Association football (Soccer) Books

Book SynopsisGribble's unique mystery, featuring the actual Arsenal squad of 1939, sends Inspector Anthony Slade into the world of professional football to investigate a case of deadly foul play on and off the pitch.

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Book SynopsisA Financial Times Sports book of the Year 2018 pickWho's better: Ronaldo or Messi? Ask any football fan and they'll have an opinion. For the best part of the last decade football has seen a personal rivalry unlike any seen before. Cristiano and Leo. This is their definitive story, from children kicking a ball halfway around the world from each other to their era-defining battle to be number one. One the preening adonis, a precision physical machine who blows teams away with his pace and power. The other a shuffling genius, able to do things with a football that seem other-worldly. Their differences seem to tap into something fundamental about football and indeed life.Between them they have scored over a thousand goals, won the Ballon d'Or nine times and redefined modern football. For the past eight seasons they have shared the accolade of best footballer in the world and arguments rage over which one deserves the title of greatest player of all time. Cristiano and Leo by Spanish and South American football expert and journalist Jimmy Burns is the essential book to understand the defining players of a generation.'Burns is incapable of writing a boring sentence.' - Irish TimesTrade ReviewA thoroughly researched dual biography by the great Jimmy Burns -- Simon Kuper, author of The Football MenI am eating up this book. The verve with which Burns writes about the power politics and rich supporting characters like Florentino and Ferguson makes it a captivating read. -- Richard Fitzpatrick, author of El Clásico: Barcelona v Real Madrid, Football’s Greatest RivalryPraise for La Roja: There is so much people don’t know about Spain and Spanish football, and that is not a bad thing for as long as a complete writer like Jimmy Burns brings his unique vision to it. La Roja fills a hole in the knowledge of both Spain and Spanish football, as it goes beyond the football to explain a country, a society and its transformation through, thanks to and despite the beautiful game. -- Guillem Balague, author of Brave New World: Inside Pochettino’s Spurs Praise for Maradona: The Hand of God: Those who have an interest in the sociology of football, in modern Argentina and in the “story behind the headlines” will admire Burns’ disturbing book which easily transcends the normal confines of sports journalism. * The Economist *Praise for Barcelona: A People's Passion: Burns’ strength lies not just in his compulsive, well-told story of the club’s evolution, but his notable grasp of Catalan history. * Sunday Times *Table of ContentsSection - i: Prologue Chapter - 1: Madeira Chapter - 2: Rosario Chapter - 3: Rites of Passage: Ronaldo Chapter - 4: Little Big Man: Messi Chapter - 5: Lisbon Star: Ronaldo Chapter - 6: Growing Pains: Messi Chapter - 7: Into the Market: Ronaldo Chapter - 8: The Dwarf: Messi Chapter - 9: The Red Legacy: Ronaldo Chapter - 10: International Break – Euro Blues: Ronaldo Chapter - 11: First Team Calling: Messi Chapter - 12: Manchester Days: Ronaldo Chapter - 13: The Rise of the Hobbit: Messi Chapter - 14: International Break – Diego’s Shadow: Messi Chapter - 15: World Cup Trauma: Ronaldo the Winker Chapter - 16: Kicking On: Ronaldo Chapter - 17: The New Maradona: Messi Chapter - 18: Close Encounters: Messi vs Ronaldo Chapter - 19: Ronaldinho’s Farewell: Messi Chapter - 20: Euro 2008: Ronaldo Under Pressure Chapter - 21: International Break – The Beijing Olympics and Maradona Chapter - 22: Centre Stage: Ronaldo Chapter - 23: The Guardiola Revolution: Messi Chapter - 24: Goodbye Old Trafford, Hello Bernabéu: Ronaldo Chapter - 25: Untouchable: Messi Chapter - 26: International Break – World Cup 2010: Messi Chapter - 27: World Cup 2010: Ronaldo Chapter - 28: Enter Mourinho Chapter - 29: Clásicos: Ronaldo and Messi Chapter - 30: Mourinho Strikes Back Chapter - 31: International Break – Euro 2012: Ronaldo Chapter - 32: Life after Pep and with Mourinho: Messi and Ronaldo Chapter - 33: King Cristiano; Black Dog Messi Chapter - 34: International Break – World Cup Disappointment, National Embarrassment: Messi and Ronaldo Chapter - 35: Enrique vs Ancelotti Chapter - 36: International Break – The 2016 Copa América: Messi Chapter - 37: Rebuilding: Messi and Ronaldo Chapter - 38: International Break – Euro 2016: Ronaldo the Manager Chapter - 39: On Trial: Messi Chapter - 40: Legends: Messi and Ronaldo Chapter - 41: Conclusion Acknowledgements - ii: Acknowledgements Section - iii: Bibliography Section - iv: Notes Index - v: Index

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Book SynopsisEverything you ever needed to know about Leicester City.

