Search results for ""St David's Press""

Olympic gold medallist Darren Campbell is one of Britain's most successful and popular athletes, yet the real story behind his success has not been made public, until now. Track Record, his long-awaited autobiography, reveals how a boy from painfully humble beginnings in Moss Side, Manchester, and who suffered bullying at school, was inspired by Carl Lewis at the 1984 Olympics to harness his athletic ability and break out of a cycle of misbehaviour and petty crime to enjoy huge success in sport, business and as a broadcaster. Despite his early promise as a young sprinter Darren explains how, totally disillusioned with the use of performance-enhancing drugs in athletics, he turned to football where he played at a semi-professional level for Cwmbran Town, Weymouth FC and was offered a contract at Plymouth Argyle. His realisation, however, that he could either continue to be a decent lower league footballer, or return to the track and become a world class sprinter, saw him link-up with coach Linford Christie and achieve great success, winning a host of gold, silver and bronze medals at major championships, including silver in the 200m at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and gold in the 4 x 100m at the 2004 Athens Olympics Spurred into finally telling his story after suffering a life-threatening condition in 2018, Track Record is the heart-warming and inspirational life-story of a talented, principled and determined man who overcame economic poverty and racial prejudice to triumph on the athletic tracks of the world.

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No Regrets was the name given to Welsh rugby's three-year masterplan to give the national team the best possible chance of success at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. Created in a Wellington hotel in 2016 after Wales had been thumped 40-7 by the Waikato Chiefs during their summer tour of New Zealand, Head coach Warren Gatland, attack coach Rob Howley, Chief Executive Martyn Phillips and then-Head of Rugby Performance, Geraint John knew a major step change was needed. No Regrets was the result. In No Regrets - The Story of Wales' Plan For Rugby World Cup Glory, acclaimed Western Mail rugby correspondent Matthew Southcombe reveals how the masterplan led to the 2017 tour success in Argentina, a clean sweep in the 2018 autumn internationals and, in 2019, a Six Nations Grand Slam, a record 14-game unbeaten run and a World Rugby #1 ranking. Hopes were high, amongst the squad and the nation, as the team headed to Japan with a genuine expectation winning the tournament. Essential reading for all Welsh rugby supporters, Matthew Southcombe, in addition to telling the story of Wales' 2019 Rugby World Cup campaign, also recalls the highs and lows of Wales at the previous eight World Cups, assesses Warren Gatland's 12-year legacy with Wales, and asks what is required for this rugby-obsessed nation to reach the World Cup final, and finally lift the Webb Ellis Trophy.

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The success, failure and revival of Barry Town is a story that needs to be told. Few clubs have risen so high – facing Dynamo Kiev and FC Porto in the Champions League – and then sunk so low – going into administration, relegated and eventually withdrawn from football altogether – before being brought back to life by loyal fans who even had to take the Football Association of Wales to court in order to play. Following the club over 25 years, starting with the 1993-94 season when they beat Cardiff City to win the Welsh Cup, Unbelievable Barry Town covers the club’s golden decade where they won the Welsh Premier seven times, through the years of playing as an amateur team under controversial owner Stuart Lovering, until the fans were able to take over and turn the club around to once again play in Europe in 2019.

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Bluebirds Reunited is the incredible story of the renaissance of Cardiff City: how a club in turmoil transformed its fortunes to win the unlikeliest of promotions, and how its loyal fans fell back in love with their beloved Bluebirds. Essential reading for every Cardiff City fan, Aled Blake, charts the Bluebirds' roller-coaster ride from the humiliating Premier League relegation in 2014 and the fierce protests from disillusioned supporters against the club's controversial rebranding, through a series of dismal seasons as the team struggled in the Championship, to the return to blue and the appointment of Neil Warnock. Featuring revealing fan insights and exclusive interviews with Warnock, Bluebirds Reunited tells the story of Cardiff City's rebirth from the fans' perspective and explains how a club, its fans and a city were reunited in an euphoric promotion back to the Premier League.

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One of the traditional powerhouses of Welsh first class rugby, Aberavon RFC has a long, proud and illustrious history, with 50 of its players being capped for Wales, the club winning many league titles and domestic cups, and - with Neath RFC - facing the might of South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Aberavon RFC is a great rugby club and this is its story. Fully illustrated and packed with photos and club memorabilia, The Wizards is a comprehensive history of the town's premier club, from the days when the men of Aberavon gathered on a farmer's field to challenge rivals from across south Wales, to the formation of the Afan Football Club in 1876 and its development into Aberavon RFC, and from the club finding a home at the Talbot Athletic Ground to the anniversary celebrations of the 2016-17 season. Aberavon RFC's fascinating 140-year story - lovingly written by renowned rugby historians Howard Evans and Phil Atkinson - traces the club's fortunes through its good times, its many challenges and, most importantly, through the personalities who've worn the famous black and red jersey, delighting the home supporters and putting fear into visiting teams. From the days of `One-Arm' Wilkins to `Warhorse' Jones, The Wizards recalls the great names such as Johnny Ring, Ned Jenkins, John Bevan, Clive Shell, Ray Giles, Billy Mainwaring, Max Wiltshire, `Om the Bomb', Allan Martin and Billy James, to current heroes `Buddah', Jamie Davies and Richard Morris, with a special place for the club's greatest supporter, the legendary and much missed Mrs Evelyn Mainwaring.

