Association football (Soccer) Books

Book SynopsisHalf a century on from his Wembley hat-trick, England World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst risks controversy as he narrows down football's finest to a select 50.Which of his 1966 teammates have earned their place among the all-time greats? Would he have had Franz Beckenbauer in his XI ahead of Bobby Moore? What are his memories of playing against Pelé and Eusébio? And which England stars of later generations would Sir Geoff have loved to play alongside?With first-hand tales of former teammates and rivals, along with tributes to those he's admired from the terraces, Geoff Hurst's Greats is essential reading for football fans of all ages.

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Book SynopsisKerry's life in recent years has been bedevilled by problems with gambling, drugs and, worst of all, a prison sentence in 2015 after he was convicted of grievous bodily harm following a fight in a pub. At that point, one of football's golden boys finally hit rock bottom. This book is the honest, unflinching account of his rise and fall, and of the new life he is now slowly and patiently building. His memories of playing in a more robust era of the game, before the days of multi-million-pound salaries and all the rest of the modern football circus, will appeal to plenty of nostalgic football fans, as well as to all those who remember him as one of the game's all-time greats. Equally, his unflinching recollections of his darkest days, culminating in his time in prison, are about as far from the Beautiful Game as anyone can imagine. The world is all too familiar with tales of once-famous footballers falling from grace.Up Front, however, is unique at once for its flashes of humour in adversity, its clear-eyed reflections on a different age of football, when leading players could all too easily be treated as disposable, and finally for its humility. For Kerry Dixon, as this often moving autobiography shows, the only way is up.

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Book SynopsisPulled Off at Half-Time is the ultimate collection of hilarious comic offerings delivered by figures in football. No one can dispute that footballers have provided some of the funniest quotes (intentionally or not) in the history of sport. Inspired by England maverick Rodney Marsh's risqué exchange with Sir Alf Ramsey, Pulled Off at Half-Time is packed with more than 750 quotes on all aspects of the game from and about the most famous names in football. 'I might have faults, but I am not a bighead' - Wayne Rooney, as modest as ever! 'In football, the only game I know is the 90-minutes game. It's not mind games; I don't try to do that' - Jose Mourinho... really? 'For me it is enough that I have the first and last word' - Jurgen Klopp. 'I think sometimes the best training is to rest' - Cristiano Ronaldo. Table of ContentsEnglish Premier League Teams • Night Clubs • Training • Clothing • Terrace Songs and Chants • Referees • Managers • Directors • Fans • Stadiums • Antics • International Duty • Goalkeepers • Wives and Girlfriends • Victory • Defeat • Relegation • Haircuts • Commentators • Great Players.

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Book Synopsis'The whistle blows and I set off for the one kick I know will stay with me for the rest of my life, maybe even define my life...'Michael Carrick was the heartbeat of Manchester United. For more than a decade he was the player that made them tick. Loved by his managers, lauded by his fellow professionals, worshipped by the Old Trafford faithful, yet regularly misunderstood by the wider public, Carrick was a player like no other.Intelligent, calm, thoughtful - in many ways the opposite of the archetypal English midfielder - Carrick has always been his own man and is typically forthright. In his book he reveals what it's really like to win relentlessly under legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson, shows us the hidden secrets of the famous Carrington training ground, invites us to experience the camaraderie and clashes inside the United dressing room, and lets us feels what it's like to walk out on the Old Trafford pitch alongside some of the biggest names in the game - from Ronaldo to Scholes to Giggs, Rooney and the rest.A deeply personal book, Between the Lines reveals for the first time Michael's battles with mental health, his struggles with the national side, as well as the redemption he has found with his family and his team.From growing up in the north-east to winning the Champions League and five Premier League titles with Manchester United, via West Ham and Tottenham, Carrick's story reveals him to be his own man: fearless, thoughtful, intelligent and honest.*All of Michael Carrick's proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to the Michael Carrick Foundation, dedicated to providing financial support to community services that will give underprivileged children living in the North and North East better opportunities so that they feel safe, valued and inspired.*Trade ReviewIn English football sometimes it seems hard for people to rate those who instead of shining themselves make the team work as a collective. For example Michael Carrick . . . who makes those around him play -- Xabi AlonsoI think Michael's the best central midfielder in English football. I think he's the best English player in the game. -- Sir Alex FergusonCarrick could play for Barcelona, he has good vision and is an intelligent player -- Arsene WengerScholes and Carrick together was peaceful. It was like going into a bar and hearing a piano playing. It's relaxing -- Gary Neville

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Welcome to Wrexham! Everyone in the world is talking about Wrexham AFC – the Red Dragons are on fire. In 2023, the team achieved their fairy-tale dream of promotion after 15 agonising years of languishing at the very bottom of the lowest league. They did it, in part, thanks to two Hollywood superstars, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who purchased the club in 2020, and promptly took the team on a superhero-inspired adventure back to the top of the turf.This provincial Welsh football club has now been catapulted onto the world's stage, thanks to the hit Disney+ documentary that followed the celebrities' acquisition, the mega-watt signings, and the dramatic twists and turns that felt straight out of a Hollywood script."I love every second of hating it. Wrexham AFC is the greatest drug on earth." Ryan ReynoldsFounded in 1864, the same year Abraham Lincoln was re-elected as president amidst America's Civil War, Wrexham is the oldest football club in Wales.

