Search results for ""pitch publishing ltd""
Pitch Publishing Ltd Fierce Genius: Cruyff's Year at Feyenoord
In 1983, aged 36, Johan Cruyff, one of the world's most iconic football superstars, guided Ajax to a league and cup double. Out of contract, most people, including the player, expected a valedictory final season and a one-year extension. Inexplicably, Ajax let him go. They grossly underestimated the fierce genius of Johan Cruyff. He signed for bitter rivals Feyenoord, leading them to a league and cup double, silencing his critics and thrilling football fans everywhere. Fierce Genius analyses this incredible season, as he evolves from player to coach. It is a fascinating insight into his professional and private life. Imperious on the park, off it, he dealt with kidnappings and bankruptcy after being defrauded by a conman. Bollen gets inside Cruyff's mind, helping the reader understand the mentality which made him a top player and successful coach. Fierce Genius: Cruyff's Year at Feyenoord is compelling, insightful and poignant. Written with a journalistic tone, by an accomplished comedy writer, this is a warm, affectionate and informative portrait of one of world football's greats.
£17.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Arsenal FC Minute by Minute: The Gunners' Most Historic Moments
Arsenal FC Minute by Minute takes you on a fantastic journey through the Gunners' matchday history. Relive all the breathtaking goals, heroic penalty saves, sending offs and other memorable moments in this unique by-the-clock guide. From Arsenal's early beginnings to the days of domestic dominance, the book covers everything from the great Herbert Chapman era to the Tom Whittaker glory years, Bertie Mee's exciting side of the late 1960s and early 1970s, George Graham's Gunners teams and Arsene Wenger's 'Invincibles'. Revisit Arsenal's most spectacular modern feats and learn things you didn't know about the club's glorious past. From goals scored in the opening seconds to those last-gasp extra-time winners that have thrilled generations of fans at Highbury, The Emirates and around the world, Arsenal FC Minute by Minute is packed with memorable moments. With goals from Thierry Henry, Ian Wright, Cliff Bastin, Charlie George and hundreds of others - the book is filled with thrilling memories from kick-off through to the final whistle.
£16.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Redemption: From Iron Bars to Ironman
Redemption: From Iron Bars to Ironman is the fascinating, frightening and inspirational autobiography of former career criminal, now world-record holder and endurance athlete John McAvoy. Born into a notorious London crime family, his uncle Micky was one of the key players in the legendary Brinks-Mat gold bullion caper. John bought his first gun at 16 and carved out a lucrative career in armed robbery. At one point he was one of Britain's most-wanted men. It took two spells in prison and the death of a friend on a botched heist to change his path. During his second stint in jail he discovered a miraculous natural talent while serving life in the Belmarsh high security unit - where fellow inmates included Abu Hamza, the hook-handed extremist cleric, and the 7/7 bombers. John broke three world rowing records while still an inmate and since his release has become one of the UK's leading Ironman competitors. Redemption is the ultimate story of sporting salvation.
£12.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd A Corner of Every Foreign Field: Cricket's Journey from English Game to Global Sport
A Corner of Every Foreign Field is an innovative and thought-provoking take on the history of cricket, looking beyond the scorecards to the pivotal issues of class, politics and imperialism that have shaped the game today. It charts how cricket has vied with football for power, commercial muscle and global reach, growing from a simple boys' game in England to a modern worldwide sport. In exploring cricket's evolution, Tim Brooks calls on the views and anecdotes of greats like W. G. Grace, Don Bradman, Viv Richards and Virat Kohli. Along the way, he peers deep into the game's soul and poses questions on behalf of every cricket fan. Is cricket truly global? Why did the game take root in some countries but not in others? What are the threats and opportunities for the sport? Who are the next cricket superpowers? How do you strike a balance between honouring tradition and reforming to capture the imagination of future generations? Written by an expert in the global development of cricket, the book sets out a unique vision for the future.
£12.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd The Next Big Thing: How Football's Wonderkids Lose Their Way
The Next Big Thing tells the stories of 15 footballers who were tipped for the top as youngsters yet were unable to fulfil their potential. With each player exclusively interviewed and insight provided by former team-mates, coaches and expert journalists, Ryan Baldi explores the pitfalls facing young players and what happens when plans go awry. The players featured share much in common, having played for some of the world's biggest clubs - such as Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham, Internazionale and Ajax - represented their country at various levels and been tipped for the very top. They all fell desperately short of expectations, but the reasons for their struggles differ greatly. Myriad factors can prevent gifted young footballers from fulfilling their true potential, from catastrophic injuries to issues of addiction and temptation, from managerial misunderstandings to bad advice and bad decisions. The Next Big Thing uncovers what becomes of football's wonderkids when the stars fail to align.
£12.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Seoul Glow: The Story Behind Britain's 1988 Olympic Hockey Gold
Seoul Glow tells the story of the Great Britain men's hockey team who won gold at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Little to the team's knowledge, the final caught the British public's imagination as they beat rivals West Germany in the gold-medal match. After Sean Kerly's semi-final heroics and Imran Sherwani's double in the final, BBC commentator Barry Davies uttered the now infamous line: 'Where were the Germans? But, frankly, who cares?' Victory, for a team of amateurs, who had either quit their jobs or taken holiday to play in Seoul, propelled the team to celebratory heights on their return to British shores; it was GB's first hockey gold in the post-war era and followed an eight-year plan for a major title. The story also reveals how the team was inspirationally led by the late Roger Self, the manager who gelled his players into Olympic title holders.
