What is it like to support a small team in a city where a footballing giant lurks? Leandro Vignoli spent 50 days on the road, getting up close and personal with the fans of 13 football clubs from ten of Europe's big cities to bring you the inside story. This book isn't about glitz and glamour - it's a celebration of each club's identity peppered with a sprinkling of history. From St Pauli's social activism to Millwall's struggle with hooliganism, from Rayo Vallecano's working-class roots to Torino's glory and tragedy, from the Catalan identity to East Germany's socialist past, no stone is left unturned as Vignoli visits teams in Barcelona, Madrid, Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Lisbon, Paris, Turin, Glasgow and London. Each chapter has a game as a backdrop alongside interviews with fans. A football fanatic himself, Vignoli weaves a narrative filled with passion and understanding that gets to the root of what it's really like to support an underdog side dwarfed by a footballing giant.
Manchester United Minute by Minute takes you on a fantastic journey through the Reds' matchday history. Relive all the breathtaking goals, heroic penalty saves, sending offs and other memorable moments. From Law to Rashford, from Best to Rooney, all the club legends are here. An absolute 'must' for United fans.
In 1976, young Charlton Athletic goalkeeper Graham Tutt had the world at his feet. Then in an instant his dreams were shattered by a career-ending collision seen by millions on TV. What happened next has never been told before. Persistent double vision scuppered a comeback attempt, leading to hurt, depression and bitterness. Moving to South Africa, Tutt witnessed the horrors of apartheid while playing in the country's first mixed league. After surviving some hair-raising experiences, he settled in America and played professional soccer, ran soccer camps for thousands of young people and was inducted into the Georgia Soccer Hall of Fame. He also found love and contentment along with forgiveness after tracking down a figure from his distant past. Never Give Up: The Graham 'Buster' Tutt Story is both laugh-out-loud funny and heart-achingly sad. It speaks not just to athletes but to anyone who has suffered a major setback in their life.
An Ode to Four Four Two examines how coaches in Europe, and particularly England, settled on the 4-4-2 formation to build iconic teams which would dominate both domestically and in Europe. Some of the biggest clubs in world football used the system to devastating effect; while smaller clubs employed the formation to outperform expectations.
The Fix: How the First Champions League Was Won and Why We All Lost is an engrossing examination of the 1992/93 UEFA Champions League - from humble beginnings on a Faroese hillside to its ultimate conclusion in a French courtroom. The Fix considers the economic and political forces that created the Champions League and what was sacrificed for it.
Former Gloucestershire Media Sports Writer of the Year Rob Harris has been playing village cricket for almost 40 years. In inner cities some kids join street gangs in search of respect, but in Rob's childhood the gangs were village cricket clubs and the weapon of choice was a Gunn & Moore bat. Won't You Dance for Virat Kohli? is an honest, funny and colourful account of sporting obsession and how a childhood passion for cricket can dominate grown-up thoughts, dreams, relationships - and weekends. This is the story of one humble club cricketer's misguided search for personal respect and fulfilment in the strangest of places, foregoing holidays and family time to spend long summer days lounging around village greens with other screwed-up 'weekend warriors', whilst secretly wishing he was somewhere - anywhere - else. It is a book that will resonate with anyone who knows and loves grass-roots cricket.
Does the sight of half-scarves enrage you? Does transfer-deadline day make you want to throw a brick through the TV? Do the opening bars of goal music make your ears bleed? If the answer is 'yes', then this could be the book for you. Since English football's very own 'Year Zero' in 1992, the game has changed beyond recognition, rejecting the rough-and-ready days of the past. And like any change, not all of it has been welcome. The quality of the 'football product' might be better but it's come with spiralling levels of debt, yawning inequality and Neymar advertising batteries. These, and many other ills of the modern game, form Jim Keoghan's exploration of the nation's favourite pastime. Navigating a world populated by dodgy owners, celebrity referees and Ray Winstone's floating head, he searches for an answer to the question: Is it Just Me or is Modern Football S**t?
