Pitch Publishing

Book SynopsisChampions Under Lockdown is the third book in the Red Odyssey series. It tells the story of an extraordinary season from the perspective of the terraces. After their epic 2018/19 season, in 2019/20 Jurgen Klopp would target Liverpool's first league title in 30 years. During this unforgettable season his side would smash all records. They claimed the UEFA Super Cup and then the Club World Cup before sailing to a 25-point lead at the top of the Premier League. Fans who thought they had seen it all witnessed arguably the greatest Reds side in history sweep all before them. They were declared champions-elect, but the fates decreed there would be a final barrier to Liverpool claiming their prize. In the midst of a global virus pandemic and with the country on lockdown, voices called for the season to be declared null and void, threatening to wipe the achievements of this incredible team from history. But Jurgen and his men rose again to claim their holy grail. This is the unique story of the champions under lockdown.

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Book SynopsisDoes the sight of half-scarves enrage you? Does transfer-deadline day make you want to throw a brick through the TV? Do the opening bars of goal music make your ears bleed? If the answer is 'yes', then this could be the book for you. Since English football's very own 'Year Zero' in 1992, the game has changed beyond recognition, rejecting the rough-and-ready days of the past. And like any change, not all of it has been welcome. The quality of the 'football product' might be better but it's come with spiralling levels of debt, yawning inequality and Neymar advertising batteries. These, and many other ills of the modern game, form Jim Keoghan's exploration of the nation's favourite pastime. Navigating a world populated by dodgy owners, celebrity referees and Ray Winstone's floating head, he searches for an answer to the question: Is it Just Me or is Modern Football S**t?

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Book SynopsisWimbledon has long stood at the pinnacle of British and world tennis. But, as Kevin Jefferys shows in this ground-breaking new study, Britain has a rich history of international standard play beyond SW19, in top-level tournaments and Davis Cup competitions at iconic venues such as Queen's Club, Eastbourne and Edgbaston. The book traces the fluctuating fortunes of a dozen or so tournaments that have brought the world's finest players to English shores during the 140-year history of lawn tennis. Taking a tour around different regions of the country, the author sheds fresh light on the best-known events and on largely forgotten but once high-profile tournaments held in Bristol, Torquay and Scarborough. Both a record and a celebration of England's tennis heritage, the book is packed with stories about memorable players and matches, full results for singles finals and anecdotes about quirky or controversial incidents, ranging from the courtside fire that halted a tournament final to the anti-apartheid protests that disrupted a Davis Cup tie.

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Book SynopsisEnable is a modern day racing heroine, a Queen of the Turf, and she has stirred the emotions of racing fans like few before her. She has won 11 Group Ones to date including the Epsom Oaks, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes three times, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe twice and the Breeders' Cup Turf. She is partnered by Frankie Dettori, the world's most famous jockey and she is his 'big girl' and his favourite racehorse. His trademark flying dismounts seem to now be accompanied by tears and by the time of publication, she will have attempted a historic third 'Arc' which Frankie wants to win 'for her' and not himself. As well as looking at her close bond with 'Frankie' the book looks at how Enable's masterful trainer, John Gosden, managed her from the beginning and how her connections cherish her. Her full story is told through the lens of the Racing Post - its best writers, most astute analysts and unrivalled photographers.

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Book SynopsisProgrammes! Programmes! Football and Life from Wartime to Lockdown is a fascinating archaeological dig through a collection of 2,000 programmes. From the bleak wartime era when players had to shelter from air raids and depend on army leave, to tragedies and the 'Slum Game', through to the glitz of today's global stars, noodle partners and fan-owned, community-based clubs - every aspect of football's evolution, its highs and lows can be found in match-day programmes, along with a dose of bad poetry, adverts for sex magazines, boy bands who never made it and explanations of a 'magic sponge' for American fans. There are unforgettable games, World Cup winners, schoolboy internationals destined for stardom and others whose glimpse of glory proved fleeting. The stories play out against a backdrop of technological, economic and social change in Britain and beyond, rekindling the memories of generations of fans. Programmes! Programmes! is a 'must' for lovers of football nostalgia, with fascinating, funny and quirky tales galore.

