Association football (Soccer) Books
Wanceulen Editorial Estructura i planificación d'una temporada en el Futbol Base d'un club d'elit
Book SynopsisAbans de res vull agrair a l'Alberto l'oportunitat que em brinda d'escriure unes lletres en el...
£27.15
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Work of Professional Football A Labour of Love
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£161.50
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Football Manager
Book SynopsisThis clear and accessible book is the first in-depth history of the role of the football manager in British football, tracing a path from Victorian-era amateurism to the highly paid motivational specialists and media personalities of the twenty-first century. Using original source materials, the book traces the changing character and function of the football manager, covering: the origins of football management club secretaries and early pioneers the impact of post-war social change the advent of the football business television and the new commercialism contemporary football specialisation and the influence of foreign managers and management practices the future of football management. The Football Manager fully explores the historical context of these changes. It examines the influence of Britain''s traditionally pragmatic and hierarchical business management culture on British football, and in doing so provTrade Review' ... this academic study has a lightness of touch that makes it accessible to anyone ...' - Chris Maume, The Independent'...Carter makes a convincing case for Chapman as the father of modern football management, and takes us expertly through to the present day, when special ones hog the limelight....'Chris Maume, The IndependentTable of Contents1. The Origins of Football Management 2. The Pioneers, 1880-1914 3. 'Organising Victory': Herbert Chapman and Football Management Modernity 4. The Emergence of the Football Manager, 1918-1939 5. The Modernisation of Football Management, 1945-1970 6. Managers in the Television Age, 1970-1992 7. The 'Postmodern' Football Manager? 8. What Difference Does a Football Manager Make? Conclusion. Appendix. Index
£32.99
Taylor & Francis The Science of Training Soccer
Book SynopsisPhysical training is a key part of preparing to play soccer (football) at any level, but organising a genuinely effective training programme requires both an understanding the physiological principles involved and a practical knowledge of the demands of the game. This book provides clear guidelines, an evidence base and a theoretical framework for proven effective soccer training.Includes: planning seasonal training to peak at the right time training for strength, speed, aerobic and anaerobic fitness designing appropriate sessions for training and rehabilitation best methods for recovery from exercise and reducing injury risk preparation for play in different environmental conditions evaluating the effectiveness of training programmes diet, sleep, lifestyle, young players and long-term development. Clear explanations of the physiological concepts and sport science researTable of Contents1. The Training Process 2. The Football Context 3. Warming Up and Warming Down 4. Strength and Power Training 5. Aerobic Training 6. Anaerobic Training 7. Alternative Training Methods 8. Recovery from Exercise 9. Training for Different Environments 10. Evaluation of Training 11. Life-style and Long-term Development
£47.99
Taylor & Francis Science and Football IV
Book SynopsisThis edited collection brings together the latest research into the range of sports known as football.With contributions by a large number of the leading international researchers in the field, the book aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice in football, and to raise the awareness of the value of a scientific approach to the various football codes.The book contains nearly seventy papers, examining aspects ranging from match analysis and medical aspects of football to metabolism and nutrition, psychology and behaviour, and management and organization. Containing a wealth of research data, and a huge range of examples of how science can be applied; this book represents an invaluable reference for coaches, trainers, managers, medical staff, and all those involved in supporting performers in the many football codes.Table of ContentsPart 1: Biomechanics of Football Part 2: Fitness Test Profiles of Footballers Part 3: Match Analysis Part 4: Medical Aspects of Football Part 5: Metabolism and Nutrition Part 6: Paediatric Science and Football Part 7: Psychology and Motor Behaviour in Football Part 8: Football Training Part 9: Women and Football
£39.99
Taylor & Francis American Sports An Anthropological Approach Sport in the Global Society
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£60.47
Cambridge University Press The Economics of Football
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£64.99
Cambridge University Press Arab Soccer in a Jewish State
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£90.00
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Go for the Goal
