Biography: sport Books

Book SynopsisThe story of one of the greatest footballers of all time, Argentina's Lionel Messi. Updated to include the inside story of his 2022 World Cup Triumph and his dramatic transfer from PSG to Inter Miami.Trade ReviewYou may know a lot of the Messi legend already, but his is still a fascinating backstory. * Four Four Two *There's certainly some interesting insight and information...particularly Balague's understanding of Argentinian politics, culture and mores. ...The book glows with extended testimonies from those who ever coached or mentored Messi. -- David Stubbs * WHEN SATURDAY COMES *

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Book Synopsis'What makes a great player? He's the one who brings out the best in others. When I am saying that I’m talking about Billy McNeill.' JOCK STEIN A unique tribute to Celtic's greatest ever player to mark the 60th anniversary of his first appearance for the club. Billy McNeill is the greatest Celt of all time. He spent his entire playing career at the Glasgow giants and made 790 appearances between 1958 and 1975, winning the European Cup, nine Scottish League Championships, seven Scottish Cups and six League Cups in a glittering career. And it all started on 23rd August 1958 when Billy McNeill made his Celtic debut. Billy McNeill's breathtaking journey through the beautiful game is charted here from his debut against Clyde through the momentous years as player and manager, the highs, the lows, the triumphs, the tears. Sixty years on from his debut, this unique book celebrates the astonishing life and times of one of world football’s best-loved personalities with tributes from many greats of the game. Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell pays his own special tribute to the Parkhead hero along with a Who's Who of the game's royalty. They share their unforgettable experiences and wonderful memories of playing with and against Billy McNeill, one of football's most respected and well-loved men, and talk about him both as a world-renowned footballer and as a genuinely much-admired figure. Packed full of anecdotes and tributes, In Praise of Caesar is a must-read for all Billy McNeill and Celtic fans, and football supporters everywhere. Contributions from: Brendan Rodgers, Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Kenny Dalglish, Denis Law, Mike Jackson, Steve Archibald, Gordon Strachan, Danny McGrain, Roy Aitken, Paul McStay, Davie Hay, Charlie Nicholas, Frank McAvennie, Pat Bonner, Alex McLeish, Davie Provan, and not forgetting Lisbon Lions Bertie Auld, John Clark, Jim Craig, Bobby Lennox and Willie Wallace.

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Book SynopsisTwo of the most prominent and celebrated athletes in the world, Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard came together to contest the $100million SuperFight on April 6, 1987 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. From Frank Sinatra to U2, Joan Collins to Whoopi Goldberg, the stars were drawn to ringside by the huge box-office appeal of the blue-collar, dominant world middleweight champion facing his nemesis, the charismatic and flamboyant Sugar Ray, who was coming out of virtually five years of retirement. Drawing on his deep reservoir of nerve, outstanding technique and a strategy which Budd Schulberg - who provided Marlon Brando with the immortal line, 'I coulda been a contender' - called a compound optical illusion, Leonard won on points. It was boxing's greatest comeback, but to this day the judges' decision remains bitterly contested and not merely by the protagonists. But the story of The SuperFight is much more than the story of the fight, for it details two remarkable lives, the demons that drove both men and the formidable challenges they overcame inside and outside the ring. Hagler grew up in the Newark, New Jersey ghetto of Central Ward, where a riot/rebellion rooted in racism claimed the lives of 26 people, injured 1,000 more and, to the young teenager, was "like the end of the world". Fuelled by anger, he climbed to the top of his domain and ruled for seven years as champion, one of the most accomplished in boxing's annals. Leonard was an Olympic gold medallist and all-American hero whose career was cut short by a detached retina after he became the world welterweight king. He was Muhammad Ali's gifted and anointed successor but he succumbed to alcohol and drug abuse and for years was tormented by a secret - the sexual abuse he endured as an amateur boxer by a trusted coach. As provocative and polarising in its own way as Ali's defining rivalry with Joe Frazier, this is the story of The SuperFight, of Marvin Hagler and Ray Leonard and a fierce fire that still burns.Trade Review“Leonard moved, he boxed, he frustrated his opponent and that’s all part of fighting, too. The skulduggery, irritating the man in front of you - he wasn’t playing with him, he had a strategy. And don’t ever be fooled by the pretty face. Ray Leonard was a pit bull with a pretty face. Outside the ring, he was cute, articulate, smart, great looking, but deep down inside he was a vicious animal. When it comes to this fighting thing, he’s like a monster. Hagler was a ferocious animal himself, of course, and over the years, if you didn’t try to take him out, you couldn’t keep Hagler off you. You couldn’t just box this man. Look what he did to Hearns, which was brutal, amazing” - Mike Tyson … “The SuperFight is the story of two of the sport’s greatest, Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard. It was one of the great fights, one of the epic fights, one of the biggest shocking fights of all-time and people still argue to this day over who won the fight. The author is a guy who respects the sport and cares about the sport and it’s important for people to know about the greatness of the sport and about the great fighters they might not always be aware of or how great they really were” - Teddy Atlas, The Big Fight with Teddy Atlas podcast … “Want to know the story behind the story of Leonard v Hagler? Everyone loves Brian Doogan’s hot new book on one of boxing’s greatest mysteries. It’s a knockout” - Ron Borges, Boston Herald … “The book is as enthralling as The SuperFight itself” - Gordon Marino, Wall Street Journal … “Painstakingly researched, entertainingly explained, Doogan’s interviews with both men and those connected to them reveal the behind-the-scenes machinations that enabled the richest fight in history to be made, grossing nearly $100 million. The book opens with Mike Tyson’s assessment of Leonard’s character: ‘Ray Leonard was a pit-bull with a pretty face. Outside the ring he was cute, articulate, smart, great looking. But deep inside he was a vicious animal. When it comes to this fighting thing he’s like a monster.’ The SuperFight is the perfect gift for fight fans” - Colin Hart, The Sun … “A long-lasting fascination with one of the greatest fights of all time has resulted in a wonderfully detailed and insightful book about Sugar Ray Leonard versus Marvelous Marvin Hagler. Brian Doogan, a vastly experienced sportswriter, weaves that epic of 33 years ago into the background of the golden era of Leonard, Hagler, Duran and Hearns and examines the still-running controversy over the decision in favour of Sugar Ray. This book is a must-read” - Jeff Powell, Mailonline … “The SuperFight, Brian Doogan’s book on the controversial Leonard-Hagler clash, is a must-read for boxing fans. I have never known a big fight which so divided opinion among respected judges” - Ian Darke, ESPN and BT Sport … “What makes Doogan’s book unique is the deep dive he takes with both fighters in and out of the ring. In disparate ways, the two had a past darkness in common. Doogan visited their lives and careers in depth. They were the centerpiece of the 1980s, after both beat Tommy Hearns and Roberto Duran. Doogan tells a story that had not yet been told and deserved to be told in the rich, multi-layered context in which only Doogan can bring it. The SuperFight is a gem” - Joe Santoliquito, The Ring … “Brian Doogan joined me on the Fight Night podcast to talk about his new book, The SuperFight. I’ve read it and it’s a belter” - Adam Catterall, talkSPORT … “A great book on one of the epic fights” - Matt Macklin, Sky Sports, former world middleweight title challenger