£17.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Bottled: English Football's Boozy Story
Bottled tells the story of English football's complicated relationship with booze through the experiences of the players who found themselves in crisis when they could no longer put it down - from George Best and Paul Gascoigne to Tony Adams and Paul Merson, as well as many others who escaped the headlines. Footballers play under intense pressure in the unforgiving glare of the media spotlight. But what do their stories tell us about ourselves? Are some challenges they face specific to a player's lifestyle? With insights from those at the sharp end, here is an examination of footballers in need and the help available from the industry. Untangling the complex web of links between alcohol and the beautiful game, Bottled explores the stories that characterised the origins of many of England's clubs, as churches and breweries vied for the souls of young men. From trashed hotel rooms to the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous via the China Jump club, Bottled navigates the journey from the stars to the gutter and, sometimes, back again.
£12.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd The Power and The Glory: Senna, Prost and F1's Golden Era
Set amid the glamour and bravado of 1980s Formula 1, The Power and the Glory tells the story of a rivalry unsurpassed in motor-racing history. By the mid-80s Alain Prost had firmly established himself as leader of the F1 pack. Winning Grands Prix almost at will, the French ace radiated invincibility. But then came the emergence of Ayrton Senna, sparking a decade-long battle for supremacy out on the track. Although chalk and cheese in terms of character and background, the two men were driven by the same burning desire: to become Formula 1's heavyweight champion of the world, its undisputed king. Senna and Prost would both go on to win multiple world championships in what was a golden era for F1 racing. Their Suzuka showdowns of 1988-90 attracted record worldwide audiences and popularised the sport as never before. An intimate portrait of two unique competitors, The Power and the Glory is a supercharged story of acrimony and sheer ambition.
£17.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Fifty Years of Manchester City: The Best and Worst of Everything
To celebrate 50 years of watching Manchester City, Steve Mingle presents an array of memories spanning the whole period. The Best and Worst of Everything includes heroes and villains, triumphs and disasters, moments of genius and heinous cock-ups. Here are Steve's most memorable games, players and incidents in a weird and wonderful range of categories. There's much to look back on with affection - the best wins at Old Trafford, the Goat's spawniest finishes, Bell's finest goals, the best wins with ten men - but also plenty of pain, as Steve looks back on the worst goalkeeping howlers, City's jinxes and the biggest villains ever to have darkened the club's doorways. Amongst all this, Steve selects his favourite hard men, pie-eaters and comedy moments as well as providing hard statistical input - who have really been City's penalty kings? Who do we wish we could have played every week? It's a fascinating book packed with memories good and bad, full of debating points for City fans of all ages.
£15.29
Pitch Publishing Ltd True Professional: The Clive Sullivan Story
True Professional tells the story of Clive Sullivan, who emerged from one of Cardiff's toughest neighbourhoods to become an icon of rugby league. Overcoming a major childhood injury and a car crash early in his career, he was a ruthless and thrilling presence on the wings of both Hull FC and Hull KR teams for over 20 years, scoring over 300 tries.The first-ever black Briton to captain a British sports team, Sullivan did so with great success, even lifting a World Cup and being awarded an MBE. He was loved by rugby league fans and revered following his untimely and tragic death. Yet the wider sporting public overlooked his achievements at the time and his name is rarely mentioned when discussing Britain's sporting greats. The book is a snapshot of the working class Northern towns that have long been the heartland of rugby league, and the communities that gave them their unique character. It is also a look at how Clive's career developed against the backdrop of a declining fishing industry, the lifeblood of the city of Hull.
£17.09
Pitch Publishing Ltd Glory; Glory Lane: The Extraordinary History of Tottenham Hotspur's Home for 118 Years
Glory, Glory Lane is the life-affirming history - including a momentous last season - of a world-famous football stadium, home to Tottenham Hotspur for 118 years. A Victorian structure turned wraparound 21st-century all-seater, it became a theatre of dreams for supporters all attracted by teams which played the 'Spurs way' to achieve glory. The Lane gave a stage to a conveyor belt of legends from Cameron to Alli via Nicholson, Blanchflower, Greaves, Hoddle and Klinsmann. It provided unforgettable memories in unforgettable atmospheres - heart-lifting, heart-breaking, nerve-racking. Its story veers from founders obsessed by Harry Hotspur to Harry Kane via Harry Redknapp; through matches, personalities, ground developments and threatened closure, all with first-hand accounts. It's hard to imagine how a new GBP750m stadium can ever replace the edifice which shut its gates for the last time after Spurs played Manchester United in May 2017, having created a daunting legacy.