Book SynopsisFor the more than seven million girls—from knobby-kneed tykes to high school and college stars—who are tearing across the country chasing a soccer ball and dreams of glory, there is one name that eclipses all others, male or female: Mia Hamm. With her cheetahlike acceleration and lightning-bolt shot, Hamm broke nearly every record in her sport, while galvanizing a whole generation of fans and players.Go for the Goal is not only the inspiring story of how a tiny suburban sprite became a global terror with a ball (and the world) at her feet—it's also a step-by-step or dribble-by-dribble guide for any kid with the all-American dream of making the team and becoming a champion.Filled with personal anecdotes and fully illustrated with both action and instructional photographs, Go for the Goal shows readers exactly how to master the silky skills and techniques that made Hamm and her teammates the finest women's soccer team in the wo
£15.29
Penguin Putnam Inc Football Clichs Decoding the Oddball Phrases
Book SynopsisA fun, intelligent, and useful guide to understanding the nuanced language of soccer Every week, year-round, legions of devoted soccer fans across the country rise at the crack of dawn or quietly sneak out of work to watch their favorite teams play across the pond—complete with a soundtrack of two cheeky Englishmen spouting a stream of trite phrases and curious words that make maddeningly little sense. They’ll chat about flying teacups and cultured left feet, or point out a player who’s jinking through the corridor of uncertainty, hoping to bag one with aplomb. Confused? Many Brits are, too.In Football Clichés, London-based soccer writer Adam Hurrey amusingly translates the idioms of the sport, from the quaint to the ridiculous. Here you’ll find words for parts of the field and parts of the body; for ways to score a goal and ways to run, walk, or fake an injury. You’ll learn to read the shifting moods of fans at a soccer ma
£13.60
Penguin Putnam Inc How to Watch Soccer
Book SynopsisAn opinionated masterclass in the art and science of “reading” a match from one of professional soccer’s most respected and beloved international figures.For Americans new to European soccer, terms like 'false striker,' 'double accordion' or 'moving trios' need Mr. Gullit’s expert explications. —Wall Street Journal Ruud Gullit knows better than anyone else that to understand soccer you have to understand strategy. When he started playing soccer, his only “strategy” was to get the ball, outrun everyone else to the other end of the field, and score. At first it served him well, but as he advanced through the sport, he learned that it takes much more than one player's speed to make a winning team. Over the course of his career, he worked his way from the Dutch junior leagues all the way to the legendary AC Milan, eventually retiring from the field to be a trainer, then a manager, and finally a commentator. Each step came with its own lessons, and its own unique perspective on the game. Now, having looked at soccer through every lens possible, Gullit shares his own perspective. Most spectators simply watch the ball, but in How to Watch Soccer, Gullit explains how to watch the whole game. He shows how every part of a match, from formations to corner kicks, all the way down to what the players do to influence the referees, is important. And he uses his own vast experience to illustrate each point, so his lessons are filled with anecdotes from his years on the field and insights from his observations as a manager and commentator. This exhaustive guide will change the way even the most die-hard fan watches the beautiful game.
£15.30
Random House USA Inc Messi
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£13.50
Random House USA Inc Outcasts United
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£17.00
Arcadia Publishing Soccer in Oneonta Images of Sports
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£21.24
Pluto Press Beyond the Final Whistle
£16.96
The History Press Ltd Never Mind the Toffees 2
Book SynopsisIF you enjoyed the first volume of the definitive quiz book on Everton Football Club, this all-new sequel is for you.
£16.72
Capstone Press Soccer
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£23.49
McClelland & Stewart Inc. The Fix Soccer and Organized Crime
Book SynopsisThe Fix is the most explosive story of sports corruption in a generation. Intriguing, riveting, and compelling, it tells the story of an investigative journalist who sets out to examine the world of match-fixing in professional soccer.From the IntroductionUnderstand how gambling fixers work to corrupt a soccer game and you will understand how they move into a basketball league, a cricket tournament, or a tennis match (all places, by the way, that criminal fixers have moved into). My views on soccer have changed. I still love the Saturday-morning game between amateurs: the camaraderie and the fresh smell of grass. But the professional game leaves me cold. I hope you will understand why after reading the book. I think you may never look at sport in the same way again.
