Search results for ""Pitch Publishing Ltd""

Football celebrations are a vital part of the beautiful game. Gooaal! The Joy of Football Celebrations is all about what happens in the exhilarating moments after a goal. Where once a firm handshake was the norm - with a brief head nod if it had been a really good goal - today we see backflips, finger-pointing, ear-cuffing, badge-bashing, knee-sliding, camera-mugging, thumb-sucking - and sometimes something entirely original and funny. Often, the celebration is instinctive and all the better for it, but others are carefully planned and designed to make a point. Some are controversial or political, and an unfortunate few have resulted in injuries. Peter Crouch, Wayne Rooney, Paul Gascoigne, Jurgen Klinsmann, Jamie Vardy, Raheem Sterling, Alex Morgan, Bebeto, finger-wagging Jimmy Bullard, golf club-waving Craig Bellamy, line-sniffing Robbie Fowler - all of them are among the 200-plus celebrations featured in this book. You'll discover exactly what went on - and why.

Read more less

Close Quarters is the inspirational, against the odds story of Wycombe Wanderers, the poorest club in League One, and how it shapes into a side that sustains a nine-month challenge for promotion before the global pandemic stops the team in its tracks. When the season restarts, Wycombe finds itself in the play-offs behind closed doors, an unprecedented opportunity through unprecedented turmoil. Led by the longest-serving boss in professional football, the charismatic Gareth Ainsworth, this becomes an astonishing campaign, witnessed up close by award-winning sportswriter Neil Harman thanks to his special access. Harman gets to the heart of the team, joins them in the dressing room, on the coach, in the medical room and in team meetings to chart this unparalleled challenge. He gets the inside story of Ainsworth's rise from a working-class upbringing on the back streets of Blackburn, through a rumbustious playing career, to a one-club manager moulding Wycombe while dealing with an American takeover that could make the difference between the club's life and death. Close Quarters is a book that resonates, not just with Wycombe supporters, but fans of underdog clubs everywhere.

Read more less

For over a decade Luke Fletcher has been a firm fan favourite at Trent Bridge. This 6'6" gentle giant never gives less than 100 per cent for Nottinghamshire, but a laugh and a joke are never far from his lips. Within the space of a week in 2017 he went from the highs of winning a Lord's cup final to suffering a serious injury. As with most events in his life, the incidents provided scope for his infectious humour, much of it self-deprecating. An uncanny ability to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and his on-off relationship with the strength and conditioning gurus has often landed him in hot water, providing ammunition for witty comebacks. But although a clever quip is never far away, the broad-beamed paceman has earned the respect of everyone in the game. He has played against - and got the better of - virtually every opponent he has faced and has a career record to be proud of. In Tales from the Front Line, 'Fletch' serves up laughs aplenty as he takes us on an anecdotal journey through our summer game.

Read more less

The Lost Shankly Boy is an enthralling tale of triumph over adversity and hope amid despair. It tells the story of George Scott, a poor boy from a fishing village in Aberdeen, who dreamed of a career in football and ended up rubbing shoulders with one of the game's managerial greats, Bill Shankly. He would assemble a team to rival the famous 'Busby Babes' - his very own 'Shankly Boys'. With Tommy Smith and Chris Lawler already at the club, he would add Gordon Wallace, Bobby Graham and a 15-year-old George Scott - 'the lost Shankly Boy'. Scott provides a fascinating insight into modern Liverpool's formative years and Shankly's Anfield. His is an untold story of a dream crushed and of a career rebuilt in Scottish football and taken to new heights in the South African Premier League. The Lost Shankly Boy speaks to every kid who dreams of football glory. It is a never-say-die tale of passion, commitment and hard work that will resonate with anyone who has ever tasted the pain of rejection - only to rise again and grow stronger.

Read more less

Few things convey the identity of Britain's towns and cities more vocally than football and food, yet put them together and they become incompatible foes. Balti pies served out of tin trays and rubbery burgers that cost north of a tenner are typical of the over-the-counter fare that welcomes fans through the turnstile. But it doesn't have to be that way. As Britain embraces a craft revolution of locally made produce we, the travelled football fans, have the unique opportunity to experience the country in a way few others can. We can feast on cockles and mussels on the south-east coast, tuck into smack barm and pey wet in Lancashire and drink our way through an explosion of craft distillers and breweries all in the name of the club we love. The Great Pie Revolt is the definitive guide to the cafes, market stalls, takeaways, microbrewers, pubs and bars that pride themselves on their locality. It is proof that when paired properly football and food are a match made in heaven, but both are in dire need of a spectator-driven revolt.