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Book SynopsisFootball stadiums are supposed to be packed with cheering fans. It was that way for more than 100 years until the coronavirus pandemic changed all our lives. Football managed to struggle on at some levels but without crowds - just cardboard cut-outs and fake noise instead. There was even a half measure for a while with a couple of thousand spectators allowed in. A banner at Old Trafford read, 'Football is nothing without fans', but what we discovered is that it isn't nothing, it's just better with fans there. Filled with fascinating stories, anecdotes, opinions and social media comments, Football is Better with Fans explores what it means to be a supporter. It's a light-hearted and highly dippable look at the lives of loyal fans, the fun and games they've enjoyed, their songs, banter, commitment, tattoos and traditions. The book doesn't shy away from tragedies, hooliganism or racism, but mainly it's a joyful celebration of football fandom and how we all survived when we couldn't go to games.

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Book SynopsisSoul and Glory takes you on a journey through football history, spanning four unforgettable and unique decades from 1950 to 1989. Using beautiful images, it's a celebration of the game, from the life and soul of the packed-out terraces to the glory and despair on the pitch. The book showcases the diversity and individuality of football going back to an era when things looked very different than now, for better or worse. Whether it's muddy pitches, players celebrating with fans, larger-than-life characters or stadiums packed out an hour before kick-off, Soul and Glory will take you on a nostalgia-filled trip down memory lane. Legends such as George Best, Jimmy Greaves, Bobby Charlton, Bobby Moore, Paul Gascoigne and Stanley Matthews all feature, as well as a wide selection of teams and stadia. This stunning pictorial celebration of English football is sure to leave you reminiscing about the uniqueness and flamboyance of the nation's football heritage.

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Book SynopsisMade in Europe is a glorious celebration of Europe's greatest and most remarkable football talent. From the first European Championship in 1960 through to the modern day, it features a smorgasbord of unforgettable players - each one commemorated in stunning photographs and expertly profiled by a skilled team of writers. The book includes 250 favourites - not just the best footballers, but also the craziest and most colourful, the most stylish and the coolest. Each player is honoured with a mini-biography, interspersed with little-known anecdotes that are sure to come in handy at any football quiz night. The selection features players from all the top European football nations, and six greats (Van Basten, Gascoigne, Beckenbauer, Zidane, Iniesta and De Bruyne) are given full-length profiles. You'll learn things you didn't know about your heroes, and perhaps discover some new ones who until now have slipped under the radar, in this beautifully illustrated book.

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Book SynopsisIn 2019, an app called OWNAFC hit the market promising football fans the chance to buy and run their own club. Just a few months later it collapsed, leaving customers hundreds of thousands of pounds out of pocket. Fit and Proper People tells the story of the business that was supposed to revolutionise the game, the people who lost out and the violent consequences suffered by those who tried to hold OWNAFC to account. The book uncovers how poor regulation and the financial structure of English football make clubs easy prey for unsuitable owners and how, time and again, the fans are left to pick up the pieces. With the aborted launch of the European Super League, there is finally widespread recognition that billionaires, venture capitalists, broadcasters and tech businesses must no longer be allowed to dictate the future of the game. Fit and Proper People is a powerful expose of the state of football and a call to properly protect clubs and to involve the people who really love them - the fans - in how they are run.

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Book SynopsisRise Together: Coventry City Under Mark Robins examines the rebirth of Coventry City FC from 2017 to 2020. Having sunk to the depths of English football's lowest professional division, the Sky Blues were a million miles from the FA Cup-winning heyday of 1987 and the glitz and glamour of Premier League football. After a decade of decline, a constant churn of managers, coaches and players, the arrival of Mark Robins for a second spell in charge would end all that. Backed by a fanbase desperate for success, winning the 2017 Football League Trophy was just the beginning. Robins would mould Coventry City into a side capable of something few at the club had achieved before - success. That first trophy at Wembley would be followed by two more - victory in the 2018 League Two play-off final, then the League One title in 2020. With off-the-field issues continuing to dog the club, including a second move out of Coventry, the story of Rise Together is one that every football fan will appreciate.

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Book SynopsisNot German, I'm Scouse is the hilarious, emotional and compelling life story of German Liverpool supporter Carsten Nippert. As a young boy, Carsten was fascinated by the Reds. His teenage years were marked by despair and frustration as rare TV highlights and an unreliable radio reception offered the only access to his beloved Liverpool. Fear characterised his first visits to Anfield when he encountered vitriolic Mancunians and Kopites whose dialect confused him. His whole life revolved around his unquenchable passion. An emotionally blackmailed mother had to provide a ticket for a European Cup final when her underage son announced he would travel there regardless. She was even tasked, through his will, with scattering his ashes around Anfield if she outlived him. Carsten's adventures took him to Istanbul, outwitting riot police and 'bunking in' in Athens, a sleepless round-trip to Kiev and an unforgettable party in Madrid. Not German, I'm Scouse is the remarkable tale of an unlikely Liverpool fan who became a Scouser at heart.

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Book SynopsisThe Scottish League Cup is often wrongly described as the 'Cinderella' of Scottish football, as distinct from its two ugly sisters, the Scottish League and the Scottish Cup. Dating from the Second World War, it is certainly the youngest. The trophy is unusual, if not unique, in having three handles. It is a major part of the Scottish season, and has been keenly contested for 75 years. Sixteen teams have won the cup. Unsurprisingly, the big Glasgow clubs have won it the most, but Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs and Dundee have also tasted glory. The trophy has also given the likes of Raith Rovers and Livingston their moments in the sun - and who could ignore the mighty deeds of East Fife, who won the cup three times in its first decade? Rangers hold the record for Scottish League Cup wins, but Celtic's victories have been more spectacular, not least their astonishing 7-1 triumph in the 1957 final. This book pays homage to each one of the 75 seasons, with a detailed account of every final.