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Book SynopsisThe Colours of Cricket showcases the finest photos of award-winning cricket photographer Philip Brown. In a prestigious 30-year career, Brown has captured 250 Test matches, numerous World Cups and other competitions around the world. Growing up in sports-mad Australia, he fell in love with cricket and photography at a young age and has spent most of his life shooting some of the most memorable moments in the history of the game and the characters who made them. This beautiful book features eye-catching images of some of the biggest names in cricket - stars such as Shane Warne, Brian Lara, Kevin Pietersen, Steve Waugh and Sachin Tendulkar. But beyond the celebrities Philip also has an eye for the people and places he has seen along the way. The Colours of Cricket documents the changing face of the sport over five decades, taking us on a nostalgic trip through time. Featuring more than 340 of Brown's favourite images, this is a stunning pictorial celebration that every cricket fan will treasure.

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Book SynopsisPlease Don't Take Me Home is the emotional tale of Italian immigrant Simone Abitante's 20-year love affair with Fulham Football Club. After leaving his native country, Simone falls in love with London and its oldest club, embarking on a personal mission to spread the word and get Fulham recognised beyond Britain by as many people as possible. Following the Cottagers through the most successful spell in their modern history, Simone takes his nephews to Craven Cottage where - together with new friends and Whites addicts Jeff, Mark and Ben - they experience unforgettable wins, exhilarating highs and devastating lows, amid rivers of beer, true friendship and an unquenchable passion for the beautiful game. Even after leaving London for Mallorca, Simone keeps following his beloved Fulham, with that famous white jersey serving as a second skin. Played out against a backdrop of heartbreaks, departures and life-changing decisions, Please Don't Take Me Home is a footballing story every fan can relate to.

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Book SynopsisThe Beautiful Game and The Ugly Truth: Football's Tragic Link to Dementia is an emotive examination of the world's most popular sport and its ties to a devastating disease. In 2002, a coroner ruled Jeff Astle's death at the age of 59 was the result of heading footballs. His daughter, Dawn, says football does not believe it can be a killer - but that her father's death certificate proves it can be. Evidence of its impact continues to pile up, 20 years after Jeff's passing. In 2019, Dr Willie Stewart's groundbreaking FIELD study found former footballers are three-and-a-half times more likely than the general population to die of a neurodegenerative disease. In 2020, Sir Bobby Charlton became the fifth member of England's 1966 World Cup-winning side to be diagnosed with dementia. Countless families have seen loved ones slip away from them. Modern professional players are fearing for their futures, too, as experts explain why it is wrong to lay the blame on those old heavy leather footballs.

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Book SynopsisBasketball 2.0 takes a riveting and inspirational look inside the rise of 3x3 basketball, which made its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, just a decade after launching as the official truncated version of arguably the world's second most popular sport. For generations, three-on-three was a popular form of pickup basketball but seen as a novelty until the governing body, FIBA, hatched an ambitious plan to broaden the sport's worldwide footprint and extend its fan base through a distinctive brand. But to achieve legitimacy, 3x3 needed to accomplish the improbable and go from the streets to the Olympics. Despite scepticism, FIBA created a professional tour and international competitions before its dream was realised when 3x3 became an Olympic sport for the Tokyo Games. FIBA is betting big on its new game, but even after 3x3's memorable Olympic debut, the question remains: will it truly succeed? Basketball 2.0 is the first in-depth exploration of this fascinating and quirky new global game.

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Book SynopsisTwo Posts and a Field is a unique look at Liverpool FC through the eyes of Neville Gabie (artist and lifelong fan) and Stephen Done (writer and curator at the LFC Museum). Richly illustrated, it is part travelogue, part exploration of the LFC Museum's hidden treasures and part personal story, as Neville takes us from his childhood listening to games on the radio in South Africa to watching his first match at Anfield in 1973. The book tells the story of Neville and Stephen's roadtrip to find the home and birthplace of Mo Salah in Egypt's Nile Delta and of Avi Cohen, a player who broke the cultural mould when he signed from Maccabi Tel Aviv in the 1980s. It shines a spotlight on the struggles of Liverpool's home-grown talent for racial equality, contrasting Trent Alexander Arnold with Howard Gayle, the first black player to be signed by Liverpool, with the backdrop of the Toxteth riots. The stories are brought to life by Gabie's beautiful goalpost photos, which stretch back 20 years.

