Autobiography: sport Books

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

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

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Book SynopsisTHE STORY OF ONE MAN WHO CHANGED THE FACE OF CRICKET FOREVER.''Azeem''s first legacy - a legacy carved at great personal expense - was to expose how cricket works. His second gift may be to expose how this country works, too.'' Jonathan LiewWhen Azeem Rafiq was a young boy playing cricket near his home in Pakistan, he could never have foreseen that this sport would change his life forever. He fell in love with the game quickly and it wasn''t long before the white flannels and green grass felt like home to him. When he moved to England, he became the youngest man to captain a Yorkshire side and the first person of Asian descent to do so. His talent was undeniable, and doors were opening for him.But there was something Azeem was bottling up and it was about to explode out of him and shake the whole cricket world, and wider society, out of their slumber. It''s Not Banter, It''s Racism is the never before-told truth behind the

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Book Synopsis'Magnificent, moving, often funny and deeply researched account . . . Is this just a book for those who know football? Far from it: this is a story of glory and the impermanence of fame' Sunday Times (Book of the Week)'Like Alf Ramsey's 1966 team, this book has depth, it has riches and it's a winner - the finest piece of sports writing I have read in ages and a superb piece of contemporary history' Peter Hennessy England. 1966. The World Cup.Duncan Hamilton watched England beat West Germany as an eight-year-old boy in the company of his father and grandfather. He recalls 'Wembley, spread out in the sun; the waving flags; the delirious, joy-of-all-joys moment of the final whistle; the trophy sparkling in the late afternoon light'.But, seeing the whole game again during the misery of the first Covid lockdown, finally made him realise what Alf Ramsey and his players had no inkling of, which was what came next for them. How, for many of those boys of summer, almost everything after that shimmering moment amounted to an anti-climax or a setback. How '66 was not a beginning, a guaranteed path towards more success, but a slow decline and fall, and also a disproportionate number of disappointments. And how the triumph of '66 was dulled through constant repetition, the same images always flashed before us.Hamilton recognised, too, how many myths and misconceptions had grown around the match. He decided to revisit '66, tracing the very roots of a story - as well as the hidden figures within it - that really began during the era of post-War austerity.Answered Prayers provides, at last, a full account of English football's greatest achievement and the failures that followed it. We see the institutional inability to appreciate Ramsey and his players, who were taken for granted; the political machinations of the blazered fools who ran the Football Association; the short-sighted blunderers of the Football League.With his matchless insight and descriptive power, Hamilton tells history afresh and shows us, for the first time, the scale of what was won and what was lost.PRAISE FOR DUNCAN HAMILTON'Hamilton has a perceptively humane understanding of men for whom football was never just a game' Guardian'A marriage of prose and detail so fine and fastidious that it takes the breath away' Independent'Justifiably prize-winning' Mail on SundayTrade ReviewTerrific. As good on post-war Britain as Peter Hennessy. Informed and heart-breaking. -- Stephen FrearsAn expert observer of different forms of Englishness, he treats sportspeople as three-dimensional humans. * Financial Times *Absorbing. Like all the best football books, Answered Prayers is not just about football; it's about hope and despair, friendship and enmity, and the character it takes to handle them. * Guardian (Book of the Week) *Magnificent, moving, often funny and deeply researched account . . . Is this just a book for those who know football? Far from it: this is a story of glory and the impermanence of fame. * Sunday Times (Book of the Week) *Like Alf Ramsey's 1966 team, this book has depth, it has riches and it's a winner - the finest piece of sports writing I have read in ages and a superb piece of contemporary history. Duncan Hamilton's great gift is the blending of character, mood and moment. Even Ramsey might have showed a spasm of emotion were he here to read it. -- Peter HennessyThis may well be one of the best books ever written about football. * Choice Magazine *Brilliant...Hamilton, arguably Britain's greatest sportswriter, tells [Ramsey's] tale with his wonderful panache. He is the master of the vivid phrase... Dry humour is never far from the surface in this book's pages. * Daily Express *Hamilton has a gift for treating sportspeople as humans * Financial Times (Book of the Year) *A highly poignant, history of England's World Cup victory in 1966. * Daily Express (Book of the Year) *The finest sports book of the year by one of the country's most garlanded sports writers. * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisUpdated edition featuring a brand new afterword?A terrific book. No one put their body on the line quite like Sam Warburton.?Brian O?Driscoll?It was an absolute privilege to play against Sam. An inspiring leader with an equally inspiring story to tell.?Jonny WilkinsonTrade Review ‘A terrific book. No one put their body on the line quite like Sam Warburton.’ Brian O’Driscoll ‘It was an absolute privilege to play against Sam. An inspiring leader with an equally inspiring story to tell.’ Jonny Wilkinson ‘I'm so accustomed to doing these rugby/football book serialisations and most of the time am left somewhat underwhelmed. But from start to finish I feel Warburton really delivers. Really candid, takes you inside the dressing room, behind the scenes anecdotes few know about and nicely written in chatty fashion.’ Head of Sport, WalesOnline ‘He will go down as one of the great players but an even better captain for his ability to exhort his team-mates to new heights.’ Rugby World ‘[An] impressive memoir… Warburton’s account of his career, cut short by persistent injuries at the age of 29, is full of passion and candour and takes the reader right into the dressing room.’ The Times

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Book SynopsisJonny Wilkinson''s career has crossed three decades and four World Cups. He has accumulated phenomenal achievements, world points records, an impressive list of broken body parts, and a drop goal that will be remembered for ever. But the peculiar calmness with which he played the game masked a very different reality. In JONNY, he reveals the extraordinary psychology that he had to tame in order to be able to dominate his sport. For most of his life, he was driven by a quest for perfection and an obsession to be the best player in the world; here he shows how these two facets of his competitive mind took such a hold of him that they sent him to the top of the world, then swept him up and dragged him down into a spiral of despair. Jonny''s career has spanned the far reaches: amazing highs and iconic moments, then a fight against injury that culminated in a battle with depression. Here he tells of the physical toll he knew his body was taking from rugby, even from his youth; he tells of h