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The Wales Coast Path - A Practical Guide for Walkers, now in an updated and fully revised second edition, is the bestselling and essential companion to the whole 896 mile path for both the serious long-distance walker and for day-trippers who wish to tackle the path one stage at a time. The Wales Coast Path - A Practical Guide for Walkers: Presents the complete Wales Coast Path via 73 manageable walks of approximately 9-15 miles each; Provides easy-to-follow route descriptions and contains over 80 hand-drawn maps; Is full of additional information on sites of historical, geological and wildlife interest; Suggests alternative routes that enable short visits to additional key locations just off the official Coast Path; Enables walkers to maximize local amenities and services such as public transport, car parking and accommodation options such as camp sites and B&Bs

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This is the book that many Welsh football fans thought they'd never get to read; a tale of outstanding performances at home and away, qualification success and a FIFA Top Ten ranking, and the best thing is...it's all true! Zombie Nation Awakes tells the inside story of Wales' amazing journey to qualifying for the finals of Euro 2016 in France; the first time Wales has played in finals of a major tournament since 1958. Packed with passion, tinged with sadness, and written with great humour, Bryn Law's diary of the campaign perfectly describes the emotions of following the Welsh national football team; when years of despair vanished in a wave of glorious euphoria to the sounds of Zombie Nation. It will bring a tear to your eye and put a massive grin on your face. Game by game, and after an almost disastrous start in Andorra, Bryn's diary reflects the growing but guarded optimism of the players, the supporters and the Welsh nation, as he reported on the campaign for Sky Sports. His passion for Welsh football shines through on every page of Zombie Nation Awakes and fans of Welsh football will love it.

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Wales has always punched above its weight in the boxing ring. The United States, with 100 times the population, may have been the dominant player in the sport, but St David has done remarkably well against Goliath over the 120 years since the first bout in 1894. The Americans drooled over Jim Driscoll, the man dubbed 'Peerless' by the gunfighter-turned-journalist, Bat Masterson, while Jimmy Wilde also demonstrated his right to be considered one of the greatest of all time. Freddie Welsh even based himself in the States for most of his career, although he claimed the world lightweight title from Willie Ritchie in London, with both men having to cross the Atlantic. In more recent years, Joe Calzaghe's masterclass against Jeff Lacy finally convinced the American doubters, before he completed his unbeaten career by beating legends Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones, Jr, in front of their own people. This book, while giving those bouts their due, looks at dozens of other contests between the two nations, covering more than a century, revealing some of the tales behind the headlines.

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Euro 2016 will forever have a special place in the hearts and memories of Wales football supporters, especially the tens of thousands who travelled to France and filled the stadiums with song, joy and colour as they proudly took their place in the spectacular 'Red Wall'. Bryn Law, author of the acclaimed Zombie Nation Awakes, was one of those passionate fans who fulfilled a life-long dream of following the Wales national team to a major tournament and 'Don't Take Me Home' is his diary of that magical month that gripped the whole nation. From arranging time off work to organising travel, accommodation and the all-important match tickets - as well as trying to explain to his patient and long-suffering family that he couldn't be sure exactly when he'd be back - Bryn perfectly describes the steep, tricky and expensive learning-curve faced by thousands of Welsh fans as he criss-crossed France by plane, car, camper van, tram and bus, desperate not to miss a match whilst enjoying the company of his friends and fellow fans. In 'Don't Take Me Home' Welsh fans can relive every game of the Euro 2016 experience from a supporter's perspective. Everyone has their own favourite memory of the tournament and Bryn lovingly recalls every game on that joyful journey: from the amazing scenes in Bordeaux to the 'chin up' disappointment of Lens; the perfect performance in Toulouse to the Celtic party in Paris; and from the sheer euphoria of Lille to the pride and au revoir in Lyon. Bryn Law's emotional, humorous yet insightful diary explains why Welsh fans - whenever they are asked about their experiences at Euro 2016 - smile, wipe away a tear and say 'It was the best month of my life': 'Don't Take Me Home'.

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Little Wonder is the story of Brian Flynn, the stylish yet tenacious midfielder from Port Talbot who, in the 1970s and '80s, enjoyed a successful top flight playing career with Burnley and Leeds United - where is still held in great affection by fans of both clubs - before moving on to Cardiff City, Doncaster Rovers, Bury, Limerick and finally to Wrexham as player manager. Flynn also won 66 caps for Wales and played a pivotal role when the rejuvenated national team reached the quarter-finals of the 1976 European Championships and were denied a place at the 1978 World Cup by Joe Jordan's infamous 'hand of god' at Anfield. Lovingly crafted by Leon Barton, Little Wonder is also the story of Flynn's 12 years as a club manager with Wrexham where, with solid team-building and cup heroics, he left a legacy that was subsequently squandered, and his two-year spell at Swansea City when he saved the club from relegation from the Football League and whose immense contribution was subsequently built upon to stunning effect. It is Brian Flynn's managerial legacy to Welsh international football, however, that has won him the plaudits of fellow managers, former teammates, the players themselves, and the Welsh nation when, as intermediate team manager under John Toshack, Flynn identified, nurtured and developed the 'golden generation', a group of talented teenagers and Welsh 'Anglos' who went on to become, at Euro 2016, most successful Welsh team in 140 years. Brian Flynn may only stand at 5 foot and 4 inches, but this small man from the town of steel has made a giant contribution to football and Little Wonder is his story.

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There has always been a great boxing tradition in Newport and the valleys of Monmouthshire, but recently the area has excelled itself. Over the last two decades, no fewer than four world champions have been groomed in local gyms. Robbie Regan, Gavin Rees, Nathan Cleverly and the incomparable Joe Calzaghe may be the stand-out achievers featured in this book, but they are far from the only stars remembered here. Johnny Basham and the `Maesglas Marciano’, Dick Richardson, lead the way for the city on the Usk, while there are many others who have worn the Lonsdale Belt or claimed Commonwealth Games medals. And the changing face of boxing is epitomised by Ebbw Vale girl Ashley Brace, the first woman to top a professional bill in Wales – and the first to win an international title. Some 70 boxers are pictured and profiled. Any fight fan, whether a `Gwentie’ or not, will enjoy this book.