£22.50
Pitch Publishing Ltd Arsenal Greatest Games: The Gunners' Fifty Finest Matches
From the thousands of matches ever played by Arsenal, stretching from a muddy field on the Isle of Dogs in the 19th century to the Premier League era and the pristine perfection of the Emirates Stadium, here are 50 of the club's most glorious, epochal and thrilling games of all! Expertly presented in evocative historical context, and described incident-by-incident in atmospheric detail, Arsenal Greatest Games offers a terrace ticket back in time, taking in their first FA Cup win in 1930, 1930s dominance of domestic football under the great Herbert Chapman, through to the great 1971 double-winning side; on to the exploits under George Graham in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and Arsene Wenger's revolution and his all-conquering invincibles of 2004. An irresistible cast list of club legends - Frank McLintock, Charlie George, Thierry Henry, Ian Wright, Dennis Bergkamp - comes to life in these thrilling tales of goalscoring feats, great comebacks, Wembley glory and the odd glorious yet crushing disappointment. In all, a journey through the highlights of the Gunners' history which is guaranteed to make any fan's heart swell with pride.
£16.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Racing Post Guide to the Jumps 2019-2020
Racing Post Guide to the Jumps includes exclusive, extended trainer interviews, profiles of over 250 horses to run during 2019-20, specialist selections for horses to follow, dark horses unearthed and set to shine and Topspeed and Racing Post Ratings.
£11.69
Pitch Publishing Ltd Run for Your Life: How One Woman Ran Circles Around Breast Cancer
Running has been many things to Jenny Baker - a space to achieve new things, a way to keep fit and healthy, and a source of friendship and community. She had planned a year of running to celebrate her birthday; instead Jenny was hit with a bombshell which rocked her life when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had one question for her oncologist: can I keep running? It gave her a sense of identity through her chemotherapy, while her treatment was stripping away everything that was important to her. Run For Your Life is the story of how she kept running to help her beat cancer, and how it helped her get her life back on track after an intensive spell of treatment and a turbulent time in her life.
£9.04
Pitch Publishing Ltd Got, Not Got: Leicester City: The Lost World of Leicester City
Got, Not Got: The Lost World of Leicester City is an Aladdin's cave of memories and memorabilia, guaranteed to whisk you back to Filbert Street's fondly remembered 'Golden Age' of mud and magic - as well as a City-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 - Foxes stickers and petrol freebies, league ladders, big-match programmes and much more - revisiting lost football culture, treasures and pleasures that are 100 per cent Leicester City. If you were a Junior Fox, one of the army of obsessive soccer kids at any time from Gordon Banks lifting the World Cup to the early days of the Premier League, then this is the book to recall the mavericks - Worthington, Weller and Walsh, Lineker, McAllister and Shilton - and the marvels of the Lost World of Football.
£11.69
Pitch Publishing Ltd Wolves Match of My Life: Molineux Legends Relive Their Favourite Games
A dozen Wolverhampton Wanderers legends come together to tell the stories behind their favourite ever games for the club - enabling Wolves fans of all ages to relive these magic moments through the eyes and emotions of the men who were there, playing their hearts out for the old gold shirt...Bert Williams and Sammy Smyth recall 1949 FA Cup glory, recounting stories of the spirited semi against Manchester United, topped off by Wembley victory over Leicester; Bill Slater opts for the international friendly against Honved that saw Wolves crowned unofficial 'Champions of the World' in 1956. John Richards waxes lyrical about his Wolves debut at the Hawthorns, while Derek Parkin selects the 1980 League Cup Final against Forest. Molineux legends Roy Swinbourne, Ron Flowers and Steve Bull also turn in characteristic star performances, winding back the clock to relive treasured memories of the Match of Their Lives for the Wolves.
£8.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Celtic Minute by Minute: Covering More Than 500 Goals, Penalties, Red Cards and Other Intriguing Facts
In a unique first, Celtic Minute by Minute takes you through the Hoops' matchday history and records the historic goals, penalty saves, sendings off and any other memorable moment and crucially, the minute it happened in. From Celtic's early beginnings and successes to the days of Scottish and European trophies; from the Jock Stein and Billy McNeill era through to the domestic domination of more recent times under Martin O'Neill, Brendan Rodgers and Neil Lennon, learn about the club's most historic moments or simply relive some truly unforgettable moments from Celtic's glorious past. You will also discover just how many times a crucial goal has been scored in the same minute over the years. From goals scored in the opening few seconds to the last-gasp extra time winners that have thrilled generation of fans at Parkhead or around the world. Celtic Minute by Minute has it all with countless goals from Dalglish to Larsson and from Nicholas to Petrov.
£16.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Natural: The Jimmy Greaves Story
Jimmy Greaves remains the greatest goalscorer in English football history, with a record of 357 top-flight goals that may never be surpassed. Teenage sensation at Chelsea and England debutant at 19, he became - after an unhappy spell at AC Milan - a legend at Tottenham Hotspur. But despite 44 international goals in 57 games, his England career was defined by the heartbreak of missing the 1966 World Cup Final. A shock move to West Ham brought an acrimonious end to his Spurs days and, a year later, he retired from the game, aged only 31. What followed was a desperate descent into alcoholism, followed by a remarkable battle to win back his family and self-esteem. Reinventing himself as a popular TV personality, his instincts in front of camera proved as natural as those in front of goal. Having taken his final drink in 1978, Greaves has remained sober from that day. Drawing on interviews with family, friends, colleagues and opponents, Natural: The Jimmy Greaves Story is the definitive biography of one of England's most loved footballers.