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Book SynopsisWinning takes many forms. For fans of Matthew Syed, this is a great sports book about leadership, judgement and decision-making rooted in the theory that helped Ed Smith lead England cricket to sustained success. And to help us all win more.An absolutely fascinating book' THE GAME, The Times football podHow do you spot the opportunities that others miss?How do you turn a team's performance around?How do you make good decisions amid a tidal wave of information? And how can you improve?As chief selector for the England cricket team, Ed Smith pioneered new methods for building successful teams and watched his decisions tested in real time on the pitch. During his three-year tenure, England averaged 7 wins in every 10 completed matches, better than they have performed before or since.Making Decisions reveals Smith's unique approach to finding success in a fast-changing and increasingly data-reliant world. The best decisions, Smith argues, rely on a combination of differing kinds of intellTrade Review PRAISE FOR MAKING DECISIONS ‘Sincere and often self-reflective… offers genuine searing insight, making points you feel have never been made before. A learned and engaging study of decision-making.’ New Statesmen ‘A WONDERFUL book’ Stumbling and Mumbling Economics blog ‘An excellent read… based on his years as England’s chief cricket selector, but drawing on much broader thinking on decision-making’ Simon Kuper ‘A masterful combination of analysis and personal experience of decision-making at the highest level. Full of insights, wisdom and highly entertaining’ Mervyn King ‘In this fascinating and highly readable book, Ed Smith explores how the human and the machine can work together’ Matt Ridley PRAISE FOR ED SMITH’S LUCK ‘There's hardly a sentence here that isn't clear, thought-provoking and beautifully expressed. Sport bores me rigid. Inspirational books repel me. But Smith on sport, life and luck brings fresh ways of looking at things on every page and, despite myself, I read on’Matthew Parris ‘Smith is a beguiling and skilful writer: good-humoured, anecdotal, discursive and often fascinating. You'll probably read his book in an evening but think about it for weeks, even years, afterwards’New Statesman ‘Book of the week … Elegant and absorbing … Smith is excellent at exploring nuances … The writing on sport is superb … Smith moves beyond sport with great effect’The Times ‘Funny and honest … like one of Smith's well-crafted innings in his playing career, it leaves you wanting more’Sunday Times ‘Blends personal experience, sporting insight and a broad knowledge of history with the journalist's talent for storytelling to fashion an original and thought-provoking book … not only refreshing but uplifting’Spectator An exceptional book: lucid, thought-provoking, informative and fair. Outstanding’The Times

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Book SynopsisThe inspirational memoir from Paralympian and disability advocate Anne Wafula Strike, updated for 2024Left partially paralysed below the rib cage by polio, Anne Wafula Strike was forced to flee her native Kenyan village, moving across the country with her family. After overcoming additional adversity, including the loss of her mother and ableist prejudice, Anne moved to the UK, where she discovered her talent for wheelchair racing.The first East African to compete in her sport, representing Kenya in the 2004 Paralympics before joining Paralympics GB, Anne is now a fierce advocate for the promotion of the games around the world, and a champion of disabled rights.First published in 2010, and fully updated with Anne's passionate activism including her campaign for more accessibility on public transport In My Dreams I Dance is an incredibly inspiring story about why you should never let others slow you down.

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Book SynopsisIan Rush was born in St Asaph, Wales. He joined Liverpool from Chester City in 1980 and other than his single season with Juventus (1987-88), played for the Reds until 1996, making his final bow as a player in 2000. Rush's achievements include being Liverpool's all-time greatest goalscorer, the record Welsh international goalscorer, the leading 20th-century goalscorer in the FA Cup and all-time record FA Cup Final goalscorer, the joint-highest goalscorer in the League Cup, and winning five League Championships, three FA Cups and a European Cup. Not to mention Footballer of the Year, the European Golden Boot, various PFA Player of the Year awards and an MBE for services to football. Following retirement as a player he achieved the UEFA Pro Licence and has since become one of the most respected coaches in the game, working with strikers under Gerard Houllier at Liverpool and currently as Elite Performance Director with the Welsh FA Trust.Trade ReviewHits the spot like a Rushie toe-poke in front of the Kop * Four Four Two *For fans of the Reds this book will not disappoint. Discussing the many highs and lows he encountered, there is much to appreciate * Irish Examiner *Intriguing * Glasgow Herald *

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Book SynopsisJoe Simpson is the author of several bestselling books, of which the first,Touching the Void, won both the NCR award and the Boardman Tasker Award. His later books are This Game of Ghosts - the sequel to Touching the Void - Storms of Silence, Dark Shadows Falling, The Beckoning Silence and one previous novel, The Water People.Trade ReviewGrippingly told...there is no question Simpson is a brilliant adventure writer. There are passages that had my heart racing * Observer *Eloquent, spine-chilling stuff * SUNDAY TIMES *No one conjures the thrill of altitude better than Simpson...A hugely enjoyable book...As far as mountaineering literature goes this is about as good as it gets * Sara Wheeler, Spectator *An engrossing read. Nobody evokes the physical and psychological realities of climbing better...a powerfully written book...as vivid as anything Simpson has yet produced * Sunday Telegraph *Heart-stopping stuff...This is not a book for the fainthearted and perhaps should come with a government health warning...a book that will have your fingers clutching imaginary rocks and palms sweating over every page * Scotsman *

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The cyclist Tom Simpson is a legend. The first British world champion, the first Briton to pull on the fabled yellow jersey of the Tour de France - he brought professional cycling to a nation and inspired generations of riders. His autobiography, Cycling is My Life, was written the year before he died tragically on the barren moonscape of Mont Ventoux during the 1967 Tour aged just twenty-nine. Forty years on, hundreds of fans still make the pilgrimage to the windswept memorial which marks the spot where he died. In an age where each Tour de France seems more blighted by scandal than the next, Simpson''s story is as relevant now as it was then. A man of contradictions, Simpson was one of the first cyclists to admit to using banned drugs, yet the dapper ''Major Tom'' inspired awe and affection from the British public for the obsessive will to win which was ultimately to cost him his life. First published in 1966, Simpson''s autobiography is essential reading fo

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Book SynopsisThis updated autobiography continues Katherine's inspirational story as GB's finest ever female rower.Trade Review'Beautifully written' * Independent. *'The book is a testament to friendship' * Observer. *'As much about people as it is about the physical and mental challenges of world-class rowing' * Financial Times. *'What a brilliant book' * Verite Sport. *Table of ContentsForeword by Sir Steve Redgrave • Let's Start at the Very Beginning • The Wonder Years • Decisions, Discord and Donuts • Breakthrough at Sydney • All Change • Through the Pain • Quadrupe Quandaries • Chinese Burn • Tapping into Phoebe • The Right Fit • Golden Days • The Return to the Arena • Silver Linings.