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Horse racing may be famously known as the 'sport of kings' but, in the pursuit of prize money and getting one over the bookies, it also has attained a notoriety for some underhand, corrupt and downright illegal practices. Horse racing in Wales is not exempt from these dodgy dealings and on many occasions has led the way in it's ingenuity to devise jaw-dropping cons and cunning deceptions. In The Scams, Scandals and Gambles of Horseracing in Wales, Brian Lee, the veteran and highly regarded Welsh racing correspondent has, for the first time, compiled a comprehensive collection of true stories that reveals Welsh racing's most notorious crooks, loveable rouges and most infamous scams, including: The Oyster Maid affair, when a great gambling coup engineered at Tenby in 1927 nearly put paid to horse racing in Wales and was said by the Queen Mother's jockey, Dick Francis, to have been "the most bitterly resented betting coup National Hunt racing has ever known". The astounding story of Am I Blue's when, in 2010, a four-year-old filly, owned and trained by Aberkenfig's Delyth Thomas, romped home at Hereford after being backed from 25-1 to 5-1, despite having woeful form.As one reporter put it: 'There was outrage in some quarters and amusement in others. ' The elaborate switching of horses and the cutting of the telegraph wires at Bath races in 1953 which saw well-know Cardiff bookie Gomer Charles jailed for 2 years for fraud after his syndicate place GBP100k worth of bets on a 'ringer' racehorse that won at 20-1. The Scandals and Gambles of Horseracing in Wales includes stories both from racing 'under rules' but also from point-to-point, known as racing 'between-the-flags', as well as flapping (unlicensed racing). The stories in this enthralling book, in which the reader will meet many of the rogues of the turf, are informative as well as fascinating and will appeal to not only horse racing fans but also readers of true crime.

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The historic county of Glamorgan has a proud and successful boxing heritage, as can be seen by the 50-plus boxers featured in this, the sixth volume of Gareth Jones' renowned Boxers of Wales series. Having already profiled the boxers of Cardiff, Merthyr and Pontypridd, as well as the Cynon and Rhondda valleys, in previous volumes, Gareth Jones now completes his impressive journey around the old county by focusing his attention on: Glamorgan's coastal towns, which have produced dozens of top fighters, not least the Selby brothers from Barry and one of the first Welshmen to wear a Lonsdale Belt, Port Talbot's Bill Beynon. The old mining valleys, from the Neath to the Ogmore, which have nurtured many ring warriors over the years, including the fistic hotbeds of Maesteg and nearby Caerau: home to a string of champions and contenders. Packed with more than 100 photos and illustrations, as well as decades of unrivalled boxing knowledge, The Boxers of South, West & Mid Glamorgan is essential reading for all followers of the noble art.

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Now in it's third edition, The Birth of Rugby in Cardiff and Wales is the essential guide to the importance and significance of rugby in Cardiff to the development of Welsh rugby in the nineteenth century.

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A founder member of the Welsh Rugby Union, Swansea RFC is one of Wales' oldest and most illustrious rugby clubs. It was the first to beat the 'big three' touring teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, and enjoyed multiple Welsh Cup and Merit Table successes, over its first 150 years. Formed in 1872 as an association football team before converting to rugby football in 1874, White Gold tells the fascinating story of the club's first 15 years, when a group of Swansea cricketers established a football club for winter recreation, found a home at St. Helen's and how they created an open, running playing style that quickly became known and revered around the rugby world. Lavishly illustrated with many previously unpublished photographs, White Gold has been meticulously researched by club historian David Dow and is the most comprehensive study of the early days of rugby in Swansea ever published. White Gold also vividly describes rugby politics both inside and outside of Wales, the social attitudes of the day and how they influenced Welsh rugby and society. David Dow's comprehensive and definitive study also contains extensive appendices covering all the players, the club's first internationals, complete fixture lists, club captains and point-scorers of the period.

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It is estimated that the First World War claimed the lives of 40,000 Welshmen, all of them heroes whose sacrifice is honoured by a grateful nation. 'Call them to remembrance', which includes 120 illustrations and maps, tells the stories of 13 Welsh heroes who shared the common bond of having worn the famous red jersey of the Welsh international rugby team. Gwyn Prescott's sensitive and fascinating book, the product of over ten year's research and study, recovers the memory of these thirteen multi-talented and courageous Welshmen who gave their lives in the Great War of 1914-18, detailing their playing and military careers. Amongst their stories are the leading amateur golfer in Wales who represented Newport at five sports; the Cambridge choral scholar who gave up his job in India to volunteer for the Army; the flying Cardiff winger who impressed Lloyd George; and the "lion-hearted" hero of the famous Welsh victory over New Zealand in 1905.

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As a football-mad young boy growing up in rural Shropshire, within sight of the Welsh border, Dave Edwards dreamt of playing the game professionally and perhaps, one day, of wearing the red shirt of his father's homeland - Wales. Living My Dream is the frank and fascinating story of just what it took for Edwards to achieve his life's ambition, and describes how his dedication and commitment to the game he loves has enabled him to enjoy a successful 16-year career with over 400 club appearances for Shrewsbury, Luton, Wolves and Reading, spanning the top five English divisions from the Conference to the Premier League. Woven into the story of his club career, Living My Dream is also a behind-the-scenes account of Dave's brave recovery, after a serious injury in January 2016, to make the starting line-up in Wales' opening game at that summer's European Championships, and his magical month inside the Welsh camp when the team exceeded all expectations to reach the semi-finals. The first member of the Welsh squad to tell the inside story of life at the Euros, Edwards reveals how the players thrived within the camp's 'bubble' and forged an unbreakable team spirit, how Chris Coleman managed his squad with meticulous planning and inspirational leadership, and how the Together Stronger ethos was spurred on by the passion and pride of an entire nation.