£17.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Thou Shalt Not Pass: The Alistair Robertson Story
A legend at West Bromwich Albion and an icon Wolverhampton Wanderers, Alistair Robertson is a rare footballer who can walk tall either side of a bitter Black Country divide. The tough-tackling Scot spent 18 years at Albion, gaining promotion under Johnny Giles and becoming a rock during the club's heyday from the mid-1970s alongside skipper John Wile. Ultimately Ron Atkinson's entertainers fell short, though not before they had blazed a trail at home and abroad and the likes of Cyrille Regis, Laurie Cunningham and Bryan Robson had thrilled a nation. Robertson experienced early struggles under Don Howe and other managers earned his ire, including his nemesis Ron Saunders who forced him out of the club in tears. To rub salt into the wounds, he would miss out on a prized Scotland cap. Robertson recovered to lead an ailing Wolves to two divisional titles and a Wembley victory. But beyond the on-pitch aggression and dressing-room camaraderie, Robertson now reveals a calmer, more reflective side to his character.
£17.09
Pitch Publishing Ltd Richie: The Man Behind the Legend
Following Richie Benaud's death in April 2015, two of Australia's finest sports writers, Norman Tasker and Ian Heads, set off on a search for the real Richie: a man who graced the lives of many for more than six decades - first as an outstanding all-rounder and great captain, and then as cricket's greatest TV commentator. Tasker and Heads cast a wide net, seeking fresh material from the people who knew Richie best. The result is an intimate tribute that gets to the heart of Richie Benaud, the man. Contributors include members of Richie's family and childhood friends; cricket greats such as Sir Garfield Sobers, Ted Dexter, Neil Harvey, Alan Davidson, Steve Waugh and Shane Warne; acclaimed journalists such as John Woodcock, David Frith, Gideon Haigh and Tony Cozier; fellow commentators such as Ian Chappell, Mike Atherton, Mark Nicholas and Mark Taylor; and friends, colleagues and business associates from Australia, England, France, India and the Caribbean. The book begins with a revealing foreword by Richie's brother John, himself a former Test cricketer and prominent journalist. It ends with a moving postscript by Richie's second son Jeff.
£17.09
Pitch Publishing Ltd Got; Not Got: West Ham United: The Lost World of West Ham
Got, Not Got: The Lost World of West Ham United is an Aladdin's cave of memories and memorabilia, guaranteed to whisk you back to the Boleyn's fondly remembered 'Golden Age' of mud and magic - as well as a Hammers-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 - West Ham stickers and petrol freebies, league ladders, big-match programmes and much more - revisiting lost football culture, treasures and pleasures that are 100 per cent claret and blue. If you were a Junior Hammer, one of the army of obsessive soccer kids at any time from Bobby Moore lifting the World Cup to the early days of the Premier League, then this is the book to recall the mavericks - Peters and Hurst, Best and Brooking, Bonds and Cottee - and the marvels of the Lost World of Football.
£11.69
Pitch Publishing Ltd Oxford United Miscellany: Oxford United Trivia, History, Facts & Stats
Oxford United Miscellany collects together all the vital information you never knew you needed to know about the U's. In these pages you will find irresistible anecdotes and the most mindblowing stats and facts. Heard the one about the U's team that took on grandmaster Gary Kasparov at chess? How about the star whose big-money move failed because he refused to move home from Oxford? Or the chairman who relieved himself in the middle of the pitch? Did you know 'Big Ron' Atkinson holds the club's all-time appearance record? That his brother Graham is Oxford's leading goalscorer? Or that star striker John Aldridge only put in a transfer request because the team coach left without him and six teammates? All these stories and hundreds more appear in a brilliantly researched collection of trivia - essential for any United fan who holds the riches of the club's history close to their heart.
£9.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Oxford United On This Day: History, Facts and Figures from Every Day of the Year
Oxford United On This Day revisits all the most magical and memorable moments from the club's rollercoaster past, mixing in a maelstrom of quirky anecdotes and legendary characters to produce an irresistibly dippable U's diary - with an entry for every day of the year. From the club's formation as Headington in 1893 through to more recent flirtations with the First Division and the Conference, the United faithful have witnessed promotions and relegations, breathtaking Cup runs and Wembley triumph - all featured here. Timeless greats such as Ron and Graham Atkinson, John Aldridge, Maurice Kyle and Dean Saunders all loom larger than life. Revisit 20th April 1986, when Oxford won the Milk Cup final. 2nd June 1962, when the Yellows were elected into the Football League. Or 8th February 1975, when the U's beat Man U in front of 16,000 fans, plus thousands more on that evening's Match of the Day.
£9.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Racing Post Annual 2024
Now in its 13th year, the Racing Post Annual is firmly established as the perfect Christmas gift for any horseracing fan. This exciting review of 2023 from the Racing Post, the nation’s voice of horseracing, has 208 colour pages packed with the best stories of the racing year and is beautifully illustrated with stunning images. Racing Post’s top writers look back on the best of the Flat and jumps seasons, the big names both equine and human, the moments to treasure and unusual stories of the year; plus there’s a look forward at the top prospects for 2024. With a glittering line-up, this large-format, magazine-style publication is a must for every horseracing fan.