£17.06
MJ - Ohio University Press Following the Ball The Migration of African
Book SynopsisWith Following the Ball, Todd Cleveland incorporates labor, sport, diasporic, and imperial history to examine the extraordinary experiences of African football players from Portugal’s African colonies as they relocated to the metropole from 1949 until the conclusion of the colonial era in 1975.Trade Review“[Following the Ball and Football and Colonialism] convincingly demonstrate that the histories of Mozambican football and of African migrants in Portugal have value and deserve to be told in their own right. … Individually and together, these impressive books greatly deepen our knowledge and understanding of football and society in Africa and Europe. I highly recommend them to specialists and general readers interested in sport, African Studies, and globalization.” * Idrottsforum *“The great impact that this book will have is not only to look at colonialism through soccer and the experiences of African players in various Portuguese colonial contexts, but—more significantly—to refocus discussions of colonialism and cultural practices on the local and colonized.”“Cleveland guides the reader to not only follow the journeys of these men, but through his analysis of their movements, to gain new awareness of the historical conditions that characterized the places of departure and the places of arrival.”“By examining the international space of football in a single analytic field and simultaneously considering Portuguese football’s constituent settings, the experiences of African football players, and the specificities of the political conjuncture, Following the Ball is a vital examination of Portuguese football during colonialism and constitutes an indispensable source for further historical studies on football.” * Histoire sociale / Social History, Vol. 54, N. 110 (May 2021) *
£66.00
Ohio University Press Following the Ball
Book SynopsisWith Following the Ball, Todd Cleveland incorporates labor, sport, diasporic, and imperial history to examine the extraordinary experiences of African football players from Portugal’s African colonies as they relocated to the metropole from 1949 until the conclusion of the colonial era in 1975.Trade Review“[Following the Ball and Football and Colonialism] convincingly demonstrate that the histories of Mozambican football and of African migrants in Portugal have value and deserve to be told in their own right. … Individually and together, these impressive books greatly deepen our knowledge and understanding of football and society in Africa and Europe. I highly recommend them to specialists and general readers interested in sport, African Studies, and globalization.” * Idrottsforum *“The great impact that this book will have is not only to look at colonialism through soccer and the experiences of African players in various Portuguese colonial contexts, but—more significantly—to refocus discussions of colonialism and cultural practices on the local and colonized.”“Cleveland guides the reader to not only follow the journeys of these men, but through his analysis of their movements, to gain new awareness of the historical conditions that characterized the places of departure and the places of arrival.”“By examining the international space of football in a single analytic field and simultaneously considering Portuguese football’s constituent settings, the experiences of African football players, and the specificities of the political conjuncture, Following the Ball is a vital examination of Portuguese football during colonialism and constitutes an indispensable source for further historical studies on football.” * Histoire sociale / Social History, Vol. 54, N. 110 (May 2021) *
£25.19
Pan Macmillan The Worlds Biggest Cash Machine
Book SynopsisIn The World’s Biggest Cash Machine, award-winning journalist Chris Blackhurst weaves together iconic personalities, sporting drama and boardroom deals to deliver a must-read narrative on the world’s most influential football club.Trade ReviewJaw-dropping revelations . . . The incredible story of [Man United] laid bare in new book * Daily Mail *A gripping tale, full of insight. Blackhurst is an enormously talented writer * City A.M. *Packed with insights and details that will both amaze and appal you. This is the inside story of how the City of London really operates and if it doesn't make you angry, you need to check your pulse -- Oliver Bullough, author of Moneyland and Butler to the World, on Too Big to JailBlackhurst’s tale would make an exciting novel. But alarmingly, this is a true story, carefully researched and told with gusto -- Baroness Patience Wheatcroft, former editor of The Sunday Telegraph, on Too Big to JailHighly entertaining . . . told with pace, gusto, and a strong sense of moral outrage -- The Critic Magazine, on Too Big to JailIf you want to understand how Manchester United got into its current total mess, you should read Chris Blackhurst's timely new book on the Glazers -- Michael CrickBrilliant . . . [a] very insightful account -- Simon Jordan, author of Be Careful What You Wish For
£20.90
National Geographic Kids Its a Numbers Game Soccer