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Book SynopsisPublished to coincide with the Golden Globe Race's 50th Anniversary It lay like a gauntlet thrown down; to sail around the world alone and non-stop. No one had ever done it, no one knew if it could be done. In 1968, nine men - six Englishmen, two Frenchmen and an Italian - set out to try, a race born of coincidence of their timing. One didn't even know how to sail. They had more in common with Captain Cook or Ferdinand Magellan than with the high-tech, extreme sailors of today, a mere forty years later. It was not the sea or the weather that determined the nature of their voyages but the men they were, and they were as different from one another as Scott from Amundsen. Only one of the nine crossed the finishing line after ten months at sea. The rest encountered despair, sublimity, madness and even death.Trade ReviewTold with verve and riddled with drama, you can smell the salty air and feel the spray on every page * Sunday Times *An enthralling tale of human endeavour and courage in the face of adversity ... you don't need to know your spinnaker from your mainsail to enjoy this book * Tatler *As a carpenter purrs over perfect dovetailing, so I rejoiced in the craftsmanship of this book * Simon Barnes *

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2022Football has always measured success by what you win, but only in the last twenty years have clubs started to think about how you win. Data has now suffused almost every aspect of how football is played, coached, scouted and consumed. But it's not the algorithms or new metrics that have made this change, it's the people behind them.This is the story of modern football's great data revolution and the group of curious, entrepreneurial personalities who zealously believed in its potential to transform the game. Central to this cast is Chris Anderson, an academic with no experience in football, who saw data as an opportunity to fundamentally change a sport that did not think it could be changed. His aim: to infiltrate the strange, insular world of professional football by establishing a club whose entire DNA could be built around data.Expected Goals charts his remarkable journey into the heart of the modern game and reveals how clubs across the world, from Liverpool to Leipzig and Brentford to Bayern Munich, began to see how data could help them unearth new players, define radical tactics and plot their path to glory.

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Book SynopsisThe No.1 football series - over 1 million copies sold! Virgil van Dijk is Liverpool FC's superstar centre-back and he's going from strength to strength. From washing dishes to pay his way during his early career to becoming one of the best defenders in the world, this is the story of how Virgil became a true Liverpool legend. Follow his journey as he fights adversity and works his way up to become an ultimate football hero. Ultimate Football Heroes is a series of biographies telling the life-stories of the biggest and best footballers in the world and their incredible journeys from childhood fan to super-star professional player. Written in fast-paced, action-packed style these books are perfect for all the family to collect and share.

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE PEOPLE''S BOOK PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2024SELECTED FOR THE BBC AND READING AGENCY''S BIG SPORTING READ 2024 SHORTLISTED FOR THE SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2024 WOMEN''S SPORT WRITING AWARDA WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 - SPORT''Incredibly moving and inspiring'' Gabby Logan''It's brilliant I loved it'' Lorraine Kelly''Brilliant impressive and vividly told'' The Times ---JOIN LOUISE MINCHIN ON 17 EXHILARATING ADVENTURES WITH TRAILBLAZING WOMEN WHO ARE BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS, SMASHING RECORDS AND CHALLENGING STEREOTYPES. ''To get to the heart of who these women are I decided to do it the way that I know best, by taking part, spending time right beside them to experience the things they love.''Driven to bring more attention to female stories of courage and endeavour, Louise Minchin pushes herself to the extreme and embarks on thrilling enduranc

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Book SynopsisWas Alabama's Crimson Tide in 2020 the greatest team of all time? The squad went 13-0 in a pandemic year, scored a combined 107 points against SEC powerhouses LSU and Florida, crushed Ohio State in a National Championship Game 52-24 in a contest that wasn't even that close, and followed it up with another top-rated signing class.Nick Saban called his boys the "ultimate team," but it wasn't just because they kicked the ever-living hell out of everyone on the football field. It was because the team leveraged a power and influence born of Southern pride to push back against a hateful legacy of racism that a populist president was exploiting to divide the nation. At a time when Americans needed real leaders in the face of so much hate, the sports world answered the call and fought back for the soul of the country.In the summer of 2020, the Tide players left their training facility and, led by their celebrated coach, marched to a campus doorway made infamous sixty years earlier by another political demagogue and showed what people can accomplish when they fight together for a just cause in the name of unity. The most powerful force in a state crazy for college football had chosen to make a stand and replace George Wallace's "Segregation forever!" with a different message, written by one of the players: "All lives can't matter until Black lives matter."?There have been some great football teams through the years, and they all deserve respect. But here's what we know for sure: They all would have been appreciative of what this Alabama team represented, and proud of what it accomplished. The Crimson Tide in 2020 captured something special that moved it beyond the conversation of best ever, and into the place reserved for most important of all time.