£17.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd The Red on Revolution: Be Ready for Anything
Mike Chadwick – secret coach to the elite – reveals his revolutionary approach to success.Do you have a challenge that demands physical or mental strength? Are you struggling to sustain the commitment needed to achieve your goals? Do you know what it takes for you, personally, to succeed at the highest level? Coach Mike – a trainer of champions, a leader of leaders, the coach with the ear of the elite – is ready to help.In The Red On Revolution, ex-paratrooper Coach Mike exposes countless fitness-industry myths and coaches you, personally, to succeed. Join Mike and a powerful line-up of guests – including Ant Middleton (SBS, explorer, entrepreneur), Simon Jeffries (mental resilience coach, Special Forces), the Stoltman Brothers (World’s Strongest Man), Charlotte Spence (Crossfit champion and Army’s Strongest Woman), Scott Meenagh (Paralympian and ex-paratrooper) and Tom Aspinall (UFC heavyweight) – on a quest for a better you.Only one question remains: are you in?
£14.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Euro 88
Euro 88: The Football Purists' European Championship delves into the last major international tournament on European soil before Italia 90 a tournament of rancour and drama blessed by the presence of Gullit, Van Basten, Belanov, Protasov, Vialli, Klinsmann, Butragueño, Elkjær, Whelan and Robson.From England's hypnotic self-destruction via an impressive qualification and Ireland's heroic near-miss of a place in the semi-finals, to the Netherlands finally fulfilling their destiny in lifting the trophy against the Ukrainian-powered Soviet Union this was a tournament that had it all.It was a glorious summer on the pitch with Rinus Michels, Valeriy Lobanovskyi, Franz Beckenbauer, Azeglio Vicini, Miguel Muñoz, Sepp Piontek, Jack Charlton and Bobby Robson bringing their nations to a high-rolling game of footballing poker. But it was set against a volatile backdrop of violent intent on the terraces and a governing body that was struggling to maintain control. E
£17.09
Pitch Publishing Ltd Los Leones
Los Leones: The Unique Story of Athletic Club Bilbao is the first English language book that tells the incredible story of the unique Basque club.Founded in 1898 by British migrant workers and Basque students, Athletic Club grew to become the most successful team in Spain. Along with Real Madrid and Barcelona, Los Leones have never been relegated, despite their self-imposed Basque-only transfer policy, a philosophy that causes intrigue across the footballing world.In an age of globalisation and astronomical transfer fees, Athletic stand apart. The complicated politics of the Basque Country and its strained relationship with Spain fuel the fierce sense of identity, passion and pride that Bilbaínos and Basques possess. The San Mamés stadium, or La Catedral, outshines even the Guggenheim Museum as the most important landmark in this one-club city.Exclusive interviews with former legends, prominent journalists an
£17.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Playing to Fix
Playing to Fix tells the story of a group of Dubai street cricketers who chased down the dream of international cricket, working their way from dusty, tape-ball cricket on desert pitches to the international stage and almost reaching the pinnacle of world cricket only to throw it all away by being drawn into the murky world of match fixing.This is the story of the United Arab Emirates team, who were on the brink of qualifying for the 2019 T20 World Cup in England. Instead of making it to the finals, a number of the players were seduced by the illegal betting syndicates operating across in the Indian subcontinent. They fell from the incredible high of competing against and in some cases beating the world''s best cricketers, to the shattering low of being caught by the ICC''s anti-corruption unit for match fixing, resulting in lengthy bans and a very public humiliation.With unprecedented insight and access to those fighting to rid cricket of
£16.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd We Were Really There
We Were Really There is the story of how Manchester City was saved from oblivion - told by the man who oversaw the rescue operation.Twenty-five years before City''s historic Treble, they were a national joke, relegated to English football''s third division. The only trophies the Citizens were likely to win, said chairman Francis Lee, were ''cups for cock-ups''.Enter David Bernstein. When he succeeded Lee as chairman in March 1998, City had just been relegated from the Premier League and were about to be relegated again. During their season in the third tier, City fans sang choruses of ''We''re not really here!'' in mocking disbelief at how far their club had fallen.Without Bernstein''s work in five critical years as chairman, it is impossible to see how City would have been an attractive proposition to the investors from Abu Dhabi, whose takeover in 2008 paved the way for the Pep Guardiola era and unprecedented success.This is the tale of
£22.50
Pitch Publishing Ltd Inside the Hermit Kingdom
Inside the Hermit Kingdom charts the history of Albanian football from 1945 to 1991, when the country was ruled by modern Europe''s most brutal and oppressive regime. The book features a chronology of Albanian football history interspersed with iconic games that shaped the nation''s favourite sport. It details the matchday experience in Stalinist Albania, tells the story of a league footballer during the regime years and charts the growth of street football in Hoxhaist Tirana.You''ll read about the demise of ''The Party'' and Stalinism in Albania and the effects their disintegration had on football, peering beyond 1991 into a future riddled with conflict, uncertainty and, oddly, hope.The era is brought to life by the accounts of Albanians who lived through it, which capture the importance of football to a populace starved of any other source of communal enjoyment. The otherworldliness and innate cruelty of the Stalinist regime provide a terrifying
£14.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd The Road to Nowhere: A Journey Through Boxing's Wastelands
In the era of boxing's pay-per-view superstars, Tris Dixon invested in a Greyhound bus pass and spent several months traversing America on a shoestring budget, tracking down fighters from yesteryear who had vanished from the limelight. Venturing from New York to Las Vegas and from Toronto to Miami, the young writer - himself a former amateur boxer - sought out coulda-been contenders and cult heroes from the 1950s to the 2000s, all now faded from popular memory. He visited old people's homes, gyms and too many prisons, discovering that life after boxing can be a cruel place when the ropes are no longer in place to keep fighters safe from the outside world. Dixon meets men who shaped boxing history, fighting the likes of Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. He shares their memories and weaves together their forgotten tales over the course of a remarkable American journey.