Read more less

Brian Horton is one of the most respected managers in English football. As a player, manager and assistant, he took part in over 2,000 games - in Britain only Sir Alex Ferguson can claim more. Horton's career started in the World Cup summer of 1966 and ended over half a century later. His playing career began unceremoniously when Port Vale bought him from non-league Hednesford for the price of a pint of shandy. But later, as Brighton captain, he became a club legend, skippering the Seagulls from the Third to the First Division. He continued this success at Luton and Hull, before managing the Yorkshire side. Horton further distinguished himself as boss at Oxford and then Manchester City, keeping the Citizens in the Premier League for two thrilling seasons. Spells at Huddersfield, Brighton, Port Vale and Macclesfield followed before Brian was catapulted back to the Premier League at Hull City as assistant manager to Phil Brown. He continued to work with Brown at Preston, Southend and Swindon until his retirement in 2018.

Read more less

Mike Brearley was one of England's greatest cricket captains. He thrice won the Ashes, including the unforgettable series of 1981, when his leadership helped England to snatch victory from defeat. Yet there was nothing inevitable about his rise. A spell out of the game in his mid-20s stymied his progress and when he returned full-time to captain Middlesex, his innovative approach found little favour with the old guard. In this first-ever biography of Brearley, award-winning cricket writer Mark Peel reveals how Brearley overcame his critics to lead Middlesex to four county championships and two Gillette Cup wins. His rise to the England captaincy was fast, but his unrivalled leadership skills contrasted with his repeated failures with the bat. Away from cricket, Brearley possessed a range of cultural interests along with a sharp intellect, which saw him achieve eminence as a psychoanalyst. Drawing on interviews with friends and team-mates, Peel assesses the many facets of this complex man to explain his phenomenal success as a leader.

Read more less

What is it like to follow one of English football's perennial non-achievers? Hugging Strangers is a celebration of what it means to support your club through thick and thin. It speaks to all who love the game but are lumbered - by way of family, geography or plain bad luck - with a team whose glory days are few and far between. At the end of the 1963/64 season Birmingham City stayed in the first division by winning on the last day of the campaign. In the 55 years that followed, the Blues kept either survival or promotion for the final fixture on a further 12 occasions. Stir in nine relegations, eight promotions, along with play-off failures and embarrassing exits from cup competitions and you'll have an idea of what it means to be a Blues fan. But you don't have to be a Birmingham fan to enjoy this book. This light-hearted collection of tales from a lifelong, hopeless football addict will strike a chord with anyone who has asked themselves quite why they allow this simple game to assume such importance in their lives.

Read more less

The 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.

Read more less

The 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.

Read more less

Tim Quelch takes a nostalgic look back on a 60s childhood and early adulthood immersed in Sussex sport. Hastings United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Sussex County Cricket Club were his three great loves, his passion for football ignited by United's plucky 1953/54 giant-killing side that came tantalisingly close to a fifth-round FA Cup clash with Arsenal. Later, Brighton secured Tim's lasting loyalty when he witnessed their brave 1961 FA Cup battle with First Division champions Burnley. That same year, Tim was captivated by explosive Sussex batsman Ted Dexter and mesmerised by West Indian fast bowler Wes Hall. Good Old Sussex by the Sea takes us on a whirlwind tour of the highs and lows of Sussex football and cricket in the 1960s, a time when local allegiances counted and expectations of success were more modest. But it was hardly an age of innocence as Hastings United's involvement in a major police corruption scandal shows. The book recalls a rollercoaster ride of triumphs and woes, bringing to life many local heroes of yesteryear.

Read more less

Dundee United On This Day brings to life the most glorious, weird and wonderful moments from the club's history in one irresistible page-turning diary. Formerly Dundee Hibs, very nearly called Dundee City and twice known (when playing in the US) as Dallas Tornado, Dundee United is a club with a colourful past. Within these pages are big derby wins, relegation battles, victories over Barcelona and other top European clubs, a dramatic league title win, cup heartache and eventual cup glory, canine pitch invaders, infamous disallowed goals and much more. Revisit the exploits of club greats like Finn Dossing, Hamish McAlpine, Paul Sturrock, Dave Narey, Mixu Paatelainen and Andy Robertson, and celebrate the successes of legendary managers Jerry Kerr and Jim McLean. You'll enjoy a wealth of evocative and sometimes bizarre anecdotes, enthralling match reports and tales of well-known and less-known figures from 1909 to the present day. With a treasure trove of club history, trivia and facts, this book is a 'must' for Dundee United fans.