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The first world title fight in Wales featured Swansea lightweight boxer, Ronnie James, and the city produced another three challengers at the highest level before Enzo Maccarinelli finally reached the pinnacle. Colin Jones, Brian Curvis and Floyd Havard were far from the only top-class exponents of the boxer's craft to emerge from Wales's second city. And the rival conurbation across the Loughor Bridge has contributed its share of stars to the fistic firmament. As well as two-weight British champion Robert Dickie and the legendary Gipsy Daniels, who once knocked out the great Max Schmeling inside a round, Llanelli gave birth to the man who codified the laws by which the sport is regulated, famous under the name of his patron, the Marquess of Queensberry. Some 50 boxers are profiled in these generously illustrated pages. Whether or not you hail from the area, if you are a fight fan, this book will make a worthy addition to your shelves.

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A League of Our Own is the first book to tell the remarkable story of the establishment and 30-year history of the League of Wales, which was rebranded as the Welsh Premier League in 2010 and the Cymru Premier in 2019. The League of Wales kicked-off its inaugural season in 1992 in a state of triumph and trepidation. Establishing the league was a huge step forward for Welsh club football, but with the country’s 11 biggest clubs - including the ‘Irate Eight’ - refusing to take part, it was also a time of court cases, friction and distrust between the governing body and many of its member clubs. Meticulously researched and written by freelance football journalist Mark Langshaw, The Cymru Premier Story contains over 90 illustrations, final league tables for every season and appendices that detail the league’s most successful clubs, top scorers, average attendances, and European representatives. It also features over 20 exclusive interviews with many of the key characters who played significant roles in the formation and development of the competition.

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A founder member of the Welsh Rugby Union, Swansea RFC is one of Wales' oldest and most illustrious rugby clubs. It was the first to beat the 'big three' touring teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, and enjoyed multiple Welsh Cup and Merit Table successes, over its first 150 years. Formed in 1872 as an association football team before converting to rugby football in 1874, White Gold tells the fascinating story of the club's first 15 years, when a group of Swansea cricketers established a football club for winter recreation, found a home at St. Helen's and how they created an open, running playing style that quickly became known and revered around the rugby world. Lavishly illustrated with many previously unpublished photographs, White Gold has been meticulously researched by club historian David Dow and is the most comprehensive study of the early days of rugby in Swansea ever published. White Gold also vividly describes rugby politics both inside and outside of Wales, the social attitudes of the day and how they influenced Welsh rugby and society. David Dow's comprehensive and definitive study also contains extensive appendices covering all the players, the club's first internationals, complete fixture lists, club captains and point-scorers of the period.

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A talented yet ferocious player, and one of the acknowledged 'bad-boys' of rugby, Mark Jones' on-field brutality was a direct consequence of the off-field torment he suffered with a debilitating stammer. In Fighting to Speak, his revealing and uplifting autobiography, Jones explains how his frustration with his stutter led to a self-loathing and the internalising of an explosive hate that only playing rugby could release - with his unfortunate opponents often on the receiving end of his rage. Sent off six times and banned for over 33 weeks for violent conduct during his career, the dual-code Wales international and Great Britain RL forward was desperately unhappy and detested the thuggish reputation he'd created. After one exceptionally ugly incident, when he broke another player's eye socket, Jones realised that in order to defeat his demons and control his bad behaviour he needed help to conquer his stammer. Mark Jones fought and won the hardest battle of his life with a steely determination and has now found the inner peace and dignity he'd longed for as a young man. He has decided to tell his story in order to seek redemption for his violent past on the rugby field, and to help others overcome their stammers.

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Arthur Gould is the definitive biography of the record-breaking Welsh international player who is widely acknowledged as the first superstar of rugby. Such was his fame and renown, that upon his tragic, early death in 1919, aged just 54, Gould's funeral in Newport was reported as the biggest Wales had ever seen. Nicknamed 'Monkey' due to his childhood fondness for climbing trees, Gould played the majority of his club rugby for Newport RFC and won a then-record 27 Welsh caps; 25 of which were at centre (a record only bettered by Steve Fenwick in 1980); and captained his country 18 times (a record only beaten in 1994 by Ieuan Evans). A true sporting sensation, when he retired in 1899 Gould had played more first-class matches and scored more tries and drop goals than any other player. Gould's superstar status was illustrated late in his career when a testimonial appeal received widespread public support and resulted in the Scottish and Irish unions cancelling their fixtures with Wales in protest at the apparent breach of the game's strict amateur ethos. The controversy deepened when the Welsh Football Union (now the WRU) stood firmly behind their iconic player and withdrew from the International Rugby Board. Fearing that lucrative fixtures with Welsh clubs might be lost and that Wales might join forces with the newly established Northern Union of professional rugby, England's Rugby Football Union brokered a 'one-off' dispensation which enabled Gould to benefit from the testimonial while retaining his amateur status, and ensured that international fixtures were resumed. Comprehensively researched and written by acclaimed rugby historian, Gwyn Prescott, with the full support and encouragement of the Gould family, Arthur Gould - Rugby's First Superstar includes over 100 illustrations and will be enjoyed by all who love rugby and treasure its sporting and cultural heritage.

