Association football (Soccer) Books

Book SynopsisIn this book, over 40 of the world's leading practitioners working in elite soccer over 6 continentsshare advanced knowledge of the environment as well as a scientific understanding of the game and players. This book explores those traits at an intricate level through shared experiences of some of the best performance coaches working in elite soccer. The content in this book is derived from practical and evidence-based concepts that have been applied at the elite level.Uncovering the coaching strategies as well as contemporary issues in elite soccer, this comprehensive textbook illustrates what it takes to thrive as a performance coach at the top level. Collaborating with the industry leaders in soccer, the chapters address a myriad of topics such as: the multiple roles and responsibilities; youth development; strength and conditioning application; nutrition and recovery strategies; tracking and monitoring fitness and fatigue; powerfuTrade Review"Peak Performance for Soccer provides great insight into the true environments of professional soccer" – Jordan Milsom, Head of Fitness & Conditioning, Aston Villa FC"Alex and Adam have done a magnificent job covering all aspects of an elite soccer environment. It’s a must read"– DaMarcus Beasley, Former Professional Soccer Player for Manchester City, Rangers, PSV. 4 x World Cup appearances (2002,2006,2010,2014)"Peak Performance for Soccer does an excellent job providing readers with detailed insight for working with coaching staff to enhance training – this is an essential read for anyone working in soccer" – Patrick Kisnorbo, Head Coach, Melbourne City FCTable of Contents1. Role of the Practitioner2. From Academy to Professional3. Needs Analysis and Testing4. Strength, Power and Injury Prevention5. Conditioning6. Player Monitoring and Practical Application7. Wearable Technology8. Recovery and Nutrition9. Return to Play 10. Periodisation11. Coach and Staff Integration

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Book SynopsisThe outspoken and hard-hitting autobiography of one of the most highly-rated, recognisable and controversial football referees of modern times.Mark Clattenburg found himself in the centre circle, whistle in hand, at the start of 450 Premier League matches during a highly eventful 13-year career in football''s top flight. He has shaken hands with, issued red and yellow cards to, and been sworn at by hundreds of players. He has been screamed at and shared jokes with dozens and dozens of managers. And he''s felt the wrath of thousands upon thousands of irate fans.His autobiography is the ultimate guide to what it''s really like to be in the referee''s spotlight. It offers numerous intriguing insights into the daily trials and tribulations, the acute stresses and strains, of a top-flight referee. Clattenburg takes the reader into the referee''s room, the players'' tunnel and out on the pitch to experience precisely what a referee goe

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Book SynopsisBorn in Liverpool in 1975, Robbie Fowler became a club icon by the time he was eighteen. Now, he takes us through the games that have shaped his life and football philosophy, more than 25 years after he first signed as a professional.Engaging, personal and revealing, Robbie opens up about his astounding achievements, the price of fame and the regrets and struggles of being a professional footballer. From Hillsborough to Madrid, via the cup treble, that goal line celebration, Houllier, Benítez, Klopp and more, Robbie explains his thinking about the modern game. Inviting readers inside the dressing room, he shares stories of legendary teammates like Rush, McManaman and Gerrard, as well as his rise to football's top table. What inspired him to play the beautiful game? How did he get back up after the injuries that blighted his career? What gave him the drive to keep going and pursue his dreams?My Life in Football is the inspiring story of a local boy who became a legend.

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Book SynopsisGet ready for top-drawer delivery, as They Think It's All Over laces up its boots and races up the wing to bend in cross after cross of perfect football banter, including... the funny:'I love Blackpool; we're very similar - we both look better in the dark' - Ian Hollowaythe plain stupid:'Whichever team scores more goals usually wins' - Michael Owenand the genuinely deranged:'It's not fair to say Lee Bowyer's a racist; he'd stamp on anyone's head' - Rodney Marsh...to tell the story of the beautiful game, through the hilarious (sometimes intentionally, sometimes not) words, actions and (mis)behaviours of players, managers, commentators and pundits. It is the perfect gift for football fans of all teams, everywhere and anywhere. Back of the net!

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Book SynopsisNewcastle legends from across the decades offer a unique insight into the most magical moments in the history of the North East giants. Magpies greats from Alan Shearer to Bob Moncur and Les Ferdinand to Nobby Solano take us into the inner sanctuary of the dressing room, with previously unheard stories from their favourite matches in the famous black-and-white stripes. Shay Given lifts the lid on how Mike Ashley forced him to put in a transfer request when he was on the cusp of becoming Newcastle’s record appearance-holder. Rafa Benitez reveals the secrets of his love affair with the Toon Army, while Nikos Dabizas recalls ‘going from heaven to hell’ in the space of just a few days by scoring an iconic late winner in a Tyne–Wear derby before falling victim to Dennis Bergkamp’s wonder goal. ‘Sir’ Les Ferdinand takes us back to the glory days of Kevin Keegan’s ‘Entertainers’, and Malcolm ‘Supermac’ Macdonald recalls asking Bobby Robson for his autograph as a schoolboy, only to sign for him years later.

