Association football (Soccer) Books

Book SynopsisBEFORE, DURING AND AFTER MANCHESTER UNITEDAlex is the most up-to-date biography of Sir Alex Ferguson-the most decorated manager in British football history.Find out how he recovered from his brain surgery in 2018.Why he appointed David Moyes as his successor.How livid he was when Moyes was sacked ten months later.What he thought of Louis van Gaal''s tenure as Manchester United manager. What he thought of Jose Mourinho''s reign. And just how big a role he played in the appointment of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.This book also takes a deep dive into Alex''s relationship with the Glazer family and how he views the work carried out by Ed Woodward.From nought to eighty, this is the most complete biography ever written about Sir Alex Ferguson.?????Eamonn Holmes (Respected broadcaster and friend of Alex Ferguson):"A portrait of a genius for anyone wanting to know what makes Fergie tick. This is the Fergie factor explained."?????Ken O''Doherty (World champion snooker player and friend of Alex Ferguson):"A fitting and wonderful tribute to the greatest football manager of all time."?????Mike McGrath (The Daily telegraph):"A terrific journey"

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Book SynopsisFrom a rebellious teenager on the terraces to becoming Supporters Club Chairman, Club Director, Secretary and Head of Media Graham Brookland has seen it all supporting his local football club. The first Football League team to be liquidated mid season for 60 years was followed by him co-founding a new club five levels below the previous level. Five promotions to reach the Football League were achieved before near extinction again. Graham pens his unique experiences panning over 40 years confirming that there is always a story to tell about Aldershot Town Football Club.

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Book SynopsisThe story of Sir Alex Ferguson is a true rags-to-riches fairytale. When he announced he was to step down as manager of the world's biggest football club after 27 years in charge, he signed off in style with an honours list that confirmed him as the most successful manager in British history. Born in Govan, Glasgow, he played for Queen's Park, Dunfermline and Rangers before retiring in 1974 to begin his managerial career. Before joining Manchester United, he led a Rangers side to the league title and the 1983 European Cup Winners' Cup and, although he struggled initially at United, his bargain-signing of Eric Cantona secured their first league title in 26 years. An incredible run of success followed, shaped by the emergence of 'Fergie's Fledglings' - Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, and Nicky Butt. His finest moment was in 1999 when United romped to an unprecedented Treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League trophies. Ferguson was knighted in the same year. This in-depth biography charts Fergie's unstoppable rise and pays tribute to the greatest manager the world has ever seen.

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Book Synopsis'Psycho' is a word rarely bandied about in football today. There is no place on the pitch for player contact, let alone the sort of hard, robust tackling that could earn a player such a nickname. But 25 years ago, things were different. Only when players really overstepped the mark were their names added to the referee's little black book. And Pat Van Den Hauwe had a reputation as one of the hardest players in the game. In a career encompassing some 401 Football League appearances for Birmingham City, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Millwall, he notched up two league titles and a European Cup Winners' Cup medal - but he also made his mark as one of the toughest and most feared defenders in the game. But Pat wasn't just a tough player on the pitch. The way he lived his life meant that he needed to be tough off the pitch as well. A 'hard nut' reputation invites people into your life who want to see how far they can push you - and Pat Van Den Hauwe attracted such people by the bus-load. This autobiography is not the usual collection of career memories from an ex-pro. It is probably the most explicit book ever written by a former footballer. Throughout his career, and long after he left the game, Pat Van Den Hauwe courted danger. In fact, he nearly paid the ultimate price for living life to the extreme. 'Psycho Pat': legend or madman? Read on and find out -

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Book SynopsisJimmy Case is best remembered for a spectacular FA Cup final goal and a deserved reputation as one of football's genuine hard men. But that does scant justice to a career that covered more than 700 appearances for 7 league clubs and did not end until he retired, through injury, at the age of 41. Raised on Merseyside, Jimmy began at his beloved Liverpool, becoming a key player in the all-conquering team of the late 1970s alongside stars like Kevin Keegan, John Toshack, Ray Clemence, Phil Thompson, Kenny Dalglish and his two great mates, Tommy Smith and Ray Kennedy. At Anfield, where he was signed by Bill Shankly and guided by Bob Paisley, Jimmy won a boxful of medals: four league titles, three European cups plus a host of other domestic honours which tell the truth about Jimmy Case - that he had much more than a tough tackle and a ferocious shot. As the man himself says, you couldn't get in that Liverpool team if you couldn't play.His ambition was to play his entire career at Liverpool but fate sent him on a different route: to Brighton, where he almost won the FA Cup; to Southampton, where he played more than 200 games; to Bournemouth; Halifax; Wrexham; and a single outing for Darlington. Along the way he came up against players like Andy Gray, Graeme Souness, David Speedie, Graeme Sharp and Norman Whiteside, often with painful results. Packed with incident and anecdotes, usually funny - but occasionally sad - this is the story of Jimmy Case, a true football legend.Trade Review"He is just the person you would want with you in the trenches in a war ... You'd look to your right and see "Jimmy Case." "Kevin Keegan"

