King Klopp: Rebuilding the Liverpool Dynasty is the story behind Jurgen Klopp's success at Liverpool. It takes an in-depth look at the tactical concepts underpinning Liverpool's success - revealing who does what, how and why. Discover the secrets of the game model developed by Klopp as well as the roles of key players in realising his master plan.
The brutal 2010 murders of promising footballer Eddie Moussa and his brother were a harbinger of the gang violence now laying siege to Sweden. Written by crime reporter Ann Tornkvist, Follow Fucking Orders captures the freefall of a quaint town, known for its sports-crazed community and top-league football team, into a bloody turf war. After the biggest police investigation into organised crime in Swedish history, the local mob boss was sentenced to life for ordering the hit on Eddie. Author Ann Tornkvist followed the gripping story for five years, securing unique access to families who had fled into the witness protection programme. In 2016, the mob boss tried to derail this book's publication by threatening to have her killed. Undeterred, Tornkvist published Follow Fucking Orders in Sweden in 2018. The first edition sold out within a week and soon became the most popular book in the country's maximum-security prisons. Ultimately, the book offers a chilling reminder that true crime has no last chapter.
Because it's Saturday is a whimsical tour through the heartland of football, from Accrington to Plymouth via Grimsby and Blackpool, during a season of triumphs and near disasters. It is a paean on the passion and loyalty that sustain the grass roots of the game in communities for whom the local club is far more than a football team.
Barbed Wire and Cucumber Sandwiches is the compelling story of a cricket tour framed in a landscape of turbulent social history. Cricket, England's gentle summer game, was shaken to its core by demonstrations, strikes, arrests and violence amid growing global disgust at apartheid, ahead of South Africa's planned 1970 tour. The battle to stop and then to save the tour split the nation, drove a wedge between the generations and destroyed friendships in an uncanny foreshadowing of Brexit. Fifty years on, acclaimed author and social historian Dr Colin Shindler has delved deep into the MCC archives for new information and gained exclusive interviews with key players of the time. Alongside the views of cricketers Mike Brearley and Ray Illingworth are the opinions of Labour politician Peter Hain, who was chairman of the Stop The Seventy Tour campaign. Barbed Wire and Cucumber Sandwiches brings you the full untold story of one of cricket's biggest controversies - the significance of which reaches far beyond the realm of sport.
England On This Day revisits all the most magical and memorable moments from the national cricket team's illustrious past, mixing in a maelstrom of quirky anecdotes and legendary characters to produce an irresistible England diary. From the first ever Test match of 1977 to the Twenty20 era, there's an entry for every day of the year.
Branded a 'rebel' for touring in apartheid South Africa with a West Indian XI, Franklyn Stephenson overcame domestic bans to become one of the world's finest all-rounders. Recognised as the first fast bowler to develop a cunning slower ball, the beaming Barbadian was the last to do the Double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in an English summer.
Fine Margins is the definitive story of how Manchester City and Liverpool became rivals across English and world football. For over 50 years, these two clubs from opposite ends of the M62 have been perennial thorns in each other's side. Countless managers, players and directors have carried what Bill Shankly started into the modern era.
Brian Horton is one of the most respected managers in English football. As a player, manager and assistant, he took part in over 2,000 games - in Britain only Sir Alex Ferguson can claim more. With spells at Manchester City, Brighton, Oxford, Hull, Preston, Port Vale, Southend, Swindon and Macclesfield, Horton has managed clubs in every division.
Applauding the Kop is the definitive story of Liverpool FC's goalkeepers. Through a series of remarkable interviews, it reveals the pressure and demands of playing in the prime position for one of the most successful sides in world football. The book offers honest observer accounts of the greatest goalkeepers to ever pull on the number-one jersey at Anfield, and first-hand anecdotes from those who trained at the club. Get an insider's view on the likes of Bruce Grobbelaar, Jerzy Dudek and David James. The players share funny, emotional and alternative viewpoints of their more illustrious team-mates at Liverpool and elsewhere, offering a rare glimpse of life in the most extraordinary leagues and teams in Europe. Applauding the Kop provides a unique insight into the personalities of many goalkeeping greats, and tells the tales of others who were less successful, detailing the events that dictate how they are perceived. Each player had a very different journey in their quest to reach the pinnacle of the game.