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Book Synopsis *THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER* This is the remarkable story of a local lad who grew up in the shadow of Upton Park and became ‘Mr West Ham’: a one-club man who lived the dream.

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Book SynopsisThe Times opens its sporting archives to compile the definitive list of football’s greatest matches

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Book SynopsisHunter Davies is one of the most respected writers in the country. THE GLORY GAME is a footballing classic still in print some 30 years since its original publication but Hunter is also a successful novelist and distinguished biographer, whose subjects include The Beatles, Wayne Rooney and Paul Gascoigne. Now, though, he describes his own extraordinary life, from growing up on a Carlisle council estate in the 1950s and his student days at Durham to his introduction to Fleet Street, his enduring obsession with football and memorabilia, and the many fascinating characters he has met, interviewed and written about over the last 40 years. It is also the intimate portrait of his marriage to teenage sweetheart Margaret Forster, herself a well-known novelist. Full of wonderful observations, warm humour and colourful anecdote - a memoir to treasure.Trade ReviewBrilliantly funny * Daily Mail *'Hunter Davies' vivid autobiography retraces a life rich in incident and anecdote' * Good Book Guide *'Such an enjoyable read. Easy-going, humorous and a natural journalist, [Hunter Davies] comes across as a thoroughly nice man' * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisAmerica’s first true European soccer champion and the captain of the U.S. men’s national team relates his journey from Hershey, Pennsylvania, to the pinnacle of world soccer.Pulisic’s rise from his childhood in Pennsylvania to captain of the U.S. national team in the coming World Cup and Champions League glory is ultimately a story about a lifelong determination to realize a dream. Growing up in an area without role models, Pulisic would look to European stars for inspiration and to European soccer as his ultimate goal.In this book Pulisic talks candidly about his journey so far, revealing the extraordinary excitement of fulfilling some of his goals and the great challenges involved. He also shares experiences from behind the scenes playing for club and country, his most memorable career moments, moving to a new country without knowing the language, training drills he’s used over the years to hone his skills, and his daily life as a soccerTrade Review"Pulisic first won America’s hearts in that defeat in Trinidad in 2017, in which he scored a goal in a losing cause. After the game, he pulled his jersey over his teenage face and cried. In the foreword to 'Pulisic: My Journey So Far,' Daniel Melamud, a versatile sports writer, describes him as “the best player in the history of US soccer” (a view that few would dispute). The book is a generously illustrated compendium of conversations between the player and Mr. Melamud. Its contents—which range from childhood anecdotes to details of favorite movies, clothes and training routines—are targeted at avid young fans of Pulisic." —WALL STREET JOURNAL"The book traces how the 23-year-old's dream to become a professional soccer player came true, memorable moments from his career so far, and a behind-the-scenes look into his life on and off the field." —ESPN28 Best Gifts for Soccer Fans: "Cool Gifts for Soccer Fans: Hear from Captain America himself as he candidly recounts his journey–from a youth player growing up in Hershey, Pennsylvania to signing with Chelsea FC for a record transfer fee when he turned 20. The American soccer star also reflects on winning the Champions League and preparations for the upcoming 2022 World Cup in his first book." —MEN'S HEALTH

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Book SynopsisA deeply moving and painfully honest memoir from the trailblazing, World Cup–winning, Olympic gold medalist, and U.S. Women’s soccer goalie Briana Scurry with New York Times bestselling author Wayne CoffeyForeword by Robin Roberts Briana Scurry was a pioneer on the U.S. Women’s National Team. She won gold in Atlanta in 1996, the first time women’s soccer was ever played in the Olympics. She was a key part of the fabled “99ers,” making an epic save in the decisive penalty-kick shootout in the final. Scurry captured her second Olympic gold in 2004, cementing her status as one of the premier players in the world. She was the only Black player on the team, and she was also the first player to be openly gay. It was a singularly amazing ride, one that Scurry handled with her trademark generosity and class—qualities that made her one of the most popular players ever to wear a U.S. jersey. But ScTrade Review“My Greatest Save is more than the story of an all-time great goalkeeper. It's about a pioneering female athlete who made sure to honor those who came before her even as she worked hard to make things better for those who came after her.” * Billie Jean King *“Before every USWNT game we played together, Briana would look me in the eye, give me a double-gloved fist bump, and ask, ‘Ready?’ I knew I didn’t have to ask her because she was always ready. Everybody knows Bri was one of the greatest keepers in the history of women’s soccer. When you read My Greatest Save, you will find out that her heart and courage were every bit the equal of her ball-stopping skills.” * Mia Hamm *“Briana Scurry is one of the most dominant and courageous goalkeepers I've ever played with. Her character and courage go far beyond the pitch. My Greatest Save is a moving story of resilience and triumph. It helped me get to know Bri—and myself—better.” * Abby Wambach *“A triumphant sports memoir by one of the first African American female soccer players, an athlete who rose to fame and suffered great loss only to rise again, stronger.” * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisThe first history of the Golden Boot â from 1888 to the present day.