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Book SynopsisYou can never take what you love too seriously and The Periodic Table of Football celebrates this fact.Welcome to The Periodic Table of Football. Instead of hydrogen to helium, here you’ll find Pelé to Sepp Blatter – 108 elements from the football pantheon arranged by their properties and behaviour on and off the pitch.This expert guide and accompanying poster spans over 150 years to offer an original perspective of the beautiful game.

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Book SynopsisJohn Terry, footballing legend and Chelsea hero, graduated from Chelsea youth academy to become an international star. His imposing strength, natural skill and bulldog spirit have made him the backbone of both Chelsea and England's staunch defences. Born in London, and raised through the Chelsea youth teams, Terry's extraordinary talent soon had him replacing World Cup winner Frank Leboeuf to become a first team favourite amongst the Stamford Bridge faithful. But Terry's progress has not all been plain sailing. In 2002, when he was on the verge of realising his dream of playing for England after some outstanding displays in the under-21 team, he was involved in an incident outside a nightclub. With his career in the balance, Terry battled back and, having been cleared of any charges, he became stronger than ever before. For years he was an indomitable force in the national side before retiring in 2012, having won 78 caps and appearing in two separate World Cups. He was even presented with the ultimate English honour when, in 2010, he captained his country during their World Cup campaign. Truly though, Terry is Chelsea through and through.Handed the captain's armband under Jose Mourinho's inspirational regime, backed by Roman Abramovich's formidable buying power, Terry is proof that some qualities simply can't be bought. His immense leadership skills have earned him the respect of his fellow pros and fans alike. With five FA Cups, four Premier Leagues - including an incredible 2014/15 campaign, and even a Champions League medal hanging in his trophy cabinet, John Terry must go down as one of the greatest Englishmen to ever play the game.

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Book SynopsisSince its creation in South America, the popularity of futsal has exploded and is now enjoyed by around 60 million participants globally. Futsal has captivated audiences around the world, becoming one of the fastest growing sports. In response to this exponential growth, futsal has become a contemporary topic for academics and practitioners alike seeking to understand the sport. Unique to futsal is the deep fascination that exists both for futsal's value as an individual sport and for its huge potential to enhance soccer player development. Powerful anecdotal stories ignite intrigue to the massive potential of futsal to support soccer player development at all ages and levels. This lightning-fast small-sided game condenses the most exciting parts of soccer into a high tempo yet incredibly strategic sport. Futsal - The Perfect Game to Develop Soccer Skills brings together, for the first time, the scholarly, academic world and the practical applied settings in which futsal exists. Drawing on detailed research, the authors create an evidence-based argument for the inclusion of futsal in talent development programs for soccer, while exploring the nuances of its application with players in a practical setting. Futsal - The Perfect Game to Develop Soccer Skills is the perfect book to support stakeholders, technical directors and coaches, and to help educate a mixed audience from both academia and sports-practitioners at all levels.Table of ContentsList of Figures; List of Tables; Dedications; Forewords; Dr Christopher Carling - An Academic Perspective; Marc Carmona - A Coach's Perspective; Max Kilman - A Player's Perspective; Raoni Medina - A Player's Perspective; Preface; Author Backgrounds; Dr Christopher Yiannaki; Michael Skubala; Acknowledgements; Part a - the evidence; chapter 1 - What is Futsal? a Brief Background; chapter 2 - do Skills developed on the Futsal court transfer onto the Soccer Pitch?8; chapter 3 - the Physical demands of Futsal; chapter 4 - the technical and tactical demands of Futsal; chapter 5 - the Psychological demands of Futsal Performance; chapter 6 - the development of Social Skills in Futsal Players; chapter 7 - topics of Special interest - concussion and heading; chapter 8 - areas for Further research; Part B - the Practical delivery oF FutSal; chapter 9 - cultural comparisons from around the World: how do the Best Futsal nations deliver Futsal for Soccer development?; chapter 10 - Player development: a Framework to deliver Futsal; List of Abbreviations and Glossary; Epilogue; References