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John Devereux burst into rugby's big-time as a 19-year-old student when he terrorised a Cardiff team packed with Lions and Wales stars for his South Glam Institute side in a Welsh Cup tie. His powerful piston-pump hand-off saw him nicknamed the 'Dalek' and two months later, in January 1986, he was making his Wales debut against England. He was one of the stars of the 1987 union World Cup as Wales finished third, the nation's highest ever position in the tournament, and appeared for the British and Irish Lions before being lured to rugby league by a big-money offer exceeding GBP350,000. Devereux was a huge hit for Widnes, playing 185 games and scoring 120 tries, and Manly Sea Eagles in Australia, and became a dual-code international - scoring six tries in eight games for Great Britain, and three tries in 12 games for Wales RL. He was also the last Wales union international to appear in a RL World Cup final when he lined up for Great Britain against Australia at Wembley in 1993. Held in the highest regard by former teammates and opponents alike, John Devereux is revered by followers of rugby league and rugby union and, in his official biography, Devs, tells the fascinating story of his life in rugby.

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'I, Steven Paul Fenwick, have a revelation to make that may surprise many readers. My first international representative rugby union honours were playing for England. There I was, in the line-up up for the English national anthem, in full regalia and the red rose on my chest representing England. I know this may come as a shock and it still feels as odd now as it did all those years ago, but bear with me, don't judge me quite yet!' An icon of Welsh rugby and one of the stars of the great Wales team of the 1970s, Steve Fenwick won three Triple Crowns, two Grand Slams and played in all four Tests of the 1977 Lions tour to New Zealand. He is also one of the very few members of that illustrious team to not have told his story, until now. Witty and engaging with a very dry sense of humour, Steve Fenwick's autobiography tells the story of the schoolboy from Nantgarw who became one of the most celebrated players in the rugby world, and his hilarious anecdotes and recollections of a glittering career during a golden age of Welsh rugby will delight and enthral readers in Wales and beyond.

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This is the remarkable story of The Maindy Flyers, a cycling club in Cardiff which has nurtured a string of elite riders such as Elinor Barker, Luke Rowe, Owain Doull, and 2018 Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas, and has produced more Olympic gold medallists since 2008 than France. In the early 1990s, when no cycling club for children existed in Wales, The Maindy Flyers was established with the sole aim of providing a fun and safe environment for young cyclists and to utilise a once derelict track in the city. Despite minimal funding and equipment, the club's talented and passionate coaches quickly created an unbeatable team spirit that attracted children from across Cardiff who just loved riding bikes and enjoyed making friends. Producing elite cyclists was not the intention. Of interest to all followers of cycling, particularly coaches and leaders of junior cycling clubs everywhere, the key characters who created The Maindy Flyers share their experiences and provide a step-by-step guide to establishing a cycling club. Written by Cardiff-based cycling enthusiast Juan Dickinson and published with the full co-operation and support of the club, The Maindy Flyers - with over 100 photographs, many previously unseen - reveals the struggles and difficulties to set up and maintain the club, and explains how it overcame many challenges, internal and external, to became the world's most successful cycling club.

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Known to thousands of rugby fans as a knowledgeable, passionate and witty broadcaster, and as an entertaining and popular after-dinner speaker, Phil Steele's confident demeanour and humorous disposition mask a life-long battle against depression and anxiety heightened by heartbreak and tragedy in his personal life. Nerves of Steele is a remarkable story and reveals the real Phil Steele, a man known only by his very closest friends and family.The Cardiff-born 'Ely Boy', who dreamed of playing for Wales, suffered his first bout of debilitating clinical depression when he saw his promising rugby career with Newport RFC wrecked by injury at only 23, just as his eye-catching performances had earned him a call up to the Wales B squad.The curse of mental illness and its malevolent twin, chronic anxiety, hung over Phil for years, who describes his suffering as 'like living under a cloak of constant unease' and at times even sapped his will to go on living. His vulnerability was repeatedly tested by losing both patents whilst still in his twenties, his younger sister to alcoholism and his beloved wife Liz who died from a brain tumour aged 48, only a month after being diagnosed.Nerves of Steele is, however, an uplifting story of how, despite all the mental anguish and personal tragedy, Phil's determination, strength of character and infectious personality has enabled him to conquer his condition and live a full and rewarding personal and professional life. With mental illness believed to affect one in every four people, Nerves of Steele will resonate with those that have experienced it themselves as well as their loved ones who've also been affected by it - and offer them all real hope for the future.

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The Player From 'Ponty' is the biography of Glamorgan cricketer Bernard Hedges, the talented sportsman from the valleys of south Wales who played rugby for Pontypridd and Swansea, represented a Great Britain side at football and became a widely respected cricketer with Glamorgan between 1950 and 1967, who: Scored 17, 773 first-class runs - Glamorgan's 7th all-time top run scorer. Hit Glamorgan's first one-day century, v Somerset in the Gillette Cup in 1963. Was one of only six Glamorgan players to score 2,000 runs in a season (2,026 in 1961). Bernard's journey from his early days in Rhydyfelin - the eldest of eight children raised in a small council house - to the local grammar school, his National Service days, and to his professional career with Glamorgan is lovingly revealed by his son Stephen, who tells the story of the sporting life of a man who epitomised the 'unsung hero' by showing great grit and determination to make the most of the sporting talent he had.

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A stroll around Merthyr town centre demonstrates the importance of the fight game in the borough's history. Where else on the planet can you find no fewer than three statues of boxers? A must-buy for all fight fans this book tells the stories of some 50 fighters who have made their mark to varying degrees over the past century and a half. Some are known world-wide, such as the occupants of those plinths - Howard Winstone, Johnny Owen and Eddie Thomas - others were local legends, such as the king of the cobbles, Redmond Coleman, and the man whose skin colour robbed him of the chance of greatness, Cuthbert Taylor. The neighbouring Taff Valley towns of Aberdare and Pontypridd also contribute their heroes including little Dai Dower, who won British, Empire and European titles in less than five months, while Pontypridd folk are justly proud of their world champion, Freddie Welsh, and the three Moody brothers, who all won belts. With several dozen illustrations, some never before published, this is recommended reading for all fight fans, whether or not they have the good fortune to hail from the Taff Valley.