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Book SynopsisFrom Agents to Z-list celebrities, everything you love to hate about the national sport.

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Book SynopsisWho is Harry Redknapp? Football genius or football chancer? Master tactician or practical joker? How is it that even when he was facing court proceedings for tax evasion so many people were still seriously tipping him to be the next England manager? How can one man have two such diametrically opposed and incompatible career trajectories? Does the longing to have an English manager in charge of the national side warp people''s thinking?''To Portsmouth fans, Redknapp was the man who walked on water and won them an FA Cup. To Southampton fans, he is still the devil incarnate who had them relegated before jumping ship to their arch rivals. Spurs fans aren''t sure what he is, bit don''t care as long as he keeps the team together and winning. Sometimes he''s the Messiah, at others the clown. Whoever he is, Crace is determined to find out.

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the 2022 Sports Book Awards''an enjoyable and interesting journey through football'' Donald McRae, The Guardian''This is really good. Raw, funny and revealing on football, on Ferguson, Clough, Dalglish & worth getting for the Roy Keane selfie story alone. Emotional on his ITV exit. Talent like Tyldesley''s appeals to all ages.'' Henry Winter''Started reading this and couldn''t stop ... wise and entertaining on the big names and games. Clever work.'' Paul Hayward''Clive Tyldesley''s brilliant, emotive commentaries became the soundtrack to matches that will stay with the fans for the rest of their lives.'' Oliver HoltFootball changes everything. It changes how we feel, how we think, how we behave. It turns us into someone else. You love your team first. It''s tribal. Except I did love something else. I loved the idea of commentating on my team, on every team. I loved it even more than

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Book SynopsisThis is the real Jason McAteer: a little bit bruised, a little bit battered. But still fighting.Trade ReviewA meaty memoir with as much gristle as its title promises * Irish Independent *

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Book SynopsisFrom the award-winning team behind the Totally Football Show, one of the world's leading independent football podcastsThe Totally Football Yearbook isn't just a collection of statistics. It's analysis, insight, authority and irreverence. It's the views of some of the biggest names in football writing, the same names that make The Totally Football Show one of the world's biggest independent football podcasts. It's the breathless story of the season just passed and an eager look ahead to the season still to come. But yes, there's loads of statistics as well. I mean, we couldn't stop ourselves if we tried . . .We've got the Premier League, Scotland, the Women's Super League, the Football League, France, Spain, Italy and Germany all covered, and so much more besides. Will you ever need anything else to keep you informed on the beautiful game? That's really not for us to say. But no, you won't. With a foreword from Jamie Carragher, an introduction from James Richardson, and contributions from Iain Macintosh, James Horncastle, Duncan Alexander, Nick Miller and many more, The Totally Football Yearbook is a must-have for every football fan.

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Book Synopsis'One of the best football books I've ever read.' John Motson on Provided You Don't Kiss Me 'Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I am very disappointed by that attitude. I can assure you it's much more important than that' - Bill ShanklyWhat Shankly said isn't even half-true. In fact, it's bollocks. Football isn't the be-all and end-all of everything. If nothing else, I know that much.As a player, Thom Callaghan was defined by the winning goal he scored in an FA Cup final. The goal wasn't the blessing he imagined it would be. His whole career was defined by that brief moment of glory. With his playing days over, Callaghan, still a local hero, is tempted back to his old club as caretaker manager. His task to rescue it from relegation. He's got the job solely on the recommendation of his former boss and mentor Frank Mallory, now desperately ill and responsible for the team's precipitous decline. Callaghan is pitched into the Premier League during the last months of the 1996-1997 season, where - among reputations more gilded than his own - he finds himself pitted against the likes of Alex Ferguson's Manchester United, chasing their fourth title in five years, and also one of the newest recruits to the English game, Arsene Wenger. Can Callaghan save his club from what seems the inevitability of the drop? Does Mallory - eccentric, inspirational and manipulative - even want him to succeed? What if the prize of a personal triumph isn't worth it in the end?Injury Time is the first novel from the multiple award-winning sportswriter Duncan Hamilton.Trade Review'What I enjoy most about this beautifully written and tender account of the relationship between a nervous young provincial reporter and a football genius is the sense of genuine proximity to its subject, so that Clough's obvious flaws seem forgivable and even beguiling, rather than cruel and unbearable. Wonderful book' Russel Brand, Guardian on Provided You Don't Kiss Me'One of the best football books I've ever read.' John Motson on Provided You Don't Kiss MeHamilton...expresses the passion that millions like him, in pursuit of happiness and belonging, feel for the beautiful game. Simply magnificent * Mail on Sunday *A marriage of prose and detail so fine and fastidious that it takes the breath away * Independent *Justifiably prize-winning * Mail on Sunday *A convincing behind the scenes re-enactment of English football... Hamilton has a perceptively humane understanding of men for whom football was never just a game * Guardian *A fictional look at action, on and off the pitch, past and present, that will leave you smiling * Sun *Set in the last decades of the 20th Century and mingling real-life footballers with fictional characters, this is a thoughtful, entertaining debut novel by one of our finest sports writers, in which the beautiful game becomes a moving metaphor for the vicissitudes of human experience. * Mail on Sunday *With spare, sharp prose and knowing insights, Hamilton has written a heartwarming as well as heartbreaking winner. * Weekend Sport *An immersive character study of people damaged by sport and its temptations of glory, how some overcome, and how others are crushed by it. * Strong Words *