Read more less

Magical Magyars tells the remarkable story of the legendary Hungarian football team of the 50s, a side whose breathtaking technical skills and passing-and-movement style of play changed the very way the sport was played. Author David Bailey traces the team's origins and details how communist Hungary, a tiny nation impoverished and subjugated by one of the most brutal Stalinist regimes in the Soviet empire, was able to produce a football team that was the envy of the sporting world, and so very nearly world champions. Captained by the genius that was Ferenc Puskas, the Magical Magyars walked a tightrope between being the regime's darlings and providing the beleaguered Hungarian people with a sense of national pride during their darkest days. The team enthralled, dominated and revolutionised world football - until its own demise was brought about by a revolution of a different kind. Weaving in threads of friendship and betrayal, tactics and politics, the quest for glory and upheaval, here is a football story quite unlike any other.

Read more less

Snowboarding maverick Billy Morgan has dedicated his life to redefining what is possible. With two world firsts to his name, he is also the first British male to win an Olympic medal on snow. Emerging from working-class origins in Southampton, a long way off piste, Morgan came late to the traditionally bourgeois world of snowsports. Driven by a latent love for fun, he reaches far beyond the cliches of stoner kids and street slang to explore the courage required at his sport's highest levels. Morgan's specialist event, Big Air, involves flying off a 50-metre ramp at 70 miles per hour, spinning and twisting while airborne, then landing. Even within the death-defying world of adventure sports, it is one of the most dangerous disciplines imaginable. In this groundbreaking autobiography, Morgan outlines the culture, ethos and philosophy of his sport. A sport in which one wrong move can cause life-changing injury. A sport whose party-animal practitioners feel peculiarly attuned with nature. Drop In! is a testament to human potential.

Read more less

Frank Barson's life story is one of hardship and hard-won fame, his tough tackling and prowess in controlled aggression earning him a reputation that lives on today. Rising from the factory floor to become a footballing giant, Barson lifted the fortunes of Aston Villa and Manchester United while earning more cautions than anyone before or since. Born in Sheffield's industrial district of Grimesthorpe, his no-nonsense football style was forged in the 20s when learning his trade with Barnsley FC's renowned Battlers. Even in an era of ruthless tackling he stood out as a notoriously powerful player, yet his frequent clashes with authority belied his status as an extremely intelligent player, an inspiration to his colleagues and a true leader. Although Barson only earned a single England cap, commentators and colleagues alike would bemoan the fact that he was not captaining the national side. Football's infamous 'hard man' set standards in deadly, focussed aggression which players such as Norman Hunter and Roy Keane have since striven to emulate.

Read more less

The story of two men who almost single-handedly saved their football club from extinction. In the early 80s David Kilpatrick and Graham Morris spied architects' plans to turn Spotland, the home of their beloved, beleaguered Rochdale AFC, into a housing estate. They set about saving the club but first had to take on the alleged 'enemy within'. They worked tirelessly, persuading companies to write off debts while securing loans and donations, a tricky proposition when your club is bottom of the Football League. Meanwhile, the town of Rochdale was on its knees, the last of the cotton mills closing down. The limit of most fans' investment in their club is routinely the price of a season ticket. Directors often risk their houses and businesses, sometimes forfeiting marriages, families and their health in the name of their club. People such as Kilpatrick and Morris - moderately wealthy local businessmen - who serve on football club boards are the unseen, unsung heroes of football, even in the modern age.

Read more less

The Art of Tennis is a collection of creative tennis essays, musings and observations. The first volume of this new annual publication artfully gathers considered highlights and moments from the world of tennis over the period from Wimbledon 2017 to the grass court season pre-Wimbledon 2018 - a year encompassing a great deal of action, drama and surprises aplenty. While following actual matches and events on tour it also looks at lesser contemplated aspects of the sport both on and off the court. Balls are crunched, atmospheres captured. Characters emerge, passions surface, rivers of sweat drip and champions are crowned. A start-to-finish snapshot of a year of life on tour, The Art of Tennis is painted with words, giving birth to something fresh and unique - a brand new angle on an age-old sport. Punchy and poetic, here is a project that moves beyond the game to capture its essence. Artful prose brings emotions to life, documenting a year in a spellbinding range of highlights and a whirlwind of transglobal travel.

Read more less

Kent v Lancashire 1906 tells the story of a remarkable painting, commissioned at the height of cricket's golden age and at the apogee of Britain's colonial power. The man whose idea it was, the fourth Lord Harris, chairman of Kent County Cricket Club, was no aesthete; but in asking Albert Chevallier Tayler, a cricket-loving painter, to paint a scene from Kent's triumphant season, showing Colin Blythe bowling to Johnny Tyldesley, he helped create a masterpiece that changed the way we look at cricket. The painting now hangs at Lord's, having been sold by Kent in 2006 for GBP600,000, then a record amount for a cricket painting. A full-size copy still hangs at Canterbury. The book also follows the lives of the players and umpires portrayed in the painting, two of whom did not survive the Great War. The painting may be timeless, but changes in the way cricket is played, administered and financed in Britain mean that many aspects of the game today would be unrecognisable to those sun-blessed men on the Canterbury turf over a century ago.