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Book Synopsis''HILARIOUS AND OUTRAGEOUS'' CHRIS EVANS THE HILARIOUS FULL-THROTTLE MEMOIR FROM ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHARACTERS IN UK MOTOR RACINGSHORTLISTED FOR THE TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2020 Two-time championship-winning and record-breaking racing driver, Jason Plato is a living, breathing example of what you shouldn''t do if you want to become a professional racing driver: DO NOT: Steal a JCB in Monaco and end up in prison there - twice Kill Bernie Ecclestone (almost) Choose fags and booze over the gym Give Prince Charles the finger on the M42 Make enemies with a 6ft 6 rival who is a black belt in everything Since joining the Williams Touring Car team in 1997 he has had more race wins than Lewis Hamilton and Stirling Moss, competed in more races than Jenson Button and set the largest number of fastest laps ever. But he''s also a rule breaker who has had more than his fair sTrade ReviewPure entertainment . . . So much fun . . . His journey from outrageous teenage hijinks to the rough-and-tumble of driver feuding tends to prompt involuntary reading noises, be they barks of laughter or gasps at his audacity * Guardian, Best Sports Books of 2019 *Hilarious and outrageous * Chris Evans *As entertaining as watching him drive, a cracking read! * Sir Chris Hoy *I read this in the hope that it would teach me everything I need to know so that one day I can become a racing driver although I think I may have left it too late... * Howard Donald, Take That *Top class chauffeur, sublime broadcaster, ultimate party honey badger. These are the qualities I know and adore about JP. He taught me how to nail a hot lap around Rockingham and I've been in a speed jive ever since. Jason can burn the candle at both ends and in the middle yet still deliver the business. * Suzi Perry, Fifth Gear *Jason Plato is one of the most gifted racing drivers of his generation! * Damon Hill *Jason is a total fruitcake! * Jody Scheckter, Former F1 World Champion *Irreverent * iNews, The best Christmas car gifts *Plato is adept at telling a story. Totally authentic. There's plenty of laughs to be had and insight on offer * Autosport *It makes for one of the great sporting life stories . . . Forget everything you thought about sports stars and any expectations of sports autobiographies. Plato is truly an unconventional sportsman, and this is truly an unconventional autobiography, but it is all the better for being so * NB Magazine *The frank autobiography of British Touring Car Championship legend * Motorsport News, Christmas Gift Guide *There's plenty of laughs to be had and insight on offer * Motorsport News *An account of a larger-than-life character whose life outside of the car is just as exhilarating as in it * NB Magazine *

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Book SynopsisIn an era when Kilkenny established itself as the dominant force in hurling, one man stood out from a remarkable group of players: Henry Shefflin. This book tells the story of the legendary hurler Henry Shefflin.Trade ReviewThere is a compelling story in a young man's rise from the rural middle class of south Kilkenny to being one of our finest sportsmen. He became much more than a hurler ... This memoir is cast in its author's likeness, honest but tactful, direct without being brusque * Irish Examiner *Shefflin...gives interesting insights into the mentality and culture which have powered the most dominant team in Irish men's sports over the last 15 years. He is also very honest about himself. -- Christy O'Connor * Evening Echo *

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Book SynopsisTHE STORY BEHIND THE WOMAN WHO CHANGED THE FACE OF BOXING FOREVER, OBE NICOLA ADAMSAt London 2012, Nicola Adams made history when she became the first woman ever to win an Olympic Gold medal for boxing. In Rio 2016, with the nation cheering her on, she did it all over again. Years of relentless training, fundraising and determination have seen Nicola battle through injury, prejudice and defeat to become one of Britain best-loved athletes and an inspiration to all those who are chasing after a seemingly impossible dream. From a leisure centre in Leeds to the Olympic Stadium in Rio, Nicola with her famous smile has become an LGBTQ+ icon and the poster girl for women in sport. This is her story of grit, talent and the real person behind the smile.Nicola is soon to be a contestant on BBC''s Strictly Come Dancing in the show''s first same-sex pairing. ____________________WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT NICOLA:Trade ReviewThe British public don't just admire her, they love her * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisIn the 1960s, Denis Law was the king of Old Trafford. A goal-scoring genius, Law attacked the game (and the occasional opponent) with a dedication and enthusiasm which held his legions of loyal subjects in devoted awe. The deadly triumvirate of Law, George Best and Bobby Charlton swept opposition from its path, and led Manchester United to win the FA Cup in 1963 and the League in 1965 and 1967.Born in Aberdeen in 1940, Law played his first professional game for Huddersfield in 1956. He moved to Manchester City before being among the very first British players to play on the continent of Europe, joining Torino in 1961. It was in August 1962 that Law moved back to Manchester, this time to United, for a record transfer fee of 115,000. He immediately won the hearts of the Old Trafford crowd by scoring twice in his début game. Many more goals were to follow: 160 in 222 matches, many of them spectacular, all of them executed with Law''s trademark panache.Law was European fTrade ReviewThis intelligent book, packed with anecdotes, is a must for any football fan * Sunday Mirror *Denis was the best in the business, he could score goals from a hundredth of a chance, never mind half of one -- George BestHis book is rightly called The King ... We remember Law as the great predator [but] what players like him can offer a reader beyond the tales of muddy glory, is a glimpse into life after sport, when the crowd noise stops and they are faced with reality as we substantially lesser mortals know it * Daily Telegraph *A lovely and lively peek at football's golden age through the eyes of a man who was on the inside track suffering the high and lows. Like the man himself, definitely a winner * Glasgow Evening Times *He played for United and City, served under Busby and Shanks and tasted pleasure and pain ... He has been revisiting all these memories in his autobiography, a book rare in that genre for the author's honesty * Independent on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisPat Smullen was one of the greatest Irish jockeys ever. In a career laden with success, his position as one of the country's best ever flat jockeys was long established. And yet, despite being a nine-time champion jockey, his humility defined him.It was this strength of character that sustained him when, in March 2018, Pat was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. There was never any self-pity. He just dealt with it. And more than that, he brought it centre stage: raising funds and awareness, and channelling his energies into helping others. Pat was a champion in all aspects of life, no matter what setbacks were thrown at him. Tragically, his life was cut short far too early in September 2020.Written in the months before his death, with the assistance of Donn McClean and completed by Pat's wife, Frances Crowley, Champion is the inspirational story of the jockey whose legacy lives on. From incredible highs to devastating