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Book SynopsisThis book is intended for a diverse audience including football fans from various parts of the world visiting Qatar for the first time. It is estimated that at least one million people will visit Qatar during the FIFA World Cup 2022. We planned this book to be informative, insightful and holistic. The book covers highly relevant subjects to football, from sport infrastructure, elite athletes' performance, the sport's role in health, media, and climate, to sport enthusiast experience.Table of ContentsPreface; Sports: An Introduction; Football is More Than a Sport and Qatar 2022 is More Than a World Cup; An Overview of Sports Infrastructure in Qatar; Womens Sports in Qatar; Economic Implications of Hosting FIFA World Cup A Study with Special Reference to South Africa, Brazil, Russia and Qatar; The 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil; The 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa: Economic Impacts; Indirect Economic Impact Linked with FIFA Tournaments; Sports, Football and Media Coverage: A Brief History; Perspective on Challenges of Climate and Environment in Organizing Sports Events; COVID-19 Plays Soccer; Impact of COVID-19 Outbreak on Top-Tier Football Tournaments; Football and Health Promotion; Recreational Football and Non-Communicable Diseases; Sweat and Genes Research in Elite Athletes in Qatar; Athletic Performance and Nutrition in Extreme Environment; Sports Psychiatry and Psychology: An Overview; Mental Health and Psychological Aspects of Sport: Special Reference to Qatar; Smart Stadium and Smart Customer Experience Management; Sports and Mass Crowd Management; Face Detection for Football Supporters Crowd; Sports, Disability and Assistive Technology Innovations; Heading for Sustainable Sports Stadium, FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar; The Legacy: The Case of Qatar; Index.

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Book SynopsisThis title introduces soccer fans to the history of one of the top MLS clubs, the Portland Timbers. The title features informative sidebars, exciting photos, a timeline, team facts, a glossary, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards.

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Book SynopsisSoccer fans around the world adore the offensive style of play based on fast passing combinations, spectacular dribblings, and the art of beautifully shot goals. The question regarding this style of game is how to coach your team to embrace fast attacking soccer. How do you shape your training to cover all the technical and tactical basics? Peter Schreiner and Norbert Elgert, renowned German coaches, give the right answers, including systematical approaches. Every coach can easily shape his training programs with easy to use exercises, which are richly illustrated.

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Book SynopsisThis handy "how-to" food guide addresses the nutrition questions and concerns of soccer athletes of all ages and abilities to help them achieve success with energy to spare. Soccer athletes are hungry for good nutrition information. They have lots of food questions: • What should I eat before a game? • What about sports drinks? • How much protein should I be eating? Food Guide for Soccer: Tips & Recipes from the Pros will answer those questions—plus others. This easy-to-read book offers practical tips, debunks nutrition myths, and is a simple "how-to" resource for soccer players, their coaches and parents. The text is sprinkled with quotes from professional soccer players as well as recipes, sample menus, and nutrition sidebars.

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Book SynopsisThis book takes an informal and entertaining look at some of the most influential football coaches and teams in the game's history as well as exploring some of the origins of football's more well-known formations and the players who were an integral part of them.By taking an informative yet informal and entertaining look at the history and evolution of football formations and tactics, the author identifies just a few of some of the pioneering figures in the early years of the game, people like Jack Hunter, the visionary coach of Blackburn Olympic who prepared his team for a crucial match by taking them to the seaside for a few days of "...hard running on the town's famous sands as well as a regular diet of oysters, and, very strictly, no beer" and the players of Queen's Park FC who conceived and played tiki-taka football over a century before Pep Guardiola and his all-conquering Barcelona players were even born.Mapping The Pitch looks at some of the great international sides in the game's history, including the Hungary team which so astonished and captivated the sporting world in the 1950's.It also explores the contemporary theme within the game that sees teams enter matches with a mentality of looking not to lose rather than to win, a telling but subtle difference between football today and how it was half a century and more ago, one typified by an emphasis on midfield domination and possession - one that is not so dissimilar to the priorities teams adopted in mob football in the middle ages.