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£25.87
Temple University Press,U.S. Distant Corners
Book SynopsisFrom bestselling author David Wangerin, a history of America's curious relationship with the beautiful gameTrade Review"Wangerin presents a remarkable history of soccer in America. The seventh book in Temple’s 'Sporting' series is one of the best recently published soccer books. Wangerin (Soccer in a Football World) provides a look at American soccer from the inside—not simply the records and statistics but the behind-the-scenes evolution of the U.S. game through club, college, and pro soccer. Also featured is the role of the city of St Louis in the rise of American soccer. VERDICT Best of all, Wangerin’s passion for the game combined with his keen insight make his book an essential read for soccer and sports fans everywhere. Highly recommended." —Library JournalTable of ContentsWorthy Diversions. An Introduction1. "Here they come!"2. Foreign bodies and freezing fans3. Bullets4. Mild Bill5. Dash, Desperation and Deviltry 6. California Gold7. Shot Out in Jersey
£40.85
Amberley Publishing Manchester United 190711
Book SynopsisA nostalgic examination of the first truly great period of Manchester United's illustrious history
£18.99
Amberley Publishing The Hooligans Are Still Among Us
Book SynopsisA thrilling look at how hooliganism continues to blight the beautiful game
£16.99
History Press The Unforgettable San Jose Earthquakes
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£21.24
Capstone Press BigTime Soccer Records
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£27.99
Cornerstone My Wrexham Story: The Inspirational Autobiography
Book SynopsisThe memoir from Wrexham super striker, Paul Mullin - as seen in Welcome to Wrexham, a Disney+ documentary series by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.In July 2021, shortly after being named League Two's Player of the Season and Golden Boot, Paul Mullin sent shockwaves through the EFL by taking a downwards move to National League team, Wrexham AFC. Since then, 'Super Paul Mullin' has helped transform the Wrexham team, scoring goal after goal, helping secure promotion, and capturing the imaginations of football fans across the world in the process.Here for the first time, Mullin tells his own story: his roots in Liverpool, the highs and lows of English football's promotion race, lessons learnt from his young son's Autism diagnosis, and what happens when Hollywood comes knocking at your door.Trade ReviewA superior memoir * i *
£27.83
Bold Type Books The Barcelona Inheritance: The Evolution of
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£17.99
Bold Type Books My Turn: A Life of Total Football
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£16.99
Bold Type Books Zonal Marking: From Ajax to Zidane, the Making of
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£17.09
Temple University Press,U.S. Long Distance Love: A Passion for Football
Book SynopsisSince he was a young adult, Grant Farred has wandered the world. Born in South Africa, his own personal growth was fueled by dreams of English football, as a player, and then, when age and reality set in, as a fan. Coming to the United States at a still young age, Farred still loved football -- especially Liverpool -- and watched it from afar. Writing about his experience, Farred shares with the reader his experience growing up colored in South Africa, moving to England, and finally to the US, and how his passion for football kept company with his many moves. Along the way, he talks about the contradictions of football; how race and class politics mix on and off the pitch; how Farred's own ideas about what it means to be a colonial subject is both reinforced and liberated by the idea of football, and how players can serve as gods and mosnters. Trade Review"A fascinating exploration of a sporting obsession conducted across continents and political divides. Grant Farred's narrative shows how sport both transcends and embodies politics, how close you can get and how far away you will always remain from your sporting heroes. Just as American businessmen have started to buy into English soccer in order to profit from its global appeal, this book provides a powerful explanation of the breadth and depth of the passion that the game can evoke." Stefan Szymanski, Cass Business School, London "That Farred writes well about football is beyond debate. He brings a distinctive passion to the topic along with a wealth of analytic insights that will please readers versed in the rich lore of the sport and alert to its growing status as an exemplary vehicle of globalization." Andrew Ross, New York University "More than a love letter to his beloved Liverpool Football Club, this is a journey into the present, from Farred's early years as an outcast in apartheid South Africa through Videla's Argentina and Franco's Spain to the docklands of Liverpool. It is a journey as much spiritual as temporal by a long-distance fan who reads like a latter-day Bill Shankly, albeit with the style and sophistication of a scholar." Bill Murray, author of The World's game: A History of Soccer and The Old Firm: Sectarianism, sport and society in Scotland "Remarkable...In delightfully exuberant prose, Farred recounts a passion that, for him, borders on religion... Long Distance Love is a playful -- yet no less brilliant -- work of political theory; its contribution to political thought comes from making such hopeful statements without compromising the immoderate passions that sports fandom indulge." Centre Daily TimesTable of ContentsTABLE OF CONTENTSAcknowledgementsIntroductionA Talk, Drinks, and Dinner with GodChapter 1Long Distance Love: Growing Up a Liverpool Football Club FanChapter 2Som més que un club, però menys que una nació.