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Book SynopsisMeet the UK's most notorious football hooligans. Author Andrew Woods has come face-to-face with Millwall's most famous firm and now, for the first time, the Bushwackers reveal all about their bloodiest battles and fiercest rivalries - in their own words. But among the camaraderie, the battles of wits with the police and the exhilarating toe-to-toe run-ins with the opposition, this book also examines the history of hooliganism and why measures brought in to combat violence have failed. Packed with hilarious characters. shocking tales and plenty of excitement, no stone is left unturned in this journey into the dark side of football. With stories from the 1960s to the present day - including the infamous Luton riot of 1985, the 'Mad Season' of 2001/02 and the ongoing war with West Ham's ICF - No-one Likes Us, We Don't Care is the ultimate collection of tales from the terraces.

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Book SynopsisGet ready for the Euros by journeying through the iconic and searingly honest story of one of the country''s best ever footballers''A truly world class career . . . This is a must read'' 5***** READER REVIEW''An astonishing tale of commitment, loyalty and determination'' 5***** READER REVIEW''A heart on sleeve account of success and failure'' 5***** READER REVIEW________Steven Gerrard is a phenomenon. He has played over 700 games for his beloved Liverpool and is the third most capped player in English football. He is one of the greatest sportsman of his generation.In My Story Gerrard speaks fully and frankly about his extraordinary playing career, opening up about the key matches and moments to give us the view from on the pitch. His exhilarating accounts of winning and losing while staying loyal to one club through good and bad tell us about his commitment both to the game and to Liverpool. It''s a story

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Book SynopsisThe Untouchables: Anfield's Band of Brothers chronicles the rise and fall of one of the greatest Liverpool teams ever. In 1918 an enlisted man, Tom Bromilow, stepped off the streets of Liverpool and straight into the team. Still in uniform, he was one of tens of thousands of Liverpudlians who fought in World War One. His signing completed a jigsaw that eventually revealed an image of footballing perfection, a team so great they were called 'The Untouchables'. The book brings to life a host of incredible characters, uncovers friendships and rivalries and reveals amazing backstories. Meet men like Bootle-born Walter Wadsworth, tough-talking Irishman Elisha Scott, champion boxer Jock McNab and many other fascinating figures. The Untouchables reveals previously unknown detail and sheds new light on old controversies, including the real reason behind the departure of the club's manager, Dave Ashworth. Meticulously researched and lovingly told, the book breathes new life into a fascinating and long-forgotten story.Trade Review"Almost exactly a century ago, on Saturday 21 April 1923, a Liverpool side managed by Matt McQueen clinched the top-flight title for the second successive season, with a 1-1 draw against Huddersfield Town at Anfield. Today the club is marking the anniversary of that great team’s achievements with a half-time tribute, and there’ll be a special banner on the Kop. The story is brilliantly chronicled in the 2021 book The Untouchables: Anfield’s Band of Brothers, by Jeff Gouding and Kieran Smith." * Liverpool FC Match Programme *

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Book SynopsisPlaying for the Shirt is a stunning showcase of the greatest known collection of match-worn West Ham United shirts.The book features a beautiful array of match-worn shirts from 1951 to the present day, from the old heavy cotton shirts of yesteryear to the high-tech shirts made of lightweight, breathable fibres for today’s athletes. In hunting down these precious cotton and polyester gems, lifelong Hammers fan Mick Clifford embarked on a journey to preserve the club’s past for fans of all ages.This eye-catching book is filled with superb photographs of worn shirts from the most famous players ever to don the celebrated East London club’s claret and blue colours – legends such as Bobby Moore, Billy Bonds, Trevor Brooking, Tony Cottee, Frank McAvennie, Paolo Di Canio, Julian Dicks, Dimitri Payet and Mark Noble.Playing for the Shirt captures moments in time, with a fascinating insight into how the West Ham shirt evolved. Each match-worn shirt tells a different story.Trade Review"It really is a super coffee-table type book of real quality writing and photography. Massive thought has gone into the presentation and layout… Rating: 10/10 (as I can’t give 11/10!)" -- Mark Watkins * Dare Radio *

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Book Synopsis'As vibrant, colourful and complex as South America's largest city'São Paulo, 2013: a city at an extraordinary moment in its history. Mario Leme, a detective in the civil police, has developed a friendship with a young English investigative journalist, Ellie. When she goes to meet a contact in central São Paulo, Mario observes from the street as she walks into a building and doesn't come out. Inside, he discovers the dead body of a young man he doesn't recognise, and Ellie's phone lying on the floor. Told partly from Leme's point of view, partly from Ellie's, Gringa takes us through five days during the redevelopment of the centre of Sao Paulo in the run-up to the 2014 World Cup. Ellie's disappearance links characters at every level of the social hierarchy, from the drug dealers and civil and military police to the political class she witnesses the feral brutality of urban breakdown. Gringa, with shades of Don Winslow and James Ellroy, is a portrait of São Paulo in all its harshness and dysfunction, its corruption and social divisions, its kaleidoscopic dynamism, its undercurrent of derangement, and its febrile, sensual instability, executed with a deep knowledge of the city's aPRAISE FOR JOE THOMAS 'Brilliant' The Times 'Feverish energy' Guardian 'Wonderfully vivid' Mail on Sunday'Sophisticated, dizzying' GQ'Vivid and visceral' The Times'Superbly realised vivid and atmospheric' Guardian'Original' Mail on Sunday'A stylish, atmospheric treat an inspired blend of David Peace and early Pinter' Irish Times 'Sparse, energetic, fragmented prose' The Spectator 'Vibrant, colourful, and complex' Irish Independent 'Stylish, sharp-witted, taut. A must for modern noir fans' NB Magazine 'Definitive confident and energetic' Crime Time 'Brilliant manic energy' Jake Arnott 'Wildly stylish and hugely entertaining' Lucy Caldwell 'Vivid, stylish, funny' Mick Herron 'Gripping, fast-paced, darkly atmospheric' Susanna Jones 'Snappy, thoughtful, moving' John King 'Exciting, fresh, incredibly assured' Stav Sherez 'Happy days!' Mark Timlin 'Utterly brilliant' Cathi Unsworth 'Had James Ellroy and David Peace collaborated on a novel they'd have written something like this' Paul Willets