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Book Synopsis''A legend of the game'' - Anthony Seibold ''He''s a player that never lets his team down'' - Billy Slater Darius Boyd broke into the Brisbane Broncos NRL team in 2006 straight out of high school and was part of the premiership-winning team in his debut season. He''d go on to win another premiership with the Dragons in 2010, claiming the Clive Churchill Medal for man of the match and forever stamping his name as an elite champion of the game. He has played 28 State of Origins for Queensland and taken the field in 23 Tests for Australia - never playing in a losing Australian team. In 15 seasons at the top level, Darius has won nearly every honour the sport can award and is undeniably an NRL great. But listing statistics, awards and premierships doesn''t reveal the battles that Darius Boyd has faced off the field. A teenager with a troubled background, he started his career with innate footy talent but also the emotional baggage of an unknown father, the

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER''Outrageous, audacious, jaw-dropping'' SUNDAY TIMES''An essential read'' DAILY MAIL''Utterly captivating'' DAILY TELEGRAPH''Hugely entertaining'' GUARDIANThe fascinating life story of professional cricketer Kevin Pietersen, MBE, from his childhood in South Africa to his experiences as one of the leading lights in the world of international cricket.Kevin was dropped from the England squad in February 2014, seemingly calling time on an international career that began nearly ten years earlier. The decision puzzled many observers - although the England team had failed miserably in the Ashes tour of 2013-14, Kevin was the tourists'' leading run scorer across the series, and he remains the country''s highest run scorer of all time across all formats of the game.Kevin reveals all in his autobiography, telling the stories behind the many other highs and lows of his incredib

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Book SynopsisThe controversial story of Chris Jericho, the former undisputed Heavyweight Champion of WWE.Trade ReviewSo charming and funny is Chris Jericho's journey from body-slammingly painful naivety to worldly wrestling champ, that his memoirs will leave cynics finding time for a private read - GQAlmost certainly the best wrestling autobiography I've read, and I don't give that accolade lightly. I've read this book several times and it's not any less enjoyable ... for anyone who enjoys wrestling or Jericho this is a must-read - WRESTLING101.COMThis is the first true epic of wrestling books and should be on the shelf of every true wrestling fan ... Hilarious, empathetic, heart warming, gross, scary and down right bleeding interesting - THEWRESTLINGTRUTH.COM

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Book SynopsisPhysical Strength Can Only Take You So Far Reigning CrossFit World Champion Rich Froning is The Fittest Man on Earth. He's fast. He's strong. And he's incredibly disciplined. But it takes more than physical strength to compete and win at an elite level. It takes incredible mental and spiritual toughness as well. And it is the precise balance of all three that makes Rich Froning a champion. In First, readers come alongside Rich as he trains for and competes in back-to-back-to-back CrossFit World Championships. Along the way, Rich shares invaluable training tips, motivational techniques, and spiritual insights that, in keeping with the CrossFit philosophy, will prepare you to respond to any real-life physical, mental and spiritual challenge.

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Book SynopsisThe definitive career autobiography of Terry Venables, the most successful living England manager

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Book Synopsis'Brilliant' Paul Newman, Daily MailSHORTLISTED FOR THE BEST SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT BOOK OF THE YEARIn How Not to be a Cricketer, former England international and TV personality Phil Tufnell highlights the many potential pitfalls of a professional cricket career, and provides a hilarious insight into how to avoid them and what happens when, like him, you don't. I was the model cricketer – if anyone wanted to know how not to be one. My career included more ups and downs than the big dipper at Margate and more bumps than the dodgems next door. And yet somehow I climbed off the ride unblemished. I survived to walk away on my own terms. For someone who never quite fitted the mould, I was actually pretty good at not being a cricketer. In his superb new book, Phil Tufnell looks back over his life and career to provide brilliant advice and insights, often learned the hard way, from his own experienc

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Book Synopsis''Alan''s book is like his game: incisive, thoughtful, intelligent and consistently hits the target'' Gary Lineker''A brilliant, articulate, thoughtful man with a wonderful sense of humour: Smudge encapsulates all he is and knows in this fantastic book that will capture the hearts of every football fan'' Tony Adams''It was different back then, at least through Arsenal eyes. This was a young, exciting team full of hope and desire, led by a manager bristling with ambition . . .''Anfield ''89. Copenhagen ''94. Two of Arsenal''s greatest triumphs in the modern era. Both matches defined by the goal-scoring prowess of one man - Alan ''Smudger'' Smith.Smith''s rise in football was vertiginous: playing for Alvechurch in the Southern League one year, competing in the top flight twelve months later. His first three years at Leicester were characterized by a successful partnership with Gary Lineker. When Lineker left for Everton, SmitTrade ReviewAlan's book is like his game: incisive, thoughtful, intelligent and consistently hits the target * Gary Lineker *A brilliant, articulate, thoughtful man with a wonderful sense of humour: Smudge encapsulates all he is and knows in this fantastic book that will capture the hearts of every football fan * Tony Adams *Very enjoyable and typically honest account by my old mate on a fine career * Lee Dixon *

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Book SynopsisPerhaps no football manager has ever had his personal life dissected as thoroughly as Sven-Goran Eriksson. Yet the man that monopolized the British press during five tumultuous years as England manager remains an enigma. Who, precisely, is Sven?Here, in his no-holds-barred autobiography, the secretive Swede takes us on one of the wildest rides in world football. Populated by fake sheikhs, Italian lawyers, Nottingham outlaws and, of course, many of the biggest names in the game, his is a 40-year-long career that coincides with the evolution of football into a global multibillion-pound industry.Most of all, this is a surprisingly tender, sometimes heartbreaking, but never bitter account of a simple man with a most complicated story. A man who has reached a crossroads in his life, who until now has never stopped to ask himself the question: was it worth it?