“More than a Club but Less than a Nation.Chapter 3Careless Whispers: The Doubleness of Spanish LoveChapter 4:At Home, Out of PlaceChapter 5:God's Team: The Painful Pleasure of the Miracle on the Bosphorus Chapter 6:The Gerrard Final
£57.60
Penguin Putnam Inc The Ball is Round: A Global History of Soccer
Book SynopsisThe definitive book about soccer, from the author of The Games: A Global History of the Olympics. There may be no cultural practice more global than soccer. Rites of birth and marriage are infinitely diverse, but the rules of soccer are universal. No world religion can match its geographical scope. The single greatest simultaneous human collective experience is the World Cup final. In this extraordinary tour de force, David Goldblatt tells the full story of soccer's rise from chaotic folk ritual to the world's most popular sport-now poised to fully establish itself in the USA. Already celebrated internationally, The Ball Is Round illuminates soccer's role in the political and social histories of modern societies, but never loses sight of the beauty, joy, and excitement of the game itself.
£27.00
Penguin Putnam Inc Golazo!: The Beautiful Game from the Aztecs to
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£14.40
Triumph Books Soccer Stars
Book SynopsisThe stars of the most popular sport in the world are featured in this fun guide to soccer's prime athletes that includes personal information to get to know the talent behind the sport as well as important stats and facts. Going above and beyond the player biographies offered through the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), the book details the brightest stars from around the globe through entertaining biographies, fun trivia, and thrilling action photography. Readers from any team allegiance will enjoy the information presented.
£7.59
Triumph Books Soccer Skills
Book SynopsisAimed at parents as well as their children, Soccer Skills: Way to Play is a step-by-step guide to the techniques the professionals use to enhance their skills, with expert advice on the tactics of the game and clear analysis of the rules. It contains hints, tips and training drills designed to hone individual skills as well as develop team play alongside practical advice for parents who want to help their children get the most out of the world's most popular game.
£11.35
Arcadia Publishing (SC) The San Jose Earthquakes A Seismic Soccer Legacy
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£18.69
Triumph Books (IL) A Woman's Game: The Rise, Fall, and Rise Again of
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£23.80
Bold Type Books Soccernomics (2022 World Cup Edition): Why
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£18.04
John Blake Publishing Ltd Diego Costa: The Beast
Book SynopsisTAKE A LOOK INTO THE RICH HISTORY OF ENGLISH FOOTBALL AND THE GRAND OLD NAME OF CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB WILL INEVITABLY ENJOY MORE THAN A PASSING MENTION. AND AFTER A FRUSTRATING SEASON WHICH SAW THE CLUB FINISH TANTALISINGLY CLOSE TO WINNING THE PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE, THE SUMMER OF 2014 WITNESSED THE ARRIVAL OF A NEW STAR IN WEST LONDON. Fresh from an outstanding season in Spain, where his thirty-six goals had propelled Atletico Madrid to a first La Liga title since 1996 and to within seconds of a maiden Champions League crown, Diego Costa arrived at Stamford Bridge for GBP32 million. Brazilian by birth, Costa had caused an enormous wave of controversy in his homeland after opting to take Spanish citizenship and a subsequent place in Spain's squad over the opportunity to represent the Selecao in a home World Cup in 2014. An early exit for Spain ensued but, undeterred, Costa arrived in the English capital tasked by manager Jose Mourinho with scoring the goals that had eluded many of his predecessors the previous season. And with a Premier League record of seven goals in his first four starts he took to the physical nature of England's top division with typical aplomb.Costa began his nomadic rise to the top via the lower echelons of Portuguese and Spanish football, before establishing himself as a force under Diego Simeone's rejuvenated Atleti. Affectionately nicknamed 'El Cholo', 'the Beast', his pace, power, aggression and deadly finishing have swiftly seen him become a crowd favourite at 'the Bridge'. Diego Costa: 'The Beast' is an in-depth look into the life of this spectacular footballer and his rise to the very top.