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Front Foot to Front Line commemorates Welsh cricket's contribution to the Great War by chronicling the lives of 55 professional and amateur cricketers who left the friendly rivalry of the crease for the brutality and horror of the trenches, and lost their lives as servicemen on the bloody battlefields of Europe. The distinguished author and the leading authority on Welsh cricket, Andrew Hignell, traces the major themes and battles of the First World War to provide a poignant snapshot of how Wales lost a generation of young men who were united by their love of cricket and their courage to serve their country. Front Foot to Front Line not only pays tribute to the cricketers, drawn from over 35 local clubs across Wales, who lost their lives but also to those who returned home permanently affected by their experiences of warfare. The book also highlights the involvement of many characters involved at the grassroots of Welsh club cricket who served with distinction and will be of great interest to the large Welsh cricketing fraternity as well as to those with an interest in military history. The cricket clubs featured in Front Foot to Front Line include: Blaina, Barry, Brecon, Bridgend Town, Briton Ferry, Cardiff, Cowbridge, Crickhowell, Denbighshire, Ferndale, Garth, Glamorgan, Llancarfan, Llandovery College, Llandudno, Llanelli, Monmouthshire, Neath, Newport, Pontypridd, Radyr, Swansea, Usk Valley, and Ystrad Mynach.

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The world of rugby celebrated the 8th Rugby World Cup in 2015, but a tournament held in 1919, The King's Cup, can rightly claim to be rugby's first competitive 'World Cup'. Meticulously complied by Howard Evans and Phil Atkinson, The King's Cup 1919, is the first book to tell the story of rugby's first 'World Cup' and is essential reading for all rugby enthusiasts and military historians. With over 140 photos and illustrations, and chapters focusing on the competing teams, the players, and every game in the tournament, the authors have provided a comprehensive and attractive record of a long-forgotten but historically important competition that most rugby supporters are completely unaware of. At the outbreak of World War I in 1914, all rugby was suspended by decree of the individual rugby unions, with only inter-military encounters and fundraising games permitted. After the Armistice in November 1918, with the armies of the world's rugby-playing nations still stationed in Britain, and with the public desperate to see competitive rugby played again, an inter-military tournament was organised.King George V was so enthused by the proposed competition that he agreed to have the tournament named after him, and so The King's Cup was born. The King's Cup 1919 Explains the British military's refusal to allow separate teams for England, Wales, Scotland or Ireland by the creation of 'Mother Country' Explains how the Royal Navy were invited to compete but declined Confirmed the status of New Zealand as the dominant rugby-playing nation Saw the first competitive game between New Zealand and South Africa Shows the origins of apartheid South Africa's refusal to accept black players in opposing teams

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From Tashkent With Love is a tale of courage, heartbreak and glory spanning four decades. It tells the remarkable story of Cardiff City's football adventures across Europe in the European Cup Winners' Cup. From the thrilling 1.0 victory against the mighty Real Madrid at Ninian Park in 1971, to the heartbreak of a last minute 3.2 home defeat in the semi-final against FC Hamburg in 1968, Cardiff's 24 Cup Winner's Cup games are all recalled by the best-selling author Mario Risoli who interviewed over 70 former players in the writing of this comprehensive book. Their 29-year European odyssey saw the Bluebirds face some of the biggest names in continental football - Sporting Lisbon, Zaragoza, FC Porto and Dynamo Berlin - and included their epic and pulsating 1968 quarter-final tie against the crack Soviet side Torpedo Moscow. With the game switched from icy Moscow to Tashkent, in what is now Uzbekistan, City were forced to make a remarkable 8,000-mile round trip to the borderlands of China and Afghanistan, a journey which still survives as one of the furthest distances travelled by any British club in a European cup competition.

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Jim Pleass is the last surviving member of Glamorgan's County Championship winning team of 1948, the first time the Welsh team won the highest honour in county cricket. The Cardiff-born multi-talented sportsman, who was also an exceptional footballer and offered trial games for Cardiff City as a schoolboy, built a reputation as a solid and reliable team player at a time when Glamorgan was establishing itself on the first class cricket scene after the Second World War. In stark contrast to contemporary sport which is too often dominated by money and celebrity, Jim was a hard-working professional sportsman typical of his era, who simply enjoyed the camaraderie and of the game he loved. Yet the man who was born in Cardiff in 1923 achieved something that only a handful of the five hundred or so people who have proudly worn the daffodil-sweater since the Club's formation in 1888, can claim to have also matched, winning some sixty summers after the Club's creation their first-ever County Championship title. Jim was a very lucky man, as the book explains his narrow escape from certain death when he stormed the Normandy beaches on D day in 1944. If it wasn't for the over-exuberance of a driver on another landing craft, Jim would never have graced the cricket field wearing the daffodil of Glamorgan County Cricket Club.

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One of the most colourful and controversial characters in Welsh rugby history, Mike 'Spikey' Watkins remains the only player since 1882 to captain Wales on his debut, and win. Discarded by Cardiff RFC and banned by the WRU after the infamous 'Hookers Night Out' incident in November 1978, Spikey, who had regularly played for the Wales B team and was understudy to Bobby Windsor, thought his chance of a prized Welsh cap has disappeared. In this brutally frank and hard-hitting autobiography, 'Spikey' Watkins, the loveable rogue of Welsh rugby, lifts the lid on his roller-coaster playing career and explains how he fought back against the 'blazer-brigade' he despised, returned to captain a hugely successful Newport team and finally got the call from the WRU, due to public pressure from the supporters who adored him, to captain his country to victory against Ireland in 1984.

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Profiles 50 Cardiff boxers, from the days of the prize ring. This book includes stars of both professional and amateur codes, world champions and Commonwealth Games medal winners.