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Book SynopsisImprove your chess by studying the greatest games of all time, from Adolf Anderssen''s ''Immortal Game'' to Magnus Carlsen''s world championship victories, and featuring a foreword by five-times World Champion Vishy Anand.This book is written by an all-star team of authors. Wesley So is the reigning Fischer Random World Champion, the 2017 US Champion and the winner of the 2016 Grand Chess Tour. Michael Adams has been the top British player for the last quarter of a century and was a finalist in the 2004 FIDE World Championship. Graham Burgess is the author of thirty books, a former champion of the Danish region of Funen, and holds the world record for marathon blitz chess playing. John Nunn is a three-time winner of both the World Solving Championship and the British Chess Federation Book of the Year Award. John Emms is an experienced chess coach and writer, who finished equal first in the 1997 British Championship and was chess columnist of the YoungTrade ReviewFor the famous games which appear in other books and anthologies, the authors have provided the most thorough and careful annotations you will find. They also include some extremely brilliant games which haven't received much attention elsewhere . . . Of the various 'Greatest Games' collections, The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games is the most up to date with the highest-quality annotations. You will want a copy on your shelf. -- John Watson

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Book SynopsisFrom acclaimed journalist Adam Hay-Nicholls, the very first biography of rising star Charles Leclerc, published to mark the start of the 2023 Formula One season.Few of the drivers on the F1 grid have the racing pedigree of Charles Leclerc. Widely regarded as one of the sport's hottest prospects, he was crowned F3 and then F2 champion in back-to-back seasons before he made his F1 debut with Sauber in 2018. Now firmly established as Ferrari's great hope, following in the footsteps of legends Alberto Ascari, Niki Lauda and Michael Schumacher, Leclerc has his eyes set on becoming world champion.Born in Monaco to a family of comparatively modest means, Leclerc remembers playing with toy cars on a friend's balcony as the best drivers in the world whizzed around the Monte Carlo circuit on the streets below. This early experience inspired him to get behind the wheel, encouraged by his father Hervé, and so began his meteoric rise in the sport. Along the way, he lost his father, his godfather and his best friend - all racing drivers - and this gave Leclerc the inner steel to become a winner.Writer Adam Hay-Nicholls, who has spent much of his career in the Formula One paddock, provides the inside track on this rising star, recounting how he has taken the racing world by storm. And as Leclerc's Ferrari is beginning to fire on all cylinders, will he beat his old rival and adversary Max Verstappen to the world title?

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Book SynopsisThis excellent biography - written with the full cooperation of its subject - is now reissued with more illustrations, to commemorate the centenary of Len Hutton's birth.

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Book SynopsisElmar Neveling is an author with a focus on football and business. A business graduate, he writes for Ruhr Nachrichten among others. A second edition of his book Football Tactics: The anatomy of the modern game was published in 2020.As a Dortmunder of many years standing, Neveling learned early on that for its true fans, Borussia Dortmund is more than just a club, it's something you feel in your heart a feeling that Jürgen Klopp let soar to unforeseen heights with his triumphs in the league and cup.

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Book SynopsisThe definitive biography of a legendary athlete.The Shrug. The Shot. The Flu Game. Michael Jordan is responsible for sublime moments so ingrained in sports history that they have their own names. When most people think of him, they think of his beautiful shots with the game on the line, his body totally in sync with the ball -- hitting nothing but net.But for all his greatness, this scion of a complex family from North Carolina''s Coastal Plain has a darker side: he''s a ruthless competitor and a lover of high stakes. There''s never been a biography that encompassed the dual nature of his character and looked so deeply at Jordan on and off the court -- until now.Basketball journalist Roland Lazenby spent almost thirty years covering Michael Jordan''s career in college and the pros. He witnessed Jordan''s growth from a skinny rookie to the instantly recognizable global ambassador for basketball whose business savvy and success have millions of kids still wanting to be just like Mike. Yet Lazenby also witnessed the Michael Jordan whose drive and appetite are more fearsome and more insatiable than any of his fans could begin to know.Michael Jordan: The Life explores both sides of his personality to reveal the fullest, most compelling story of the man who is Michael Jordan. Lazenby draws on his personal relationships with Jordan''s coaches; countless interviews with Jordan''s friends, teammates, and family members; and interviews with Jordan himself to provide the first truly definitive study of Michael Jordan: the player, the icon, and the man.Trade ReviewPraise for JERRY WEST"A superior account of one of American sports' most compelling, complicated figures...by turns, smart, beautifully reported, well-written and psychologically shrewd....Where this book breaks fascinating new ground is in its exploration of West's tormented perfectionism." -- Los Angeles Times"A thoughtful, serious biography of an athlete both blessed and cursed by talent and a competitive spirit." -- Booklist"Lazenby managed to make sense of this complex man...West's career and life deserved a book like this. It's highly recommended." -- Slam Magazine

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Book SynopsisMarc Mrquez is the apex predator of the MotoGP world: arguably the greatest motorcycle racer who ever lived, he is an eight-time world champion. He is the man who dethroned Valentino Rossi, and who changed the sport of MotoGP forever. Mrquezs hyper aggressive riding style has made him many enemies, and his epic championship battle with Valentino Rossi in 2015 led to one of the most controversial moments in the history of MotoGP. But his story off the track is also incredible: devastating accidents, surgeries and recoveries. Racing on despite a diagnosis that him one more head injury could leave him blind.His self-admittedly ruthless personality and desire to win make him an explosive, dominant and at times controversial character - to the point that even his own tight-knit family often struggle to understand what drives him.Told by bestselling author Stuart Barker, with the insight of rivals, team members, pundits, managers and many close to his story, experience in this book that rare thing: pure sporting theatre and white-knuckle speed twinned with real human drama. Everything or Nothing is the Mrquez story told like never before.