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Book SynopsisSet in the 1980s, Not All-Ticket: From Withernsea High to Boothferry Park Halt chronicles a dramatic period in the history of Hull City AFC through the eyes of a young fan from rural East Yorkshire. From relegation and receivership to the 'Robinson renaissance', Lusmore experiences a rollercoaster of emotions, culminating in dismay at perhaps the most contentious managerial dismissal in the club's history. In the process, he charts a course through his coming of age, capturing how it feels to follow an unfashionable team in an often unloved city. He flirts with rival sporting attractions, then tosses them aside in favour of the small-fry team in this tatty fish town. The football-fuelled adrenalin rush is soon replicated in his first forays into the local music and club scene. Discovering the delights of Hull after dark, he soon realises that Saturday is about much more than just the match. First-hand terrace tales and musical memories abound in this uplifting memoir.

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Book SynopsisFor 150 years the FA Cup has been at the heart of English sport. From Stanley Matthews to Bob Stokoe, Bert Trautmann to Arsene Wenger and Ronnie Radford to Billy the white horse - its heroes, myths and legends form the fabric of our national game. The Cup celebrates the story of the world's greatest football competition with more than 100 stunning and evocative photos. Here is an epic tale of glorious sporting heritage and extraordinary longevity. From its Victorian beginnings as a competition for teams of former public schoolboys, to the vast Edwardian crowds flocking to the Crystal Palace, to the human dramas at Wembley in the 1950s and the heyday of the 1970s. Each photo is accompanied by the stories behind the people, places and occasions, going well beyond the familiar FA Cup tales. From the early rounds through to the pomp and pageantry of the final - this book brings you the full FA Cup story.

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Book SynopsisThe Immortals is a passionate love letter to Celtic FC, by turns ecstatic and distressed, angry and joyous, but always obsessed. After the disappointment in 2021 of failing to complete the fabled ten-in-a-row league titles, the author took solace in researching causes for celebration from Celtic's proud past. His starting point was the rallying cry that 'two nines are better than one', and the book's centrepieces are stories of both of Celtic's nine-in-a-row triumphs. On his journey he discovered darkness and despair as well as derring-do and delight, the extremes of emotion inevitable in all love affairs. He uncovered the evils of the Irish Holocaust and the poverty of Glasgow's East End that preceded Celtic's foundation, the dubious conduct of Celtic's money-men, as well as the 'miracles' of the immortals among the club's founding fathers, its dynasties, managers and players. The book takes us on a pilgrimage through time with faithful hope for the future.Trade Review"The Immortals… one of the most essential Celtic reads… equal parts enlightening and engaging… deftly held together by Vine’s astute grasp of what the club represents to its supporters. Few writers have ever illustrated Jock Stein’s tenure at Celtic with such poetic grace. Vine’s ambition, along with his ability as a writer, place this work far above any rote account of Celtic’s two historical nine-in-a-row runs. [It] offers as much insight as historical detail that goes beyond what is offered in Celtic’s literature." * Not the View, Celtic fanzine *"Vine conjures a thoughtful, provocative and knowing account of Celtic's key figures and history. It is expertly written and compelling." -- Michael Grant * Scottish Football Correspondent, The Times *

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Book SynopsisDon Howe is one of English football's great coaches, with an unrivalled record at international and club level. As right-hand man to three England managers, he helped his country to the 1990 World Cup and Euro 96 semi-finals. He helped to steer them through the 1982 World Cup unbeaten and to the quarter-finals four years later. Howe masterminded the 1970/71 double at Arsenal, where two spells as coach also brought European and further FA Cup glory. He was also an integral part of one of the greatest Wembley upsets when he helped Wimbledon's 'Crazy Gang' to victory over the mighty Liverpool in 1988. As a player at West Bromwich Albion, Howe won 24 international caps, but as a manager he failed to achieve the success he craved. Yet over a three-decade period, he won acclaim from many of England's finest players as a genius of the coaching profession. Through interviews with players, colleagues, friends and family, this book examines the triumphs and challenges of Don Howe's career and assesses his contribution to English football.

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Book SynopsisWhen Jim Smith took charge of Derby County in the summer of 1995, he joined a club needing to balance the books after several seasons of failing to reach the Premier League. Little was expected of him. Yet alongside Steve McClaren, Smith oversaw a transformation that took Derby to a new home, a new division and to the brink of European competition for the first time since the days of Dave Mackay. Smith built a side capable of matching the very best in English football, amassing an array of international talent almost never before seen in the British game, alongside hugely impressive home-grown players. This is the story of Jim Smith's Derby County, told with the exclusive insights of Smith's players, coaching staff, friends and supporters. Rams legends including Igor Stimac, Stefano Eranio and Steve McClaren speak in depth on what made that Derby County side, while those closest to Jim reveal what the legendary man-manager was like to deal with, both in and out of football.