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Book SynopsisWith over four decades supporting Carlisle United, travelling to more than 100 grounds to cheer them on in close to 1,000 games, author Tim Pocock has written this memoir to celebrate his sporting life with the Blues. He uses his personal match reports to bring a contemporary feel to his memories, from being abused by the Paddock, pulled over on the motorway by a United legend and nearly assisting a United goal. A former Carlisle fanzine publisher, Tim has written the book as a labour of love. It isn't a balanced, objective history - it is for those who, like him, see the football world through Blue tinted glasses. Expect the follow-up in five years to celebrate United winning the Champions League.

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Book SynopsisIn his 12 seasons at the club, the world-class Fenchman has developed the Gunners into a team capable of challenging for top domestic and European honours every year. His three Premiership titles - two of which came in 'Double' winning campaigns - are evidence of Wenger's unique tactical skill and his famous ability to spot talented young footballers. The phenomenal Gunners boss, nicknamed 'The Professor', has signed a new contract which commits him to the club until 2011 and Arsenal fans can look forward to a bright red future.

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Book SynopsisBy the time Giggs made his Manchester United first team debut aged just 17, many considered him to be the greatest talent in English football since George Best. He made United's left wing his own until late in his career, when Sir Alex Ferguson switched him to a deeper role in central midfield. Famed for his pace and skill on the ball, Giggs has scored many vital goals, most notably his incredible solo effort in the 1999 FA Cup semi-final replay against Arsenal. He was an integral part of the historic Treble-winning side in 1999, and is the only Manchester United player to have played in both the 1999 and 2008 Champions League victories. Having committed his entire career to United, Giggs eclipsed Bobby Charlton's record in April 2009, when he made his 800th appearance for the club. That year also brought his 11th Premier League winner's medal - he is the only player to have scored in every Premier League campaign since its inception - and the PFA Player of the Year award. Giggs has scored over 150 goals for United and his incredible record has ensured that he will go down in history as one of the club's greatest ever players.

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Book SynopsisBorn in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, in 1992, Jack began his football career at Letchworth Garden City Eagles, where his drive, intelligence and competitiveness entered in to local legend. Spotted by Arsenal's chief scout Steve Rowley while playing for Luton Town youths in 2001, Jack Wilshere was signed by the Gunners at the age of nine and immediately placed under the guidance of youth coach Roy Massey at Arsenal's Hale End Academy. Nine incredible years later, Jack was lining up for England, becoming one of the youngest ever players to pull on the famous three-lions jersey; he has since become an integral part of the England setup and his presence is key in the ongoing quest for World Cup glory in Brazil in 2014. From successive years as a captain of high-school football teams, through to becoming one of the first names in Arsene Wenger's Arsenal team-sheet, Jack Wilshere's story is the stuff of football dreams, and the emergence of such a talent is a testament to English football at both grass-root and professional levels. With the heart of Vieria, the skill of Brady, the grace of Beckham, and the elegance of Bergkamp, Jack Wilshere - Arsenal DNA is a tale of true grit and determination, and a story wholeheartedly intertwined with the history of Arsenal FC and the future of English football.

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Book SynopsisWhy are football and chess 'beautiful games'? Do top football coaches read the pitch as a chess player reads the board? What is the connection between Jose Mourinho's defensive cunning and Grandmaster Wilhelm Steinitz's 'principles of defence'? The global popularity of football and chess remains unmatched by any other game. In this book, Adam Wells argues that stereotypical views of the games have concealed a deep connection between them. The first study of its kind, this book explores a rich world of tactics, psychology and aesthetics. Structural principles are analysed using real life examples to show how these connections play out on the board and in the field. This book is accessible to fans of either game, including football fans with no previous knowledge of chess. Readers will see how chess can be a pulsating, dynamic game, whilst appreciating that football shares much of the mystery and structural beauty of the world's greatest board game.

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Book SynopsisIt was the look and the attitude that defined the UK in the 1980s. It was 'a culture unto its own' that brought with it an unforgettable style that was as important as the team. It was about confrontation and being involved, a good fight and being part of the mob. This was the Casual movement - a new breed of football fan, bringing with them a new way to terrorise the terraces. Scotland led the way, and of them all, Aberdeen football club's Aberdeen Soccer Casuals (the ASC) became the most notorious, most feared and most copied mob in the country. Told from a unique perspective at the heart of the action, this is their explosive and exhilarating story. Forthright, honest and passionate, this is the only account you'll ever need to read about the most formidable fans in Scotland. It's time to meet the Aberdeen Soccer Casuals.