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Book SynopsisIn horse racing greatness is defined by speed. Being the second fastest counts for little. You have to win. And win. And keep winning until every challenger of your generation is put to the sword. Of the twelve horses lined up on Newmarket Heath that 2011 day, one would do just that. And more. To become the greatest racehorse that has ever lived.Frankel was born on 11 February 2008, with four white socks and a blaze, from impressive equine lines on both his parents' sides. Simon Cooper revisits the whole of the horse's life, giving readers an inside tour of the calm oasis that is life a stud farm, where a foal will live with his mother for the first year of his life. Next, the atmosphere of heady possibility that marks the early days of training. Roadwork. Gallops. Trials. Turning raw potential into something more. Frankel begins to set himself apart.A detailed and fast-paced narrative breathlessly recounts the racing career of the horse who, by his retirement to stud at the age of 4, would be rated the greatest of all time. Cooper weaves the horse's tale with those of his trainer, battling cancer, the stablehands who coped with his explosive nature, the work rider who tamed him, the the jockey who rode in all fourteen of his races, and the owner who saw his potential from the very beginning. The result is a rich and multifaceted tale of modern horse racing, the lives of everyone involved, human and equine, and the unadulterated glory of winning. And winning everything.Trade ReviewPraise for Frankel ‘An imaginative retelling of the legendary story … Cooper paints a complete picture of Frankel, charting his meteoric rise from the first years of his life through to his glorious send-off when winning the Champion Stakes at Ascot … transporting the reader with his vivid descriptions … While he is undoubtedly the star of the show, this book is about so much more than just Frankel … Thanks to Cooper, and his dedication to colouring the blanks in this famous story, we can now know Frankel a little better too’ Racing Post ‘Well-researched and written with an enthusiast’s brio. Moreover, it is utterly engrossing … Frankel’s story is an extraordinary one and Cooper tells it in an easy, compelling style … [He] takes the reader on an equine pilgrimage, all the more thrilling as the object of veneration is still just 12 years old and standing at stud near Newmarket’ The Field ‘Simon Cooper does a sterling job … a wry, amiable guide, Cooper takes intriguing tangents aplenty … his real skill, though, lies in detailing Frankel's day-to-day life’ i newspaper

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Book SynopsisRoger Federer is not only one of the greatest tennis players ever to pick up a racket - if not the greatest - but he is one of the global icons of our time. Characterised by a mixture of passion and calmness, a fierce competitor with a regal bearing, he is both an athlete and an ambassador, a street fighter and a statesman. But who is he really? And what are the experiences and influences that have shaped him into the world figure he is today?This acclaimed biography, first published in 2006 and now fully updated in its ninth edition, traces Federer's life and career, from his first tentative swings with a racket to legendary status. The vastly experienced writer, broadcaster and tennis historian Chris Bowers talked exclusively to many of the people who helped shape the young Roger Federer, and together with his own experiences following Federer's career from his junior title at Wimbledon at age sixteen to his twentieth major title nineteen years later, he presents an affectionate and analytical portrait of one of the great names of modern-day sport. His book has enough information to satisfy the most voracious Federer fan, and enough talking points to keep an argument going until the small hours.In its portrait of Roger Federer - the man, the player, the icon - this masterly biography brings the player's story up to date, while also examining his place in tennis and sporting history.

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the 2017 Cross Sports Book Awards Best Biography of the YearBryant is one of basketball''s greatest-ever players, a fascinating and complicated character who says he knew when he was a boy that he would be better than Michael Jordan.Aloof and uncompromising, Bryant is the grand enigma of American professional basketball, easily the most driven player in the history of the sport, the absolute master of study and preparation. But his career has also been one of almost constant conflict: with his teammate Shaquille O''Neal; with Phil Jackson, coach of the championship-winning Lakers team that Kobe led; with the law; with his wife Vanessa; and with so many of his contemporaries, opponents and teammates.Comprehensive and unflinching, Showboat unravels the conundrum that is Kobe Bryant.Trade Review'In his thoughtful, extraordinarily well-researched biography Michael Jordan: The Life, Roland Lazenby ... gives us the life and much more ... The exhaustive narrative of Jordan's basketball career is written with appropriate awe. But what makes this portrayal especially worthwhile is everything else' * New York Times Book Review, on Michael Jordan: The Life *'An utterly definitive biography ... The most comprehensive attempt yet made to explain the factors that have gone into producing the most famous basketball player and marketing phenom in the history of world sports ... I don't know how it would be possible to write a more complete biography of him' * Chicago Tribune, on Michael Jordan: The Life *

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Book SynopsisThe remarkable story of three Yorkshire cricketers from the Golden Age - George Hirst, Wilfred Rhodes and Schofield Haigh - who transformed their county's fortunes, inspired a generation of cricketers and left a unique legacy on the game. Between them, Hirst, Rhodes and Haigh scored over 77,000 runs and took almost 9000 wickets in a combined 2500 appearances, helping Yorkshire to seven County Championship triumphs. The records they set will never be beaten, yet the three men - known throughout England as The Triumvirate - were born in two small villages just outside Huddersfield, in Last of the Summer Wine country. Hirst pioneered and perfected the art of swing and seam bowling, Rhodes took more first-class wickets than anyone else in history, while the genial Haigh's achievements as a bowler at Yorkshire have been surpassed only by his two close friends; their influence would extend far beyond England, as they all went to India toTrade Review'Hirst and Rhodes were aristocrats by acclamation, not birthright; known everywhere and worshipped in God’s Own County for what they could do with a cricket ball. In this wistful paean, Pearson...knits all these achievements together with lovely turns of phrase - "they batted on a wicket so amiable it practically chortled" - and colourful descriptions of fringe characters.' -- Patrick Kidd * The Times *'It takes a particular worldview, and glorious skill, to set up and write a biography in the way that Harry Pearson writes this one... A masterpiece of observation and comic timing.. Yorkshire is much more than a backdrop to the tale. It comes alive with meaning. In striving for the human qualities of cricketing gods, he's managed to do something new with a familiar place and a familiar story.' -- Jon Hotten * Wisden Cricket Monthly *'[An] engrossing study of the three players who did most to transform Yorkshire from a bunch of dissolutes to the most successful county team of the early 20th century. Pearson successfully knits together their careers to give a fresh perspective.' -- David Hopps * The Cricketer *

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Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of The Master, longlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year.An intimate, original biography of tennis legend Rafael Nadal, and the first to cover his entire career.After his award-winning look at Roger Federer, Christopher Clarey, one of the world''s pre-eminent tennis writers, focuses his lens on Nadal, the Spanish force of nature. When he arrived on the scene in 2005, the record for men''s singles titles at the French Open stood at six. Nadal more than doubled that total to a mind-blowing fourteen titles: one of the greatest sporting achievements in history. Nadal won big and won often on all of tennis''s surfaces: securing two Wimbledon titles on grass and six on the US Open and Australian Open hard courts. But clay, the grittiest of the game''s playgrounds, is where it all came together best for his whipping forehand and warrior mindset. Clarey, who has covered Nadal since he was seventeen, draws on interviews over twenty years with Nadal, his team and rivals like Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Brimming with behind-the-scenes insight, The Warrior tells the story of a global sporting icon, interlacing man and place in a unique, must-read account of the evolution of excellence.

