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.
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.
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.
Leeds United Minute By Minute takes you on a fantastic journey through the Whites' matchday history. Relive all the breathtaking goals, heroic penalty saves, sending offs and other memorable moments. From Clarke to Lorimer and from Viduka to Becchio, all the club legends are here. An absolute 'must' for United fans.
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.
Trailing George Best: The Manchester Haunts of United's Greatest takes a forensic look back at the locations in and around Manchester where George Best worked, rested, partied and played during the Swinging 60s and the dubiously stylish 70s. Despite the questionable fashions, it was the best of times. George Best lived in the city for nearly 15 years and this book chronicles, with numerous images, the places where he lived, the avenues and alleyways he explored, the boutiques he managed, the nightclubs he both frequented and helped to run, and of course the football grounds where he ran amok. Having tracked down the people who knew George best during this period - people who lived with Best, the pals he hung out with, colleagues who worked with him, his business partners and personal managers - lifelong Manchester United supporters Stuart Bolton and Paul Collier unearth the stories that other writers could not reach.
The inspirational, bittersweet story of Tamsin Imber's journey as a runner. Starting out as a busy mum, she secretly trains for a marathon - and ends up completing nine in a year, running joyfully in the rainy North York Moors with a group of like-minded lunatics. But talented Tamsin's London Marathon attempt is thwarted by a mysterious fatigue. Running My Way explores the empowering sense of freedom and achievement that running can bring into the chaotic, stressful life of a typically selfless mum. Mocked by an old friend, Tamsin sets off on a bumpy road that leads to a rewarding new social life and countless hilarious adventures. Trophy-winning runs attract the attention of a coach who helps her toward qualification for a championship place in the London Marathon. Ultimately, an appreciation of running free with wild abandon - whether in glorious countryside or in competition - is sharpened by Tamsin's diagnosis with debilitating CFS/ME. Now her positivity and sense of humour are sure to inspire others to take up the sport.
Benny Leonard was arguably the greatest lightweight champion of all time. With superb boxing skills and potent punching power, he fought over 200 times and suffered just five defeats. He spent his boyhood in a crime-ridden ghetto in Manhattan's Lower East Side and was the greatest of a long line of Jewish boxers to emerge from the slums. Leonard was still only 19 when he knocked out Freddie Welsh to become world lightweight king in 1917. He defended the title eight times and retired as undefeated champion in 1925, to please the only woman he loved, his mother. But the 1929 Wall Street Crash wiped out his fortune and he was forced to make a comeback at 35. Leonard fought the best of his era: Johnny Dundee, Johnny Kilbane, Rocky Kansas, Jack Britton, Ted Kid Lewis, and Lew Tendler among them. Apart from being a sublime boxer, Benny was a first-class showman who helped to put boxing on a higher plane. He died as he lived - in the ring - while refereeing a fight at age 51. This is the definitive account of his remarkable life and career.
A complete study of the American prodigy whose career seemed to be crashing as spectacularly as it had soared until relocating to England redeemed him. His streamlined seat and acute judgement of pace - validated by the innovative sectional timings of the author, a trailblazing advocate of their value to race analysis - inspired others.
Taking its name from a Liverpool fan's message to buck-toothed Brazilian Ronaldinho, Cilla Wants Her Teeth Back draws together all the football world's best banners and stadium announcements, glorying in the anarchic, partisan humour which can arise when supporters and club DJs are intent on getting their message across to a wider audience.
Enable is a modern day racing heroine, a Queen of the Turf, and she has stirred the emotions of racing fans like few before her. She has won 11 Group Ones to date including the Epsom Oaks, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes three times, the Prix de l''Arc de Triomphe twice and the Breeders'' Cup Turf. She is partnered by Frankie Dettori, the world''s most famous jockey and she is his ''big girl'' and his favourite racehorse. His trademark flying dismounts seem to now be accompanied by tears and by the time of publication, she will have attempted a historic third ''Arc'' which Frankie wants to win ''for her'' and not himself. As well as looking at her close bond with ''Frankie'' the book looks at how Enable''s masterful trainer, John Gosden, managed her from the beginning and how her connections cherish her. Her full story is told through the lens of the Racing Post - its best writers, most astute analysts and unrivalled photographers.
The story of rugby and wrestling legend Douglas 'Duggy' Clark. By 24 Duggy was a rugby league great before being called up to serve in the Great War. He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery, but his war injuries were so severe he was discharged with a 20% disability certificate. Yet Duggy returned to achieve more extraordinary sporting feats.
The Racing Post Desk Calendar is the perfect office accessory. It is a tent-folded, wiro-bound desk calendar featuring one month to view with the most up to date race meeting information in the UK and Ireland at the time of publication - jumps, flat and the all-weather. It also includes the principal races and bloodstock sales dates.
Kings in Waiting is the story of how Somerset failed to win their maiden Championship title despite finishing second five times during the 2010s. Since they finished bottom of the table in 2006, Somerset have enjoyed and endured the most exciting period in their history. Following their bottom-of-the-table finish, they hired Justin Langer as their captain and he transformed them into one of the most competitive teams in the land. He departed in 2009, although the good work he had done alongside his successor Marcus Trescothick was expected to result in trophies. But they somehow failed to deliver, remarkably finishing as runners-up in eight tournaments between 2009 and 2012. This led to them being described as the bridesmaids of English cricket. After a few quiet years, a new team began to emerge under Chris Rogers, one full of youth and promise. He guided them to second in 2016 and his successor Tom Abell finally managed to win a trophy in 2019. Yet the all-important Championship title remains absent from their cabinet.
In a unique first, Celtic Minute by Minute takes you on a fantastic journey through the Bhoys' matchday history and records the historic goals, Old Firm classics, penalty saves, sendings off and other memorable moments and the minute they occurred. Unforgettable moments captured by time, goals from Dalglish to Larsson and from Nicholas to Petrov.
The Hibs are Here is the follow up to Ian Colquhoun's previous book on Hibernian Football Club: From Oblivion to Hampden. That culminated in the club's successful League Cup winning season in 1991/92. This next volume is subtitled Miller to Millennium and charts the period from 1992 through to 1999.
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