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Book SynopsisA schoolboy prodigy, it was always clear that McCoist was destined for top flight football. At just 16 he signed his first professional contract with St Johnstone, shooting to prominence in the 1980/81 season, scoring 22 league goals and playing a starrring role for the Scottish youth team. He was soon hot property. After two years of mixed fortunes at Sunderland, McCoist returned to Scotland and signed for his boyhood heroes Glasgow Rangers. Over the next fifteen years, he established himslef as arguably the greatest goal-scorer ever to play for the club. He not only gave heart and soul for Rangers but was also capped 61 times for Scotland. An authoritative and affectionate portrait of this much-loved sportsman, Ally McCoist - Portrait of a Hero charts the highs and lows of a fascinating career, culminating in McCoist reaching legendary status. It also looks at the events that helped to shape his life - overcoming homesickness when first playing for an English club, the effects his parents' seperation had on him and how he coped when his young son had to undergo several life-saving operations. Having hung up his books, Ally's vibrant personality made him a natural for the television screen. Now, however, he has come full circle and returned 'home' to be assistant manager at his beloved Rangers. This wonderful book is a must-read for any football fan or indeed for anyone captivated by this larger-than-life character.

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Book SynopsisThe Dundee Utility stands apart from other football firms. Its members are drawn not from the supporters of one team, but from two - Dundee United and Dundee FC - all of whom share the same passion: their city. The two bands of fans stand united, except on derby day, of course! In this compelling book, authors Kenny McCall and John Robb present the complete inside story of the Utility from their unique positions, each supporting Dundee United and Dundee respectively.

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Book SynopsisOver the years, the mobs of Preston North End have fronted up to infamous football firms such as the Chelsea Headhunters, the Birmingham City Zulus and the Leeds Service Crew, to name just a few. Although the Preston lads were often lacking in big numbers, they were always prepared to stand their ground and have a go, knowing that it was quality, not quantity that would count when standing toe to toe with their rivals. In this brutally honest book, staunch PNE fan Bill Routledge recalls the days when the dawn of Saturdays signalled a rush of adrenalin and a wave of anticipation; a time for the lads to put aside the worries of the working week and experience the buzz of mayhem on the terraces. He describes a time when music and fashion were vital to the identity of the firms, as well as examining the history of violence at Preston North End, the roots of the different factions and how they got their names. Together with other faces from the PNE firms, he details hair-raising tales of violent clashes with other mobs, as well as the fans' misdemeanours on foreign soil. This fascinating insight into life on the frontline is as shocking as it is exciting - but it's not short of laughs either. It is a truthful account of the highs and lows of being a devoted, passionate football fan waiting for glory.

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Book SynopsisNorth of Kirkcaldy, lucky are those - from Levenmouth through the East Neuk to the Tay - who can count East Fife as their Club. It is, by some standards, a very young team, founded some 20 years after Raith Rovers, and a good 30 years after senior football had begun to take off. The first Scotland International was played in 1872, and the first Scottish Cup final took place in 1874, yet East Fife didn’t kick their first football until 1903. The other teams got off to a good start, but East Fife caught up. They played in Methil at Bayview, from where in 1927 the team reached the Scottish Cup Final and, in 1938, won the trophy, all while in the Second Division. After the Second World War came three great League Cup triumphs in 1947/48, 1949/50 and 1953/54, before teams like Celtic and Hearts had even appeared in a final. In 1998, the club moved to a new ground, much closer to the sea, and sometimes called New Bayview. The story of these achievements includes tales of players – famous and less well-known – and of managers, supporters, referees, chairmen, directors and club officials. There are over 100 photographs of players, teams, strips, and crowds. Plus a full Index of names, clubs, grounds, competitions, newspapers, sponsors and spiders. In the words of the author: `Every East Fife supporter would love to see the great days come back. It does not look, at the moment, all that likely, it has to be said, but then who am I to say that?’