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Book SynopsisThe Real Giants of Soccer Coaching is a collection of the curated thoughts of nearly 30 top football coaches around the globe. In this book, you will gain access to the depth and breadth of experience from some of the best coaches across all areas of the beautiful game. You will learn theoretical details about tactical periodization, positional play, and the science of motor learning. You will also learn from Youth National Team Coaches, NCAA National Championship winning coaches, and First Division Coaches from top European clubs. This book is a resource that can direct your education as a coach over and around the perilous pitfalls that often consume most coaches. After reading this book, you will have gained the experience, knowledge, and wisdom of some of the best coaches around the globe across all areas of the game: from grassroots to premier leagues and everything in between. You don’t have to go your coaching path alone. Take this book and bring the wisdom of over 30 top coaches with you to help you navigate every corner, turn, and hazard along your way to becoming a great coach.Table of ContentsJosh Faga is the host of “Just Kickin’ It,” a coaching education podcast that has interviewed some of the best coaches in football to help educate coaches around the world. He is the assistant coach and fitness coach at Duquesne University. Josh has completed the Periodization Mentorship through the World Football Academy. He is currently completing his professional coaching license through the Argentine Football Association (AFA). Josh is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist by the International Sports Science Association (ISSA).

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Book SynopsisWhy Is Soccer Played Eleven Against Eleven? reveals one hundred facts of football history and rules that are either unknown or little known, such as why football is played eleven against eleven, why football matches last 90 minutes, who the first coach was, how the referee appeared, and who invented goal nets, red and yellow cards, the penalty, and the penalty shoot-out. Included in this book are funny and weird anecdotes, such as the case of a player who scored a goal...without ever having stepped on the pitch, making this book the complete resource on the beautiful game of football. Millions of football fans will find all the answers to any question they could possibly have—including those they may not have thought of—in this amusing, yet informative, book by journalist Luciano Wernicke.

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Book SynopsisSoccer players may get all the glory, but behind every great player is a great coach. And behind every great coach today stands a deep fraternity who dedicated decades to supporting soccer's long climb from obscurity to become one of the major sports in America. It was an uphill battle, fought persistently and creatively to overcome a public perception of soccer as "foreign," "aloof," "snobby," or simply "odd." This is a story of individual and collective action, of coaches coming together to improve the sport and expand its reach. From coaching methodologies to standardizing rules, improving the play on the field and the perceptions beyond it, persistent coaches were instrumental in creating the game played and watched today. Relentless tells the landmark and previously untold stories of resolute coaches, their love of the game, and how they transformed the sport in the United States.

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Book SynopsisTHE World Cup 2022 Book is a fun, informative look at the football World Cup. Here you will read summaries of each of the 32 teams competing for the cup, including their team history, current coach, their strategies and tactics on the field, and their top players to watch. The World Cup superstars are all presented, evaluated, and scored. The analyses of the teams and their predicted performance in Qatar will guide you through the many matches. After scanning the QR code, you will have additional bonus material on the leading scorers from past World Cups and background information on FIFA and Qatar; you will discover the interesting role corner kicks play in matches and which are the "top flopping" teams; and those interested in esports will find a brief bonus section on FIFAe. With this book, prepare to enjoy and follow one of the biggest global sporting events, the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

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Book SynopsisMichael Knighton is one of the most notable football entrepreneurs of his generation. Thirty years ago he arrived on the scene at Manchester United, bearing the revolutionary gift of ideas for the transformation of the club's fortunes. Visionary tells the inside story of his time at Old Trafford - a crucial, incendiary era in United's history. Knighton is popularly known as the man who very nearly bought Manchester United for the giveaway price of GBP10 million. Ultimately, he spurned the opportunity to complete the purchase, opting instead to join the board and watch as his radical ideas for a commercial revolution were put into action. Visionary argues the case for Knighton as the architect of the richest football club and greatest sporting brand on the planet - and that it was Knighton's unacknowledged axis with Alex Ferguson that enabled a paradigm shift in United's fortunes on the field of play, leading to unparalleled glories. Sam Wallace of the Daily Telegraph called Michael's tale 'one of the great football stories of our time'.

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Book SynopsisFlight to Bogota tells the incredible story of one of the most infamous episodes in English sporting history, when a group of British footballers turned their backs on club and country before the 1950 World Cup for a sporting El Dorado in Colombia. It was a rebellion led by first-choice England centre-half Neil Franklin. The book charts how the players were secretly lured away from Britain, amid Franklin's strident complaints of 'serfdom' in English football, their brief struggles to adapt to Colombian life and the fallout once they humiliatingly returned home to face the wrath of club and country. This escapade was a personal failure for Franklin and left his career in tatters. But the players' vociferous defence of their behaviour enlightened a shocked nation about how clubs mistreated footballers. Ultimately, it led to reforms that would financially benefit future footballing generations, but hopes of vast riches proved nothing more than an illusion for Franklin and his fellow 'football bandits' as they embarked on their 'Flight to Bogota'.