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Book SynopsisRemember when Zinedine Zidane lifted the World Cup in 1998? Kylian Mbappe doesn't. The gifted young forward wasn't born when the French team became world champions for the first time. But it was Mbappe's unique talent that helped France to reach the summit of world football once again in 2018, erasing years of failure, rancour and shame. These two crowning achievements made Les Bleus the envy of the world, but the road between these two highs was blighted by bitterly painful lows. Zidane's headbutt; a players' strike; infighting and recriminations; even sex scandals and blackmail. This was also a turbulent time for French society, as the promise of racial harmony in 1998 gave way to rising tensions and riots. Mbappe witnessed it all, honing his prodigious talent in the banlieues of Paris as the nation threatened to implode. His story embodies France's journey from disaster to triumph; football's hottest new property growing up in a troubled neighbourhood and inspiring a divided country on and off the pitch. In Sacre Bleu, Matthew Spiro traces the rise, fall and rise again of Les Bleus through the lens of Kylian Mbappe. Featuring a foreword by Arsene Wenger and interviews with leading figures in French football, including Marcel Desailly, Lilian Thuram, Emmanuel Petit, Robert Pires and Olivier Giroud, Spiro asks what went wrong for France and what, ultimately, went right.Trade Review"Winning the World Cup in 1998 was the highlight of my career. In this brilliant book, Matt Spiro captures the significance of that event and explains how it changed football in France for ever." - Frank Leboeuf, former France international "When I lived in France in the early 1990s I am not sure that I would have predicted the effect that the country would have not only on UK football, but on global football. Certainly, when they made such a mess of qualifying for the 1994 World Cup, winning the next one seemed a long way off. Having worked with Matt many times, it is no surprise that he has perfectly captured the essence of this beautiful country and its beautiful game." - Mark Chapman, broadcaster "A detailed and sensitive account of France's turbulent journey from one World Cup triumph to another; a fascinating story of football but also of far wider issues." - Jonathan Wilson, The Guardian "Glory, influence and the sheer volume of talent are clear themes of French football over the past twenty-five years. Matt Spiro goes deeper and covers the complications of culture and race, too. This is a book about modern France as well as modern French football." - Michael Walker, The Athletic "During my six seasons in France I saw the way Les Bleus brought an entire nation together. When they won the World Cup in 1998, I was kissing my teammates at pre-season training, thinking I was French. This fantastic book brings back some wonderful, vivid memories and truly encapsulates the complex relationship France has with football." - Tony Cascarino, former Marseille, Nancy and Republic of Ireland striker "An amazing tale... Spiro skilfully traces the emergence of world-class players from city ghettos imbued with strife through a volcanic mix of inhabitants from former French colonies." - Eric Brown, Sports Journalists' Association "A brilliantly insightful and entertaining read." - Jon Spurling, FourFourTwo

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Book Synopsis''A fantastic and fascinating exploration of the life of a great champion... Full of compelling insight.'' - Tom Hiddleston''This book captures the deep complexities in Novak''s mind and his life and how he''s dealt with them in a thoughtful, soul-searching way.'' - Chris Evert''A fascinating insight into the greatest tennis player of all time.'' - Evening Standard tennis correspondent, Matt Majendie''An absorbing insight into the story behind the greatest player of all time.'' - The Times tennis correspondent, Stuart Fraser''Mark Hodgkinson goes memorably deep on Novak Djokovic - from his hard-luck beginnings to his gluten-free diet to his unorthodox mind - helping us better understand one of the most fascinating figures in sports.'' - Christopher Clarey, author of The Master''Meticulously-researched, this is a go-to book for anyone who wants to get a real insight into what has made Novak Djokovic such a champion.'' - Simon Cambers, author of The Federer EffectNo man or woman has won more Grand Slam singles titles than Novak Djokovic, who took his 24th major at the 2023 US Open. Based on fresh interviews with people close to Djokovic - including his friends and mentors, along with his former coaches and his rivals - this is an in-depth exploration of the psyche of one of the most fascinating and controversial sporting characters ever. From a bomb shelter in Belgrade to an immigration detention centre in Melbourne, and everywhere in between, this book uncovers his relentless pursuit of perfection and the unconventional beliefs that have propelled him to greatness.Rage. Forgiveness. Shame. Pride. Love. Searching for Novak examines the psychological and emotional side of rewriting tennis history.

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2019 WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR. FROM THE JUDGES:''Rick Reilly lets Donald''s Trump relationship with his favourite sport speak for itself. Commander in Cheat is full of astonishing ''you could not make it up'' detail delivered in full knowledge that nothing revealed would embarrass the President one jot. You will be howling with laughter and gasping in disbelief in equal measure so be careful when reading this fascinating book in public.''SHORTLISTED FOR THE GENERAL OUTSTANDING SPORTS WRITING AWARD AT THE 2020 TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS.THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER.''An eye-watering account of the president''s abuse of the rules of golf'' The Sunday Times''Reilly pokes more holes in Trump''s claims than there are sand traps on all his courses combined. It is by turns amusing and alarming'' The New YorkerCommander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trade ReviewAn eye-watering account of the president's abuse of the rules of golf - The Sunday TimesReilly pokes more holes in Trump's claims than there are sand traps on all his courses combined. It is by turns amusing and alarming' - The New Yorker[Rick Reilly] is the closest thing sportswriting ever had to a rock star - USA Today[Rick Reilly] is one of the funniest humans on the planet - New York Daily News

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Book Synopsis'A story of passion, hardship and endurance' - Reinhold Messner'There is much to marvel at in these pages. It taught me a great deal... Enthralling' - Jon Krakauer, bestselling author of Into Thin AirIn this gripping and inspirational book, Jamling Norgay interweaves the story of his Everest summit during the infamously deadly 1996 season with the first real account of his father Tenzing Norgay's historic first ascent with Edmund Hillary in 1953. For Jamling, the climb was a journey of danger and of discovery. Discovery of the spiritual heritage of the Sherpa tradition, of his father's past and of the obsession that makes men and women risk their lives to summit the tallest peak on earth.A classic of mountaineering literature re-issued for the 70th anniversary of the first ascent of Everest, this is a compelling and emotional account of two unbelievable ascents, and of the unique relationship between a father and son.Trade ReviewA story of passion, hardship and endurance * Reinhold Messner, mountaineer and explorer *There is much to marvel at in these pages. It taught me a great deal... Enthralling * Jon Krakauer, bestselling author of Into Thin Air *As profoundly uplifting as it is disturbing, Jamling Tenzing Norgay's revealing account of his quest to understand what led his father to first climb Everest succeeds in every wayGalen Rowell * Galen Rowell, adventure photojournalist and mountaineer *