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Book SynopsisThe greatest moments in sporting history in inglorious technicolour, from the artists' known as NO SCORE DRAWSGenuinely upsetting.' David SquiresRepulsively ugly.' Séamas O''ReillyAn Unofficial World Cup Hall of Infamy, featuring the worst fouls, best goals, most questionable refereeing decisions, dodgiest barnets, mintest kits and a host of Where were you when?' moments.This is the first (and, let's face it, probably only) book from the multi-untalented team behind moderately successful Twitter account @CheapPanini, bringing mild bemusement to the world through the medium of wonky hand-drawn stickers.You can't fault them for effort, even if they still can't do hands, so dive into these pages like Roy Keane into a tackle.Trade Review‘As someone who has spent/wasted years drawing wonky likenesses of footballers, this book really speaks to me. Sure, one of Mandor Hidegkuti’s eyes has dropped deep and their Mark Van Bommel is genuinely upsetting, but this is a funny and loving collection, as fans of No Score Draws have come to expect.’ David Squires, Guardian cartoonist and author of The Illustrated History of Football ‘An exquisitely beautiful book of repulsively ugly drawings. Come for the terrifying gallery of disgusting freaks, but stay for the humour, nostalgia and sheer unbridled joy it shares for the game, and for sticker books; the holy texts of any football-mad childhood. Essential reading for anyone who's ever picked up a ball, a book, or a marker pen, and thought: "why not?" Well, it replies, this is why…’ Séamas O'Reilly, author of Did Ye Hear Mammy Died? Praise for the work of ‘No Score Draws’: ‘It’s absolutely awful and I love it.’ ‘Will absolutely ruin my partner’s Christmas.’ ‘Splendid and horrid at the same time.’ ‘Were my expectations met? Sadly, yes.’

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE NEW WRITER AWARD AT THE CROSS SPORTS BOOK AWARDSSHORTLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE, THE GORDON BURN PRIZE AND FOOTBALL BOOK OF THE YEAR AT THE CROSS SPORTS BOOK AWARDSFEATURED IN THE OBSERVER''S SPORTS WRITERS'' BOOKS OF THE YEARAnd the Sun Shines Now is a book about why Hillsborough happened, and how the flawed response to the disaster created a ''whole new ball game'' but destroyed a culture. The Taylor Report. All-seater stadia. Police lies. Political neglect. Murdoch. The oligarchs. And an FA plan to gentrify football. But what happens when you take the people''s game away from the people? What happens to the game, and what happens to the people? Powerful, funny, soulful and brutal, Adrian Tempany''s acclaimed book exposes the real cost of the modern game . . . and the forces that shaped it.

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Andrés Iniesta is the Barcelona and Spain legend, rated by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Paul Scholes as one of the greatest footballers of all time. This is the thinking fan's footballer with a thinking fan's football book.Andrés Iniesta was twelve years old when scouts invited him into Barcelona's famous La Masia academy. Shortly after he joined the club, Barca legend Pep Guardiola remarked of him, 'This lad is going to retire us all.'Iniesta rapidly became a permanent fixture in the Barca midfield, propelling the club to a raft of trophies, including eight La Liga championships and four Champions League titles. With his country he has won the European Championship twice, and scored the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final.Behind the wonderfully graceful passing and movement, and the accolades and trophies he has garnered, there exists an intelligent and thoughtful man who, until now, has let his beautifully skilful feet do the talking. In The Artist: Being Iniesta, the Spanish maestro paints a vivid self-portrait, in his own words but also in those of his coaches, team-mates, opponents, friends and family. The result is intriguing.