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This is the most comprehensive guide ever compiled and comprises over 2,000 Welsh first names. This third edition contains over 100 additional names. Welsh is a Celtic language and is spoken by over a million people world-wide. It is the oldest living language in Europe and has a rich, diverse and distinctive collection of personal names, of which several, such as Dylan, Megan, Arthur and Sian, are internationally recognised. More and more parents are making a positive choice and giving a Welsh name to their children and in doing so handing down their Welsh heritage to the next generation. This book is the complete guide to making that choice. Names are arranged according to the English alphabet and, in many instances, an explanation of the name's meaning and a brief word about illustrious bearers of the name are also provided. For those not familiar with the Welsh language, the book also has a section on pronunciation.

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Widely regarded as the greatest footballer of all time, seven-time Ballon d’Or and six-time Golden Shoe winner, Lionel Messi, enjoyed a record-breaking 17-year career at FC Barcelona during which time he scored more goals, played more games, won more titles and provided more assists than any other player in the Catalan club’s history. Adored by Barça fans, Messi reigned supreme until August 2021, when he made a tearful farewell to a stunned global audience. Messi: The King of Camp Nou is the definitive story of Lionel Messi’s entire Barça career, written by Jason Pettigrove, a football journalist who worked for FC Barcelona during Messi’s final years in Catalonia. Charting Messi’s rise as a hopeful 13-year-old Argentinian boy from Rosario to becoming the best footballer in the world, Pettigrove’s comprehensively researched book features exclusive interviews with key individuals in Messi’s story - team-mates, opponents, managers, agents and fellow journalists - including: Joan Laporta, Lionel Scaloni, Victor Font, Sir Kenny Dalglish, Jamie Carragher, Mike Phelan, Josep Maria Minguella, Horacio Gaggioli, Tony Watt, Santi Padro and Jorge Barraza. From being signed by Barça on a napkin to Champions League glory and becoming FC Barcelona captain, Messi: The King of Camp Nou reveals the inside story of Leo’s remarkable reign at Barça including breaking Pelé's incredible record for most goals scored at one club, how the longed for Copa América title was won and how he, season-on-season, mesmerised the football world.

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Malcolm Nash achieved sporting immortality as the bowler hit for a world-record six sixes by the legendary batsman Garry Sobers at Swansea in 1968 but, as Malcolm himself notes, although this single over made his name well-known, it should not define his long and distinguished cricketing career. A highly regarded bowler, Malcolm played over 600 matches for Glamorgan between 1966 and 1983, taking over 1,300 wickets, had an England trial and was unlucky not to receive international recognition. In Not Only, But Also, his sporting memoir published fifty years after the historic day in Swansea, Malcolm not only looks back at that over at St Helen’s but also explores and celebrates his wider achievements with ball and bat, painting an intriguing and nostalgic picture of county cricket, and the life of a county cricketer, in the 1960s and 1970s. Described by his friend John Arlott as `a highly skilful manipulator of medium-pace seam bowling’, Malcolm’s story is of a cricketing life full of excitement and incident. It is a career remembered not only for that single over bowled to the best cricketer in the world, but also by much, much more.

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One of the finest players football has ever seen, Alan Hudson is still revered at Chelsea, Stoke City, Arsenal and Seattle Sounders, and yet his professional success was dogged by injuries and enormous personal challenges. His love of the glitzy 'footballer lifestyle', dominated by hard-drinking and glamorous women, saw Alan descend into rampant alcoholism, depression, and frequent brushes with authority. Huddy - his official biography - reveals for the first time, the full story of the real Alan Hudson, the man behind the lurid newspaper headlines and booze-fuelled anecdotes. A straight-speaker who doesn't suffer fools gladly, he has as many enemies as close friends. Speak to either and you'll get a vastly differing perspective on just who the man is. Even his team-mates were evenly split; they either loved or loathed him. The one thing that couldn't be taken away from him, however, was his talent for the beautiful game. Some years after retiring from the sport he loved, Alan embarked on a new career in the media but, on December 15, 1997, he was the victim of a 'hit-and-run' car accident near his East London home and his 'life well-lived' changed forever. He sustained injuries that the medical profession thought would kill him. Huddy, lovingly written by his friend Jason Pettigrove, describes Alan's determined fight for life and how his single-mindedness enabled him, along with the brilliance of the NHS and the support of his closest family and friends, to recover from his horrendous injuries and rebuild his life. Alan Hudson's fascinating story is one that has never been fully told ...until now.

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Casual observers of the Welsh boxing scene might well think that the best practitioners of the sport have all hailed from the valleys and coastal cities of the south. But the rural counties have contributed their share to the nation's fistic history. In the high-profile heavyweight division alone, the area covered by this book has produced two British champions and another who contested the title. Others have worn and challenged for Lonsdale Belts at lower weights. The first British boxer ever to win a medal at the world amateur championships can be found between these covers, along with the incredible youngster who was ranked in the world's top 10 by the American Ring magazine when he was just 16 years old. This volume, packed with photographs - many published for the first time - profiles more than 50 boxers from the bare-knuckle era to stars of the present and future. It is a must-read for any fight fan, whether from Wales or further afield.