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Book SynopsisTells the story of Ila Jane Borders, who despite formidable obstacles became a Little League prodigy, MVP of her all-male middle school and high school teams, the first woman awarded a college baseball scholarship, the first to win a complete men's collegiate game, and the first woman in the modern era to win a professional ball game.Trade Review"A welcome contribution to women's sports biographies."—Booklist Starred Review"An inspiring and important account, told with grace and self-awareness that will appeal to baseball and sports fans along with readers interested in LGBTQ memoirs."—Janet Davis, Library Journal“At last! The moving story of Ila Borders, as told to the gifted author and researcher Jean Ardell, will make readers wonder how much longer the baseball establishment can afford to disregard the skilled women players who should long ago have been recruited for the Minors and the Majors.”—Dorothy Seymour Mills, baseball historian and author of Drawing Card: A Baseball Novel “As a girl, Ila Borders had a dream. That dream became a desire, and that desire blossomed into a crusade: she would play baseball. Not softball. Baseball. She would throw the hard stuff past brawny male sluggers. Jean Hastings Ardell tells the story of this twilight figure coming out of the shadows to join a not always receptive mainstream. You may laugh. You may shed a tear. But surely you will applaud.”—Arnold Hano, author of A Day in the Bleachers“Ila Borders pitched her way through the special hell reserved for women who play baseball in America and has returned with enough inside baseball knowledge to please the most passionate fan. . . . [Making My Pitch is] a riveting, deeply personal story and a compelling addition to the fast-growing literature on American women in baseball.”—Jennifer Ring, author of A Game of Their Own: Voices of Contemporary Women in Baseball “This book is a walk through baseball history as Ila brings the reader with her on her journey from Little League to independent ball and beyond. Ila’s story is not a typical baseball story, and everyone needs to read this book.”—Leslie Heaphy, associate professor of history at Kent State University at Stark and coeditor of The Encyclopedia of Women and Baseball “This book is a must-read for understanding what it’s like to be a baseball first. Ila’s courage to keep going forward against all odds is both inspiring and meaningful.”—Justine Siegal, founder of Baseball For All “The best baseball books are about more than the game. In this evocative memoir, lefthander Ila Borders recounts her struggles in the male world of professional baseball.”—George Gmelch, author of Playing with Tigers: A Minor League Chronicle of the Sixties “Ila Borders is a role model. As the father of two daughters, both of whom have played, watched, and read about sports for as long as they have been able to do so, I have long awaited her memoir.”—Steve Gietschier, associate professor of history at Lindenwood UniversityTable of ContentsList of IllustrationsForewordAcknowledgmentsNote to the ReaderPrologue1. Beginnings: Little League2. Lipstick Adolescence3. College: Pitching through Adversity4. Mike Veeck and the St. Paul Saints5. Duluth-Superior Dukes: Being “Babe”6. The Dukes: Nailing a Win7. Another Team, Another Town8. Out of the Game9. LossEpilogueNotes

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Book Synopsis'Raw. Vulnerable. Open. Truthful . . . This is a book that will open up the floor for even more honest conversations about the side of yoga we don't often see.' - Angie Tiwari @tiwariyogaHow did an ancient spiritual practice become the preserve of the privileged?Nadia Gilani has been practising yoga for twenty-five years. She has also worked as a yoga teacher. Yoga has saved her life and seen her through many highs and lows; it has been a faith, a discipline, and a friend, and she believes wholeheartedly in its radical potential. However, over her years in the wellness industry, Nadia has noticed not only yoga's rising popularity, but also how its modern incarnation no longer serves people of colour, working class people, or many other groups who originally pioneered its creation. Combining her own memories of how the practice has helped her with an account of its history and transformation in the modern west, Nadia creates a love letter to yoga and a passionate critique of the billion-dollar industry whose cost and inaccessibility has shut out many of those it should be helping. By turns poignant, funny, and shocking, The Yoga Manifesto excavates where the industry has gone wrong, and what can be done to save the practice from its own success.Trade ReviewThe first yoga book I've read that has a punk rock attitude and does what it says on the tin. Nadia is a formidable storyteller taking us through the highs and lows of her personal journey. However, the most critical aspect is her fierce analysis of the appropriation of yoga. -- Sima Kumar, co-founder and CEO of The Other Box and founder of Sima SaysRaw. Vulnerable. Open. Truthful. Exposing the darker side of the industry provides us all with the pathway to reach the lightness that yoga brings. This is a book that will open up the floor for even more honest conversations about the side of yoga we don't often see. -- Angie Tiwari @tiwariyogaThe Yoga Manifesto is about equality and creativity and revolutionary hope – and you definitely don’t need to practise yoga to know these things matter. -- Stella Duffy, author of Lullaby Beach

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Book SynopsisWhat does it take to become one of the most successful coaches in the world?Eddie Jones is one of the most successful sports coaches of all time. From coaching three different nations to Rugby World Cup Finals and with a winning record with England of nearly 80%, Eddie Jones knows what it takes to lead and manage high performance teams. What can sport teach us about leadership? For the first time, Eddie Jones shows just what it takes to be a leader in a high performance and high pressure environment and how these lessons can be applied to every walk of life, from coaching the U9 rugby team to leading a multinational organization to simply doing your job better.Have a voracious ambition to improve every day As he explains the High Performance Cycle of Success at the heart of his philosophy, Eddie Jones reveals the lessons he has learnt from Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Pep Guardiola as well as from the founder of Uniqlo and Ron Adams from the NBA. He also gives a detailed analysis of his own performance as a coach as well as how he gets the best out of the players and coaches around him and what he saw in Tom Curry that no one else saw, which makes him think that he could be the next Richie McCaw. Always start with the end in mindDrawing on stories of nearly thirty years of coaching, including the 2003, 2007, 2015 and 2019 World Rugby campaigns, the full story of England's 2021 Six Nations campaign as well as why it takes humour, humility and relentless curiosity to lead an eclectic mix of superstars from Maro Itoje to James Haskell, George Smith to Kyle Sinckler, to create teams that are relentlessly hungry to win, Leadership is the ultimate rugby book about what it takes to be the best.Written with Donald McRae, two-time winner of the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award, Leadership is the book for anyone who wants to learn how to build and lead a team to success.

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERSome people are born to be a certain thing.And I was a born fighter.At the age of eight, Michael Bisping began his training in martial arts. By the time he was 15, he was fighting in his first no holds barred competition. When he turned professional and joined the UFC he was sure about one thing: only a world championship title would do. A British underdog in the greatest fighting championship on earth, he spent the next decade winning some of the championship’s most sensational contests to achieve his dream, becoming the first ever British UFC world champion in 2016.From his boyhood years learning to fight in the gyms of Lancashire to his most shocking clashes in the cage, in Quitters Never Win Bisping tells the raw and unfiltered story behind his legendary career for the first time, including his greatest wins, his fiercest rivals and the harrowing injury that forced him into retirement. As audacious, entertaining and as candid as the man himself, it’s a backstage pass to one of the world’s most extreme sports and an unbridled account of what it really takes to become a champion, from sleeping in his own car to reaching the summit of the world’s fastest growing sport.