Read more less

Forgotten Nations tells the stories of the international football teams that are unable to break into FIFA's ranks, from the self-funded minnows of Barawa in south-western Sudan to Tibet's Dalai Lama-backed national side, and new media darlings Yorkshire. They play under the auspices of CONIFA - the Confederation of Independent Football Associations - created to help express the cultural identities of football's 'stateless peoples', fighting for recognition on the biggest stage of all. Here are incredible human and sporting stories from diverse regions: from Matabeleland in Zimbabwe, still recovering from massacres 30 years ago, to Tuvalu in the south Pacific, threatened with inundation. Aided by wonderful behind-the-scenes access at London's 2018 CONIFA World Football Cup, and the irresistible willpower of sportsmen and women trying to make their stories heard, Forgotten Nations explains why 11,000 people crammed into a tiny stadium on the Black Sea coast in 2016 to watch two teams that most of the world has never heard of.

Read more less

Give Us Tomorrow Now offers an entertaining and powerful narrative of a manager striving to satisfy legions of fanatical supporters and an impatient boardroom. Success and stability had long proven elusive objectives for Sunderland managers attempting the task of 'waking the sleeping giant'. In the summer of 1981, a new dawn shimmered as Alan Durban was persuaded to relinquish his comfortable Stoke post and enter the white heat of North East football mania. This disciple of Brian Clough battled to lay enduring foundations and find an on-field blend amidst constant boardroom interference and an intense media spotlight. A restless hierarchy failed to back their manager's judgement, and the lack of a cup run heightened boardroom impatience to boiling point. The book explores Durban's long-term vision and strategy - and how, heartbreakingly, his embryonic 'tomorrow team' would never be granted the chance to reach maturity.

Read more less

Fifteen 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.

Read more less

The Joshua Files traces the story of Britain's latest heavyweight hero from the building site to the top of the boxing world and beyond. Anthony Joshua's fight with Wladimir Klitschko, in front of 90,000 fans at Wembley Stadium, transformed the fighter not only into a national hero but also a global star. Having worked as a boxing journalist for almost 30 years for Boxing News, Boxing Monthly and Sky Sports, Matt Bozeat was perfectly placed to follow Joshua from a ringside seat from the very start of his professional career. Joshua turned pro soon after winning gold at the London Olympics in 2012, and has since surpassed all expectations, going on to dominate the division with a 100 per cent KO record. The Joshua Files tells exactly how he fought his way to the top, through revealing and insightful interviews with the fighter himself, as well as with the boxing experts, trainers, sparring partners and opponents who have the closest insider knowledge of Anthony's incredible rise.

Read more less

Ride lays bare the harrowing beginnings and the tough life lessons learned by superstar John Buultjens on his rise to BMX Glory, Against All the Odds. Raised by his poor family on Glasgow's Drumchapel estate, he slept rough to escape his violent father's beatings. Placed in a children's home by his mother, he was then adopted by a bi-racial couple. After conquering his own racism, his life turned around, and the blockbuster movie E.T. inspired a love of BMX. Although spurred by bitterness, John's emigration to Australia saw him take his sporting enthusiasm to new levels, becoming one of BMX's biggest names. Then came the call from California to lead the most famous BMX brand of them all, Haro. As their global brand manager, he now backs and sponsors riders across the globe. Hollywood has since turned his unbelievable journey into a movie, set for release in November 2017. Here, John reveals inner secrets including family murders, hatred, sexual abuse - and how his white-knuckle ride has taken him to the top against all the odds.

Read more less

The Wizards FC was a team of former schoolfriends who - with the help of a few star ringers - slogged their way through mud, skinheads and Staffordshire bull terriers to win the Edmonton Sunday League. Team captain Ewan Flynn brings alive a world of young men giving it their all on sloping pitches a million miles from the glamour of the Premier League, and officials who volunteer to maintain some sort of order. Along the way he charts the bittersweet stories of mates who brought success to the Wizards, despite suffering disappointment in their own all-too-brief professional football careers. It's a sometimes farcical, sometimes tragic tale of growing up in north London: family tensions, friendship, being a man, and seeing where your dreams can take you - even a Roy-of-the-Rovers rise to captaining your country against the world champions. Injuries on the pitch led the writer to many encounters with the surgeon's knife in order to keep playing. He shows how once football has you, it never lets you go.