£16.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Reign of the Lionesses: How European Glory Changed Women's Football in England
Acclaimed author Carrie Dunn, one of the most respected voices in women’s football, brings us a unique insight into a fast-growing and massively popular sport at a crucial moment. This is the third book in Dunn’s popular series exploring the women’s football pyramid. The Lionesses' famous triumph, beating old rivals Germany at Wembley to become European champions, gave them a platform to call on the world to do better when it comes to women's football – to give girls equal opportunities to boys, and to lift up inspiring female role models. But was it too little too late? While Women's Super League matches sold out if they could guarantee a gold-medal-winning Lioness, the rest of the pyramid still had their own challenges to face. From training pitches to home stadia, from sponsorship to electricity bills, women all over England continued to fight a battle that had been going on for more than a century – to be treated as footballers, not second-class citizens. This is the story of the season after the summer before.
£12.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Tears at La Bombonera: Stories from a Six-Year Sojourn in South America
Tears at La Bombonera is author Christopher Hylland's six-year journey living, working and travelling through South America - where football is a way of life. From Buenos Aires to Colombia's Caribbean coast, and back again, Hylland experiences the history and fanaticism at some of South America's football clubs along the way. Football is a global language, and he shares the stories and experiences from the terraces. It's a place where what happens on the pitch can rank low in terms of quality, but means so much off of it; where everything else, most notably the culture of the game, is unrivalled. Hundreds of thousands of football-mad visitors flock to South America every season. To the iconic stadia such as La Bombonera and Maracana; to lower division teams in the shadows of some of the world's poorest slums and favelas. Tears at La Bombonera is a book rich in human interest, including the author's own personal experience of adapting to a new continent and way of life.
£17.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Scotland 101: An Introduction to the National Team
Scotland 101 captures a flavour of all aspects of supporting Scotland, exploring the good and the bad, the highs and the lows, the joy and the sorrow. There are days Scotland fans will remember forever and days they’d rather forget – from Archie Gemmill’s dribble around the Dutch in 1978 to Gary McAllister’s penalty miss in 1996. There’s the 9-3 defeat to England in 1961, but there’s also Jim Baxter taking the mickey out of them in 1967; Jimmy Cowan’s heroics at Wembley in 1949 and Estonia’s no-show in Tallinn in 1996. Sometimes we’re not even sure if an event was good or bad, like Tommy Gemmell kicking Haller up the backside or the Tartan Army invading Wembley and breaking the crossbar. There’s hope and expectation. But there’s also despair and disaster. Scotland 101 is your guide to those moments that make following Scotland an adventure like no other.
£17.09
Pitch Publishing Ltd Playing for the Shirt: One Hundred West Ham United Match-Worn Shirts
Playing for the Shirt is a stunning showcase of the greatest known collection of match-worn West Ham United shirts.The book features a beautiful array of match-worn shirts from 1951 to the present day, from the old heavy cotton shirts of yesteryear to the high-tech shirts made of lightweight, breathable fibres for today’s athletes. In hunting down these precious cotton and polyester gems, lifelong Hammers fan Mick Clifford embarked on a journey to preserve the club’s past for fans of all ages.This eye-catching book is filled with superb photographs of worn shirts from the most famous players ever to don the celebrated East London club’s claret and blue colours – legends such as Bobby Moore, Billy Bonds, Trevor Brooking, Tony Cottee, Frank McAvennie, Paolo Di Canio, Julian Dicks, Dimitri Payet and Mark Noble.Playing for the Shirt captures moments in time, with a fascinating insight into how the West Ham shirt evolved. Each match-worn shirt tells a different story.
£31.50
Pitch Publishing Ltd Phenomenon: The Incredible Career of Brazil’s Ronaldo
Phenomenon is the rip-roaring story of Brazilian legend Ronaldo, examining the incredible career and life of the greatest number nine in football history. ‘The Phenomenon’ – as he was dubbed by the Italian media as he tore apart the toughest league in the world in the late ’90s – was the heir apparent to Pelé. His incredible career had it all: from a meteoric rise and jubilant highs to the crushing lows of debilitating injuries, and everything imaginable in between. Never without his trademark infectious grin, the breathtakingly brilliant Rio native combined pace and strength that frightened the best defenders in the world, with balletic agility, poise and composure that contradicted his powerful frame. Phenomenon explores Ronaldo’s roller-coaster ride, from local youth football to the biggest clubs in the world. From the mysterious heartbreak of the 1998 World Cup Final in Paris, to triumphant redemption in the Far East four years later. It’s a story that would make Hollywood scriptwriters blush.