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Book SynopsisOn 15 April 1989, ninety-six spectators lost their lives at Sheffield's Hillsborough Stadium as they gathered for an FA Cup semi-final match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. The events of that spring afternoon sparked a controversy that continues to reverberate through British football and policing to this day.Norman Bettison, a Chief Inspector in the South Yorkshire Police at the time of the Hillsborough disaster, witnessed the tragedy as a spectator at the match. Since then, he has found himself one of the focal points of outrage over the actions of the police. Comments he made in the wake of the Hillsborough Independent Panel in 2012 stoked further criticism in the press and in Parliament and, in October 2012, he resigned from his job as Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police.This personal account describes how the Hillsborough disaster unfolded, provides an insight into what was happening at South Yorkshire Police headquarters in the aftermath, and gives an objective and compassionate account of the bereaved families' long struggle for justice, all the while charting the author's journey from innocent bystander to a symbol of a perceived criminal conspiracy.

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Book SynopsisWest Ham United, the object of an irrational affection that has dominated the life of journalist and writer Brian Williams, has moved from its old home to what was the Olympic Stadium in Stratford. It is not a move he welcomed. It's not just the football itself. The supporters have left behind all the match day rituals that go with the game. A pint in the Denmark Arms, a hot dog in Priory Road, an occasional trip to the wonderful Newham Bookshop. East Ham is a residential area, with all the amenities that go with it. The same cannot be said of the Olympic Park, which surrounds the new stadium. No pubs, no chippies - and certainly no mobile phone shops like the one in the Barking Road Brian regularly walked past that proudly announced it also sold baby chickens. All of this has been replaced by a soulless stadium and corporate catering, with not a baby chicken to be had for love or money. Williams charts the most momentous change in his club's history by comparing the last season at his beloved Boleyn Ground with the first at West Ham's new home. In doing so he delivers a passionate lament for a time when football was the people's game, not a cynical exercise in developing a customer base or building a marketable brand. A crie de coer that will ring true not just for battle scarred Hammers, but with fans of all clubs, great and small.

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Book SynopsisA cult football figure, Vince Hilaire's career spanned over 600 games and took in spells at Crystal Palace, Portsmouth, Leeds United and Stoke City, playing in every professional division as well as for England at Youth and Under 21 levels. Hilaire shared a dressing room with some of the stars of the era including Kenny Sansom, Mick Channon, Gordon Strachan and Vinnie Jones, and was managed by some of the biggest figures in British football - Malcolm Allison, Terry Venables, Alan Ball and Howard Wilkinson. This book offers a fascinating insight into the methods of these managers - Allison and Venables' desperation to produce a side that rivalled the free-flowing football of the famous `Busby Babes', contrasting with the dourness and rigidity of Wilkinson's Leeds. One of the first black players to break into the professional game, Vince made his professional debut at seventeen and was a member of the famous `Team of the `80s at Palace that topped the First Division table. He details exactly why that team fell apart so quickly and the chaos that subsequently engulfed the club. Vince also outlines the regular abuse that he faced as a young black player making his way in football and the dread he felt playing at certain grounds. This massively entertaining autobiography gives a fascinating insight into the beautiful game as it used to be played.

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Book Synopsis'My identity is built on conflicts, and I'm proud of who I am ... I can walk through the rest of my life with something to say.' Nedum Onuoha was not a typical footballer. A young black Mancunian picked by the Manchester City Academy aged ten, he was determined to continue his education despite the lure of a career under the floodlights. Fiercely intelligent on and off the pitch, Onuoha developed into a talented defender and played his part in City's meteoric rise. He was at the Etihad Stadium when they won their first Premier League title - as an opposition player for QPR, having left the Blues just four months earlier. In this characteristically forthright book, Onuoha reveals what goes on behind the scenes at top-tier clubs. Stuffed with insights into household names like Stuart Pearce, Sven-Goeran Eriksson, Roberto Mancini and Harry Redknapp, this is football and its most famous figures as you've never seen them before. Kicking Back is also the story of one man's search for identity: as a footballer, as a black man in England and as an outsider in the US during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. What is it like to receive horrific racist abuse while doing your job? And how has football utterly failed the black community? Onuoha provides a damning assessment of the sport's authorities, finally claiming his voice as he dives deep into a life spent on the pitch.

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Book SynopsisNobody had heard of Arsène Wenger when he took charge of Arsenal in October 1996. 'Arsène Who?' was the headline. Yet within less than two full seasons, he transformed an underperforming side into league and FA Cup winners, in the process playing with breath-taking style, sparking an epoch-defining rivalry with Alex Ferguson and Manchester United and modernising football in England with his ground-breaking methods.Built around over 150 exclusive interviews with key players, coaches, staff and opponents, and rich in behind-the-scenes stories, personal accounts of triumph, tragedy, hilarity and heartbreak, Arsène Who? relives Arsenal's rocky road to the 1998 Double and the inception of the Wenger revolution.It is a portrait of a collection of troubled and ageing stars who bonded with foreign newcomers to achieve immortality. It is a snapshot of a shifting cultural and sporting landscape epitomised by the Gunners' rise. And it is the tale of an unheralded mastermind who guided his team to new heights.Arsène Who? is the inside story of how Wenger took Arsenal to the top of English football and changed the game forever.