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Book Synopsis**A Daily Mail Book of the Year**What happens on the pitch is only half the story. Being a footballer is not just kicking a ball about with twenty-one other people on a big grass rectangle. Sometimes being a footballer is about accidentally becoming best mates with Mickey Rourke, or understanding why spitting is considered football’s most heinous crime.In How to be a Footballer, Peter Crouch took us into a world of bad tattoos and even worse haircuts, a world where you’re on the pitch one minute, spending too much money on a personalised number plate the next. In I, Robot, he lifts the lid even further on the beautiful game. We will learn about Gareth Bale’s magic beans, the Golden Rhombus of Saturday night entertainment, and why Crouchy’s dad walks his dog wearing an England tracksuit from 2005. Whether you’re an armchair expert, or out in the stands every Saturday, crazy for five-a-side or haven’t put on a pair of boots since school, this is the real inside story of how to be a footballer.Trade ReviewYou can dip into this book anywhere and will find delights: all football fans aged from nine to 90 will love it * Daily Mail, Books of the Year *Refreshingly self-deprecating * Robert Crampton *Where did he find time to write I, Robot? Whenever it was, the big man has hit the jackpot again, lifting the lid on the excesses and ridiculous lifestyles of the average Premier League footballer. Crouch does this as any sharp-eyed insider would: supplementing observations with very funny anecdotes that prove his point, constantly poking fun at himself. It’s a winning combination * PA Media *

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Book Synopsis''Emotional, insightful, beautifully written. A story of making saves and being saved. The best football book I have read this year.'' Henry WinterSir Alex Ferguson looked at Joe Sealey: ''You know your dad saved my career?'' Joe replied: ''And you saved his.''More than three decades before, in 1990, Ferguson''s managerial career stood at its lowest ebb. After three barren years at Old Trafford, he was facing dismissal. There was just the FA Cup final left. Manchester United were lucky to escape with a 3-3 draw at Wembley. For the replay, Ferguson took the gamble of his life, replacing his long-standing keeper, Jim Leighton, with Les Sealey, on loan from Luton. United won. Ferguson remained, winning another 24 major trophies.Les Sealey would play in another three finals for United. When he died suddenly, aged 43, Les left behind a warm, witty, and detailed autobiography in the form of a Tupperware box full of cassette tapes. His death, however, threw h

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Book SynopsisYou know Marty right? The guy during College GameDay hanging off the back of a pickup truck while zooming around the Clemson athletic facilities. The guy who visits Nick Saban's lake house and somehow gets Coach to jump in the lake. The guy who sits down with Dale Jr. at Daytona to talk through tears about his miraculous return to racing. The guy who interviews Tiger Woods, Tim Tebow, Peyton Manning and Jimmie Johnson -- the guy who gets paid to live the fantasy of every sports fan in America.Never Settle is the funny but oh, it's true story of how Marty got here, and a revealing look at his journey. Never Settle includes all the best stories and behind-the-scenes moments from Marty's wild life, covering topics including: college football, racing, fathers and sons, how sports can bring us together, and how it all goes back to growing up on a farm and playing high school ball in Pearisburg, Virginia.

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Book SynopsisAn essential and improbable football story that crosses continents, cultures, and sports Christian Okoye never dreamed of playing football. He passed hours playing soccer each day in Enugu, Nigeria, until he outgrew the sport—physically. His focus shifted to track and field, honing an elite talent for discus throw that brought him to Azuza Pacific University in California. Only when those Olympic dreams were inexplicably dashed did he pick up a football for the first time at age 23. By 1987, Okoye was one of the NFL's most beguiling draft prospects, a 260-pound running back who was the picture of raw, unstoppable athleticism. The Kansas City Chiefs selected him in the second round, and the "Nigerian Nightmare" was born. In this timely autobiography, Okoye unfolds his life story from the heart, detailing a childhood upended by civil war, his unconventional path to football, and his glory years with the Chiefs. He also candidly discusses the darker facets of his American dream: an existence filled with chronic pain and and memory loss which forces Okoye to grapple honestly with the biggest question: If he had to do it all over again, would he play football?

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Book SynopsisAlways prepared to work the hardest to achieve his goals, four times he faced life-changing decisions; to leave Wakefield who gave him his chance, depart from Leeds when part of the club’s ‘golden generation’, turn his back on the NRL when at Wests Tigers despite being the club’s player of the year on three consecutive occasions, and to choose Hull on his return to Super League. On each occasion, as he reveals in candid detail, he never took the easy option, the story of his glorious career, including the brave decision to come out of retirement in 2019. Unashamedly open and honest, he defines the nebulous concept of what is ‘culture’ at a club, reflects on his sacrifices to become one of the most revered, how the international game – where he won 38 caps – must be improved, and that his sole aim in over 480 career appearances was to be the kind of player others wanted beside them. This is a rare insight into what it takes to be a professional sportsman.

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Book SynopsisIn his long-awaited, official autobiography, All In, Joel Selwood reveals the grit, determination, and personal sacrifice behind his AFL success at the Geelong Football Club. Joel Selwood's remarkable leadership is well-known across AFL football. Announcing his retirement at the end of the 2022 season, Selwood will not only go down in history as an icon of the game – a record breaker – but also as a selfless leader who supported his team through one of the club’s most successful periods in its history. After Selwood was made captain of the team in 2012, Geelong made the finals in all but one season, playing in seven preliminary finals and two Grand Finals – culminating in Geelong's tenth premiership in 2022. Easier said than done. Now, for the first time, Selwood tells his story in his own words. All In relives the highs of Selwood’s proudest career moments, but also the lows battling the physical and personal challenges in his life, from his infamous knee injury and long recovery to the impact of COVID-19 on the AFL 2020 and 2021 seasons. For the first time, Selwood also describes the bravery, disappointment and celebration entering the IVF merry-go-round with his wife, Brit, to finally have their son, Joey Victor Selwood. A Geelong supporter who grew up to play his entire professional career with the Cats, Joel Selwood is a true AFL legend of our times. Trade Review ‘The thing that continually struck me about Joel was his ability to care for others and prioritise others. When you take everything into consideration, he’s the best player I’ve ever seen and the best representative of the Geelong footy club that you could possibly imagine.’—Geelong coach Chris Scott, at Joel Selwood’s retirement press conference, October 2022