£19.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd The American Football Revolution: How Britain Fell in Love with the NFL
The American Football Revolution: How Britain Fell In Love With The NFL is the remarkable story of how the USA's biggest sport converted a sceptical soccer-mad nation. In 1982, an esoteric new TV channel started beaming NFL highlights into British homes and building up a small but devoted audience - just as hooliganism was turning people off the UK's national game. A year later, the Global Cup saw the Vikings and Cardinals play a flop preseason game at Wembley. Now, 40 years later, the UK is the NFL's second home. The marketing muscle of the league played a part but it's the fans staying up late to watch on TV, creating their own content and booking holidays to the States to coincide with big games that have made the sport a hit. From the man who sold his home so he could tour the NFL's tailgate parties to the one who turned his love of the sport into an all-consuming passion for fantasy football, these are the stories of the fans who transformed the NFL from a curiosity to a mainstay in the British sporting landscape.
£17.09
Pitch Publishing Ltd Turncoat: How I Stopped Supporting Arsenal and Found a New Team
Turncoat is the light-hearted story of one disillusioned Arsenal fan’s quest to find a new team while rediscovering the simple joys of watching football. From sneaking out of bed to see Michael Thomas’s winner against Liverpool, to holding a season ticket for 16 years, Matt Coughlan was a dedicated Arsenal fan. Then came the move to a new ground, kick-off times always being shunted around and the goalposts being moved when billionaires injected vast sums into rival teams, so the height of ambition became finishing fourth. He became disillusioned with the modern game and drifted away from it, but he missed being part of the conversation in the pub and correcting friends on points of trivia. He started to watch non-league football and searched for a new team to follow. On his journey, Matt rediscovers a love for the sport, gets into club boardrooms, talks with officials, finds out about community-owned clubs, learns about some historic old clubs and watches a mixed bag of football. But does he find a new team to support?
£14.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Pretty Poly: The History of the Football Shirt
Pretty Poly tells the fascinating story of the football shirt, charting its dramatic evolution over a 150-year period, from modest beginnings to a product at the centre of a billion-dollar industry. An emblem of everything it means to be a fan, the football shirt evokes memories of triumph and disaster and acts as a symbol of belonging to a chosen footballing tribe. Packed with facts, figures and anecdotes, Pretty Poly explores the history embedded in every feature of modern-day strips. It covers their ever-changing shape, the emergence of dedicated club and national colours and the often surprising reasons behind them. It also looks at the companies and designers behind some of our favourite strips, and explores the birth and exponential growth of the replica-kit industry. Along the way, we learn the histories of the iconic sponsors, names, numbers, patches and badges, and meet the kit collectors with a burning lifelong passion as we delve into the burgeoning vintage kit market that feeds their interest.
£22.50
Pitch Publishing Ltd 1977/78: A Historic Season for Rangers FC and a Treble That Ended an Era
1977/78: A Historic Season for Rangers FC and a Treble That Ended an Era tells the story of a historic season for Rangers FC on and off the pitch. Captain John Greig's 17-year playing career at Ibrox ended in treble glory, and he was later voted 'The Greatest Ranger' by the fans. With another great Rangers figure as manager, the late Jock Wallace, the team made a clean sweep of domestic honours, playing entertaining and attacking football. Greig would then make the leap from player to manager, with Wallace leaving the club just days after completing the treble. Season 1977/78 was the last before the modernisation of Ibrox stadium, and saw the start of another wonderful Rangers career with the arrival of mesmerising winger Davie Cooper. It also saw the emergence of a new force in Scottish football, with the challenge from an Aberdeen team that would grow even stronger in years to come. It is a season still fondly remembered by older Rangers fans. It truly marked the end of an era and the start of a new chapter.
£17.09
Pitch Publishing Ltd The Lion Who Never Roared: The Star Robbed of England Glory
The Lion Who Never Roared: The Star Robbed of England Glory is the incredible story of Jack Leslie, the only black player in the Football League when he was selected for his country in 1925 only to be dropped due to the colour of his skin. Jack had an illustrious career at Plymouth Argyle with 137 goals in 400 games. He became the league’s first black captain before an eye injury forced him to retire. In his 60s he joined West Ham United … to shine the boots of World Cup winners like Bobby Moore. Nearly a century after Jack’s heyday, research for this book helped bring recognition at last from the FA, who awarded him an honorary cap in 2023, while a campaign led to a statue that now proudly stands outside Home Park in Plymouth. Drawing on material from the Leslie family archive, Jack’s legacy is unfurled in this heart-breaking yet inspiring biography, which includes contributions from Viv Anderson, the first black player to win a full England cap, and Sir Trevor Brooking.
£17.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Fear and Loathing at Goodison Park: Everton Under David Moyes
Fear and Loathing at Goodison Park chronicles the David Moyes era at Everton, when a fallen giant of the English game fought to re-establish itself among football's elite. With relegation dogfights making way for Champions League qualification and the first cup final since 1995, David Moyes' tenure was underpinned by stability and a hopefulness that success would soon return to the blue half of Merseyside. It was, however, a period when the notion of success was redefined, not only for Everton but within the game as a whole. With the financial gulf widening in a league deluged by an influx of foreign investment and media conglomerates, Moyes' Everton became synonymous with operating on a shoe-string budget, in an era of multi-million -pound transfers and bloated wages. With billionaire takeovers reshaping the landscape of English football forever, the people's club's hopes of breaking through football's glass ceiling faded, leaving only fear and loathing at Goodison Park.