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Book SynopsisAlex McKinven's passion for football has been life-long - first as a player and then as a manager - and that passion shines through in this book, the first comprehensive history of the game in Campbeltown, which documents the evolution of local football from the late 19th century to the present day. The local narrative is adeptly interwoven with national and international developments in the game. The local teams are all here - Academicals, Hearts, Glenside, Kintyre, Pupils, United, and dozens more - along with a huge cast of players, including the greatest exponents of the game Campbeltown ever produced, Neil McBain and Peter Pursell, both capped for Scotland, Peter's brother Bob, Jamie Brown and John Durnin, and a string of others who played professionally both in England and in Scotland. And an Italian internationalist, Giovanni Moscardini, earns a chapter to himself, thanks to two seasons as a Pupils player in the mid-1920s.Outstanding matches in the history of the local game - cup-ties and league clashes, some attracting spectators in their thousands - have been reconstructed from newspaper reports to present a series of vivid, tension-filled commentaries redolent of vanished loyalties. This book, which is enhanced by a fascinating collection of photographs spanning more than a century, will entertain and inform not only fans of 'the beautiful game' in Alex's native Kintyre, but also worldwide.

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Book SynopsisFootball has evolved on a massive scale. Transfer fees have reached the hundreds of millions and if the growth remains unchecked the sport will reach imponderable heights. The global pandemic of 2020 provided a stark illustration of the game’s sense of priority. Mounting death rates failed to stifle the rapidly convened debates about the practicalities of getting football back up and running. Yet for all the game’s burgeoning development and inflated sense of importance, we will never lose our love of those foibles and eccentricities which remind us of football’s tendency to regress into its rawest format. This book is about the crazy goings-on in the history of Ayr United and, to a lesser degree, Ayr FC and Parkhouse. What happens when the goalkeeper doesn’t turn up? What can be done when the ball bursts? Why did an opposition player don a disguise? It is tantamount to a reality check. Football’s unpredictability extends to far more than unexpected results. It has the capacity to create scenarios that could not even be dreamt of. Boxers versus Jockeys at Somerset Park – let that one sink in!

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Book SynopsisJohn 'Budgie' Burridge is a true journeyman pro and a hero to football fans up and down the country. In a unique career spanning 30 years, Budgie played 771 league games for 29 teams and became the oldest player ever to appear in the Premier League. Highly respected as a goalkepper, but denounced by many as an 'oddball', Budgie was famous for the madcap antics. And the Burridge story was far from over when he finally retired in 1997, at the age of 47. He lapsed into depression and spent months in the Priory Clinic as he struggled badly to cope with the void in his life. He then became player-manager at non-league Blyth Spartans - only to be convicted for dealing in counterfeit leisurewear. Together with his wife of more than 30 years, Budgie moved to Oman to take up a coaching post with the national team. He sustained serious injuries when he was knocked down by a car in 1999, but is back in rude health and is now a TV pundit and newspaper columnist. Burridge is still fascinating and funny to this day, and this tell-all autobiography reveals the truth behind his astonishing football career.

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Philip Abrams Memorial Book Prize 2001 'No one likes us, we dont care' is the anthem of the most notorious fans in British football. But little is known about the actual people who generated and continue to maintain this most infamous of working-class subcultures. In addition to the voices of the fans themselves, this book provides a rich and original account of the historical background, social sources, expressive culture and ritual practices of Millwallism, a far more complex, meaningful and anthropologically compelling phenomenon than the media stereotypes suggest. The author argues that Millwall functions in the popular consciousness as a powerful symbol: specific understandings of football hooliganism, working-class masculinity, and violent neo-fascism are triggered by its use in the media and in everyday social interaction. There are, it follows, few social groups as heavily mythologized as Millwall fans. Further, the generation and maintenance of this myth has significance far beyond the club itself, and is rooted in the meanings attached to working-class identities and modernity, masculinity and the body. This book will be essential reading for anyone interested in Millwall, the issues of football hooliganism or working-class masculinity, sociology, anthropology, or sports studies.Trade Review'An immediate classic.'Culture, Sport and Society 'Garry Robson does his subject proud and in coining the term 'Millwallism' has surely achieved a sociological first.'Philosophy Football'A fine piece of sociological work ... which anyone interested in this field of so-called 'football studies' should read immediately.'Sociology'A fine piece of work.'Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute'With the partial exception of the work of Anthony King, it is, in my opinion, the single most penetrating, insightful, and original contribution to the understanding of soccar hoologanism in the United Kingdom to have been produced since the 1980s.'Cognitions, Emotions, and Identities'There aren't too many sociological books that make their way into the Christmas stocking. In this, and many other respects, Garry Robson's study of Millwall football culture is exceptional.'Les Back, Reader in Sociology, Goldsmiths College, London

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