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Book Synopsis*WINNER OF THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR*Fever Pitch is Nick Hornby''s million-copy-selling, award-winnning football classic''A spanking 7-0 away win of a football book. . . inventive, honest, funny, heroic, charming'' IndependentFor many people watching football is mere entertainment, to some it''s more like a ritual; but to others, its highs and lows provide a narrative to life itself. But, for Nick Hornby, his devotion to the game has provided one of few constants in a life where the meaningful things - like growing up, leaving home and forming relationships, both parental and romantic - have rarely been as simple or as uncomplicated as his love for Arsenal.Brimming with wit and honesty, Fever Pitch, catches perfectly what it really means to be a football fan - and in doing so, what it means to be a man.''Hornby has put his finger on truths that have been unspoken for geTrade ReviewFunny, wise and true—Roddy Doyle

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Book SynopsisAndrew Jennings, an award-winning investigative sports reporter, spent four years delving into the dark side of ''the beautiful game''. The result is this explosive and damning exposé of the officials that run football''s world governing body, FIFA .No individual has managed to penetrate the sanctified domain of FIFA and probed successfully into its often criticized yet unproven corruption of the world game. Until now.Author Andrew Jennings argues how FIFA President Sepp Blatter and his associates have misappropriated their position at the head of the world game in their desire for power, control, and a lucrative pay-off. How did these bizarre characters manage to take such control? Foul! is the explosive story.Jennings has undertaken unprecedented research in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, interviewing hundreds of officials and amassing an extraordinary library of damning documents.He tells how Blatter and his cronies built an invincible electoral machine to keep him in power Trade Review'Award-winning reporter Andrew Jennings has led the way investigating corruption in world football' Daily Mail ‘A meticulously researched and detailed dossier into the inner workings of FIFA’ Sunday Business Post ‘In Foul!, Jennings has turned his unerring attention to the bun fight that masquerades as the global governance of football’ Independent 'The appalling Sepp Blatter and his cronies' activities are laid bare in a mind-boggling web of deceit. Essential reading for cynical football fans.' Evening Herald Dublin

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Book SynopsisA League of Their Own provides readers with a closer look at the FIFA Club World Champions, such as FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Manchester City. Readers will catch a glimpse into the history of these clubs while also learning about the individual philosophies of some of the top coaches. This book discusses different tactical philosophies as well as how these tactical approaches have been adjusted by some of soccer's greatest coaches, such as Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Luis Enrique, and Louis van Gaal. Finally, readers will be taken through case studies of each individual team with a step-by-step analysis of how these tactical setups are successful and how they can be exploited. Each case study will provide a discussion of how each team sets up when in attack, defending, and in transition.Not only addressing how and why these tactical setups are powerful, this book also breaks down and specifies just how lesser teams can exploit the subtle weaknesses by adjusting their attacking, defending, and transition strategies. Winning the tactical battle on the pitch creates endless possibilities, and perhaps evens the playing field to continue intrigue of the game.

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Book SynopsisThis unique and magnificent collection of photographs of Manchester City FC, from the early 1900s up until just before the Millennium, selected from the Daily Mirror's extensive archive, captures the very essence of this famous old club and its supporters.

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Book Synopsis''Steeped in glory, loved by players for his light touch, he is probably the most coveted coach in the world.'' - Financial Times''a treasury of anecdote and insight'' - The Guardian ''Quiet Leadership contains page upon page of insight into his methods from Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, John Terry and more''. - Sport MagazineCarlo Ancelotti is one of the greatest managers of all time, with five Champions League titles to his name. Yet his approach could not be further from the aggressive theatricals favoured by many of his rivals. His understated style has earned him the fierce loyalty of players like David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo. In Quiet Leadership, Ancelotti reveals the full, riveting story of his managerial career - his methods, mentors, mistakes and triumphs - and takes us inside the dressing room to trace the characters, challenges and decisions that have shaped him. The result is both a scintillating memoir and a rare insight into the business of leadership.Trade ReviewA treasury of anecdote and insight * The Guardian *He's a great coach and an amazing person -- Cristiano RonaldoThere is nobody better than this international crisis manager to explain how to handle superstar players (Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale), difficult club presidents (Silvio Berlusconi and Roman Abramovich) and hysterical media -- Simon Kuper * Financial Times *Ancelotti is Europe's greatest manager -- Paul Hayward * Telegraph *enjoyable and insightful * Financial Times Review *Steeped in glory, loved by players for his light touch, he is probably the most coveted coach in the world. * Lunch with the FT *Page upon page of insight * Sport *

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Book SynopsisPlymouth Argyle Miscellany collects together all the vital information you never knew you needed to know about the Pilgrims. In these pages you will find irresistible anecdotes and the most mindblowing stats and facts. Heard the one about the 90-year-old director who was registered as a squad member? How about the two London-born midfielders called Lee Hodges who both played for the club? Or the penalty kick that ended up in the hippo pen at Plymouth Zoo, Home Park's 70s neighbour? Do you know which Greens forward let young children swing from his outstretched arms? Which Pilgrim became a saint by saving a baby from drowning? Or how long Sean McCarthy wore his undergarments before celebrating his 200th goal? All these stories and hundreds more appear in a brilliantly researched collection of trivia - essential for any fan who holds the riches of green-and-white history close to their heart.

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Book SynopsisA dozen Sunderland legends come together to tell the stories behind their favourite ever games for the club - enabling Black Cats fans of all ages to relive these magic moments through the eyes and emotions of the men who were there, playing their hearts out for the red-and-white stripes...Niall Quinn relives the rollercoaster 1998 League Division Two play-off final which went to 4-4 before Charlton pinched it 7-6 on penalties; Jim Montgomery recounts heroic tales of the landmark 1973 FA Cup Final. Ever the crowd pleaser, Gary Rowell waxes lyrical about a 4-1 defeat of Newcastle at St James' Park, while the club's all-time record scorer Bobby Gurney remembers a ten-goal thriller back in 1935! Sunderland greats Marco Gabbiadini, Len Ashurst and Charlie Hurley also turn in characteristic star performances, winding back the clock to relive treasured memories of the Match of Their Lives for the Black Cats.