£16.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd Dutch Masters: When Ajax's Totaalvoetbal Conquered Europe
Across the history of football, a select group of teams have achieved iconic status. Sometimes it's through sheer success. For others, their stature is built by star performers. On occasions, it's because a team has gifted a new way of playing to the world. Most rarely it's because of all three. The Ajax teams that conquered Europe with their enthralling 'totaalvoetbal' are one of those rare cases. Those Dutch artists used the pitch as their canvas, the skills of the players provided a palette of gloriously bright colours and their totaalvoetbal inspired the brushstrokes that delivered masterpieces of football creativity. The Dutch Masters is the entrancing tale of how that iconic white shirt with a broad red band down its centre not only became synonymous with the beautiful game of totaalvoetbal, but also symbolised the success of the club that created a new paradigm of play. It's the story of how Ajax came to dominate the European game as the epitome of footballing perfection.
£17.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd The Great Days of Sunderland: Six League Titles and Two FA Cups
The Great Days of Sunderland should be compulsory reading for every Black Cats fan. After a grim few years, it's important to remember that things were once very different for the club. David Potter transports us back to Sunderland's past glories - from the 'team of all the talents' that dominated English football in the 1890s, to the side that almost won the double in 1913, the great team of the 1930s that challenged the riches of Arsenal and the most recent success of 50 years ago, when Second Division Sunderland beat the mighty Leeds United in an epic FA Cup Final. Sunderland were champions of England six times before the Second World War and have won the FA Cup twice. Each of these triumphs is captured in detail and brought to life through vivid descriptions. Learn about club legends such as Ned Doig, Hugh 'Lalty' Wilson, Charlie Buchan, Raich Carter, Bobby Gurney, Ian Porterfield and Jim Montgomery, and relive some of the moments that did so much to enrich the lives of those who packed out Newcastle Road and Roker Park.
£17.09
Pitch Publishing Ltd Scrum Queens: The Story of Women's Rugby
Scrum Queens: The Story of Women's Rugby, from 1880 to the Present Day charts the fascinating journey of women's rugby, from widespread social disapproval to the modern era of Olympic recognition and professionalism. Along the way, the book takes in all the major moments in the history of the women's game, from groundbreaking games during the war, to the first World Cup in 1991 and a momentous first appearance for women's rugby at the 2016 Olympics. There are stories of the pioneers who fought to get the game played in its earliest days, like New Zealand's Nita Webbe and France's Henry Flechon, while the more modern-day drivers of the game, like England's Carol Isherwood, also feature. Scrum Queens celebrates the success and heroics of the sport's top players and teams, with New Zealand's dominance of the game at every level alongside their long-time rivalry with England explored, along with the more recent successes of teams such as Ireland and Fiji, and the rise of the sevens game and its impact on women's rugby.
£17.09
Pitch Publishing Ltd Once a Pear: My Cricket Journey
Once A Pear... is the enthralling cricketing story of Daryl Mitchell - the ultimate 'one-club man'. Daryl graduated from the village game to become the first Worcestershire captain born in the county since 1925. He turned down offers from other, more famous counties to play for the club for 17 years in a turbulent career that saw five promotions, five relegations and short-form triumphs in the Pro40 competition and the Twenty20 Blast. A club legend, 38 first-class county hundreds put him sixth in the all-time list of Worcestershire centurions, while his 295 catches place him eighth in the fielding records. Four years as chairman of the Professional Cricketers' Association speaks volumes for the esteem he is held in by fellow professionals. In Once A Pear... Daryl reveals what it takes to be a successful county cricketer, and the impact on a player's mental health, while exploring how the game has changed in the last 20 years. This is the story of a true cricket man.
£17.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd What If?: Turning Points in the History of Sunderland AFC
Sunderland AFC’s official historian Rob Mason brings us a fascinating alternative history of the club as he ponders what could have been. How would Sunderland have fared if they had appointed Brian Clough, who was turned down as manager? What might have happened if Jock Stein, who visited managerless Sunderland hoping for an opportunity before taking over at Celtic, had been given a chance? What if Bobby Robson hadn’t changed his mind after agreeing to leave Ipswich? Diego Maradona, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Kevin Keegan, Jackie Milburn and Ruud van Nistelrooy would make some forward line. All of them were potential signings. Imagine that quintet in red and white stripes! What if Coventry City had kicked off on time against Bristol City in 1977 instead of delaying their kick-off and being able to relegate a youthful Sunderland side that had come back from the dead? These and many other key moments are discussed by Mason as he considers what could have happened had these turning points taken a different direction.
£16.99
Pitch Publishing Ltd The Life of Total Football
The Life of Total Football tells the story of the origins, history and inspiration behind one of the purest and arguably most-entertaining styles of football in the history of the game.Total Football was the style of play made famous by both Johan Cruyff''s Ajax and the great Dutch international side of 1970s in which he starred... but its story starts a long way before then.The origins of Total Football lie in Scotland in the early 1900s as football was taking its first pioneering steps as a Great British export. Initially finessed in Europe, and in particular Hungary and Austria, as the popularity of football spread; before the style emerged and evolved in South America as the game took hold across the globe.With so many admirers throughout the history of the game, The Life of Total Football explains how it captured the hearts and minds of its most dedicated followers, its many iterations and incarnations, and ju
£17.09