£12.27
Pitch Publishing Ltd The Ugly Game How Football Lost its Magic and
Book SynopsisSomewhere along the way football took a wrong turn, losing touch with fans. In a passionate, funny book of essays, The Ugly Game sets out to put football right by comparing it, often unfavourably, with American football, a sport, perhaps surprisingly, that's showing how money need not destroy fairness and competition.
£19.51
Pitch Publishing Ltd Odd Man Out: The Fascinating Story of Ron
Book SynopsisRon Saunders is the one manager in over a century to guide Aston Villa to English football's summit. The Odd Man Out is an exhaustive account of how he did so. How he took the Midlanders to promotion from the old Division Two in his first season. How he created and dismantled arguably the most exciting Villa side of modern times - one that inflicted Liverpool's heaviest defeat of the entire 1970s. How he achieved two League Cup triumphs in three years, including a three-game final with Everton that will remain the longest in history. How he battled with 'Deadly' Doug Ellis - and won! Then, how he fell out with and ultimately sold fans' favourite Andy Gray and replaced him with a journeyman striker in Peter Withe, before steering the club to its first league title in 71 years. It also explores the mystery of his sudden resignation with Villa on the brink of European Cup glory, joining their bitterest rivals only nine days later. Saunders's tough-guy reputation has overshadowed his achievements. The Odd Man Out casts a whole lot more light upon them.
£18.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Ben Thornley: Tackled: The Class of '92 Star Who
Book SynopsisWho was the standout player when the Class of '92 won the FA Youth Cup? David Beckham? Paul Scholes? Ryan Giggs? Think again. Ben Thornley: The Class of '92 Star Who Never Got to Graduate is the compelling autobiography of a teenager who had the world at his feet, only for one tackle to shatter his knee - and his dreams of playing for Manchester United. A supremely gifted winger with pace to burn, he played in every round of that Youth Cup run and finished as top scorer. It wasn't long before Alex Ferguson, keen to unleash this prodigious talent, gave him his first-team debut - but just six weeks later came the moment that would change the path of Ben's career, and life, forever. This tale is not only told from Ben's perspective but also with exclusive insights from those who witnessed him in action first hand. They include family and school friends, as well as Beckham, Giggs, Scholes, Gary Neville and many more. This is the Class of '92 as you've never heard it before - from a player who was a class apart.
£19.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd The Gaffer Tapes: The A-Z of Fantasy Football
Book SynopsisIf you've secretly logged in at work to set your line-up, or if you can't wait to gloat in the group chat, then this unique and hilarious book about the national obsession of fantasy football is for you. The A-Z of Fantasy Football is a journey through the hobby that has people across the world scrambling for their phone every matchday morning. Fantasy footy has come a long way since it entailed scouring through the newspapers in the 90s - and, as the game has grown, so have the lengths players will go to in order to win! You'll read about the eye-watering forfeits, the labour-ward transfers, interviews with footballers who refuse to bet against themselves, and tales of woe from those who take things that little bit too far. Littered with insightful dos and don'ts from the nation's leading fantasy football podcast, this guide will have you in stitches half the time and in disbelief the other. There's no promises that the book will help you win the whole thing, but it has all you need to help you beat your mates.