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Book SynopsisWhen Asia Welcomed the World tells the story of the 2002 World Cup, a tournament that will be remembered for many reasons, from heart-warming stories to dark accusations. The book resurrects the great characters that lit up 2002's biggest footballing stage, including Ronaldo, Oliver Kahn, David Beckham and Ru?tu Recber, as well as humbling defeats for the game's giants at the hands of comparative minnows. It also explores the tournament's controversies and issues that arose before it had even begun. This was Asia's first ever World Cup, with South Korea and Japan also acting as the continent's first ever co-hosts. The tournament's legacy has proved to be a divisive one, but it has remained ingrained in football's collective memory for 20 years and will continue to do so.

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Book SynopsisSuccess, failure, heroism, stupidity, talent, skulduggery - Upton Park has seen it all. If supporting his club for fifty years has taught Brian Williams one thing it's that football fans defi nitely need a sense of humour - how else would they cope with the trials and tribulations that are part and parcel of cheering on their team? In this frank and funny take on the travails of a die-hard football supporter, Williams takes a nostalgic look back at some of the great players, great triumphs and great calamities that have marked West Ham's time at Upton Park, exploring the club's influence on its fans, the East End and football as a whole over the course of a lifetime. A Fever Pitch for the Premier League generation, Nearly Reach the Sky is an anecdotal journey through the seminal goals, games, fouls and finals, told with all the comedy, tragedy and irrationality fans of any team will recognise. This is a witty, fond, passionate and poignant tribute to the end of an era at Upton Park, as well as a universal meditation on the perks and perils of football fandom.Trade ReviewWhichever team you support, Nearly Reach the Sky is a smashing read, beautifully written - even if it is about West Ham and I'm a Sheffield United fan. David Marsh Oh, the exquisite torture of being the fan of a so-nearly club - A poignant portrait of the unrequited football supporter, brilliantly illuminated by vivid snapshots of those rare but cherished glimpses of glory. Jeff Powell [I]t will strike a chord with any football follower. Brian Williams is a proper fan, and Nearly Reach the Sky is a proper fan's book. Nicholas Clee, The Guardian Brian Williams has got in ahead of the crowd ... lovingly pouring over every detail of his life as a fan, and the Upton Park match day experience. Blowing Bubbles Magazine Part nostalgia trip, part love letter to a soon-to-be departed old friend, it's an enjoyable account of modern fandom. Four Four Two Funny, honest and poignant, a romantic yet also realistic account that anyone who supports a club that doesn't happen to be a billionaire's plaything will instantly recognise and identify with. Paperback book of the month, Choice Magazine Simply brilliant ... Nearly Reach the Sky is a truly fitting send-off to a ground that will always be our spiritual home. Moore Than Just A Club

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Book SynopsisThe book contains a statistical record of this, the 2nd oldest football competition in the world. In addition to the results of every game from the first in 1873 to the 2019 Final, also has full line-ups for Finals and other statistics too.

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Book SynopsisThis outstanding family-oriented introduction to soccer untangles the mystery, answers your questions and explains the game in an informative, yet thoroughly readable style. Athletes and fans of any age wanting to get involved with youth soccer will find this book especially helpful. It explains refereeing and coaching options for teenagers and discusses the opportunities for parental involvement in coaching, officiating and other volunteer jobs.

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Book SynopsisFormer Sunday Express chief soccer writer Richard Bott''s wry and humorous look at his 40 years in sports writing.

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Book SynopsisFrom its formation in 1905, Chelsea have been regarded as the most glamorous of clubs. Visitors to the Bridge have included Hollywood actresses, Prime Ministers, Cabinet Ministers and even an American Secretary of State complete with Secret Service entourage. But while famous names seem attracted to Chelsea''s proximity to London''s West End, the team has often disappointed. More recently Chelsea have become one of the most successful of the new breed of Premiership clubs. Under Bates, Stamford Bridge has become home to 39 businesses ranging from travel agencies to banks, restaurants and hotels to insurance companies, with the express aim of insuring his football club against the inconsistencies and dangerous internal feuding that have hamstrung previous chairmen. Over the past 6 years Chelsea has undergone a revolution, but along with progress'' has come rampant commercialism -- as one Chelsea fan noted, loyalty is measured by how much you can spend rather than how much you care. The life-long emotional bond that forms between a football club and its supporters is now almost a weakness, there to be exploited by the money-drunk millionaires that have taken over our sacred game''. Life-long Chelsea fan Mark Meehan discovers a club in a hurry: an ageing chairman frantic to win the championship before he retires, a club facing mounting debts, an expensively assembled playing staff and a new manager brought in because the old one could only deliver five trophies in three seasons. Clearly, nearly 20 years after assuming control, Ken Bates is still chasing his elusive "Blue Tomorrow" -- but, as Meehan discovers, he is in danger of losing control of his own club with potentially disastrous consequences.