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Book SynopsisThe System is the story of Scotland's mission to re-establish itself as a footballing nation that can produce world-class players again. Such was the quality of the footballer once produced in Scotland that by the time the 22 players from the 1982 World Cup Scotland squad retired, they could boast 31 European club competition winners' medals between them. Although Scotland went on to compete in the 1998 World Cup finals, they have yet to qualify for the competition in the 21st century. This book looks at the science of talent development and how players are brought on under Scotland's current system. It explores everything from the influence of Scots on the game worldwide, to the demise of street football, the potential flaws in the way children are selected for elite academies, how they are coached and much more. After examining every aspect of the process, Graeme McDowall has concluded that we need to turn the system on its head to produce the type of player Scotland was once famous for.Trade Review"Poor decisions based on inherent bias and misassumption have been well covered by books such as Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman, Moneyball by Michael Lewis — both of which are referenced here — and Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. But McDowall must be one of the first to have applied such thinking to how ‘talent identification and development’ is practised — or perhaps more correctly mis-practised — in Scottish football... The national side’s success may have papered over the cracks for the time being but The System is an important book that should be reached for the next time a round of soul searching in the national game begins." * The Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisAs Britain takes its first steps outside EU jurisdiction, how will football clubs adjust? With the FA keen on tournament success, the FA Youth Cup will play a key role in bringing academy products to prominence. Since 1952, it has showcased future stars including Sir Matt Busby's legendary 'Babes'. Over 40 years the trophy changed hands every season bar one, with the likes of Crystal Palace, Millwall, Leeds United and Manchester City lighting up the tournament with superstar teams. The current era has seen the dominance of elite sides, often owned by oligarchs or billionaire investors. From Kids to Champions tells the stories of players who didn't make it at the top level, or left the game disillusioned, along with those of the important coaches and academy directors. These men are always first to be thanked when the kids become champions.

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Book SynopsisThis is the dramatic story of the death of the only English professional footballer deemed by law to have been murdered. A key member of Aston Villa's 1923 all-star team, Tommy Ball rose from the obscurity of Durham pit village football to play a starring role in the world's most famous team and was considered a likely future England international. His killer, Somerset man George Stagg, was a former soldier and policeman who became his landlord and neighbour. A difficult relationship culminated in their fateful meeting on the evening of Armistice Day in 1923. Sentenced to death in controversial circumstances, Stagg escaped the noose by the intervention of the country's first Labour Home Secretary. The exact circumstances of the shooting were never legally established and, for almost a century, have been the subject of considerable speculation. After diligent research, Colin Brown believes he may have the answers.

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Book SynopsisCocker Hoop is the authorised biography of football coaching great Les Cocker. A tenacious and resilient forward, Cocker played for two clubs: Stockport County (196 games, 48 goals) and Accrington Stanley (130 games, 50 goals) before retiring in 1958 to move into coaching. As one of the first recipients of full coaching badges at England's Lilleshall, he established himself as a supreme trainer and coach for Leeds United, and helped build a famous footballing dynasty alongside Don Revie. His rising reputation attracted the FA's attention, and Cocker helped the England team achieve their pinnacle success in 1966. Filled with interviews, anecdotes and revelations from throughout Cocker's career, Cocker Hoop brings us a personal portrait of the great man, and is co-written by his son Dave Cocker and sportswriter and novelist Robert Endeacott.

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Book SynopsisSeventy-four years is a long time to wait. A whole generation of supporters has come and gone since Brentford were last in the top division of English football. Now, under the astute management of Thomas Frank, the Bees are back in the big time. The 2021/22 season has seen the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United visit the Community Stadium, the dreams of years past now a reality. A lifetime of gazing up the football ladder and wondering what it would be like to be in the top tier has become a reality. So how would their trip into the unknown go? Would the Premier League turn out to be the land of milk and honey or would the dreams turn to nightmares? Follow their progress in this season-long diary of the highs and lows of the biggest season in the history of Brentford Football Club. Only one thing is certain - whatever the season would bring for the Bees, the players, staff, supporters and everyone connected with Brentford Football Club would be buzzing!

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Book SynopsisWhen You're Smiling is the story of a football team's journey from also-rans to champions and a football fan's journey from boy to man, through laughter, loss and home defeats. Monday, 2 May 2016 was a day Matt Bozeat thought he would never see. It was the day Leicester City, the team he had supported through thin and thinner all his life, were crowned Premier League champions. The story of the 5,000-1 outsiders winning one of European football's top prizes put a smile on the face of millions worldwide. Three days earlier, Matt had experienced an even greater miracle. When You're Smiling is a nostalgia-filled treat brimming with memories of football and the wider world in the 1980s and 90s. It's a book about belonging and thinking your dreams will never come true - and then they do come true.

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Book SynopsisThe Making of the FIFA World Cup takes us on a fast-paced trip through the history of football's biggest tournament, with a comprehensive collection of the World Cup's defining moments. Filled with unforgettable episodes such as England's 1966 triumph and Maradona's 'Hand of God', the book transports us to the World Cup's most important flashpoints, recounting each moment and the story behind it. It also puts some of the World Cup's quirkiest events under the microscope: whether it's Zaire's bizarre defence of a free kick against Brazil in 1974 or a scruffy collie dog locating the stolen World Cup trophy under a car in London. From the greatest goals to the biggest controversies, from the funniest moments to the most memorable matches, The Making of the FIFA World Cup gives you an in-depth look at why the competition is sport's most-watched event - through the moments that make it so dramatic, popular and irresistibly exciting.

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Book SynopsisThe history of the fierce football rivalry between England and Germany is encapsulated in a single moment - Geoff Hurst's extra-time shot off the crossbar in the 1966 FIFA World Cup Final and the decision of an infamous Russian linesman to award a goal. It is a rivalry that now spans more than 90 years since the first official match between the two nations. For the English, a series of high-profile defeats at major tournaments saw Germany become the Angstgegner on the field, as well as an enduring obsession for the national press. For Germans, Wembley still represents the home of football, where the memories of 1966 have been supplanted by numerous successes and the appropriation of the English anthem 'football's coming home'. The rivalry has long crossed the lines of the football field, with the two nations at various moments forced to admire and learn from each other, and with football encounters between England and Germany repeatedly marking important developments in a unique and ever-changing political and cultural relationship.