Wimbledon has long stood at the pinnacle of British and world tennis. But, as Kevin Jefferys shows in this ground-breaking new study, Britain has a rich history of international standard play beyond SW19, in top-level tournaments and Davis Cup competitions at iconic venues such as Queen's Club, Eastbourne and Edgbaston. The book traces the fluctuating fortunes of a dozen or so tournaments that have brought the world's finest players to English shores during the 140-year history of lawn tennis. Taking a tour around different regions of the country, the author sheds fresh light on the best-known events and on largely forgotten but once high-profile tournaments held in Bristol, Torquay and Scarborough. Both a record and a celebration of England's tennis heritage, the book is packed with stories about memorable players and matches, full results for singles finals and anecdotes about quirky or controversial incidents, ranging from the courtside fire that halted a tournament final to the anti-apartheid protests that disrupted a Davis Cup tie.
No Breaks: A Lost Season in British Speedway is a story of survival. Once Britain's second most popular sport, speedway has been banished to industrial estates and forgotten by the mainstream media. There was fresh optimism ahead of 2020, until the coronavirus crisis stopped the season in its tracks. This is the story of speedway's tumultuous year.
Watch the Throne: The Tactics Behind the Premier League's European Champions, 1999-2019 offers an in-depth look into the tactics that took Premier League clubs to Champions League glory. English sides overcame their continental rivals to win the competition five times in 20 years - this book details how.
A Deeper Shade of Blue recounts how Chelsea Football Club went from being the cup kings of London to a struggling mid-table Second Division side. It tells of the fall, the rise and then the fall of Eddie McCreadie's Blue and White Army - a golden opportunity that was spurned by the club's owners.
Cast your mind back to the mid-1990s. The Premiership was shiny and new, England weren't terrible at football, and exciting foreign players like Gianfranco Zola, Eric Cantona and Georgi Kinkladze were lighting up our game. In an industrial town in the north-east of England, a little Brazilian magic was the catalyst to thrust a previously provincial, middle-of-the-road club into the full glare of the global footballing spotlight. The Little Fella: How Middlesbrough Fell in Love with Juninho is the story of Juninho Paulista and his three-act association with Middlesbrough, culminating in the League Cup win of 2004, which today still remains Boro's only major trophy. It examines the World Cup winner's part in a rollercoaster 1996/97 season, which saw Boro lose two cup finals and end up being relegated; to the redemptive, triumphant 2003/04 season. With contributions from some of Boro's other star names of a golden period, such as Fabrizio Ravanelli, Emerson, Gaizka Mendieta and Gareth Southgate, The Little Fella attempts to translate into words the magic football fans witnessed on the pitch during those heady days.
The Boleyn's Farewell is the definitive account of one of West Ham's greatest and most historic nights. By speaking to players, fans and others who were there, Danny Lewis relives the club's glorious farewell performance after 112 years at its spiritual home. While the Boleyn no longer stands, memories of the stadium and its swansong will endure.
The cricketing life of a very-nearly-ran. Tom Hicks went from village green to first-class captain, rubbing shoulders with cricketing royalty while experiencing highs, lows and hilarity. If you've ever wondered what it's like to face 90mph bowling, to have lunch with Mike Gatting or to infiltrate an England post-match party, Hicks is your man.
The Secret Cricketer first picked up a cricket bat as a toddler and became a county junior. He secured a professional contract and has been at the coalface of the English county game ever since. This fast-paced, insider's account lifts the lid on modern cricket to reveal what life is really like for an English professional in the 21st century. How do players cope when they can't take a wicket or score a run and their livelihood is on the line? What makes a good coach and how many are there (hint - not many)? Is there still an old-school hierarchy in dressing rooms or a bullying culture? What's the secret to a winning dressing room, and what's it like to be in one when morale hits rock bottom? How much do county players earn? And what's it like to walk out at Lord's to play in a major final? With unique first-hand insight into the fast-evolving modern game, the book answers all these questions and more. It's brimming with untold stories - some that will make you laugh and others that will shock you.
Origin Stories: The Pioneers Who Took Football to the World explores the country-by-country journey of football's global spread and uncovers the people who put down its roots. From playing field to factory floor, from dockyard to favela, the book takes the reader on an odyssey from the very first kick to the first World Cup in 1930.