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Book SynopsisIn the late eighties and early nineties, Formula One was at its most explosive, with thrilling races, charismatic drivers, nail-biting climaxes - and the most deadly rivalry ever witnessed in sport. Two of Formula One''s most honoured champions and iconic figures drove together for McLaren for two seasons, and their acrimonious and hostile relationship extended even after one of them had left the team. ALAIN PROST, France''s only F1 world champion, the intelligent, smooth driver with the epithet ''Le Professeur''. AYRTON SENNA, the mercurial kid from a privileged background in Sao Paolo who would become the most intense and ruthless racing driver the world has ever seen. It was a story that would have a tragic ending. As the great rivals raced to victory, their relationship deteriorated badly, beginning with the breaking of a gentleman''s agreement, and public spats followed, culminating in Prost accusing Senna of deliberately trying to ride him off tTrade ReviewGreat rivalries are among the glories of sport, and Malcolm Folley's book Senna Versus Prost ... examines one of the most fascinating * Guardian *The writing is excellent, which is no surprise coming from this seasoned journalist. The narrative is intelligent ... A familiar story is still worth telling if done well. In this case, it's mission accomplished * Motor Sport *Thanks to Folley, we have Alain Prost's account of a time when F1 ran red from the pit stop to the podium to enlighten us on one of racing's greatest rivalries * GQ *... for a superb insight into antagonism between F1 team-mates, read Malcolm Folley's brilliant new book Senna Versus Prost, which charts the rivalry between two of the sport's greatest-ever drivers * Daily Mirror *With the inside track of having covered the sport for a number of years, Folley writes with authority as he weaves a picture of the sporting greats lives and rivalry * Press Association *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED IN THE INTERNATIONAL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR CATEGORY AT THE 2024 SPORTS BOOK AWARDSWATERSTONES'' BEST BOOKS OF 2023: SPORTA definitive and intriguing biography of Max Verstappen, Formula 1''s superstar, Lewis Hamilton''s great rival and the three-time winner of the World Drivers'' Championship.No Hollywood scriptwriter could possibly have envisioned the breathless, adrenaline-pumping climax to the 2021 Formula 1 season. On the very last lap of the final race of an unbelievably arduous and controversial season, Red Bull''s Max Verstappen nervelessly overtook the seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes to clinch the first place that thrust the young prodigy to the narrowest of victories and to his first World Drivers'' title. He followed up by taking the 2022 and 2023 titles as well.Verstappen may only be 26 years of age, but the Dutch motorsport sensation has an incredible record in F1. This young man has

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Book SynopsisMarvelous Marvin Hagler is a sporting legend. Often called the greatest middleweight boxer of all time, he held the world title for 12 defences, including bouts with Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran which entered fistic folklore. From his wild early fights in the boxing wilderness of Brockton, Massachusetts, Brian and Damian Hughes trace the blazing trail of Hagler's career: the controversial defeats subsequently avenged, a riot-scarred title win in London, and his unification of the middleweight crown. Hagler became a huge favourite, taking on all comers while never taking a step back. And so to The Ring magazine's "greatest round of all time" against Hearns, his ferocious battle with Duran, and the still-controversial loss to his nemesis Leonard. Marvelous tells the story of Hagler's extraordinary life for the first time, separating truth from myth to get right to the heart of a complex and charismatic man.

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Book SynopsisIn 490 BCE Pheidippides ran for 36 hours straight from Athens to Sparta to seek help in defending Athens from a Persian invasion. He was hailed as a hero and his run stands enduringly as one of greatest physical accomplishments in history.Dean Karnazes honours this achievement and his own Greek heritage by attempting this ancient journey in modern times. His account of running the gruelling Spartathlon, fuelled only by the figs, olives and meats available to Pheidippides, will captivate even the most sedentary readers.Trade ReviewA remarkable and inspiring memoir that will have casual and serious runners cheering. * Publishers Weekly *An engaging read for runner and nonrunner alike. * San Francisco Chronicle *

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER The inside story of Mikel Arteta's astonishing transformation of ArsenalNovember 2019. Unai Emery's final game as Arsenal manager sees the Gunners languishing eighth in the league. Appointed in the dying embers of the Wenger years, Emery's 18 months as Arsenal boss has seen the team and the club go backwards playing unimaginative, pragmatic football, and recently losing to London rivals Chelsea in the final of the Europa League. Something had to change; a fresh head with fresh ideas. A new leader.This is the story of how Mikel Arteta turned Arsenal into one of the most exciting, innovative and feared teams in the league. From cutting his teeth as an assistant under Pep Guardiola before joining Arsenal in the winter of 2019, through to title contenders years later including bust-ups, Covid, disappointments, FA Cup wins, fan revolt, and eventually the rise of an extraordinary young team standing on the edge of greatness this book will be the first of its kind to explore the workings of Arteta's philosophy and how he transformed the club from outsiders to title challengers.With chapters on his tactical innovations, in-game strategies, transfer insight and, of course, an account of the memorable 2022-23 season Revolution is the story of an extraordinary football ascent and the first draft of Arsenal's new history.