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Book SynopsisIt's a tally that beggars belief - 340 goals in a single season. Even more surprising is the fact few people can name the player behind that record-breaking feat. Paul Moulden was a schoolboy phenomenon. As star striker of the renowned Bolton Lads' Club, a 14-year-old Moulden smashed every goalscoring record as he netted 340 times in one incredible season - including 289 league goals in 39 matches. In doing so, he secured a place in The Guinness Book of Records. Coveted by Sir Alex Ferguson, Brian Clough and other top bosses and chased by every leading club in the land, Moulden chose his boyhood heroes, Manchester City, and looked to have the world at his feet. What happened next is hard to believe, as the grounded and hugely talented goalscorer suffered almost every major injury possible over the next decade. This is a story of extraordinary talent and broken dreams, told bluntly but without bitterness. Paul Moulden should have been a household name. This book might still make that happen.

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Book SynopsisReds and Rams: A Story of the East Midlands Derby is the tale of one of the most fiercely fought football rivalries in the world. Hewed from the Victorian industrial revolution, Nottingham Forest and Derby County have contested league games for 130 years. Ever since the 1898 FA Cup Final, the rivalry has ebbed and flowed, with each club enjoying both periods of sustained success and existential threat. The reasons for this deep-rooted antipathy are numerous, yet ultimately it boils down to two football clubs similar in stature, size, history and geography existing cheek by jowl. In essence, they are like two teenage siblings bickering about anything and everything. Throughout, they have traded managers and players, producing deep and lasting enmity. Derby is renowned for its railways, Nottingham for Robin Hood. Each city has its own proud identity and history. The only thing they have ever agreed on is the genius of Brian Clough.

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Book SynopsisFeeling Leeds gazes into the curious world of the dislocated supporter, the football fan not born and bred in the shadow of their club's ground. Raiford Guins is one such fan. His book recounts the highs and lows of supporting a team from afar - from paying $20 to watch Leeds United matches in Florida via dodgy satellite feeds in the early 1990s, to ringing Elland Road when it was the only way to get midweek results before the internet, to working out league tables with out-of-date copies of Shoot!, to celebrating madly while fuelling his car and watching Leeds clinch a late winner against Villa in December 2018 on his iPhone. Trivial to the supporter who can easily walk to their ground, such moments form the backbone of belonging for those with an ocean between themselves and the turnstiles. Feeling Leeds is the story of one supporter's commitment to cultivating an emotional connection to Leeds United for nearly 40 years. It is written by and for supporters worldwide for whom every day is an away day.

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Book SynopsisThe story of how one small boy's near impossible dream became a reality. Growing up in poverty in the austere 1950s Fife coalfield, Tommy Hutchison had an unshakable belief that one day he would wear the dark blue shirt of Scotland. To an outsider it seemed an improbable ambition. Too weak to cross a ball from the byline to the goal area, the teenage Hutchison was overlooked by his teachers and never made the school football team. Through sheer determination, an indomitable spirit and hour upon hour of lonely practice, the adolescent Tommy was finally noticed by his local team, and his journey to Hampden and World Cup glory began. Tommy's football genius ultimately took him all over the world to play with and against some of the greatest footballers of the 1970s and 80s in a career spanning four amazing decades. Hutch, Hard Work and Belief is the funny yet inspiring story of how the seemingly unattainable can be achieved by unwavering, resolute self-belief.Trade Review"This is a pleasingly old school autobiography. While many footballers lives espouse hot takes or settle scores, Hutchison and his collaborator, first time author, Kevin Shannon, opt for old style story telling. The reader is taken through a career covering more than a thousand games including interesting sabbaticals in Seattle and Hong Kong. The tone is conversational, like a fireside chat with a kindly grandfather who just happens to have been a top class footballer. and peppering the narrative are a series of anecdotes that feel honed by a series of sportsman’s dinners... Hutchison comes across as a man obsessed with the rhythms and rituals of the game and this book is a refreshingly uncynical account of a football life well lived." -- Michael Gallgher * When Saturday Comes *"This is a biography grown out of love and that drips from every syllable on the pages. It has heart and it has soul." * Football Book Reviews *"There have been many former Coventry City player’s biographies over the years - some shall we say are very much a mixed bag. Kevin Shannon is to be congratulated on doing justice to the great Tommy Hutchison. A thoroughly good read with plenty to interest those beyond the clubs Tommy played for." * Cadhain’s Blog *"I might be biased but this is one of the most inspiring football biographies I have read and I recommend it to all Sky Blue fans as well as football fans in general. Tom and his ghost writer Kevin Shannon deserve credit for a welcome addition to the Coventry City library of books." * Jim Brown’s Journal *

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Book Synopsis'It's difficult to change what's in your blood, in your body, all the history of playing that way, and you change it for what? It's analysis the English people have to do,' says Pep Guardiola, and he's right. Let's do that analysis ... English football is booming. The world's richest league has stars from around the globe. Lavishly funded academies produce technically gifted players and professional football in England is unrivalled in depth. But what have we lost? You know what 'English-style football' means: fast, physical, no pointless possession, but in the Premier League you see a different game. Has the new technical, tactical game subdued what made people love English football in the first place? Premier League clubs have amazing squads, but does the amassing of wealth at the top threaten the traditions and grassroots on which the English game was built? Through interviews with people inside and outside the game, Jon Driscoll examines how English football professionalised and the challenges it now faces.