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Book SynopsisBrave Enough Not to Quit is the extraordinary and moving story of Millie Farrow, a footballer who has battled major injuries and mental-health problems in pursuit of her career. Millie dreamt of being a footballer from a young age and signed her first professional contract at 19. She has played for top clubs in England and America, but the road to realising her girlhood dream has not been a smooth one. Four major injuries in her teens and early 20s threatened to derail her career, alongside her battles with obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety. But Millie was brave enough not to quit. She remains determined to succeed and wants to use her experiences to help others overcome their own setbacks. In Brave Enough Not to Quit, Millie speaks from the heart about her mental-health issues and injuries, while her friends, England stars Fran Kirby and Emile Heskey, share their experiences in highly personal interviews with Millie. This is an inspirational story of fighting back from rock bottom and finding strength in adversity.

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Book SynopsisNational Hunt Champion trainer Nicky Henderson OBE shares behind-the-scenes stories of the dozen most extraordinary thoroughbreds that have defined his glittering career. After his early days as an amateur jockey and assistant to Fred Winter, Nicky started his own training yard, which would become the home of such great riders as Sir AP McCoy, Barry Geraghty, John Francome, Mick Fitzgerald, Sam Waley-Cohen, Richard Dunwoody, Nico de Boinville and many others. From his triple Champion Hurdle-winner See You Then, Remittance Man and Nobby the sheep, record-setting Altior, Sprinter Sacre and the greatest comeback in jump racing history, to his new star Constitution Hill, the Henderson yard has been a breeding ground for success. Through exclusive interviews with Nicky and his jockeys, Nicky Henderson: My Life in 12 Horses schools us on life, sport, magic, courage, loss, hope and love.Trade Review"In my lifetime two British trainers have been blessed with a touch of genius: Sir Henry Cecil and Nicky Henderson. This book - via tales about his brilliant horses - takes you on a roller-coaster ride with Nicky’s triumphs and tragedies, heady racedays and disasters, plus gives you a unique insight in to the mind of that training genius." -- Ed Chamberlin * ITV Racing *"A beautiful portrait of the love between Nicky Henderson and his greatest horses. Intimate, revealing and unforgettable, with a long reach in racing but also far beyond." -- Paul Hayward * five times Sports Writer of the Year *"Nicky Henderson’s career is a timeless masterpiece, with craft and thought put into every horse. The attention to detail in this beautiful book is similarly meticulous. A must read." -- Dominic King, Racing Correspondent * The Daily Mail *"Wow, what an interesting book. Nicky is a genius and you really see how he has treasures, and looks after his good horses. It gripped me and anybody remotely interested in jump racing will want to read it." -- Kim Bailey * National Hunt trainer *"A brilliant and original portrait of a man with an exceptional gift. Where others see horses, Nicky Henderson sees magic, sophistication and complex personalities – he’s like the Shakespeare of racing." -- Ed Needham * Strong Words magazine *"This is a book every racing fan should read. For it takes a fresh look at famous horses and jumping’s most famous trainer. In the very best of senses, it puts new wine in old bottles." -- Brough Scott MBE * racing journalist, broadcaster and author and former jockey *"A brilliant insight into the life, knowledge, passion and intuition that Nicky has, and gives his horses on a daily basis. All of which makes him one of the greatest trainers and horsemen of any generation, and above all an absolute gentleman." -- Barry Geraghty * first stable jockey to Nicky Henderson from 2008-2015 *"A full, personable and bewitching account of the genius that is the six-time champion jumps trainer – while this is a must-read for racing fans, I’d recommend it to anyone who has ever loved an animal." -- Martha Terry * Horse & Hound *"Nicky Henderson: My Life in 12 Horses is one of the best racing books I’ve read in years. Built around the stories of some his greats, including Remittance Man, Sprinter Sacre, Altior, See You Then and, of course, Constitution Hill, it’s a properly fascinating insight into what makes Henderson tick and how he does it. You never know, the racing fan in your life might even learn something from it." -- Stephen Pollard * The Critic *

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Book SynopsisAuld Foes is the remarkable story of the world’s oldest football rivalry – Heart of Midlothian v Hibernian – interwoven with a fascinating 150-year Edinburgh history. For more than a century the rivalry ebbed and flowed, culminating in a hostile takeover bid in 1990. While this raised hostilities off the pitch to a new high, animosity between the Edinburgh sides was nothing new. Theirs is a rivalry as complex and historic as Edinburgh itself, encompassing World Wars and sacrifice, Scottish society, religious and ethnic hatred, social class, football hooliganism, clubs on the brink of death saved by amazing feats of fan devotion, and the dubious financial dealings – and characters – that took them to the edge of ruin. This is a story with exhilarating highs, innovations, world firsts and trailblazing in Europe; plus the wretched lows of relegations, agonising near-misses and everything in between. Auld Foes shines a vital spotlight on a captivating football rivalry that is poorly understood.