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Book SynopsisIrresistible anecdotes, irrepressible characters, mindblowing stats and facts. Here's all the vital information you never knew you needed to know about Portsmouth FC, coupled with a day-by-day diary of magical and memorable moments from Pompey's rollercoaster history. Heard the one about the Fratton Park cleaner who claimed she was the holder of the FA Cup? How about the full-back who could throw the ball 37 yards? Or the bedridden invalid cured by Pompey's winning goal in the 1939 Cup Final? Turn back the clock to 17 May 2008, when Kanu's strike against Cardiff saw Portsmouth lift the FA Cup. Revisit 23 April 1949 when the lads were crowned Football League champions. Or 31 August 1946, when club legends Jimmy Dickinson and Peter Harris both made their debuts against Blackburn! A brilliantly researched collection of trivia - essential for any fan who holds the riches of blue-and-white history close to their heart.

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Book SynopsisA collection of short biographies on the great Sunderland players named as Player of the Year who helped to define the club's image and set the standard for its future stars. It is suitable for any true fan interested in the history of their beloved club. Each chapter is illustrated and gives season by season stats and total appearances.

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Book SynopsisGlory, Glory Lane is the life-affirming history - including a momentous last season - of a world-famous football stadium, home to Tottenham Hotspur for 118 years. A Victorian structure turned wraparound 21st-century all-seater, it became a theatre of dreams for supporters all attracted by teams which played the 'Spurs way' to achieve glory. The Lane gave a stage to a conveyor belt of legends from Cameron to Alli via Nicholson, Blanchflower, Greaves, Hoddle and Klinsmann. It provided unforgettable memories in unforgettable atmospheres - heart-lifting, heart-breaking, nerve-racking. Its story veers from founders obsessed by Harry Hotspur to Harry Kane via Harry Redknapp; through matches, personalities, ground developments and threatened closure, all with first-hand accounts. It's hard to imagine how a new GBP750m stadium can ever replace the edifice which shut its gates for the last time after Spurs played Manchester United in May 2017, having created a daunting legacy.

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Book SynopsisCreative Soccer Training includes 350 modern practical games and drills that build on basic playing skills. Foregoing theoretical introductions, the authors focus on presenting comprehensive exercises and particular skills that go beyond standard training.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"[E]njoyably accessible to nonspecialists, especially sports enthusiasts, who will learn a great deal about soccer, economics, and human behavior more generally."--Foreign Affairs "Beautiful Game Theory shows what it is like to think deeply about a sport and to test your ideas with data... [I]t is a book I recommend unconditionally to those economists with even a passing sport."--John Considine, Sportseconomics.orgTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 FIRST HALF 1.Pele Meets John von Neumann in the Penalty Area 9 2.Vernon Smith Meets Messi in the Laboratory 31 3.Lessons for Experimental Design 45 4.Mapping Minimax in the Brain (with Antonio Olivero, Sven Bestmann, Jose Florensa Vila, and Jose Apesteguia) 58 5.Psychological Pressure on the Field and Elsewhere 68 HALFTIME 6.Scoring at Halftime 89 SECOND HALF 7.Favoritism under Social Pressure 107 8.Making the Beautiful Game a Bit Less Beautiful (with Luis Garicano) 124 9.Fear Pitch 151 10.From Argentina without Emotions 164 11.Discrimination: From the Makana Football Association to Europe 174 Acknowledgments 193 References 195 Index 205

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Book SynopsisMark Ward enjoyed all the trappings of success as one of the most popular and highly-rated right wingers in football. 'Wardy' proved an overnight sensation at Oldham and continued to be a star at West Han, Man City and Everton before inspiring Birmingham City to Wembley glory. But when his career on the pitch ended, his life swiftly unravelled. After failed business ventures and the collapse of his marriage to his childhood sweetheart he ended up unemployed - and desperate. Ward put his name to a rental agreement on a house near Liverpool that was used by others to stash drugs. When the police raided they found a drugs factory. He pleaded guilty to dealing and was sent to Liverpool's notorious Walton Prison. His life would never be the same. During the years he spent inside he has been able to reflect on an extraordianry playing career and an equally eventful life off the picth. He recounts in heart-wrenching detail his highs and lows and tells it like it is with honesty that epitomised his playing career.

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Book SynopsisProvides an account of Ferenc Puskas: his growing up in Soviet-occupied Hungary, travelling the world with the national side and army team Honved, and his different achievements in the game of football.

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Book SynopsisIpswich Town's Championship win of 1961/62 was one the greatest shocks in the history of professional football in England. No one could have conceived of how a small-town club would break into the top division of English football and take the Championship trophy at their very first attempt, a feat never achieved before or since. This is the story of that season in a match-by-match account set against the background of the news stories of the day. Also included is an analysis of the players, the team tactics and the manager Alf Ramsey, plus a statistical breakdown of the season.

