have come and gone in between, and their struggles with the pressure of living up to the legend of the Argentine number 10 shirt.Trade Review"Wordsmith David Michael Nolan delves deep into his own research and personal knowledge base to provide many answers in his new book… So, who is the New Maradona?... After reading Big Boots to Fill, you may find yourself being able to take a more informed view, based on the arguments presented by the able author." -- Mark Watkins * Dare Radio *"Big Boots to Fill by David Nolan is a must-read for football fans seeking to relish the memories of Argentina's greatest players. With its ability to evoke nostalgia, celebrate the artistry of the game, and provide insight into the complexities of player reception, this book is a true gem." * The Football Library *"Big Boots To Fill is probably at its most interesting when Maradona is the subject and his back story is fascinating, but several of the other players featured also have stories worth telling, which makes this a book well worth reading. Even as a keen fan of football over the last 40 years or so, there are some here that I'd never heard of, but that doesn't make their own stories any less interesting... An intriguing look into the lives of so many young hopefuls and a salutary tale of how many of them fail to live up to the huge expectations on their shoulders." * On Magazine *
£17.09
Pitch Publishing Ltd Leeds United Memorabilia
Book SynopsisLeeds United Memorabilia is a captivating photographic history of artefacts and paraphernalia connected with the famous club and its 100-plus-year history.Leeds United did not create football collectibles and souvenirs but they were one of the main drivers of the industry, especially in the 1960s and 70s when Don Revie rejuvenated the club and put them on the map of world club football. Together with well-known collector and historian Neil Barker, author Robert Endeacott brings the artefacts to life with fascinating information and entertaining anecdotes.Filled with eye-catching photos of rare collectibles, the book features contributions and interviews from major collectors like Chris Miller, David Kirkby, Ben Hunt, Pete Hopton, Mark Whelan and David Gaertner. There''s also a foreword by renowned sports artist and raconteur Paul ''The Beaver'' Trevillion, who is an integral part of the history of Leeds United memorabilia.Leeds fans of all a
£28.00
Pitch Publishing Ltd Its Coming Home Probably
Book SynopsisYou''re almost there, 90 minutes away from a major final. Italia 90, Euro 96, Russia 2018. Or your in a major final at Wembley, just like the boys of 66. Visualising the England captain lifting silverware, like those immortal images of Bobby Moore. It''s Coming Home echoes across England. Surely the trophy drought is coming to an end this time. Except it doesn't and you're back to square one.That''s what supporting the England football team has been for more than fifty years. It should come with a health warning. There have been so many near moments as teams aim to sit at the top table, alongside the heroes of 1966, but so far no team has achieved it. There have been many moments but ultimately it's been a catalogue of glorious failures.From Gazza''s tears in 1990, Stuart Pearce redeeming himself at Euro 96, to extra-time agony in Russia and penalty heartbreak once again under the Wembley arch. This book contains all the highs and lows as we c
£11.69
Pitch Publishing Ltd Got That Lovin' Feelin': From Clark to Cooper,
Book SynopsisGot That Lovin’ Feelin’ is the enthralling story of Nottingham Forest’s emotional return to the Premier League under Steve Cooper in 2022. It charts the promotions, relegations, financial problems and missed opportunities that made Forest’s journey back to the big time such a compelling one. Cooper’s side’s thrilling and unexpected promotion campaign put an end to 23 years outside the top flight. In those lean times, Forest frequently became a byword for decline on the pitch and madness in the boardroom. The book features opinions and insights from those who worked on the pitch, in the dugout and in the corridors of power. It also tells the story of Forest’s first season back in the big time, through the eyes of fans, players and pundits – all the while exploring what it means to be connected to this grand, historic and pioneering club. From Frank Clark’s European dreamers to Cooper’s play-off winners, this is Forest’s roller-coaster ride of a story. Trade Review"Warren Turner's bright red book tells of the Forest journey from Frank Clark to Steve Cooper in order to secure top-flight football again after an absence of 23 years. There's background, backstories and key match reports as viewed 'through the eyes of fans, players and pundits'. In fact, there's a great picture of No.9 Taiwo Awoniyi scoring 'the winner against Arsenal to ensure another Premier League season for Nottingham Forest'. Pictures can speak volumes as do the words - a great, informative book!" -- Mark Watkins * Dare Radio *
£17.09
Pitch Publishing Ltd The Match: The Story of Italy v Brazil
Book SynopsisThe Match is the tale of one of the most iconic games in World Cup history: Italy v Brazil at Spain '82. Piero Trellini delves into the stories of the great characters who lit up that unforgettable match - from Paolo Rossi to Sócrates, from Enzo Bearzot to Zico - as well as some forgotten figures who all played their part. The book takes us on a fascinating journey through the 1982 Mundial, exploring the football scene of the day and dishing out fascinating anecdotes on the various historical and sporting links between the two countries. Italy, a nation historically at the forefront of football, did not arrive in Spain as favourites, with widespread doubts about their chances, even in the Italian press. This is one of the reasons why their triumph that summer is still celebrated in Italy above other historic victories by the Azzurri. Following that momentous win, Italy would become the favourite destination for Europe and South America's greatest players.Trade Review"A great hunk of a book which is definitely worth its weight in (blue and) gold... writer Piero Trellini sets the scene brilliantly to perhaps the biggest pitched battle of all time... [It features] 512 pages of education and excitement, including many great colour photos and informative, well-researched writing." -- Mark Watkins * Football Book Reviews, Dare Radio *"You may wonder how it is possible to equal the size of Moby Dick by writing about twenty-two men kicking a ball... Trellini took the trouble to analyze the whole analyzer about the protagonists of that challenge." -- Giuseppe