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Book SynopsisBring Me Sunshine is the remarkable story of Luton Town''s rise from non-league to the Premier League, told through exclusive interviews with players, coaches and executives who made it happen.It''s a story made all the more remarkable by the obstacles they had to overcome along the way, not least on the two occasions when manager Nathan Jones left in search of a bigger stage. Yet Luton''s outstanding success in player recruitment, exemplified by history-making midfielder Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, allowed the side to bounce back from the setbacks that came their way.Bring Me Sunshine goes behind the scenes to find out how the Hatters consistently triumphed in the transfer market, and unearths further secrets to their success. This is a book not only for Luton supporters, but for all football followers who love a classic rags-to-riches tale.

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Book SynopsisData Game: The Story of Liverpool FC''s Analytics Revolution explores the lesser-known story of how Liverpool rose to greatness in the 21st century with the help of big data.The Anfield institution is an industry leader in the field of data science, but little is known about how Liverpool''s relationship with numbers began, and how the marriage of data and football helped to deliver wins on the pitch by impacting tactics and recruitment.Upon their takeover, Fenway Sports Group set out to transform Liverpool into a data-driven organisation, but there is a story behind why that vision took around a decade to become a reality.From errors in the transfer market, to suboptimal playing styles, to conflicting egos, Liverpool jumped many hurdles before achieving their ambitions under Jürgen Klopp, with the German surrounded by unsung heroes who shunned the limelight. This is the tale of how Liverpool gained an edge over their wealthier rivals b

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Book SynopsisAs a bowler with Warwickshire, he was tipped to play Test cricket for England. An ambition that was killed by coaches who tampered with his bowling action. With the result that, within months, he went from an England contender to free transfer. Steve recalls that time of his life with no bitterness just humour and gratitude at playing when county cricket was filled with the world's best. If his derailed career was a test, a much bigger one lay ahead.A Cricket Man is more than a cricket book, it is also a love story and a life story. Perryman became a fine bowling coach, helping Warwickshire to the Championship title. Always beside him, inspiring him was his beloved wife Carol. She was his cornerstone until their lives were turned upside down when Carol was diagnosed with cancer, and she passed away in 2018.Perryman recounts that heartbreaking time in his life, in powerful chapters where his sadness is underpinned by strength, and heartbreak is accompanied by jo

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Book SynopsisGoing to the Wire looks at a dozen teams, from the 1970s to the present day, whose survival came down to the season's final day. It captures the drama and the passion that comes when not only league survival, but jobs and even a club's very existence can be on the line.It's all here, as Tom Brogan looks at the drama of late, late goals, on those days when fans can spend more time with ears pressed to radios, or eyes glued to mobile phones, all for news from another ground! The passion, the shredded nerves, bitten fingernails, the absurdities of blatant time-wasting, fake news of goals' elsewhere and ultimately teams coming back from the dead.Relegation is all part of the game, but one that no fan wants their team to get dragged into, but great escapes can make heroes of the unlikeliest of players. Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, Middlesbrough, Burnley, Derby County and Coventry City are just a few of the clubs whose final-day e

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Book SynopsisThe Fox: Harry Hopman and the Greatest Dynasty in Tennis History is the story of how one man drove a tiny nation to dominate a global sport. The Grand Slams, Wimbledon crowns and Davis Cups his players won made Australia famous. They called him simply Mr Hopman but the New York Times called him a ''one-man dynasty''.He was revered for his success but reviled for his methods. He had no formal education as a coach or trainer but relentlessly pursued sporting excellence. Hopman''s approach was revolutionary to a genteel sport, introducing the grit of gymnasiums and endurance exercises that bordered on sadistic.This book examines the many shades of Harry Hopman: the outsider who willed himself to play for his country and battled the sport''s establishment; the schemer who saw America dominate the sport and devised a way to beat them; the unquestioned leader; and eventually the ageing coach who embraced the ''me generation''.

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Book SynopsisDerek Underwood was one of Kent and England's finest-ever slow bowlers. In this first-ever biography of Underwood, Mark Peel assesses the qualities that made him such a formidable bowler, the reasons behind his signing for Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket and the England rebel tour of South Africa in 1982, plus much more.