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Book SynopsisOne of Britain''s greatest ever footballers, Bobby Lennox epitomises an era in which Celtic were the best and most successful football club in the UK. In May 1967, he and his fellow Lisbon Lions achieved footballing immortality when they lifted the European Cup - the first British side to do so. Lennox''s 300 goals for Celtic and Scotland make him the second-highest goalscorer in Celtic''s history and the highest since the Second World War. With the Scottish national side, Lennox famously scored the second goal in Scotland''s stunning 3-2 victory over England at Wembley in 1967, when the Scots became the first country to defeat the then world champions. In this definitive autobiography, Lennox recounts with his famous dry wit and openness, his part in these extraordinary achievements, revealing aspects of his career which, until now, he has never previously made public.

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Book Synopsis''EPIC'' Financial Times''PERCEPTIVE'' The Sunday Times''BLISSFUL'' Daily Telegraph''FASCINATING'' Independent on Sunday''TERRIFIC'' Henry Winter''EXCELLENT'' Simon KuperThe fascinating story of football in Eastern Europe following the collapse of the Berlin Wall, from the award-winning author of Inverting the PyramidFrom the war-ravaged streets of Sarajevo, where turning up for training involved dodging snipers'' bullets, to the crumbling splendour of Budapest''s Bozsik Stadium, where the likes of Puskás and Kocsis masterminded the fall of England, the landscape of Eastern Europe has changed immeasurably since the collapse of communism. Jonathan Wilson has travelled extensively behind the old Iron Curtain, viewing life beyond the fall of the Berlin Wall through the lens of football. Where once the state-controlled teams of the Eastern bloc passed their way with crisp efficiency - a sort of communist version of total football - to considerable success on the European and international stages, today the beautiful game in the East has been opened up to the free market, and throughout the region a sense of chaos pervades. The threat of totalitarian interference no longer remains; but in its place mafia control is generally accompanied with a crippling lack of funds. Jonathan Wilson goes in search of the spirit of Hungary''s ''Golden Squad'', charts the disintegration of the footballing superpower Yugoslavia, follows a sorry tale of corruption, mismanagement and Armenian cognac through the Caucasuses, reopens the case of Russia''s greatest footballer, Eduard Streltsov, and talks to Jan Tomaszewski about an autumn night at Wembley in 1973...BEHIND THE CURTAIN is the definitive story of football in Eastern Europe.Trade ReviewEpic... Wilson writes captivatingly with humour...anyone with an interest in eastern European sport will be consulting this book for years to come * FINANCIAL TIMES *A blissful book, lovingly and stylishly written * DAILY TELEGRAPH *With style and erudition, [Wilson] proves that football is a metaphor, an allegory, and much more than just a game * THE TIMES *There's everything you needed to know about football and plenty that you didn't... wittily observed travel writing. * WHEN SATURDAY COMES *This fascinating and perceptive travelogue includes a fine collection of anecdotes too colourful for fiction * SUNDAY TIMES *A terrific book -- Henry Winter * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Football is centred squarely within a fascinating socio-political context... There is plenty of humour too * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *Compelling... he [Wilson] succeeds in going well beyond the lurid headlines, skilfully interweaving his own travel notes with forays into politics, culture and history * FOURFOURTWO *Enlightening * THE SCOTSMAN *An intriguing, entertaining history-cum-sports travelogue. **** * METRO *Wilson knows an immense amount about eastern European football and has crammed a lot into 300 pages. He writes well and has a lot of good stories * GUARDIAN *As absorbing as any post-war spy thriller * SUNDAY LIFE *Engrossing and funny travelogue-cum-social history * GLASGOW EVENING TIMES *Jonathan Wilson brilliantly plugs the gaps in our knowledge...an observant and witty guide to life in Eastern Europe * WATERSTONES BOOKS QUARTERLY *With style and erudition, [Wilson] proves that football is a metaphor, an allegory, and much more than just a game * THE TIMES *Enlightening * THE SCOTSMAN *

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Book SynopsisStanley Matthews was the most popular footballer of his era, the man who epitomised a generation of legendary players: Tom Finney, Nat Lofthouse, Billy Wright and many more. He was the first footballer ever to be knighted, the first European Footballer of the Year (at 41), and he played in the top division until he was 50 - and he will be forever remembered for his performance in the Matthews FA Cup final of 1953, when he inspired Blackpool to victory over Bolton. THE WAY IT WAS is a the fascinating memoir of a great footballer and the remarkable story of an extraordinary life, written in the last months of his life.Trade Review'...both a fascinating personal story and an evocation of a sporting world that has gone forever.' W MagazineThere is a heartfelt, elegiac quality [to] THE WAY IT WAS ... It is only a pity he is not here to see it published * Chris Maume, Independent *`A first summary of the life, on and off the pitch of England's greatest player' ExpressThe book is an appropriate and nearly always engrossing chronicle of an illustrious career, and good to have * Ian Hamilton, Sunday Telegraph *'his engrossing autobiography' Times 'impossible to imagine any of today's football stars ever producing a memoir half so interesting' Mail on SundayEspecially rewarding, though, are Stan's descriptions of his technical perfectionism * Brian Glanville, Sunday Times *A fascinating and amusing insight into the inner workings of football during its golden era * Saul David, Daily Telegraph *THE WAY IT WAS is a ticket to a different era, when the game wasn't saturated with money and men like Sir Stanley upheld sporting ideals * Mike Pattenden, Times *Brings vividly to life some of the greatest games of the time and features his perceptive analysis of the characters who illuminated the age * Independent *The story of one of the greatest footballers of all time ... is told in great detail and with an unexpected sense of humour. It is his vivid memory that makes THE WAY IT WAS such a good read * FourFourTwo *A gracefully crafted autobiography filled with entertaining anecdotes reflecting an age when the game was uncorrupted by greed and hooliganism * Birmingham Post *

