Search results for ""author richard sydenham""

Almost Invincible is the story of the West Indies in the 1980s, one of the greatest teams in Test cricket history, at their brilliant best.During the English summer of 1984, captain Clive Lloyd had an array of all-time greats within the ranks, including Viv Richards, Gordon Greenidge, Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding, Desmond Haynes, Joel Garner, Jeffrey Dujon and others.Facing an England team in transition but still possessing skipper David Gower, star all-rounder Ian Botham and the in-form batsman Allan Lamb, the West Indies followed a series victory over Australia with a 5-0 win in England, a series that was famously nicknamed the ''Blackwash''.The book examines all the side-stories connected with the tour - from the ridiculously frenetic schedule to the closely fought one-day series, from the county tour matches to the intricate details of the five Tests. Author Richard Sydenham has spoken to many of the central characters and reflects on the

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Offers an insightful look at how many of the game's great players rate their best cricketers of the 20th and 21st century. This title discusses players from the days of Jack Hobbs and Donald Bradman right up to Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar.

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Dennis Mortimer became Aston Villa's most famous captain when he lifted the Lions' first League Championship trophy in 71 years. That was in 1981, and he achieved a European Cup win the following year, but his time at the club ended controversially. After signing for Coventry City as a teenager in the late 1960s, Mortimer lined up against such legends as Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Franz Beckenbauer and George Best. From there he moved to Villa and became one of manager Ron Saunders' most trusted players. He was in the dressing room for the most successful period in the club's history, but was frozen out by the chairman before his eventual exit. He finished his playing career at Brighton & Hove Albion, Sheffield United and Villa's bitter rivals Birmingham City, then moved into coaching. In this tell-all autobiography, Mortimer lifts the lid on the highs and lows of his decade at Villa and shares stories galore about the many characters he met through his life in football.

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Cricket''s Hard Men takes an innovative look at character, psychology and mental health in cricket to produce a fascinating study of the sport''s toughest players.So, what actually constitutes a hard man of cricket? The truth is there is no simple definition. Whether it''s resilience to defy injury from players like Kepler Wessels, Mike Atherton and Allan Border; sheer physicality from cricketer turned cage fighter Adam Hollioake; the bloody-mindedness to snub tradition by Douglas Jardine and John Reid; a chest-thumping need from Arjuna Ranatunga to show pride for a flag that had a reputation of being soft in the cricket world; or the blind courage of Brian Close, each player has his own unique story, told here through in-depth research and exclusive interviews.The author consulted prominent ex-cricketers and broadcasters before studying this select band, from Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the West Indies an

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Big Deal! is crammed with exclusive transfer stories that have never been heard before outside the boardroom. Veteran journalists Richard Sydenham and John Wragg have gained exclusive contributions from an array of star names including Jurgen Klopp, Sven-Goran Eriksson, Claudio Ranieri and the late Gerard Houllier, plus homegrown legends such as Kevin Keegan, David Moyes, Sam Allardyce and Martin O'Neill. You'll get the inside track on some of the most momentous transfers in British football, including the transfers that never quite made it over the line. Kevin Keegan's shock move to Southampton at the height of his fame and Pat Jennings' switch from north London rivals Tottenham to Arsenal are just two examples of transfers that caused a stir, and the managers involved with the moves explain how they made them happen. The transfers that never materialised will surprise many. Learn how Wolves nearly landed Michel Platini before his career exploded with Juventus, and how ambitious Burnley tried desperately to sign a young Harry Kane.

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