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Book SynopsisJeff Goulding''s Red Odyssey, an epic chronicle of Liverpool FC''s history, continues with more tales of drama and joy, heroes and villains, victors and vanquished.In 2020, Klopp''s Reds captured the club''s first league title in 30 years, completing a remarkable treble of domestic, European and world honours. Jurgen''s Last Stand: Red Odyssey IV is the story of what came next, reliving how Jürgen came agonisingly close to a clean sweep of all available honours in 2022 before carrying off a domestic cup double.Goulding treats us to a supporter''s-eye view of the drama in Paris, which is emotively contrasted with a glorious homecoming that enveloped the team and the city of Liverpool in a blanket of solidarity and celebration.Finally, as a tired Klopp battles to build Liverpool 2.0, supporters are rocked by his decision to step down at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, before their passionate response propels him and the club through yet another hist

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Book SynopsisRise of the Magpies charts the ascent of Newcastle United over the past two decades, paying particular attention to the 2022/23 season, which saw Toon fans celebrate a Champions League placement for the first time since 2003.What a season it was. Now all the years of cheering, crying, jeering; the heartache and the hope - that cruel and bitter emotion that clung to Toon comrades young and old - has been rewarded.This book takes us back to the moment the Saudi-backed consortium, which bought Newcastle in late 2021, brought anticipation about the club''s future. Few of those black-and-white supporters expected a team in a relegation battle at the time of the takeover to be contenders for Champions League qualification.This is a story of a club that has been transformed, a club that is much more than money: it''s a club that has never lost sight of Geordie glory. It''s time for the Magpies to soar again.

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Book SynopsisThe Scouting Game brings us the inside story of the hidden world of top-level football scouting from a man with 30 years' experience in the professional game, and more than a decade in the recruitment team at Chelsea FC's renowned academy. It reveals how scouts work, what they look for and how they report on players.

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Book SynopsisAn Arsenal Life is the story of the lost world of Arsenal's post-war history told through the lens of lifelong super-fan Martin Wengrow, a friend and confidant to legendary players and managers from the 1960s to the late 1990s. The kind of access Martin enjoyed would be impossible in today's game. This is his Arsenal life!

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Book SynopsisOnly the Real Thing is the story of how Aston Villa adapted and thrived in the changing world of early 1990s English football. The book dissects the cup-winning campaigns of 1994 and 1996 with a deep dive into the matches, players and management teams, while telling a wider story of the transitionary shift towards modern football.

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Book SynopsisDame Bola takes us on a journey through the rich football-related language phrases, concepts, stories used by arguably the most passionate fans in world football. Fútbol dominates Argentinian society's machinery the cogs of their world simply wouldn't turn without a metaphorical mention of football in every sentence.

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Book Synopsis An epic tale of tragedy and resilience in a far, far-away land... An amazing book to read. There is no other sports story like it.' Leigh Montville, author and former writer for The Boston Globe and Sports Illustrated.The definitive account of one of the saddest chapters in sports history: the 1993 plane crash that killed Zambia''s national soccer team, and the inspiring story of the nation's remarkable comeback. The book details the tragedy, its aftermath and the incredible resilience and determination of a nation to rebuild and honour the memories of its fallen heroes, including: How Zambia was on the cusp of qualifying for the 1994 World Cup in the US before the tragedy How rebuilt Zambia defeated Morocco in its first game ten weeks after the crash, before storming into the final of the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations 11 months later In-depth research and interviews with key figures on Zambia's rise as an African footballing power before the horrific plane crash that claimed the lives of most of its top players of that generation Insightful interviews with sources that spent time with the team in its final hours and minutes including the one person to board the doomed plane with the players and disembark before take-off How, before it crashed, the DHC-5D Buffalo military plane carrying Zambia's national team had been parked for four months at an air force base with AOG' status (i.e. with a serious technical fault) The lack of accountability: more than 30 years on, no official report on the crash has been released by Zambia according to former Zambian president Rupiah Banda, none was written or exists Meticulously researched, gripping and emotive, this book is a must-read for football and sports fans everywhere.