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Book SynopsisWith only 10 days to go before England''s crucial World Cup Qualifier against Germany, national manager Glenn Gould resigns, blaming Brendon Fendon, the FA''s Machiavellian chief executive, of taking an unhealthy interest in team affairs. A shortlist of temporary replacement managers is drawn up -- the instant favourite is Ron Atkinson. Brendan Fendon leaves for Brazil to attend a career-enhancing FIFA conference on the elasticity of corner flags. Meanwhile, Nottingham plumber and Sunday League manager Reg Atkinson is concerned that his tender for the undersoil heating contract at the new Wembley stadium will be lost in the latest crisis to hit the England team. But he is soon reassured by a call from the FA asking him to an interview. Reg quickly hones his knowledge of the Swedish undersoil heating system and heads for London. After a swift selection process, Brendan Fendon''s stand-in Sir Richard Scratcher appoints Atkinson and calls a press conference to announce the new England boss. But, as the mass media soon discover, the man taking the stage isn''t Ron but Reg who has signed a multi-million pound contract to take charge of the national team. The press have a field day, but Brendan Fendon is none the wiser as his delayed flight from Rio lands at Heathrow. When the truth dawns he realises the only way out is to force Reg to resign by preventing all England''s stars from playing against Germany. What does Reg do now? If he resigns he''ll lose his money, but if he continues, England will be forced to forfeit the match and Germany will surely qualify. The press are camped outside Reg''s humble semi in Nottingham, he''s suffered a mysterious break-in and his plumbing business and the future of English football look like going down the pan. . .

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Book SynopsisA season of triumph for United or one of frustrated ambition? The jury is still out on season 2000-01, if only because another championship was followed by a hasty Champions League exit and trouble between Alex Ferguson and the board. When Sir Alex Ferguson became the first manager to win three championships in a row, it set the seal on another successful season at Old Trafford. From August to the start of the New Year, United were as irresistible as usual. But by Spring, despite an imminent championship, there were rumours that United''s most successful manager of all time had fallen out with the board. Following United''s exit from the Champions League, the grumbling at boardroom and terrace level grew to fever pitch. So much so that by the final fixture of the season rumour and theory had replaced sanity on the terraces, with most fans convinced ''the Wizard'' was on his way out. As ever there''s rarely a dull moment at Old Trafford. From the debate over standing to the creeping (and not so creeping) commercialism within the club, to the threats made by Trafford Borough Council and the arrival of a new chairman, United supporters had more to worry about than mere football. Linda Harvey and Paul Windridge write passionately about the events that mattered to United fans last season. From the ecstasy of a 6-1 romp against championship rivals Arsenal to the agony of defeat in Munich via a brief return for hated rivals Manchester City. Experience the highs and lows of Sir Alex Ferguson''s penultimate season in charge.

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Book SynopsisLet us take a nostalgic trip back in time to the age of Harry Stafford, Charlie Roberts, Sandy Turnbull, Joe Spence, Johnny Carey and Jack Rowley. These were the greats who made Manchester United great; legends for their immense contribution both on and off the pitch but now consigned to history. There are no shrines or statues to these players at Old Trafford yet without them, other legends might never have emerged, indeed the club itself might not exist. The Forgotten Legends brings to vivid life the careers of an elite set of footballers. They had two things in common: all made their United debuts before the start of the Second World War and none of them have had their story told in print before. HARRY STAFFORD -- The mysterious figure who saved Manchester United and then disappeared. CHARLIE ROBERTS -- Manchester United''s first great captain and founder of the PFA. SANDY TURNBULL -- a figure who attracted controversy as easily as he did match winning goals. JOE SPENCE -- United''s only true great between the wars, a legend among the fans. JOHNNY CAREY -- United''s next great captain, leading the club back to glory. JACK ROWLEY -- A prolific striker with a fearsome reputation on and off the pitch.

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Book SynopsisPacked with witty anecdotes, exclusive insights and glorious moments from City''s illustrious past, ''My Blue Heaven'' features the type of footballer that true blues have always identified with -- the terrace heroes who light up a dull Saturday afternoon with their style, passion and commitment to the cause. The concept of My Blue Heaven is simple -- interview the star names and ask them about their favourite games. So we hear from the striker who is still blamed for costing City a league title and the forward who helped City thrash United 5-0 at Old Trafford. Then there''s the goalkeeper who put in two FA Cup Final Man of the Match performances but still ended up on the losing side and the veteran defender whose first goal for the Blues remains his most treasured memory. Players featured and interviewed in ''My Blue Heaven'' are: Alan Oakes, Alex Williams, Clive Allen, Clive Wilson, David White, Ian Bishop, Joe Corrigan, Ken Barnes, Mark Lillis, Paddy Fagan, Paul Lake, Paul Power, Paul Walsh, Peter Barnes, Rodney Marsh, Roy Little, Tommy Booth and Uwe Rosler.

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Book SynopsisContaining John Doherty''s subjective views on each of the 339 men who have played for the club at senior level since 1945, The Insider''s Guide To Manchester United is the definitive Manchester United players'' guide. Doherty (an original Busby Babe and chairman of the United Old Boys committee) candidly reveals the strengths, weaknesses and his personal memories of United''s stars.

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