Read more less

From A Field to Anfield is the inspirational story of Nick Tanner's against-the-odds rise from the uncompromising grassroots football scene in Bristol to the glamour of then-champions Liverpool. Nick's story is not one of spending years mollycoddled in an academy system and having success handed to him, but of graft, days spent working in a factory before making it to the top, and being sold to Bristol Rovers by non-league Mangotsfield United for a couple of floodlight bulbs. Nick was a member of the last Liverpool squad to win the title, was in the stands at Hillsborough in 1989, and scored a Merseyside derby goal at Goodison Park, so his tales naturally include Anfield legends and A-list events with Kenny Dalglish and the rest. Equally, though, his is an inspirational story for any budding footballer about just how far hard work and relentless dedication can take you if you are willing to put in the yards. Nick also opens up on the personal impact of his career-ending injury, along with his various ongoing struggles.

Read more less

Working Class Heroes is much more than the story of a football club. This is the tale of a working-class neighbourhood, its people's relationship with both their team and the outside world, and how they co-exist. Founded in 1924, Rayo Vallecano recently achieved their highest ever position in the Spanish football league, though shortly after this feat they were brought back down to earth with relegation to the second tier of Spanish football - an outcome wholly in keeping with the historical ups and downs of the club. Madrid is a city overwhelmed by the existence of Real Madrid, though out in Vallecas, just a short metro ride from the city centre, Rayo Vallecano are the only team for the local people. While they accept their role as Madrid's third team, they wear their fandom like a badge of honour, and the club's fan group pride themselves on being anti-fascist. Working Class Heroes is the story of a writer who followed Los Vallecanos around for a year, learning from the fans about the football club and its chequered past.

Read more less

No city in the world is more associated with boxing than New York. So take a ringside seat on the city's greatest ever fight nights. Join the roaring crowds at iconic venues including Madison Square Garden, the Yankee Stadium, the Polo Grounds and the Long Island Bowl - in the company of boxing historian Thomas Myler. Soak up the atmosphere and enjoy all the inside stories, including the riot following the Riddick Bowe-Andrew Golota farce, and the human buzzsaw that was Henry Armstrong against Barney Ross. James J Braddock shocked the boxing world to become boxing's 'Cinderella Man' by taming Max Baer, while Tommy Farr upset all predictions by staying 15 rounds with the feared Joe Louis. New York Fight Nights is a wide-ranging, exciting trip through boxing history which enables you to follow Floyd Patterson's historic battle with Ingmar Johansson, to witness Randolph Turpin's tragic downfall against Carl Bobo Olson - and the Harry Greb-Mickey Walker slugfest that continued outside on the sidewalk.

Read more less

Football is about goals, great players and glory. But it's also about own goals, goats and the game gone wrong. Pulp Football looks at the comedy rather than the beauty of the world's favourite sport, the farce not the force: the incompetent coaches, the 30-yard thunderbolt that ends up in the wrong net, the players' Christmas parties that ended up in the courts. Find out how a murder was uncovered because Blackburn built a new stand, which manager was sacked after only ten minutes in a job, which mascot pulled the head off a rival and kicked it into the stands and which player scored all four goals in a 2-2 draw. Written by experienced Fleet Street scribe Nick Szczepanik, he has unearthed some cracking tales and stood up some of those so-called football myths. With sections devoted to owners, managers, goalkeepers, players, mascots, fans and of course, sex, drugs and rock n roll...Pulp Football is what it says it is: an amazing anthology of true football stories you simply couldn't make up!

Read more less

Millions watched the 2015 Women's World Cup as the England Lionesses roared in Canada, winning bronze. Their fighting spirit and fabulous skill captured the fascination of the entire country as their campaign unfolded in the small hours of the 2015 summer mornings. On the back of this success, attendances in the FA Women's Super League increased, as interest in women's football accelerated. Top stars talked enthusiastically about the dawn of a new era for women's football. Carrie Dunn spent a year following some of the most famous - and not so famous - female footballers in the country, to see what the future holds for women's football. Can the smaller, lower-profile teams ever compete with the big bucks and big names of the Women's Super League? How are grassroots clubs going to rise to the top when elite divisions of women's football depend on the award of licences? Can the women win a World Cup before the men do? And if they do, what reward and recognition will they get? Roar of the Lionesses tells the tale of an increasingly popular, yet still woefully underrepresented sport.

Read more less

Former county cricketer and one-time England Test batsman Alan Butcher was looking for a new challenge after leaving his job coaching Surrey County Cricket Club. A phone call out of the blue from a Zimbabwean great alerted him to the possibility of coaching the nation's cricket team. His three years in charge presents an insight into the at times schizophrenic nature of cricket in this intriguing country. Starting at the point when Butcher was offered the job, he describes the process of moulding a team out of a dispirited and disillusioned group of players. Part cricket memoir, part travelogue, part ode to Zimbabwe, part lament for a beautiful-but-troubled country, The Good Murungu? is a fascinating insight into Zimbabwean cricket.