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Book SynopsisHer Game Too is a call to arms for women to be given equal access to profile, opportunities and advancement in the beautiful game. Since the sport's early days, women have been excluded from football, with those brave enough to participate, either as fans or players, beset by misogynistic attitudes if not outright abuse. While we've seen great strides made in the battle for respect and inclusion, sadly there's still a long way to go. Matt Riley provides a platform for key voices in the movement, galvanised around HerGameToo, an organisation run by female fans to fight sexism in football. We hear from the HerGameToo founders who were name-dropped in the House of Commons, Helen Nkwocha, the first woman to coach a top-flight men's team in Europe, and HerGameToo director Natalie Atkinson among others. The book explores the roots of the movement with the story of pioneering female footballer Lily Parr, and sheds light on the future, which has looked increasingly bright since Premier League side Everton pledged its support to HerGameToo.

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Book SynopsisStanley Park Story: Life, Love and the Merseyside Derby charts the recent history of the longest continuous running derby game in English football. Liverpool and Everton have now contested the fixture every season since 1962. Using a mixture of fact, fiction and personal experience, Jeff Goulding has crafted a compelling tale spanning three generations of two families, Red and Blue. Their lives become intricately woven together through 50 years of this unique sporting rivalry. The story explores the changing fortunes of each team and the relationship between the two sets of supporters, which evolves over the years. The life and times of Jimmy, a Blue, and Tommy, a Red, form the basis of the drama which unfolds against a backdrop of thrilling sporting encounters, social and political upheaval and catastrophe. Ultimately, the story is one of a love so strong it reaches across the park to forge a timeless bond between the two families.

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Book SynopsisRochdale AFC had occupied the fourth tier of English football for so long that the division was unofficially named after them. In 2006, manager Keith Hill took charge and transformed the unfashionable, cash-strapped club into a side known for flowing football and overachievement. But what about the other Rochdale bosses? Those who sought to rid The Dale of its tiresome fourth-tier anchor? The Rochdale Division is told by the managers and players, who reveal the struggles and joys of life at an out-of-step club in the modern football age. It features managers such as Hill himself, Mick Docherty, Graham Barrow, Paul Simpson, Steve Parkin, Steve Eyre and John Coleman, plus the players they led. The book shares insights from cultured centre-half Alan Reeves, Rochdale's sons Craig Dawson and Matt Gilks, prolific strikers Rickie Lambert and Adam Le Fondre, fleet-footed Will Buckley and Paddy McCourt, plus powerhouse Glenn Murray. Alongside them are cult heroes Steve Whitehall, Shaun Reid, Gary Jones, Calvin Andrew and Ian Henderson.

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Book SynopsisEngland's Calamity? challenges the standard view that England's famous 6-3 loss to Hungary in 1953 kick-started a revolution. The crushing defeat has long been seen as the watershed moment when England cast off its training methods and tactics of the past to embrace new continental practices. Author Chris Jones takes a different view: that the 6-3 trouncing was not a revolutionary moment but one key part of an evolutionary process. The England side of '53 had a fascinating mix of football archetypes - Alf Ramsey (The General), Billy Wright (The Golden Boy), Harry Johnston (The One-Club Man), Stanley Matthews (The Incomparable), Ernie Taylor (The One-Cap Wonder), Jackie Sewell (The Record-Transfer Holder) and Walter Winterbottom (The Boffin). England's Calamity? examines the different voices, arguments, biases, myths, agendas and responsibilities of that England XI, their coach, their observers and commentators to bring you a fresh perspective on an endlessly discussed moment in the history of the England team.Trade Review"In England's Calamity Chris Jones takes the 1953 England v Hungary match as a centre point in development. He cleverly divides things up between how football was before the match, what happened on the day and its future ramifications. An enjoyable read." * Read the League *

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Book SynopsisFootball's culture is complex and controversial. Debates rage over rules, transfers, wages and rich owners who prioritise income streams and elite league status. But the sport has a nobler side. Clubs become families who celebrate the good times and collectively mourn tragic events. This community culture is embedded in football and the same questions have been asked for generations. What is a fair salary? How can we help to educate and support children and families in need? Who stands up for the rights of the voiceless? This book journeys through the industrial heartlands in and around Glasgow, Birmingham and Manchester to explore how migration, industry and the aspirations of working-class people and their employers influenced the early structure and culture of English and Scottish football. Often serious, sometimes funny, it reveals how ordinary people experienced life and the rise of the beautiful game in the 19th and 20th centuries, drawing on material from club archives, newspapers, personal anecdotes and military records.Trade Review"Has football lost its soul? With major clubs being snapped up by Third World dictatorships while those in the lower divisions either face financial oblivion or are left at the mercy of opportunist developers, it certainly seems so. This excellent book recalls a time before all that, when the once beautiful game was still young and rooted in its local communities, and to some extent that spirit still lives on, especially in the lower reaches of the football pyramid. Mixing family recollections with in-depth archive research the book shows how the aspirations of working-class people in the major industrial conurbations found expression through football, the sense of community and shared purpose providing a haven and comfort in hard times. It’s full of great stories, and some brilliant, evocative photos." -- Simon Evans * Choice Magazine, Pick of the Paperbacks *

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Book SynopsisNever Stop is the story of how Australian manager Ange Postecoglou took Celtic from the edge of despair to the UEFA Champions League, via a domestic double in his debut season. Postecoglou arrived in Glasgow with virtually no reputation on this side of the world, but through his compelling media appearances, enthralling style of football and winning habit, he soon became one of the most iconic Celtic managers since the legendary Jock Stein. Celtic were in crisis on and off the park in the summer of 2021, with numerous key players, including iconic captain Scott Brown, leaving the club after a season that had seen them finish 25 points behind Rangers. As Postecoglou arrived amid the chaos - and brought talent like Kyogo Furuhashi, Josip Juranovic and Jota with him - Celtic fans also returned to the stadium for the first time since the start of the pandemic. Postecoglou, his players and the support formed an unbreakable bond that would lead Celtic to the Premiership title and back to the group stages of the UEFA Champions League.