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Book Synopsis With the Covid-19 pandemic restricting fan access to top-level football, the author challenges himself to go to a game in every round of the 2020/21 FA Vase, from the qualifying rounds to the final under the famous arch.From Johnnie Lowery, author of the Charles Tyrwhitt Sports Book Awards 2024-shortlisted Match Fit: An Exploration of Mental Health in Football.Despite its charms, the FA Vase generally remains a footnote in the football calendar, escaping the attentions of the average match-going fan. But the 2020/21 season was like no other. With the country in and out of various lockdown restrictions, elite' sport was largely played behind closed doors. If you wanted to get your football fix, you had to attend local non-league games.Set in a unique football season fraught with uncertainty, this fascinating book includes: A first-person account of Lowery's attempt to attend a game in every round of the 2020/21 FA Vase Visits to an array of non-league clubs from Whitley Bay to Warrington Rylands from where Lowery captures the matchday experience in light-hearted but vivid detail Frank reflection on Lowery's own mental state to provide a deeper insight into his lockdown experience An interesting and emotional side-plot as Lowery's beloved Sutton United look like they could make history Filled with funny and sometimes poignant reflections on life and the grass roots game, Amateur Hour captures both the strangeness of the lockdown period and the beauty of lower-league football.

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Book SynopsisA scintillating journey through the greatest era in Bolton Wanderers' history under the iconic Sam Allardyce. Essential reading for every Bolton fan!Names such as Jay-Jay Okocha, Youri Djorkaeff and Nicolas Anelka feature vividly as the author recounts the methods and madness of Allardyce as he transformed Bolton from Division One strugglers to the thorn in the side of the Premier League's big six'.Featuring tales that haven''t been published before straight from the mouths of those who were there, this fascinating book includes: How Sam Allardyce turned the Reebok Stadium into a fortress and a place of torment for the likes of Arsene Wenger, Rafa Benitez and even Sir Alex Ferguson Stories of team-mate bust-ups, boardroom fall-outs, scientific methods, transfer negotiations and even dining on bulls' testicles after a 5-0 win at Leicester Famous moments in the club's history, such as the despair as Bolton lost three semi-finals in the space of three months, a play-off final victory, the great escape from relegation and the mix of English grit and international flair that took Bolton to the European Cup, where they faced the giants of Marseille Measured Spirit is a must for any fan of the Barclays era' of Premiership football, and a great insight into one of the sport's most famous characters.

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Book SynopsisBill McCracken, the Offside King is the first biography of a football pioneer and Newcastle United legend who forced a change which altered how football was played. Known as the 'Offside King', Bill was a key figure in Newcastle's famous Edwardian line-up. Discover the colourful career and life of a hugely influential figure.

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Book SynopsisFootball for the Soul takes you on a journey through the European game, from Bilbao to Berlin, Paris, Naples, Amsterdam and beyond. With dozens of interviews and insight from players, fans, directors and journalists, the book discovers what it is we really love about the game, what makes it special and why it matters so much.

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Book SynopsisHot Shot Tottenham guides you expertly through the transformative 1980s, both on and off the pitch, for Spurs and English football. Read a season-by-season guide that covers all the key matches, players and events that shaped a dramatic decade, with exclusive player interviews and first-hand accounts from those who were there.

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Book SynopsisLiverpool FC On This Day revisits all the most magical and memorable moments from the club's glorious past, mixing in a maelstrom of quirky anecdotes and legendary characters to produce an irresistibly dippable diary of Reds history - with an entry for every day of the year. From the acrimonious Victorian foundation of the club to the 21st century's heady European and FA Cup victories, the Anfield faithful have witnessed the First Division triumphs of the '20s and '40s turn into an avalanche of silverware in the '60s, '70s and '80s - and they have also witnessed tragedies. Pivotal days in history which saw the airing of 'You'll Never Walk Alone', the completion of multifarious Doubles and Trebles and the shock retirement of Bill Shankly all form a backdrop against which Liverpool greats - Kevin Keegan, Ian Rush and Billy Liddell, Steven Gerrard, Tommy Smith and Kenny Dalglish - loom larger than life.

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Book SynopsisGot, Not Got: The Lost World of Derby County is an Aladdin's cave of memories and memorabilia, guaranteed to whisk you back to the Baseball Ground's fondly remembered 'Golden Age' of mud and magic - as well as a Rams-mad childhood of miniature tabletop games and imaginary, comic-fuelled worlds. The book recalls a more innocent era of football, lingering longingly over relics from the good old days - Rams stickers and petrol freebies, league ladders, big-match programmes and much more - revisiting lost football culture, treasures and pleasures that are 100 per cent Derby County. If you were a Junior Ram, one of the army of obsessive soccer kids at any time from when Cloughie's lads won the League to the early days of the Premier League, then this is the book to recall the mavericks - Mackay, Lee and Hector, George, Saunders and Gabbiadini - and the marvels of the Lost World of Football.