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Book SynopsisTHE MOST COMPREHENSIVE BIOGRAPHY OF ARSENE WENGER EVER PUBLISHED, NOW FULLY REVISED AND UPDATED TO THE END OF HIS ARSENAL CAREER. When Arsene Wenger arrived at Arsenal in 1996, he was little known to fans at the club and many doubted he could bring back the glory days of George Graham. But soon he was transforming the way the team played, melding the famous English defensive spine of Tony Adams, Martin Keown, Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn and David Seaman with a hugely creative foreign attacking spirit, epitomised by Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry and Robert Pires, that could both outplay and outmuscle their rivals. At the same time, he introduced new ideas on diet, exercise, training and tactics, which many players believe extended their careers. Having won numerous trophies, and led the Invincibles to an unprecedented unbeaten league season in 2003-04, Wenger then had to help the Gunners through the next stage of their development when they moved from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium, a move that was followed by a nine-year trophy drought. Despite the financial constraints he faced, he still managed to keep the club playing in the Champions League year after year while remaining true to his philosophy of how the game should be played. Some began to question whether he had been left behind, despite picking up back-to-back FA Cups in 2014 and 2015, and in the end in April 2018 he decided the time was right to step away.  Now, in this updated edition of John Cross's acclaimed biography, the author provides a compelling account of the man and his methods across 22 years in charge. He assesses the scale of Wenger's achievements and whether the criticism he faced towards the end was justified. Arsene Wenger builds into the most complete portrait of the Frenchman yet written. 

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewSatirical, historical, fantastical and irresistible. * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisHow much do you really know about Manchester United? 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. It's packed with trivia on all the great Man United sides and players - from the 'Busby Babes' to 'Fergie's Fledglings', from Charlton, Law and Best to Rooney, Ronaldo and Rashford - providing hours of highly dippable fun and entertainment. Which player earned a taekwondo black belt and seriously considered abandoning his football career to work as a docker? Which Republic of Ireland international was raised in orphanages? Son of a Greco-Roman wrestling champion, which striker served in the Norwegian army? Which United striker made history when he played for Stockport County alongside his father? Which player appeared opposite Cate Blanchett in the 1998 movie Elizabeth? Trivquiz Manchester United holds the answers to all these questions and hundreds more.

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Book SynopsisForeword by Kevin Keegan. Scoreboard Soccer develops players through play and praise. The Scoreboard Soccer concepts derives from the belief that the environment created for players will influence the behaviors they will practice and refine over time. This book presents the fun, inclusive, and nurturing environments which can be used to develop young players' skills. When participating in a Scoreboard Soccer game, players will work in an environment that creates realistic game situations, practicing opposition, change of direction, and transition. In these situations, the players will work on those skills coaches wish to develop in young players: passing, dribbling, shooting, and tackling. What sets the Scoreboard Soccer concept apart from traditional training methods is the added incentive for players to demonstrate these positive behaviors: the scoreboard. Using the scoreboard gives each practice a fun challenge that runs parallel to learning the tactics and techniques. It can be used to encourage and reward player effort and involvement within the game. In addition to the Scoreboard Soccer concept, coaching, and content is a complete Scoreboard Soccer curriculum which can be used as a longer-term development plan.

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Book SynopsisWest Ham United: From East End Family to Globalised Fandom is the story of the evolution of West Ham. It charts how a works football team was transformed into a club that represented east London's working classes, only to be transformed again in the late 20th and early 21st centuries into a global brand with supporters in every habitable place on Earth. Starting as the Thames Ironworks Ltd works team, they changed their name to West Ham United in 1900, shortly before moving to the Boleyn Ground in Upton Park. For nearly a century they were supported by local working-class men from across the East End of London until a series of economic, social, cultural, geographical and technological changes brought the club a global fanbase. Through surveying West Ham United fan groups across the world, this book attempts to explain this phenomenon and to get a sense of what the club means to those who originally came from the East End, as well as to those who have no biographical connection to the area.