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Book Synopsis1977/78: A Historic Season for Rangers FC and a Treble That Ended an Era tells the story of a historic season for Rangers FC on and off the pitch. Captain John Greig's 17-year playing career at Ibrox ended in treble glory, and he was later voted 'The Greatest Ranger' by the fans. With another great Rangers figure as manager, the late Jock Wallace, the team made a clean sweep of domestic honours, playing entertaining and attacking football. Greig would then make the leap from player to manager, with Wallace leaving the club just days after completing the treble. Season 1977/78 was the last before the modernisation of Ibrox stadium, and saw the start of another wonderful Rangers career with the arrival of mesmerising winger Davie Cooper. It also saw the emergence of a new force in Scottish football, with the challenge from an Aberdeen team that would grow even stronger in years to come. It is a season still fondly remembered by older Rangers fans. It truly marked the end of an era and the start of a new chapter.Trade Review"For top writer, David Herd, blue is the colour... Herd focuses on 1977/78 to review in fine detail, month-by-month, match-by-match; 1977/78 was a historic Treble-winning season for the 'Gers with such (playing) greats in their ranks as Derek Johnstone, Davie Cooper, Derek Parlane, and captain John Greig... An excellent read and matchless research and writing from David Herd. Rating: 10/10." -- Mark Watkins * Dare Radio *"The 1977/78 campaign was a key one for Rangers. With skipper John Grieg approaching the end of a long and illustrious career and with the mercurial Jock Wallace at the helm, the Glasgow giants swept all before them, capturing the three domestic trophies on offer... A comprehensive look back at a huge season for Rangers that marked the end of an era." * Read the League *

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Book SynopsisMoments That Could Have Changed Football Forever is a detailed study of the 'what-if' moments that have shaped football and what the alternative could have been. The bounce of a ball, an ill-timed injury or a contentious decision are just some of the moments that could have changed football forever. Every fan of every club or country has a 'what if' moment that they know could have brought their team glory had things turned out differently. Some of these moments have proved unforgettable, some have become iconic and others have changed the very nature of the game itself. The knock-on effect of a shot at goal scored or missed can have resounding consequences that are only realised later. This book explores those effects impartially and objectively, through research, context and coaching insight. Each moment has been chosen to guarantee discussion and debate among fans, who will of course have their own opinions about what would have happened. There are even fantasy match-ups between the great teams of different eras in this fascinating book.Trade Review"Like a selection of FM saves brought to life. Enjoyed the cultural impact as well, the secondary level of influence. Hats off - no easy feat!" -- Jonathan Harding * author of Mensch *"Really good fun. I loved it!" -- Jon MacKenzie * Tifo *

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Book SynopsisIn Safe Hands: Rangers' Goalkeeping Greats chronicles the careers of the players who have kept goal for Scotland's most successful football club. From as far back as the days of the founding fathers, Rangers have been blessed with some of the finest goalkeepers in the game. The likes of David Reid, Matthew Dickie, Harry Rennie, Willie Robb, Jerry Dawson, Bobby Brown, George Niven, Billy Ritchie, Peter McCloy, Chris Woods, Andy Goram, Stefan Klos and Allan McGregor have all served the club with distinction. But this book isn't just about the leading lights. Meticulously researched, it explores the Rangers careers of every player to have played in goal for the Gers. The stories are brought to life by personal insights and reflections from past and present Rangers keepers such as Peter McCloy, Jim Stewart, Chris Woods, Lionel Charbonnier, Andy Dibble, Neil Alexander and Allan McGregor. There is also a poignant tribute to the late Andy Goram, arguably the greatest Rangers goalkeeper of all time.Trade Review"In Safe Hands has covered a subject that I don’t remember any previous Rangers book in the past tried to do. It is an excellent tribute to the recent goalkeeping giants of the club, and contains many great anecdotes and stories from the players themselves. It also is a great reference book for the earlier years of the club, any question on Rangers goalkeepers has its answer in these pages somewhere." * Follow Follow *

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Book SynopsisA Sprinkle of Magic tells the fascinating stories of non-league clubs who defied the odds and dared to dream big in the world's oldest cup competition. When August rolls in, so do the qualifying rounds of the FA Cup as non-league sides from across the land bid to make the first round proper and pick up a potential dream tie. Stretching back to the 2009/10 season, the stories include FA Cup runs from Bath City, Redbridge, AFC Totton, Stourbridge, Hendon and of course history-makers Lincoln City, who became the first non-league side to reach the quarter-finals in more than a century in 2017. Featuring colourful tales galore, A Sprinkle of Magic brings the magic of the FA Cup alive with some of the biggest upsets of recent years.Trade Review"We all love a cup shock, don't we? Well, apart from those on the receiving end. In A Sprinkle of Magic, author Aaron Moore tells the tale of a number of Non-League clubs who battled through various qualifying rounds to reach the first round proper and beyond... it is a solid offering with plenty of depth and content. It will bring back plenty of good memories for those from the clubs covered - and for general football fans as well." -- John Lyons * Late Tackle *"Moore's enthusiasm shines through in each chapter... by focusing on the modern day Moore is able to get first-hand accounts, rather than rely on archive testimonies, and that’s the element that works best about his book... The game at grassroots levels feels more important than ever these days, as the mega-rich clubs become more and more detached from the average fan, and it’s great that books like this exist to tell stories of how things really are, and what a cup run can mean to the people involved." -- Karl Hornsey * On: Yorkshire Magazine *