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Book SynopsisGot, Not Got: The Lost World of Liverpool is an Aladdin's cave of memories and memorabilia, guaranteed to whisk you back to Anfield's fondly remembered 'Golden Age' of mud and magic - as well as a Reds-mad childhood of miniature tabletop games and imaginary, comic-fuelled worlds. The book recalls a more innocent era of football, lingering longingly over relics from the good old days - Reds stickers and petrol freebies, league ladders, big-match programmes and much more - revisiting lost football culture, treasures and pleasures that are 100 per cent Liverpool. If you're a lifelong Liverpool fan, one of the army of obsessive soccer kids at any time from when Shanks won his first '60s silverware to the early days of the Premier League, then this is the book to recall the mavericks - Keegan, Dalglish and St John, Rush, Barnes and Souness - and the marvels of the Lost World of Football.

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Book SynopsisJourneymen tells a story that is often purposely ignored - that of the modern-day boxers who lose for a living. Far from huge purses and pay-per-view hype, the book lays bare the reality of the boxing business and the way it works in small-hall venues countrywide. October 2013 saw the 100th and final fight in the career of East London's Johnny Greaves, remarkable in that he won only four contests. He took fights at short notice, facing young prospects with the implicit understanding that he was not there to win. Journeymen features in-depth interviews with Greaves and other men who have similarly served the fight game, including Kristian Laight (180 defeats), Jason Nesbitt (178) and Daniel Thorpe (113). Though sometimes dark, their tales reveal humour, wisdom and sporting pride: the journeymen eschew glamour, make the best of what they have and face the world with a smile and a wink.

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Book SynopsisAt 34 years of age, Gregory Howe quit teaching in London to chase his childhood dream of becoming a world-ranked tennis professional. He started his year-long journey in the minor leagues, playing across four continents, as far afield as Bangkok, Kampala and Lahore, initially struggling against younger, fitter aspiring pros. Breaking through to the elite ATP tour, he got within volleying distance of some of the greats of the modern game. Eventually, he managed to juggle competing on the ATP tour with holding down a nine-to-five job. Along the way he encountered almost everything the tennis world has to offer, from rising stars racing to the top, to players whose hopes are slowly being shattered. Chasing Points: A Season on the Men's Pro Tennis Circuit offers a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the life of a touring tennis professional from the perspective of a real 'underdog'.

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Book SynopsisFifteen Barnsley footballing legends tell the stories behind their favourite ever games for the club - enabling fans of all ages to relive these magic moments through the eyes and emotions of the men who were there, pulling on the famous red shirt. Local lad Mick McCarthy recalls the moment he was selected for his first game representing his boyhood team, revealing how dearly he holds the club, the fans and one person in particular all these years later. Arjan de Zeeuw talks about how he was smuggled into a hotel when he was still an unknown, and was told he was signing for an English club. In the end he was delighted that his career in England started at Barnsley, going on to describe how it felt to do the unthinkable at Anfield during the club's only Premier League season. Oakwell legends including Marley Watkins, Lewin Nyatanga, Marc Richards, Paul Hayes, Brian Howard, Adie Moses, Darren Barnard and Stephen Foster also turn in characteristic star performances, winding back the clock to relive treasured memories of the Match of Their Lives.

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Book SynopsisThe tale of Tottenham Hotspur's extraordinary run to the 2019 Champions League Final in Madrid. Authors Alex Fynn and Martin Cloake examine how Spurs confounded all predictions to enjoy their most successful ever CL campaign - and what it means for the future. They explain why a certain style of football and competing in Europe are central to the club's identity, and look at how manager Mauricio Pochettino drew on these traditions to create a very modern success story. Using match reports from national newspapers to provide the narrative thread, Fynn and Cloake draw on their football backgrounds to explain why this campaign so fired the imagination - in a season with no signings, played mostly without a home stadium. With a rich cast of characters and locations ranging from Eindhoven to Madrid via Barcelona and Dortmund - and one emotional night in Amsterdam - One Step from Glory tells the story of a football odyssey.

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Book SynopsisThe Diary of Sport brings together the most memorable moments and characters in sports history, in one enthralling diary. It's not just about football, rugby and cricket - there are highlights from lesser-known sports such as icosathlon, camogie and Haxey Hood as well as the obsolete Olympic events of one-armed weightlifting, two-handed discus, rope climbing and the swimming obstacle course. Read about the evolution of every major sport from humble beginnings to the multi-million pound businesses we know today. With an entry for every day of the year, you'll learn about the most significant contributions of the famous - and sometimes infamous - men and women who make the world of sport so compelling. Discover how sporting hostilities led to war, the sporting geniuses guilty of crass stupidity and the mediocre competitors who achieved glory with one inspired moment of sublime brilliance. There are underdogs, heroes and villains, gifted winners, spectacular losers and bizarre events aplenty in this page-turning compendium.