Read more less

AFC Bournemouth Miscellany collects together all the vital information you never knew you needed to know about the Cherries. In these pages you will find irresistible anecdotes and the most mindblowing stats and facts. Heard the one about the 42-year-old former manager who was coaxed out of retirement to play on the left wing? How about James Hayter's fastest ever hat-trick in Football League history? Or the time 60,000 supporters lined the seafront to congratulate the champions on their Premier League promotion? Do you know which Cherries goalie stood 6ft 9in tall? Why 60s inside-forward Alan Hope suddenly became Alan O'Neill? Or which Cherries star was the first to top the scoring charts in three different divisions? All these stories and hundreds more appear in a brilliantly researched collection of trivia - essential for any Bournemouth fan who holds the riches of the club's history close to their heart.

Read more less

Hibernian FC On This Day revisits the most memorable moments from the club's rollercoaster past, mixing in a maelstrom of quirky anecdotes and legendary characters to produce an irresistibly dippable Hibernian diary - with entries for every day of the year. From Hibernian's foundation as a club for Edinburgh's Irish community, through to the SPFL era, the Hibs faithful have witnessed triumphs, promotions and relegations, breathtaking cup runs and European nights - all featured here. Timeless greats such as Joe Baker, Eddie Turnbull and Pat Stanton, Gordon Rae, Franck Sauzee and Derek Riordan loom larger than life. Revisit 18th March 2007 when Hibs won the League Cup at Hampden. 27th September 1972: The 6-1 demolition of Sporting Lisbon at Easter Road! Recall 1st January 1996, when Hibs beat Hearts in the derby days after being mauled by Rangers at Ibrox - and the unforgettable 4-3 Scottish Cup win against Celtic on 8th March 1986!

Read more less

After a 40-year career taking the bets that no one else would take for William Hill after expanding the company's offerings to its customers beyond purely sporting contests, in Strange Stuff Graham Sharpe chronicles the weirdest, oddest, strangest, craziest antics and events to happen on racecourses to horses, jockeys, trainers, owners, bookies and racegoers over the years. His previous titles include biographies of arch-eccentric racehorse owner Dorothy Paget, whose horses won the Grand National, Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle and Derby; and William Hill, who founded his eponymous company in 1934, when he was betting on-course and transforming the bookmaking scene. His Magnificent Seven chronicled the story of Frankie Dettori's greatest day, when he almost single-handedly bankrupted the country's biggest bookies. In his latest book you'll find hundreds of stories and unusual racing facts to dip in and out of, making this the perfect gift for any horse racing fan, and it is sure to appeal to young and old alike.

Read more less

The Thin White Line: The Inside Story of Cricket's Greatest Scandal tells the story of the spot-fixing scandal of 2010, which sent shockwaves through the sport. It stunned the wider sporting world and confirmed the reputation of the News of the World's Mazher Mahmood as the most controversial news reporter of his generation. It was the start of a stunning chain of events that saw the News of the World shut down, Pakistan captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir banned and sent to prison, before Mahmood himself ended up behind bars. This gripping, forensic account takes the reader through the twists and turns of those fateful days late one August and beyond. For the first time, it shines a light on the tradecraft of the News of the World team and how they exposed the criminal scheming of the cricketers and their fixer Mazhar Majeed. It reveals how deeply fixing had penetrated the Pakistan dressing room, and lifts the lid on the black arts of investigative reporting which would eventually prove Mahmood's undoing.

Read more less

Brighton & Hove On This Day revisits all the most magical and memorable moments from the two towns' pulsating history, mixing in a maelstrom of quirky anecdotes and legendary characters to produce an irresistibly dippable B&H diary - with an entry for every day of the year. Everything you never knew you needed to know about your favourite resort.

Read more less

Irresistible anecdotes, irrepressible characters, mindblowing stats and facts. Here's all the vital information you never knew you needed to know about Portsmouth FC, coupled with a day-by-day diary of magical and memorable moments from Pompey's rollercoaster history. Heard the one about the Fratton Park cleaner who claimed she was the holder of the FA Cup? How about the full-back who could throw the ball 37 yards? Or the bedridden invalid cured by Pompey's winning goal in the 1939 Cup Final? Turn back the clock to 17 May 2008, when Kanu's strike against Cardiff saw Portsmouth lift the FA Cup. Revisit 23 April 1949 when the lads were crowned Football League champions. Or 31 August 1946, when club legends Jimmy Dickinson and Peter Harris both made their debuts against Blackburn! A brilliantly researched collection of trivia - essential for any fan who holds the riches of blue-and-white history close to their heart.