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The Great Escape: Newport County 2016-17 tells the amazing story of how local boy Michael Flynn and his team beat the bookies' odds and confounded their critics to secure their place in the English Football League. On March 4, 2017, Newport County AFC were bottom of League Two and a massive 11 points from safety - with just 12 games left to play - after a 4-0 thrashing at home to closest rivals Leyton Orient. Five days later, experienced manager Graham Westley was sacked with the club seemingly doomed to return to the non-league wilderness where they had spent 25 years before winning promotion in 2013. `The Exiles' looked dead and buried before hometown hero Michael Flynn was appointed caretaker manager and tasked with the `mission impossible' of salvaging their season. Written by South Wales Argus football reporter Andrew Penman and featuring all-new interviews with those at the heart of the story, it is essential reading for all County supporters and Welsh football lovers. A remarkable six wins in the next 11 games saw the Exiles climb out of the bottom two ahead of a final-day showdown with Notts County at Newport's Rodney Parade on May 6. With the match level and relegation rivals Hartlepool United winning, County were destined for the drop with just 90 seconds of the season remaining. But there was one more twist worthy of Hollywood itself as defender Mark O'Brien volleyed in a spectacular 89th-minute winner and Newport's biggest football crowd since 1983 poured onto the pitch to celebrate an incredible end to an incredible story.

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Frank Whitcombe, described as 'one of the greatest Welsh rugby league forwards of all time', played for Bradford Northern, Wales, and Great Britain. Adored by Bradford supporters and admired by the rugby league fraternity, such was his prowess that he was named in the Bradford Northern all-time greats team. The Indomitable Frank Whitcombe, lovingly tells the incredible story of a rugby league legend who was born and raised, as one of ten children in Grangetown, the heart of working-class Cardiff. Frank's rugby career, after a brief and successful spell as a boxer, began in rugby union, when he played for the British Army and London Welsh, as a deceptively nimble and skilful 18 stone forward. His talents were quickly spotted by rugby league scouts, and Frank was persuaded to 'go north' for GBP100 and two new suits, although the cost of buying himself out of the Army left him just GBP10, and the suits! Frank was made for rugby league and he enjoyed a glittering career in professional rugby, winning the RL Challenge Cup three times, the RL Championship three times and was capped 14 times by Wales.He quickly created a big impression on the Great Britain selectors and he was chosen for the famous 1946 'Indomitables' tour of Australia. Frank excelled as the tourists made history and won plaudits from antipodean fans and media alike as the team became the first, and to date only GB tourists, to win a rugby league Test Series, undefeated, 'down under'. After 331 games, Frank bowed-out of rugby with Bradford Northern, four days after playing in a Challenge Cup final at Wembley, in his last match at Odsal; a game which attracted 19,000 fans. He then turned to life as an RL administrator and publican before his life was tragically cut short by pneumonia at the age of only 44. Frank was a true giant of rugby league and this is the first book to tell his remarkable story.

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"The Swansea City Alphabet" evokes the experience of supporting the Swans, the highs and the lows, the good times and the bad. In it you will find the club greats - and not so greats - on events, themes and experiences in the club's eventful past and present. From Vetch to Liberty and from Ivor to Trundle, it reflects the idiosyncratic life and times of a club whose condition is often serious, but rarely dull. A lively and fascinating book, "The Swansea City Alphabet" provides a wealth of information and anecdotes including the High Court Judge who had something in common with the North Bank urinals and the Swans great who was born in gaol (and others not so great who might have gone there). A personal selection, but one that will appeal to all supporters of Swansea City, it is written with warmth and humour by a lifelong fan. It is copiously illustrated both from the author's own collection of memorabilia, and includes over 80 photographs.

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Written by Andrew Hignell, the Archivist of Glamorgan County Cricket Club and the leading authority on the history of cricket in Wales, this book recalls these Golden Years in the history of Blaina Cricket Club as well as tracing the fascinating history of cricket in this Monmouthshire valley. Drawing on the memories, photographs and personnel recollections of those directly involved with the Blaina club from the times when coal was king, through the years of the decline in the iron and tinplate industry to the modern years of mine closure and de-industrialisation, Andrew Hignell has not only produced a cricketing history of Blaina, but also a social history of the town. Cricket began in Blaina in the 1850s as the ironmasters used the game to fly the flag for their works as well as trying to harmonise industrial relations and promoting healthy lifestyles. The playing of cricket subsequently developed into a unifying force within the tight-knit valley communities and, as the first team-game to evolve in industrial Wales, it helped to bond and give immense pleasure to the people whose livelihood was dominated by the state of the iron and coal industries. There were good times and bad, yet throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries the Blaina cricket club remained strong and vibrant. It was a founding member of the South Wales and Monmouthshire League and the club regularly attracted large crowds, sometimes of up to 4,000.

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This volume highlights the importance of the Bay Ports of both Cardiff and Penarth docks during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Volume One illustrated Bay Maidens and vessels that visited the ports and which can still be seen and visited. Now, in this second volume, Alan Thorne provides details of vessels and voyages of mixed fortunes, and lists further Bay Maidens, including many built in the Bay Ports, some of which are still sailing and that includes one launched as long ago as 1879. "The Sail of Cardiff Bay: Volume Two" describes 120 commercial vessels and provides details of the shipbuilders and shipyards, plus dimensions, rigs and tonnages. The book also contains an Afterword on Andrew Andersen, the Master Boat Builder from Penarth.

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On 25 March 1876, the Football Association of Wales played its inaugural match, against Scotland in Glasgow. On that day 11 intrepid footballers became the first of over 700 players to proudly represent the senior men’s team of the world’s third oldest football nation. Sons of Cambria is the first volume of a landmark three-part collection that will feature every footballer capped for Wales’ senior men’s team since 1876 and is the essential reference guide for all followers of Welsh international football. Listed in the order in which they won their caps, every player has for the first time been assigned their unique player number, with Volume I containing biographical listings of the 374 players capped between 1876 and 1939 (as well as the 30 players who represented Wales in uncapped war-time matches) including photographs of almost all the players. In addition to the players, Sons of Cambria also lists every international match (capped and uncapped) played between 1876 and 1946, and includes team photographs from 38 of those games. Packed with incredible stories, fascinating facts and hundreds of photos, Sons of Cambria is a book all Welsh football fans will treasure.

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