Culicchia * La Stampa *"Trellini has transformed her sweet, very strong obsession in this volume that represents a football odyssey. I had never read, on a single game, anything so complete and engaging. In its genre: a masterpiece." -- Darwin Pastorin * Huffington Post *"The Match by Piero Trellini is an exceptional undertaking. Books like this are no longer made. It's a super-novel, has super-powers, the greatest is to revive the race with an unsustainable suspense as if we didn't know that Paolo Rossi would have made three goals. I recommend The Match to non-football fans. They will discover many things. About life and not just football." -- Antonio D’Orrico * 7Corriere *"Having read many hundreds of sports books over the years, I’ve genuinely never come across one like this... It truly is astonishing and makes you think that reading anything by Trellini on any subject under the sun would be almost as fascinating. I finished The Match truly blown away by the level of research and how Trellini then transformed so many random pieces of information and threads into such a readable and definitive work of art. In short, this is an utterly remarkable piece of work. To call it a sports book or to expect that it limits itself to 90 minutes of football – albeit 90 of the most memorable minutes of football ever played – would be doing it an enormous disservice. This is an homage to a bygone era, the most in-depth account of the before, during and after of any sporting occasion I’ve ever come across, written in a style that is so far removed from anything I’ve ever read before." * On Magazine *"Piero Trellini's The Match is a monumental recreation of his homeland's titanic win over Brazil at the 1982 World Cup in Spain. Originally published in Italy in 2019 to much acclaim, the book is a dazzling, dizzying mosaic of detail." * When Saturday Comes *
£21.25
Pitch Publishing Ltd Our Rangers Heroes: Incredible Stories of
Book SynopsisAt every turn, Rangers Football Club is steeped in history, but often that history centres on the club's well-known legends whose names and deeds are part of football folklore. What about the players whose stories have been lost in the fog of time? Rangers' history is about more than just a select group of stars. Rather, it is a rich tapestry of interconnecting tales, with each of the hundreds of players to have played for the club having their own unique story. Our Rangers Heroes brings to life some of the lesser-known tales of icons of the past. From a Scotsman managing Egypt in the 1934 World Cup, to the Danish Resistance fighting the Nazis, to a Croatian car mechanic who lived the dream on the Côte d'Azur, there are countless untold stories from Rangers' proud and interesting past that need to be told. This book uncovers some of the very best of them.Trade Review"Ian Hogg looks beyond the big-name stars that dominate most histories of Rangers, at some of the lesser-known names who have played a part in the team's success in smaller but no less important ways, who time may have forgotten." * Backpass magazine *
£21.25
Pitch Publishing Ltd Top Ten of Everything England: The Best of the
Book SynopsisPacked full of trivia, facts and stats, The Top 10 of Everything England covers every aspect of the Three Lions' long and colourful history in dozens of ranked lists. With a star cast of past and present internationals, the lists include the most inspirational skippers, the most prolific goalscorers, the great managers and the biggest stars in the England Women's team. Among the many memorable moments revisited are England's most iconic World Cup matches, the most celebrated wins against arch-rivals Scotland, the finest goals scored by the likes of Bobby Charlton, Gary Lineker and Wayne Rooney and the most appreciated own goals gifted by the opposition. Additionally, a host of miscellaneous categories rank England's best (and worst!) kits, the funniest fan chants, the most striking and controversial player tattoos and the bizarre incidents on and off the pitch that left supporters bewildered. Fun, informative and thought-provoking, The Top 10 of Everything England is guaranteed to spark lively debate among football fans everywhere.
£15.29
Pitch Publishing Ltd The Homecoming: The Lionesses and Beyond
Book SynopsisThe Homecoming is Jane Purdon's passionate, heartfelt account of the summer of 2022, when the Lionesses dazzled the nation and brought football home. It's also Jane's personal story. Since falling in love with football aged seven, Jane has been an activist, administrator and leader in the beautiful game, most recently as CEO of Women in Football. Her journey takes in her early days as a Sunderland fan, her first kicks of the ball in her late teens, her pioneering work in the early 1990s to promote women's involvement in football, and her subsequent career at the heart of the football establishment. In 1992, Jane wrote, 'The England women's team winning the European Championship - now that is not a fairytale, it could just happen.' Thirty years later that fairytale came true. Jane reflects on what's happened to women's football in the aftermath of the Lionesses' historic victory and what needs to happen next.Trade Review"Jane Purdon has proved that good things come in small packages', with this second offering from Football Shorts, hitting the mark in being not only a joyous celebration of that balmy month in July 2022, but a genuine debate about the women's game." * Football Book Reviews *"A superbly emotive and passionate read that will resonate with any woman who has loved the beautiful game." * Pitch Magazine *
£9.49
Pitch Publishing Ltd Middlesbrough On This Day
Book SynopsisMiddlesbrough On This Day revisits the most magical and memorable moments from the club''s glorious past, mixing in a maelstrom of anecdotes and characters to produce an irresistibly dippable Boro diary with an entry for every day of the year.From the club''s foundations in the 1870s to 21st-century exploits at the Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough On This Day brings together decades of research by Tosh Warwick, Gordon Rees and Shaun Wilson as they revisit the famous matches, greatest players, quirky tales and heart-breaking times in the roller-coaster history of Middlesbrough FC.Exploring more than 140 years of life at Boro, the book revisits the exploits of club legends such as George Camsell, Wilf Mannion, Brian Clough, Tony Mowbray and Bernie Slaven in this journey through time. From Boro''s early amateur trophy success to John Hickton''s famous penalty run-ups, Juninho''s jinking runs to Maccarone-inspired magical European nights at the Riverside Stad
£13.49