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Book SynopsisWidely regarded as one of the greatest ever sportspeople, Roger Federer is a global phenomenon. From his humble beginnings as a temperamental teenager to becoming symbol of enduring greatness, The Master is the definitive biography of a global icon who is both beloved and yet intensely private. But his path from temperamental, bleach-blond teenager with dubious style sense to one of the greatest, most self-possessed and elegant of competitors has been a long-running act of will, not destiny. He not only had a great gift. He had grit.With access to Federer's inner circle, including his wife, Mirka, his longtime trainer and based on one-on-one interviews with Federer, legendary sports reporter Chris Clarey's account will be a must read retrospective for the loyal sports fans, and anyone interested in the inner workings of unfaltering excellence. The Master tells the story of Federer's life and career on both an intimate and grand scale.Trade ReviewRoger Federer is the most beautiful and balletic player I've ever seen. In this entertaining and deeply researched book, Christopher Clarey, the top tennis writer of today, tells the story of how Federer became one of our sport's greatest champions and how much harder it was than he made it look -- Billie Jean King, former World No. 1 professional tennis playerStyle married with substance. Heft married with levity. Polished, detail-oriented, executed with grace. Roger Federer gets the biography he deserves -- L. Jon Wertheim, Sports Illustrated executive editor and bestselling author of THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON SPORTSRoger Federer plays tennis like Michelangelo painted: every stroke is perfection, the end result a masterpiece. Christopher Clarey captured just that -- Martina Navratilova, former World No. 1 professional tennis playerChristopher Clarey is a rare combination: the consummate insider with an objective lens. With THE MASTER, he delivers a deep and enlightening view of Roger's life and career that sports fans will be parsing for decades -- Jim Courier, former world No. 1 and four-time Grand Slam singles championAn iconic master in his own field, Christopher Clarey is the perfect writer to wrap up the gift that is Roger Federer's career. You're not going to get a better look into his life, personality, and character. Christopher got close but not too close to Roger to compromise his perspective on this great champion. He shows sides and layers of Roger through conversations and stories that we have never been privy to before. I have deep respect for Christopher's fair and thoughtful journalism -- Chris Evert, American former world No. 1 tennis player and winner of 18 Grand Slam singles championships

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Book SynopsisFootball Legends: Young readers will love findingout all about the lives of their favourite players in this greatnew biography series.

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES NO.1 BESTSELLERWhat makes a man the greatest of all time? Eddy Merckx is to cycling what Muhammad Ali is to boxing or Pelé to football: quite simply, the best there has ever been. Merckx was a machine. It wasn''t just the number of victories (445); it was his remorseless domination that created the legend. He didn''t just beat his opponents, he crushed them. But his triumphs only tell half a story that includes horrific injury, a doping controversy and tragedy. He was nicknamed ''The Cannibal'' for his insatiable appetite for victory, but the moniker did scant justice to a man who was handsome, sensitive and surprisingly anxious. Britain''s leading cycling writer, William Fotheringham, goes back to speak to those who were there at the time and those who knew Merckx best to find out what made Eddy Merckx so invincible.''The full unvarnished of one man's heaven, and hell, on wheels'' IndependentTrade ReviewMerckx - a natural champion who regularly rode himself and others into agony and glory - is a fine choice for a writer of Fotheringham's skill and cycling knowledge... A fascinating, often bleak portrait of remarkable athlete and an unnerving man. -- Brian Schofield * Sunday Times *A fine portrait of obsession * Financial Times *Remarkable and impressive … everything you want to know about Merckx and more. -- Richard Abraham * Cycling Weekly *The Cantona or Muhammad Ali of cycling, this Belgian’s story is amazing – and it’s told by one of the greatest cycling reporters around... Top Notch * Loaded *The full unvarnished of one man’s heaven, and hell, on wheels. * i, Independent *

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Book SynopsisThe story of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s extraordinary rise from poverty in Athens, Greece, to superstardom in America with the Milwaukee Bucks—becoming one of the most transcendent players in history and an NBA Champion—from award-winning basketball reporter and feature writer at The Ringer Mirin Fader. Now in paperback with a new Epilogue.   As the face of the NBA’s new world order, Giannis Antetokounmpo has overcome unfathomable obstacles to become a symbol of hope for people all over the world; the personification of the American Dream. But his backstory remains largely untold. Fader unearths new information about the childhood that shaped “The Greek Freak”—from sleeping side by side with his brothers to selling trinkets on the street with his family to the racism he experienced. Antetokounmpo grew up in an era when Golden Dawn, Greece’s far-right, anti-immigrant party, patrolled his neighborhood, and his status as an illegal immigrant largely prevented him from playing for the country’s top clubs, making his NBA rise all the more improbable. Fader tells a deeply human story of how an unknown, skinny, Black Greek teen, who played in the country’s lowest pro division and was seen as a draft gamble, transformed his body and his game into MVP material. Antetokounmpo’s story has been framed as a feel-good narrative in which everyone has embraced him—watching him grow up, sign a five-year supermax contract extension worth $228 million, and lead the underdog Bucks to the NBA Championship in 2021. Giannis reveals a more nuanced story: how lonely and isolated he felt, adjusting to America and the NBA early in his career; the complexity of grappling with his Black and Greek identities; how he is so hard on himself and his shortcomings—a drive that fuels him every day; and the responsibility he feels to be a nurturing role model for his younger brothers. Fader illustrates a more vulnerable star than most people know, a person who has evolved triumphantly into all of his roles: father, brother, son, teammate, and global icon.**Instant New York Times Bestseller, Los Angeles Times Bestseller, Wall Street Journal Bestseller, USA Today Bestseller, Publishers Weekly Bestseller** **Mirin Fader Selected as the 2021 Sports Media Author of the Year by The Big Lead** **The Sports Librarian’s Best of 2022 – Sports Books**

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Book SynopsisMichael Schumacher is the outstanding Formula One driver of his generation and, statistically, the greatest ever. Gifted with a rare blend of superior ability and nerve that defines a champion, for 15 seasons he has left rivals trailing in his wake, winning an unprecedented seven world drivers'' championships.But he is a controversial figure, feared for his ruthless tactics, despised for using extreme methods in pursuit of his goals. THE EDGE OF GREATNESS examines Schumacher''s entire career: from his first Grand Prix with Jordan to his Benetton world championships and his attempt to win back Ferrari''s crown. It tells the story behind Schumacher''s record five consecutive world titles, uncovers the secrets of how he has stayed at the top for so long and examines the impact of his domination on the sport. Frank, honest, adroit and in-depth - James Allen reveals the anatomy of a champion.Trade Review'it is the one book devoted to Schumacher that [Lewis] Hamilton would be advised to read' * Daily Telegraph *'high octane enjoyment' * Manchester Evening News *'a well-rounded and thought-provoking look at [Schumacher]' * F1fanatic.co.uk *'James pulls no punches while revealing the brutal and generous sides to this great champion' * Scottish Sunday Post *'a real winner' * Herald Sun *'Allen uncovers a more complex figure beneath...Fascinating' * Sun Herald *'Allen hedges his bets on the controversial crashes that tainted Schumacher's reputation, but uncovers a more complex figure beneath' * The Advertiser *'Renowned F1 commentator James Allen cleverly dissects the mind of the world's biggest sporting superstars to answer some age old questions...A must for budding sports psychologists' * Inside Sport *