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Book SynopsisMatch Fit takes an in-depth look at mental health in football, from the Premier League down to five-a-side, in the hope of destigmatising this much-neglected topic, with candid contributions from the likes of Chris Kirkland, Paul Lambert and Marcus Bent. Subjects such as the issues facing footballers after retirement and the rise of social media are placed under the microscope, and we discover how being a football fan can benefit your mental health. Seasoned pros discuss the challenges they’ve faced in football, speaking openly about personal experiences most of us wouldn’t associate with the glamour of the beautiful game. From a grassroots perspective, there are uplifting stories of how people have learnt to manage their mental health, with football as a key tool to help them get through their day-to-day lives. If the interviewees – involved in a sport that has traditionally lauded masculinity and the absence of so-called weakness – can open up about their mental health, then so can anyone.

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Book SynopsisDoes your life revolve around your football team? Does your team's result on a Saturday make or break your weekend? Would you leave your wife on the day she's due to give birth to go to a cup final 140 miles away? Or miss your daughter's fourth birthday because you're in Madrid for a UEFA Cup tie? If so, this book is for you. The Team For Me is a personal reflection of the joy and heartache of football from a fan's perspective. Written by a Hearts supporter of 50 years' standing (and occasionally falling over), its tales will hit home among fans of any and every club - from the Saturday-morning feeling of anticipation to regaling your children with what it means to follow your club; from pre-match rituals to hammering your arch-rivals in a cup final. Fans who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s will also revel in memories of half-time scoreboards, dashing to the local newsagent at 5:30pm on a Saturday for a copy of the ink-stained Football Special edition, and of collecting football cards to swap with your pals.

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Book SynopsisBurnley, Champions Again! tells the story of the incredible promotion season that Vincent Kompany inspired and organised at Burnley FC. At the end of season 2021/22 the club found themselves relegated and managerless. With players wanting to leave, the club needing to sell them and fans worried the owners might decide to desert a sinking ship, the future looked bleak.But the worries were unfounded. Vincent Kompany was brought in as manager. He spoke of promotion being a three- or four-year project. As existing players left in droves, their replacements were drafted in from the continent – some bought, others joining on loan. But doubts lingered. The newcomers were unknowns, and some of the departing players were big names.The change in playing style was immediate – a transformation – and Burnley fans were wide-eyed with awe at the stunning possession-based football. The start was slow, but as the wins and points stacked up Burnley clinched an inconceivable top-flight return at the end of a magical season.

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Book SynopsisO Jogo Bonito! is the magical story of Brazil at the 1970 World Cup, and a team that featured the incomparable skills of Pelé, Rivellino, Gérson, Jairzinho and Tostão.The 1970 World Cup was the first tournament televised live and in colour. It was also the occasion when the Brazilian Seleção Canarinho declared themselves to be the best team ever to lift the Jules Rimet trophy - bringing their own life and colour to the tournament. Yellow shirts as bright as the Mexican sun, blue shorts as vivid as the bright sky, and dancing feet, beating out a hypnotising rhythm that rendered opponents flat-footed by comparison.Their third success in four tournaments meant that the 12-inch-high trophy would for evermore be the property of Brazil. It was a more than fitting accolade. All teams crowned as world champions before and since, are measured against, and fall short of, the bewitching beauty of that team. It was Brazil's football in that World Cup that truly defined the phrase the beautiful game ('o jogo bonito').

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Book SynopsisAnything Is Possible is the inside story of Bournemouth''s remarkable Championship winning season and tells how the smallest club in the division defied bookmakers, pundits and the Football League to emerge triumphant from a fiercely fought promotion contest and gate-crashed the richest league in the world.But that is just the end of the story! Only six years earlier, the club was on the brink of liquidation following a series of financial crises and points deductions. The club took a last-ditch gamble on former player Eddie Howe, a 31-year-old former player with zero management experience. It paid dividends and some, as Howe sowed the seeds for an astonishing rise up the leagues.The club rose from League Two to the Championship in four seasons, successes made all the more remarkable as Howe spent 20 months of that period managing Burnley.In 2014/15, Howe eclipsed his previous successes as he led a squad described as ''misfits'' by capta

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Book SynopsisWhether it was a swashbuckling footballer whose style earned him the nickname Crazy Horse, or as a television quiz show captain who rubbed shoulders with royalty, Emlyn Hughes never did things by half. This book looks at the life of the legend who carved out a career for himself in the media.

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Book SynopsisThree Goalkeepers and Seven Goals is the remarkable story of an incredible 5-2 comeback, using three goalkeepers, for Leicester City in their FA Cup quarter-final tie against Shrewsbury, in March 1982. Told through the eyes of fictional football reporter Bob Johnson, the story resurrects that extraordinary game in all its glory.

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Book SynopsisThis book reveals the tactical concepts behind the most successful women's team in European football - a club that has won six of the last ten UEFA Champions League titles. From match tactics to in-depth player analysis, it lifts the lid on what makes the team tick to discover how they became such a dominant force in Europe.

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