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Book Synopsis'I have success, money, women. I've been lionised by the public and the media. The world is at my feet. I've spread my wings and here I am, soaring above everything and everyone. But in reality, the descent has already begun.' Thomas Dekker was set to become one of pro cycling’s superstars. But before long, he found himself sucked in by the lure of hedonistic highs and troubled by the intense pressure to perform. In The Descent, Dekker tells his story of hotel room blood bags, shady rendezvous with drug dealers and late-night partying at the Tour de France. This is Dekker’s journey from youthful idealism to a sordid path of excess and doping that lays bare cycling’s darkest secrets like never before.Trade ReviewAn extraordinary autobiography… Dekker luridly details how he embraced the dark side * i Newspaper *

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Book SynopsisAfter modifications to the gear levers and rear brakes on his race machines, he went out and won the 2013 Macau Grand Prix.Two years later saw an even more staggering return to form, when he secured three wins, a second and a third place at the 2015 Isle of Man TT, also winning the Joey Dunlop TT Championship Trophy for that year.

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Book Synopsis***'Essential reading for anyone wanting to achieve their dreams. Liv is an inspiration.'- Grant Cardone, New York Times bestselling author'Liv's extraordinary ability and passion is admirable. A winning read.'- Gary LinekerIn The Way To Win, Freestyle Football World Champion and TikTok sensation Liv Cooke opens up about her journey to becoming the best freestyler in the world. Drawing from experience Liv shares an easy-to-follow 10-step guide to achieving your dream - from correctly setting out your goals and forming good habits to handling nerves and maintaining success.With a positive attitude and holistic approach to productivity, Liv explores how you can find inspiration in your life... and of course, provides an insight into how she achieved incredible success at such a young age.The Way To Win is the ultimate guide to reaching the top of any industry and becoming your best self.

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Book SynopsisWhen UK Sport removed funding for women's BMX, Bethany Shriever's dream of Olympic glory seemed shattered. Throw in the impact of a broken leg sustained in childhood, plus an untimely arm injury weeks before the final Olympic qualification event, and few would have thought the 22-year-old would be on the plane to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, let alone the podium. And with the uncertainty caused by a global pandemic, the external pressures on Beth were intense and pervasive. However, the BMX racer from Essex is made of stern stuff and, perhaps just as importantly, so are the team around her. From her deeply involved family, to her dedicated coaching team, to her friends within the BMX community, Beth's story recognises the team behind an athlete. This compelling tale of triumph over adversity reveals how the power of belief overcame the obstacles that threatened to derail Bethany's dreams of becoming the best ever female BMX racer.

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Book SynopsisAn Unusual Celebrity: The Many Cricketing Lives of Bill Bowes is the inspiring story of one of English cricket''s most popular personalities, who dedicated his life to the game from the 1920s to the 1980s.An often devastating bowler for Yorkshire in the 1930s, Bowes was a crucial part of one of the greatest ever county teams. He bowled Bradman first ball during the famous ''Bodyline'' series but was tainted for some by his regular use of the ''bumper''.Tall, unathletic, modest and playing in glasses, Bowes did not fit the mould of the typical opening bowler. Captured in North Africa in 1942, he spent three years in prisoner-of-war camps, and helped others through the ordeal. On release, he played for two more seasons before serving as a respected and forthright journalist for 25 years.A man of many talents, as part of the Yorkshire coaching staff, he nurtured Fred Trueman and Brian Close, but he was also a broadcaster and popular public speaker, wh

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Book SynopsisMike Chadwick – secret coach to the elite – reveals his revolutionary approach to success.Do you have a challenge that demands physical or mental strength? Are you struggling to sustain the commitment needed to achieve your goals? Do you know what it takes for you, personally, to succeed at the highest level? Coach Mike – a trainer of champions, a leader of leaders, the coach with the ear of the elite – is ready to help.In The Red On Revolution, ex-paratrooper Coach Mike exposes countless fitness-industry myths and coaches you, personally, to succeed. Join Mike and a powerful line-up of guests – including Ant Middleton (SBS, explorer, entrepreneur), Simon Jeffries (mental resilience coach, Special Forces), the Stoltman Brothers (World’s Strongest Man), Charlotte Spence (Crossfit champion and Army’s Strongest Woman), Scott Meenagh (Paralympian and ex-paratrooper) and Tom Aspinall (UFC heavyweight) – on a quest for a better you.Only one question remains: are you in?

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Book SynopsisFrom Sunday Times bestselling author, British Sports Book of the Year Award winner, and trailblazing athlete Ronda Rousey, an unfiltered and entertaining chronicle of her last decade, tackling not only UFC and WWE but also parenthood, overcoming adversity, and finding meaning in life's journey.You defined the division. You basically created the concept of women fighting in the UFCThank you for writing this book, it's incredibly honest.' Steven Bartlett, Diary of a CEO podcast Rousey has rewritten her story arc, and along the way learned that self-reliance and independence is real freedom.' Guardian''Gripping and, at its best, offers a raw personal history of concussion.'' Donald McRae, Guardian From the moment she burst onto the MMA scene, Ronda Rousey was unbeatable. She repeatedly strung together back-to-back flawless victories, racking up a collection of records and forever changing the face of sports as the UFC's first female champion. A superstar in her sport, she transcended athletics, appearing in blockbuster films and becoming a role model for women everywhere. Then, on November 15, 2015, it all came crashing down.In OUR FIGHT, Rousey explores the greatest challenge of her life and, ultimately, how she rebuilt her career into something better in the aftermath. She recounts how she replaced her pursuit of perfection with the pursuit of happiness and found a blessing in disguise amongst the wreckage. Following Rousey's relatable journey, OUR FIGHT is a courageous narrative of career changes, marriage, motherhood, and facing your fears.

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Book SynopsisOut of the Darkness reveals a grittier side of football. Former Leicester and Sunderland winger Matt Piper retired aged 24, after 16 knee operations, and his life soon spiralled out of control. His daily existence became dependent on alcohol and Valium, culminating in an ugly rock bottom. But after the darkness came light.