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Book SynopsisEddie Hapgood, Footballer is the extraordinary story of a young unknown from Bristol who became Arsenal and England captain and a national hero, in the dark days of the 1930s. His impact is so enduring that when the millennium dawned, the public voted him one of the greatest sportsmen of the century. That glorious legacy was painfully achieved. Hapgood considered football an art and played it joyously as part of a team, but he struggled when politics, class and money threatened to undermine him and corrupt football. By the late 1930s, the ugly shadows of fascism, Nazism and looming war were bearing down on the beautiful game. Hapgood found himself in a public fight for justice and respect, while behind the scenes he protected his family with dedication, love and humour. In this gripping memoir, his daughter Lynne Hapgood pulls together the various threads - success, celebrity, tragedy and vindication - to reveal the real Eddie Hapgood. She examines the nature of sporting greatness and its impact on fans and family.

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Book SynopsisEssential reading for soccer fans as the 2022 World Cup approaches, this lively and lyrical book is 'an ideal guide to the world's most popular sport' (Simon Kuper, coauthor of Soccernomics). Soccer is not only the world's most popular game; it's also one of the most widely shared forms of global culture. The Language of the Game is a passionate and engaging introduction to soccer's history, tactics, and human drama. Profiling soccer's full cast of characters—goalies and position players, referees and managers, commentators and fans—historian and soccer scholar Laurent Dubois describes how the game's low scores, relentless motion, and spectacular individual performances combine to turn each match into a unique and unpredictable story. He also shows how soccer's global reach makes it an unparalleled theater for nationalism, international conflict, and huma

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Book SynopsisDelve into vintage photos of Scottish football stadiums and crowds that have lain unseen, in archives and rarely accessed collections, for decades. Also contains anecdotes and quirks gathered from fans, club historians and newspaper articles of decades past. Published with vol. 2. Foreword by Leanne Crichton, player and BBC football journalist.

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Book SynopsisWhen the final whistle was blown at Upton Park on 10 May 2016, it was more than a football match that had ended. West Ham United's victory over Manchester United was the club's spectacular swansong after 112 years at its spiritual home. The Boleyn's Farewell: West Ham's Final Game at Upton Park delves into one of the club's most historic nights, with insight from players, fans and others who were there. Everything from the atmosphere before the game, Winston Reid's winner and the digitised Bobby Moore switching off the stadium lights, the build-up and aftermath of the game, as well as the on-pitch action are recounted and celebrated within these pages. This was an evening that would come to define a generation and is unforgettable for many West Ham supporters. While the Boleyn Ground no longer stands, memories of the stadium and the Hammers' glorious farewell performance will endure. The Boleyn's Farewell is the definitive account of one of the most significant matches in West Ham's long history.

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Book SynopsisPortsmouth's 6.57 crew were the most talked about casual football firm of the 1980s and 1990s. This notorious gang took their name from the time of the train they caught to games, following their team around the country with the kind of dedication - and violence - that only a true hoolifan knows. Now, for the first time ever, the amazing story of the firm is revealed.

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Book Synopsis'Terrific ... well-researched, well written' David Winner, author of Brilliant Orange 'Deeply researched...nicely written, and manages to get inside Cruyff's very bizarre head' Simon Kuper Argumentative, brilliant, arrogant, visionary. Johan Cruyff was one of the greatest footballers of all time, a worldwide phenomenon and arguably the most famous Dutchman of the twentieth century. Both on the pitch and from the sidelines as a coach, with his brand of Total Football he changed how the game was played and left a lasting legacy. Although Cruyff led a large part of his illustrious career and life in the spotlight, in many ways Cruyff the man and sportsman is still a complete mystery. Based on years of extensive research, this biography the first to cover all aspects of Cruyff’s life and work, from his key influence in the great Ajax and Netherlands sides of the 1970s to his role inTrade Review'Terrific' -- David Winner, author of Brilliant Orange'Deeply researched...nicely written, and manages to get inside Cruyff's very bizarre head' -- Simon Kuper

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Book SynopsisSince the year 2000 women's soccer has become more popular throughout the world and in the UK it is now the most important participation sport for women and girls, with a national network of leagues and clubs that cater for players of all levels and experience.

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Book SynopsisFootball fans love nothing more than to read about their favourite teams. Although this book is aimed at young teenagers they will delight all ages with their mixture of funny and enlightening stories and will give hours of pleasure discovering quirky facts about your favourite team. Each title is also augmented with a selection of sketches by the young sketch artist Becky Welton that depict some of the stories within.

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Book SynopsisTo celebrate 50 years of watching Manchester City, Steve Mingle presents an array of memories spanning the whole period. The Best and Worst of Everything includes heroes and villains, triumphs and disasters, moments of genius and heinous cock-ups. Here are Steve's most memorable games, players and incidents in a weird and wonderful range of categories. There's much to look back on with affection - the best wins at Old Trafford, the Goat's spawniest finishes, Bell's finest goals, the best wins with ten men - but also plenty of pain, as Steve looks back on the worst goalkeeping howlers, City's jinxes and the biggest villains ever to have darkened the club's doorways. Amongst all this, Steve selects his favourite hard men, pie-eaters and comedy moments as well as providing hard statistical input - who have really been City's penalty kings? Who do we wish we could have played every week? It's a fascinating book packed with memories good and bad, full of debating points for City fans of all ages.

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