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Book SynopsisThe People's Wimbledon brings you the magic of SW19 in words and pictures. Take a trip down memory lane as you rekindle memories of colourful characters, breathtaking matches, intense rivalries and rare upsets from days gone by. Relive the exploits of Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, plus Steffi Graf, Rod Laver, Billie Jean King, Ken Rosewall, Lew Hoad and Maria Bueno. You'll also learn about the history of Wimbledon from the first championship in 1877 through to the modern day. The book combines hundreds of stunning illustrations - including tennis memorabilia and rare archival photos - with memories and anecdotes from players, journalists, broadcasters and fans to tell the Wimbledon story from a fresh new angle. Whether you travel to SW19 or spend two weeks each summer glued to your TV set, The People's Wimbledon is a 'must' if you've been bitten by the Wimbledon bug.

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Book SynopsisIn March 1977, England cricket captain Tony Greig was arguably the most famous and popular sportsman in the country, and the best all-rounder in world cricket. He had recently led England to a famous series victory in India, her first successful campaign on the subcontinent since the Second World War. Then he had conjured a doughty performance from his travel-weary troops in the dramatic, one-off Centenary Test in Melbourne, narrowly losing by 45 runs. Within weeks, though, his reputation was in tatters. He was branded a traitor and mercenary, stripped of the England captaincy and excluded from the national side. He was also relieved of the Sussex captaincy and banned from first-class cricket for eight weeks. His involvement in the controversial 'Packer Revolution' had caused his fall from grace. Soon afterwards, he left England for good for a commentary career in Australia. At 6ft 7in, Greig was a giant of the game both figuratively and literally. His life story is every bit as fascinating as the controversy that engulfed him.

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Book SynopsisEnglish football changed in the 1990s. For better, for worse - but mainly for better. The shirts and shorts got baggier and brighter. Exotic-named players were enticed from overseas. New stadiums were built in the wake of the Taylor Report. The Premier League emerged and England hosted its first international tournament since 1966. The era of 'New Labour' and 'Cool Britannia', it was also the decade English football went mainstream. When the Seagulls Follow the Trawler author Tom Whitworth travelled to English football's hotbeds - the cities of London, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle - to meet the people who lived through an era of change: the players and the managers, the owners and the fans. He looks back at key moments, the teams, the title races, the twists and turns, the characters and the rivalries. All from a decade when English football began to shrug off its bad-lad image - at least off the pitch - and move out of the darkness and into the light.

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Book SynopsisI'm with the Cosmos' was the phrase New York Cosmos players used to get a table reserved at the city's best restaurants or skip the queue at the glamorous Studio 54 nightclub. And it was one Steve Hunt became used to trotting out, after he was transferred from Aston Villa to New York Cosmos at the tender age of 20, having played just seven times for the first team at Villa. He walked straight into a world of celebrity and a team of superstars including two of the world's finest players, Pele and Franz Beckenbauer. This is Steve's story of those heady days in New York - but also a stellar career back in England during the early 1980s. Returning to the West Midlands, Steve played for Coventry City, West Bromwich Albion and returned to his beloved Aston Villa for a second spell - and at the age of 28, he won the first of two England caps under Bobby Robson, realising an ambition held since early childhood. This is Steve's story, and in it he writes frankly about his football career, as well as his life outside the game.

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Book SynopsisThe son of a Scottish plantation owner and a free woman of colour, Andrew Watson was provided for by his wealthy father. Receiving a first-class education in English public schools, he would later reject university to become a footballer in Glasgow. Schooled by the most advanced practitioners of the game at that time, he became one of the best footballers in Glasgow and captained Scotland's invincible national team. He played for the greatest clubs of the day on both sides of the border and as a 'Scottish professor', brought his talent to England and shared his knowledge with the Southern amateurs, helping the game evolve from a public-school pastime to a national obsession. He played alongside and educated many who would represent the English national team, changing the game forever. But the record of his achievements faded as the game he helped change took over the world, leaving his memory in the shadows. Over 100 years later, he was rediscovered in an old photograph, and after years of research, his achievements were finally recognised.

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