Read more less

From the thousands of matches ever played by Tottenham Hotspur, stretching from the club's Victorian foundation by local schoolboys across 130 years to the Premier League era, here are 50 of Spurs' most glorious, epochal and thrilling games of all! Expertly presented in evocative historical context, and described incident-by-incident in atmospheric detail, Tottenham Hotspur's Greatest Games offers a terrace ticket back in time, taking in everything from Southern League championship seasons to the club's eight victorious FA Cup runs. An irresistible cast list of club legends - Alf Ramsey, Bill Nicholson and Edwardian superstar Sandy Brown, Danny Blanchflower, Glenn Hoddle and Jimmy Greaves - springs to life in a thrilling selection of hard-fought derby matches, landmark European victories, league and cup wins, including the landing of the 20th century's first Double. In all, a journey through the highlights of Spurs history which is guaranteed to make any fan's heart swell with pride.

Read more less

Whenever a famous footballer dies, there is an inevitable degree of public grief, depending on the age of the individual and the circumstances of his demise. But newspaper obituaries, in the majority of cases, are not about mourning. They are about the celebration of the lives of often remarkable characters who have loomed large in the collective consciousness of their countless supporters, people who have admired them week by week, season by season; been touched by them, perhaps outraged by them, maybe even loved them in that special way which fans reserve for their sporting heroes.The "Independent" newspaper is renowned for its detailed and heartfelt biographies of important figures in every sphere of life. "The Book Of Football Obituaries" deals with the detailed life and times of over 150 players, managers and personalities who have died in the last 15 years. Between these covers rest the likes of George Best, Alan Ball, Sir Stanley Matthews, Sir Alf Ramsey, Brian Clough, Emlyn Hughes, John Charles and many more. The list is formidable, the scale of their achievement truly uplifting, and the essence of these exceptional men is captured here. This collection, featuring iconic images of every person included in the book, reveals the depth and breadth of research and knowledge which goes into each obituary and forms a collection of stunning remembrances of some of the greatest personalities to grace the game in recent times.

Read more less

The Racing Post Royal Ascot Guide 2024 is packed with tips and information for the world-famous five-day extravaganza of top-class Flat racing. Royal Ascot is always extra special on and off the track and this guide from the best team in the business is the perfect companion. It features an in-depth look at all 35 races across the five days, accompanied by a host of betting pointers and analysis to help punters find those all-important winners. Along with profiles of the leading contenders from Britain and Ireland, you''ll get the lowdown on the international challenge, eyecatchers to note, the best early two-year-olds and the standouts on Racing Post Ratings. With all angles covered, this is the ideal way to get set for Royal Ascot 2024.

Read more less

Fosse v Luffs is a story filled with drama, excitement, controversy - and violence - about a footballing rivalry as intense as any in modern English football. The Fosse (forerunner of Leicester City) were the dominant club in the town of Leicester, and Loughborough (the Luffs) were the biggest and most successful team in the county of Leicestershire. Each encounter between these two sides was a battle for supremacy within the county. Fosse v Luffs charts the growth of the rivalry, from amateur games played in front of a handful of family and friends to Football League encounters witnessed by 10,000-plus spectators, with thousands more eagerly awaiting the outcome. Drawing on extensive newspaper research, Nigel Freestone brings to life this forgotten era when football was a bone-crunching game and not for the faint-hearted. It's a must-read for anyone interested in Leicester City FC, Victorian sport or local history.

Read more less

Sprinters and the Art of Speed invites you into the world of professional cycling through the eyes of some of the best sprinters of all time.From the earliest days of road racing there have been explosive riders that always seemed to have the edge over their rivals at the finish. From the days of Charles Pélissier and Rik van Looy, to the epic era of Mark Cavendish and the rise of new stars like Lorena Wiebes and Arnaud De Lie, you''ll get the low-down on all things sprinting.Inside you''ll discover exactly what it takes to become one of the fastest riders at the Tour de France. Dive in and learn about the formative years of sprinting and the emergence of specialised tactics such as sprint trains and lead-out riders. You''ll also get an insight into the lives of some of the greatest sprinters of all time and their finest hours, before finally looking ahead to what the next decade of sprinting might hold.