Paul Weller was a one-club player. He moved from sunny Brighton aged just 16 to dreary Burnley, with its grey skies, run-down terraced streets and mill chimneys, where riots were among the first things he saw. A more timid person might have caught the first train home. But he went on to play 252 games for the Clarets between 1993 and 2005. He would have played many more but for suffering the debilitating effects of colitis. It took a huge chunk out of his career, forcing him out of the first team. Other players might have capitulated, but he faced the problem head on, battled it and beat it and got back into the first team, with a promotion to the Championship. Remarkably, he was 'player of the season' the very next year. This is a real-life story of how to overcome obstacles and fight illness using courage, grit and determination. But it is also a story of the bullying, pitfalls and perils that await any aspiring footballer, the impact of managers and the inhuman cruelty with which players can be so casually released.
Record Breakers: The Tactics Behind Liverpool and Manchester City's Title Triumphs and Record Points Totals lifts the lid on Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola's tactical systems and strategies. From 'inverted full-backs' to 'false 9s' via 'free 8s', discover how City and Liverpool's tactics reflect modern football's evolution.
Real Madrid On This Day revisits the most magical and memorable moments from the club's glorious past, mixing in a maelstrom of anecdotes and characters to produce an irresistibly dippable diary of one of the world's greatest football institutions - with an entry for every day of the year. It's a treasure trove of club history, trivia and facts.
FC Barcelona On This Day revisits the most magical and memorable moments from the club's glorious past, mixing in a maelstrom of anecdotes and characters to produce an irresistibly dippable diary of one of the most dominant clubs of modern times - with an entry for every day of the year. It's a treasure trove of club history, trivia and facts.
Football's Braveheart is the riveting life story of Dave Mackay, the fearless, skilled, heroic and barrel-chested left-half who was an icon for Spurs, Hearts, Derby and Scotland. Off the field, Dave was a humble, fair-minded, sociable man. On it, he was an out-and-out winner, a warrior and inspiration with consummate ball skills and intelligence. The heartbeat of Spurs' double-winning side of 1961, he came back after two broken legs to add to a glittering trophy collection started at Hearts. After his playing career, Mackay distinguished himself as a title-winning manager with Derby County. A legends' legend, he was lauded by George Best as the hardest and bravest opponent he ever faced. Fabled managers Bill Nicholson (Spurs) and Brian Clough (Derby) hailed him as their best signing, and other admirers included Jimmy Greaves, Denis Law and Sir Alex Ferguson. Author Mike Donovan has gained exclusive, first-hand insights from those who knew Mackay best to bring you the definitive story of a man who made an indelible mark on football.
Come On You Blues is a fascinating first-hand account of Shrewsbury Town's first ever campaign in Division Two in 1979/80, as seen through the eyes of a 15-year-old fan. It vividly evokes the excitement of following a small team defying the odds in the second tier as they battle footballing giants, fierce local rivals and up-and-coming sides.
In 1983, an unknown 23-year-old from Suffolk called Keith Deller took the darts world by storm, defying the odds and sporting conventions to become a most unlikely world champion. Deller was the diametric opposite of the beer-swigging, chain-smoking, paunch-bellied darts player fans were used to. He was slim, well-spoken, athletic and didn't smoke or drink. And he looked like a boy next to his flabby, middle-aged opponents. A TV audience of 10 million watched transfixed as this angelic newcomer beat world number-one Eric Bristow in the final. Almost overnight, Keith had breathed new life into a game whose traditions had been hewn in the nation's smoky pubs and clubs. Deller was a new breed of darts player whose appeal transcended this gritty working-class sport, piquing the interest of intellectuals such as Martin Amis and Stephen Fry. In 138, Keith takes the reader on an intimate journey as we relive his rapid rise from complete obscurity to lifting the game's greatest prize as one of the youngest world champions in history.
Rangers Minute By Minute takes you on a fantastic journey through the Gers' matchday history. Relive all the breathtaking goals, heroic penalty saves, sending offs and other memorable moments. From McCoist to Baxter and from Gascoigne to Cooper, all the club legends are here. An absolute 'must' for Gers fans.