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Book SynopsisOver the past fifty years, Gary Newbon has established himself as an icon of sports broadcasting. He interviewed Sir Alex Ferguson after Manchester United clinched a historic treble in 1999. He was in the ring when Gerald McClellan collapsed after suffering life-changing injuries in his fight with Nigel Benn. Nigel Mansell was his neighbour. This is the tale of a man who has spent his life in close proximity to legends; he interviewed them, befriended them and shared their defining moments until he became part of the DNA of Britain’s sporting history. Many of his interviews are still used in TV shows today. In his highly anticipated memoir, Newbon tells all. Encompassing a plethora of anecdotes that reveal the depth and wit of figures such as Brian Clough, Muhammad Ali, Billie Jean King and many others, this book considers how these people felt and thought during the pivotal sporting moments of the past half-century. From the Hand of God goal to the Munich massacre, Gary Newbon was there for it all. This, for the first time, is his story.

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Book SynopsisCelebrate Formula One’s most iconic drivers with this exploration of their triumphs and tragedies. Featuring high-quality photography and insight from renowned F1 journalist Tony Dodgins. At the heart of Formula One lies the triumphs and tragedies of the sport's greatest stars. The drama, personality and thrill of the sport are all tied to the cult drivers who have made racing so great to watch. Only the fastest and bravest survive! With a foreword by Christian Horner, Team Principal of Red Bull Racing, Formula One: The Legends profiles 32 of F1’s iconic drivers from the 1950s to the present day. As well as examining the racers of the past, such as Jackie Stewart, Alain Prost and Aryton Senna, the text profiles modern-day legends such as Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and legend-in-the-making Max Verstappen. Uniquely, this book also features stars of the sport who tragically died or were terribly injured be

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF FOOTBALL BOOK OF THE YEAR AT THE BRITISH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD In 1999, Manchester United completed a unique Treble, winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League - but more remarkable than that was how they did it, and the stories behind the historic achievement. Matt Dickinson covered the whole story at the time, and now in 99 compelling chapters brings it all vividly to life. When the season began, Manchester United were up for sale, the club's iconic talisman Eric Cantona had gone, rivals Arsenal were the reigning Double winners, David Beckham was a national hate figure after being sent off during the World Cup, and even manager Alex Ferguson's position was being questioned. Early signs weren't promising, despite record spending to bring in new stars, among them Jaap Stam and Dwight Yorke, but soon things began to change.Trade Review'What a treat this book is for every United fan as Matt Dickinson takes us back to a time when everything and anything seemed possible. Brilliantly researched, superbly written and featuring the voices of those who made it happen, this is a delight.' -- Jim White'I wondered whether there’d be anything left to tell about 1999 but this is superbly framed and full of fresh insight.' -- Adam Crafton'Absolutely engrossed.. So many new insights and details. Almost like a football book version of The Last Dance.' -- Miguel Delaney'Full of detail and lovely stories I’d never seen or heard before. Dickinson shows that the Treble season was far from a year-long party. It was gruelling. Totally unlike today, nearly every player was a character with leadership skills - a team of 11 captains. They were tough, totally dedicated to the United cause, but not always pleasant.' -- Michael Crick'For some of us, the greatest story of our sporting lives, told beautifully and with consummate skill and great affection by the brilliant ?Matt Dickinson. Can’t recommend it highly enough.' -- Oliver Holt'Matt Dickinson superbly recreates the pulse-racing, heart-pumping, deadline-shredding excitement he felt as a young reporter forced to write and re-write his copy to keep up with a rollercoaster of a season that changed the history of football... It is the trust he built two decades ago that allows him to get beyond the banalities of many ghost-written football memoirs or compendiums of fan nostalgia.' -- Nick Robinson * The Times *'Full of fresh revelations and insight, this is a masterful retelling of a remarkable year' -- Jon Spurling * FourFourTwo *'The nostalgia in this book flows through the portraits offered of the personalities who filled the dressing-room. There they are, on page after page, captured “in their athletic prime”, on their way to the most successful club season in English soccer history. It is not all sweetness and light.' -- Paul Rouse * Irish Examiner *

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Book Synopsis''A powerful chronicle of the transformation of English football and society through the prism of two very different characters'' Irish TimesJack was open, charismatic, selfish and pig-headed; Bobby was guarded, shy, polite and reserved to the point of reclusiveness. Jack was a gangling central defender who developed a profound tactical intelligence; Bobby an athletic attacking midfielder who disdained systems. Yet the Charlton brothers both enjoyed great success as football players and together, for England, they won the World Cup. Two Brothers is both the story of the most famous football players of their generation and an account of late-twentieth-century English football: the tensions between flair and industry, between individuality and the collective, between right and left, between middle- and working-classes, between exile and home. ''Wilson is meticulous in providing all manner of nuggets'' Sports Books of the Year, TheTrade ReviewRazor-sharp tactical analysis and an intriguing angle of its own * Irish Independent *Gripping * Daily Mail *Wilson is a fine, nuanced writer * TLS *Compelling... gets to the heart of Bobby and Jackie * Late Tackle Magazine *This is a social history, yet surprisingly moving as it chronicles two remarkable lives * Guardian *A powerful chronicle of the transformation of English soccer and society through the prism of two very different characters * Irish Times *Tells a familar, yet extraordinary, tale exceptionally well, illuminated and refreshed by Wilson's particular perspectives and insights * When Saturday Comes Magazine *A book that Jonathan Wilson was born to write... He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the game... There is much poignancy in their stories -- Books of the Year * Irish Examiner *Explores the careers and personalities of Bobby and Jack Charlton, who we discover could not have been more different, and Wilson is meticulous in providing all manner of nuggets -- Sports Books of the Year * The Times *Wilson skilfully interweaves the stories of brothers with polar opposite personalities who also happened to be two of the most iconic footballing figures in the last century, using their respective career trajectories to tell a broader story of what it said about English and (sometimes) Irish society of the time of their heydays * The 42 *

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