Read more less

Three Goalkeepers and Seven Goals turns the clock back to 1982 for the most memorable match in Leicester City history - a quarter-final FA Cup tie with Shrewsbury Town that stands without parallel for twists and drama. Told through the eyes of fictional reporter Bob Johnson, the story brings to life that extraordinary game, as a capacity crowd wedged into the atmospheric Filbert Street witnesses Leicester stage a spectacular 5-2 comeback using three goalkeepers. Set in an era of macho newsrooms, Thatcher and the Falklands War, the book resurrects a remarkable period in British history. Hard-nosed newspaperman Johnson thinks he's seen it all, but his world is turned upside down as one of the lucky fans who witness Leicester's inspirational comeback, aided by a goal from a young Gary Lineker. Johnson's account captures the immense drama of this epic game before tragedy strikes. In Three Goalkeepers and Seven Goals, Mark Bishop skilfully weaves fact with fiction to honour a match that is part of Leicester City folklore.

Read more less

When the final whistle was blown at Upton Park on 10 May 2016, it was more than a football match that had ended. West Ham United's victory over Manchester United was the club's spectacular swansong after 112 years at its spiritual home. The Boleyn's Farewell: West Ham's Final Game at Upton Park delves into one of the club's most historic nights, with insight from players, fans and others who were there. Everything from the atmosphere before the game, Winston Reid's winner and the digitised Bobby Moore switching off the stadium lights, the build-up and aftermath of the game, as well as the on-pitch action are recounted and celebrated within these pages. This was an evening that would come to define a generation and is unforgettable for many West Ham supporters. While the Boleyn Ground no longer stands, memories of the stadium and the Hammers' glorious farewell performance will endure. The Boleyn's Farewell is the definitive account of one of the most significant matches in West Ham's long history.

Read more less

Bails and Boardrooms is the story of one of Middlesex cricket's best-loved players - a man who used the sport to change his life. David Nash lived and breathed cricket from a very young age. Touted as a future England star at age 15, he eventually found the strains of life as a professional cricketer too great and suffered severe mental-health issues. But the end of Nashy's 16-year Middlesex career proved to be the beginning of something far greater. Determined to make something more of his life, he set out on a journey that would see him build a multi-million-pound business. It was a business that would be his proudest achievement. This book charts Nashy's extraordinary life, from a cricket career of unfulfilled potential to building a business using the lessons he learnt from sport and raising millions for charity. This is a story for anyone who loves cricket or is interested in entrepreneurship. It's a story that shows how hard work, determination and talent can take you almost anywhere.

Read more less

Football is more than just a game. Over the past 150 years it has become a source of identity, conflict and debate for all who follow and play it. It has reached the farthest corners of the globe and boasts more players and supporters than any other sport. Football's Fifty Most Important Moments charts the illustrious, colourful and often tragic history of football, uncovering the sport's most significant and staggering moments. Starting in Victorian England with the 1857 introduction of modern football, we journey through 160 years of incredible events to the modern day, where new and innovative ideas are changing the game. Since its creation, football has been shaped by the actions of teams, supporters and of course remarkable individuals on and off the pitch. Whether through mass spectatorship at the 1923 'White Horse Final' or the infamous 'Hand of God' in 1986, football has never failed to amaze and inspire. Learn about its evolution from its modest 19th-century roots to the modern age of nine-figure transfer fees and billionaire investors.

Read more less

Stoke and I: The Nineties charts the fortunes of Stoke City Football Club through the decade that spawned Britpop, Euro 96 and Cool Britannia. Key moments such as the title-winning season of 1992/93, the Autoglass Trophy victory and the emotional farewell to the Victoria Ground are recounted through the eyes of a fan growing up in the last decade before football changed beyond recognition. Memories of players and matches, from the great to the awful, sit alongside hilarious tales of playground Potteries derbies, embarrassing school football trials and the author's attempts to become pen pals with Jon Dreyer. Featuring selected highlights from Neil James's popular 'Trouserdog' column in The Oatcake fanzine, plus a wealth of new material and new insights from key figures such as Lou Macari, Mike Sheron and Peter Coates, Stoke and I: The Nineties is a personal take on a fascinating period in the history of England's second-oldest league club.

Read more less

Got, 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.

Read more less

This is Brough Scott's moving biography of his grandfather - the author of the best-selling Warrior. 'Galloper' Jack Seely was at the heart of some of the most important events of the first part of the 20th century. His early life was one of adventure, sailing to the antipodes, saving the crew of a French ship wrecked off the coast of the Isle of Wight and later raising a squadron and joining the Boer War, where he was awarded the DSO for his bravery. On his return to England he was elected Conservative MP for the Isle of Wight, but just like his close friend Winston Churchill, later crossed over to the Liberal party. At the outbreak of the First World War, Seely went to the Western Front and there made his name as a humane and innovative leader. Written with honesty and wit, this is an exciting, unusual and thought-provoking biography of a man who has been unfairly treated by history.

Read more less