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Book SynopsisMatt Seaton’s critically acclaimed memoir about his obsession for cycling and how that obsession was tamed. For a time there were four bikes in Matt Seaton’s life. His evenings were spent 'doing the miles' on the roads out of south London and into the hills of the North Downs and Kent Weald. Weekends were taken up with track meets, time trials and road races – rides that took him from cold village halls at dawn and onto the empty bypasses of southern England. With its rituals, its code of honour and its comradeship, cycling became a passion that bordered on possession. It was at once a world apart, private to its initiates and, through the races he rode in Belgium, Mallorca and Ireland, a passport to an international fraternity. But then marriage, children and his wife's illness forced a reckoning with real life and, ultimately, a reappraisal of why cycling had become so compelling in the first place. Today, those bikes are scattered, sold, or gathering dust in an attic. Wry, frank and elegiac, ‘The Escape Artist’ is a celebration of an amateur sport and the simple beauty of cycling. It is also a story about the passage from youth to adulthood, about what it means to give up something fiercely loved in return for a kind of wisdom.Trade Review'As poignant an elegy as I have ever read. I finished the last chapters of this book just before I went to sleep, and in the morning, with a swoop of grief in my guts, it was the first thing I thought of.'Toby Clements, Daily Telegraph ‘Thoroughly tragic and almost brilliant. The Escape Artist is an achingly sad account of what Seaton now refers to as 'my former life.'Robert MacFarlane, Observer 'A heart-stopping examination of how, why and for what we push ourselves to the edge. I never thought I'd cry about bikes and cycling. It is one of those rare books you could give to absolutely anyone – and one you'll want to keep by you and read again and again.'Julie Myerson ‘This book is, above all, about passion and loss. It's about the passion of life at the very edge of athletic and mechanical achievement that is eventually lost to love of a wife and children, which in turn gives way to the loss of the wise and mother herself. I read and relished this book.'Jon Snow, Guardian

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Ronan O'Gara has been at the heart of Munster and Irish rugby for the past fifteen years. Now, as he comes to the end of a glittering playing career, it is time for him to reflect on those many successes and occasional failures with the straight-talking attitude that has become his trademark. Never one to shy away from the truth, the result is Ronan O'Gara: Unguarded.Packed full of anecdotes and analysis of the teammates O'Gara has been proud to share the shirt with, and of the coaches he has played under - often in controversial circumstances - this is the definitive record of an era when Munster rose to triumph in Europe, and Ireland to win the Grand Slam, before crashing down to earth again. It is simply the must-have rugby book of the year.

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR RUGBY BOOK OF THE YEAR AT THE BRITISH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS'When I came into the Ulster team,' Stephen Ferris says with typical candour, 'we were crap'. It was, however, preferable to his day job of paving driveways, and that day in 2005 saw the start of an incredible journey for Ferris, Ulster and Ireland rugby. A Celtic League title in his very first senior season with Ulster. A Grand Slam in 2009, followed by a sensational Lions breakthrough. A starring role in Ireland's greatest World Cup win, over Australia in 2011, when Ferris famously picked up Will Genia and carried him ten yards. And leading Ulster from nowhere to the Heineken Cup final.Stephen Ferris had an incredible rugby career, tragically ended by ankle injuries so severe they will never properly heal. He is an inspiration to the population of Ulster, an emblem of the sport that serves as such a positive expression of its culture and identity, and earned the respect and admiration of fans across Ireland for his strength, pace, skill and courage. Fearless, funny and full of an incredible array of stories from behind the scenes of Ulster, Ireland and the Lions, this is the must-have rugby book of the year.Trade ReviewWritten in a colloquial style that reassures you this is Ferris's story in his own words, this is a cracking read... compelling. * Rugby World, Book of the Month *

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Book SynopsisOlympic gold medallist Darren Campbell is one of Britain's most successful and popular athletes, yet the real story behind his success has not been made public, until now. Track Record, his long-awaited autobiography, reveals how a boy from painfully humble beginnings in Moss Side, Manchester, and who suffered bullying at school, was inspired by Carl Lewis at the 1984 Olympics to harness his athletic ability and break out of a cycle of misbehaviour and petty crime to enjoy huge success in sport, business and as a broadcaster. Despite his early promise as a young sprinter Darren explains how, totally disillusioned with the use of performance-enhancing drugs in athletics, he turned to football where he played at a semi-professional level for Cwmbran Town, Weymouth FC and was offered a contract at Plymouth Argyle. His realisation, however, that he could either continue to be a decent lower league footballer, or return to the track and become a world class sprinter, saw him link-up with coach Linford Christie and achieve great success, winning a host of gold, silver and bronze medals at major championships, including silver in the 200m at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and gold in the 4 x 100m at the 2004 Athens Olympics Spurred into finally telling his story after suffering a life-threatening condition in 2018, Track Record is the heart-warming and inspirational life-story of a talented, principled and determined man who overcame economic poverty and racial prejudice to triumph on the athletic tracks of the world.Trade Review‘Darren has provided more than just a highly readable account of his life and athletics career, he also gives a fascinating insight into him as a person, and has shared with us all how the many events in his celebrated life were shaped by a background that has created resilience and integrity, both on the track and off it.’ Denise Lewis OBE; ‘I first met Darren when he was 14 years old and he had the ability to charm everyone he met and make them believe that he would be good at whatever he set his mind to. Over the years, I realised that there was a deep thinker behind that smile and the only person who could stop him achieving his goals was himself. At a time when Ron Roddan and I coached Darren, we were working with a hugely talented group of athletes who pushed, supported and motivated each other into achieving their goals and some of my proudest moments in athletics have been helping Darren achieve his dreams. He is family and always will be.’ Linford Christie OBE; ‘Olympic gold and silver medals are but part of the story. Few of us can relate to the elation generated by the unforgettable sprint relay glory of Athens in 2004, just as the murder of a friend brings a darkness too scary for most of us to comprehend. Some have been tempted to describe a dropped baton in a relay race as a tragedy. Darren Campbell knows better.’ Mike Costello, BBC Radio 5LiveTable of ContentsPreface by Mike Costello Foreword by Denise Lewis Acknowledgements Prologue: Running in the Wrong Direction 1. Moss Side 2. Sale Racecourse 3. Newport 4. Wilderness 5. Atlanta 6. Budapest 7. Sydney 8. Manchester 9. Athens 10. Retirement 11. Coach Epilogue: The Toughest Race of My Life Record of Achievement

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