Accidental Olympian is the uplifting story of a judo athlete who wasn't afraid to dream big. Colin Oates trained in the wilds of Norfolk, at a village hall club run by his father. Entering the Olympics seemed an impossible dream, but Oates defied the odds to qualify for and compete at two Olympic Games. The boy born in Harold Wood, Essex, battled not only local prejudices within the judo fraternity but took on and beat many of the world's top players. Under the coaching and guidance of his father, Oates travelled the globe to fight in places he'd never heard of. Discover how Oates, supported by a judo-crazy family, smashed his way to being the British number-one under-66kg player for nearly a decade before qualifying for the Olympics. At London 2012, Oates defeated an ex-world champion and was only stopped by the eventual gold medallist. At Rio 2016, he faced the heartbreak of an early exit but was soon appointed a Great Britain elite coach. This is a genuine David and Goliath story where the underdog comes out on top.
And Bring the Darkness Home is a haunting exploration of how the mental scars of war destroyed an international cricket career, tore a family apart and left destitute a man who seemed to have it all. Tony Dell was the only Test cricketer to fight in the Vietnam War. His journey to the summit of the game, playing for Australia against England in the Ashes, was as unlikely and meteoric as any in cricket history. His descent was painful and harrowing. It was in his mid-60s, living in his mother's garage, that he learned the truth about what had led him on a path of self-destruction. A diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder allowed him to piece together the ruins of his life and also to search for answers, for himself and the thousands of other sufferers. The restlessness and urgency that once drove him to the top of the game was turned on authorities who refused to learn the lessons from history. PTSD robbed Tony Dell of memories of his playing career and left a palpable sense of loss. It also gave him a life-changing mission.
Black and White is a definitive history of boxing's pioneering years. Brian Dobbs exposes the racism, brutality and trickery of this fascinating era, bringing to life the fights and fighters that transformed the sport from underground sleaze to fashionable spectacle - including Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Jimmy Wilde, Ted 'Kid' Lewis and many more.
Beautiful Bridesmaids Dressed in Oranje: The Unfulfilled Glory of Dutch Football is the story of a dazzling football dream. Built on the club successes of Ajax and Feyenoord, it's a utopian ideal that blazed with a bright but ephemeral Oranje flame, scorching the football pitches of the world in the 1970s. Although Dutch clubs dominated the European Cup from 1969 to 1973, until 1974 the Oranje had failed to qualify for a World Cup for 36 years. Two finals then followed in successive tournaments, as 'totaalvoetbal' burst from its chrysalis, proudly revealing to the world its wings adorned with vivid shades of Oranje. The winners were the brides. It was their day, but the Dutch sides were more beautiful, yet so fragile, and football loved them for it. This isn't merely a tale of bridesmaids who came so close yet failed gloriously. It is the celebration of a footballing counter-culture, a revolution, a flame that burned so brightly, but so briefly. It's the story of those Beautiful Bridesmaids Dressed in Oranje.
Silver Linings examines an historic and unforgettable period in the history of England's national football team. In his eight years as England boss, Bobby Robson was celebrated, derided, Diego-ed, and everything in between. His team missed one European Championship, self-destructed at another, were cheated out of Mexico 86, and then, just before he left, came within two kicks of a World Cup final. On this journey he had managed the good, the bad and sometimes the ugly. But through it all he maintained his belief not only in himself and his team, but in the notion of England. Faced with an unprecedented level of media hostility, Robson's team were inconsistent and frustrating, but at their best few could match them. Alf Ramsey may have won football's greatest prize in 1966 but no other England manager could equal the sheer drama of Robson's eight years in charge. Set against the backdrop of a vicious newspaper circulation war and the rise of hooliganism, this is the story of how Robson managed to deliver the seemingly impossible: hope.
The Miracle is the inside story of how Greece shocked the footballing world by winning the 2004 European Championship. This incredible underdog tale shows how these 150-1 outsiders went from a team given no chance to being crowned kings of Europe, defeating the host nation in the final. Vasilis Sambrakos retraces Greece's journey by meeting most of Otto Rehagel's squad 15 years after their momentous triumph. The book is both an enthralling football story of victory against the odds and an in-depth look at how a winning team is constructed from the bottom up. It examines the values and methods needed to create a sporting unit along with the roles of the team's key players. The Miracle brings you the untold story of one of the greatest sporting achievements in history.
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