£18.23
Pitch Publishing Ltd Walsall Match of My Life: Saddlers Legends Relive
Book SynopsisSixteen Walsall legends tell the stories behind their most memorable games for the club, enabling fans of all ages to relive these magic moments through the eyes and emotions of the men who were there. Stretching from Allan Clarke's memories of FA Cup glory to Adam Chambers's account of how Walsall finally reached Wembley after almost a century of trying, this unique collection covers some of the most enthralling encounters in the club's history. Along the way, Alan Buckley tells of how the mighty Saddlers conquered Manchester United, Peter Hart and Craig Shakespeare recall how Arsenal and Liverpool trembled as Walsall came within a hair's breadth of reaching the Milk Cup Final, David Kelly returns to the afternoon when his hat-trick won a play-off final, while Chris Marsh and Adi Viveash look back on the day Walsall pipped Manchester City to promotion. Spanning half a century of Saddlers history, Walsall Match of My Life captures the precious memories of the heroes who mean so much to the fans.
£16.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Hugging Strangers: The Frequent Lows and
Book SynopsisWhat is it like to follow one of English football's perennial non-achievers? Hugging Strangers is a celebration of what it means to support your club through thick and thin. It speaks to all who love the game but are lumbered - by way of family, geography or plain bad luck - with a team whose glory days are few and far between. At the end of the 1963/64 season Birmingham City stayed in the first division by winning on the last day of the campaign. In the 55 years that followed, the Blues kept either survival or promotion for the final fixture on a further 12 occasions. Stir in nine relegations, eight promotions, along with play-off failures and embarrassing exits from cup competitions and you'll have an idea of what it means to be a Blues fan. But you don't have to be a Birmingham fan to enjoy this book. This light-hearted collection of tales from a lifelong, hopeless football addict will strike a chord with anyone who has asked themselves quite why they allow this simple game to assume such importance in their lives.
£16.85
Pitch Publishing Ltd Two Thousand Games: A Life in Football
Book SynopsisBrian Horton is one of the most respected managers in English football. As a player, manager and assistant, he took part in over 2,000 games - in Britain only Sir Alex Ferguson can claim more. Horton's career started in the World Cup summer of 1966 and ended over half a century later. His playing career began unceremoniously when Port Vale bought him from non-league Hednesford for the price of a pint of shandy. But later, as Brighton captain, he became a club legend, skippering the Seagulls from the Third to the First Division. He continued this success at Luton and Hull, before managing the Yorkshire side. Horton further distinguished himself as boss at Oxford and then Manchester City, keeping the Citizens in the Premier League for two thrilling seasons. Spells at Huddersfield, Brighton, Port Vale and Macclesfield followed before Brian was catapulted back to the Premier League at Hull City as assistant manager to Phil Brown. He continued to work with Brown at Preston, Southend and Swindon until his retirement in 2018.
£19.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd The Fifty: Football's Most Influential Players
Book SynopsisThe Fifty tells the story of football through its best and most influential players, from the 19th century to the modern day. Most of the 50 are household names - Pele, Charlton, Maradona, Jimmy Hill, Matthews, Best, Zidane and Messi - and those who aren't certainly deserve to be. You'll read about football's first black superstar Jose Andrade, a 1930 World Cup winner with Uruguay who died in poverty. There's Lily Parr, a Woodbine-smoking behemoth of the women's game who is more famous now than when she died. Then there's Robbie Rogers, the second male footballer in Britain to come out as gay. Though Rogers wasn't a great player, his story will restore some faith after Justin Fashanu's appalling experiences as a gay footballer in the 1980s. Similarly, Jean-Marc Bosman made an indelible mark, not on the pitch but through the courts, changing the way footballers are treated forever. It's not about the stats, tactics or managers - this is the players' story, from war heroes and match-fixers to superstars and an African president.
£19.97