Mike Brearley was one of England's greatest cricket captains. He thrice won the Ashes, including the unforgettable series of 1981, when his leadership helped England to snatch victory from defeat. Yet there was nothing inevitable about his rise. A spell out of the game in his mid-20s stymied his progress and when he returned full-time to captain Middlesex, his innovative approach found little favour with the old guard. In this first-ever biography of Brearley, award-winning cricket writer Mark Peel reveals how Brearley overcame his critics to lead Middlesex to four county championships and two Gillette Cup wins. His rise to the England captaincy was fast, but his unrivalled leadership skills contrasted with his repeated failures with the bat. Away from cricket, Brearley possessed a range of cultural interests along with a sharp intellect, which saw him achieve eminence as a psychoanalyst. Drawing on interviews with friends and team-mates, Peel assesses the many facets of this complex man to explain his phenomenal success as a leader.
Award-winning cricket writer Mark Peel charts the development of the England captaincy - from the autocratic captains of the post-war years to the dual captaincy of the present, where power is shared between captain and coach. Peel examines the huge demands the England captaincy imposes on the occupant and why few leave office with their reputation enhanced. You'll learn about the long-lasting legacy of the Hutton captaincy of the mid-1950s, the downfall of mavericks such as Brian Close, Tony Greig and Mike Gatting, the success of the Illingworth and Brearley eras and the chaos of the 1980s, when captains came and went with regular abandon, and finally the glory years of Michael Vaughan and Andrew Strauss. The Hollow Crown contains individual portraits of the 43 England captains, exploring their background, philosophy, strengths, weaknesses and the legacy they left, with special attention given to the likes of Hutton, May, Illingworth, Brearley, Atherton, Hussain, Vaughan and Strauss.
Firsts, Lasts & Onlys is chock-full of astonishing events, time-honoured anecdotes and extraordinary facts. It contains all sorts of tennis-related trivia from the heir to the throne whose death was caused by tennis, to the vicar who won Wimbledon and the murderer who reached a final. Filled with fascinating tales that will tantalise and enthral.
Foot Soldiers is the story of the football team which astonished Victorian England, by daring to be different. The Royal Engineers combine silky skills with military muscle and an unbreakable team spirit. In their quest to land the sport's greatest prize, they face heartbreak, monstrous bad luck and tragedy.
What is it like to follow one of English football's perennial non-achievers? Hugging Strangers is a celebration of what it means to support your club through thick and thin. It speaks to all who love the game but are lumbered - by way of family, geography or plain bad luck - with a team whose glory days are few and far between. At the end of the 1963/64 season Birmingham City stayed in the first division by winning on the last day of the campaign. In the 55 years that followed, the Blues kept either survival or promotion for the final fixture on a further 12 occasions. Stir in nine relegations, eight promotions, along with play-off failures and embarrassing exits from cup competitions and you'll have an idea of what it means to be a Blues fan. But you don't have to be a Birmingham fan to enjoy this book. This light-hearted collection of tales from a lifelong, hopeless football addict will strike a chord with anyone who has asked themselves quite why they allow this simple game to assume such importance in their lives.
In March 1977, England cricket captain Tony Greig was arguably the most famous and popular sportsman in the country, and the best all-rounder in world cricket. He had recently led England to a famous series victory in India, her first successful campaign on the subcontinent since the Second World War. Then he had conjured a doughty performance from his travel-weary troops in the dramatic, one-off Centenary Test in Melbourne, narrowly losing by 45 runs. Within weeks, though, his reputation was in tatters. He was branded a traitor and mercenary, stripped of the England captaincy and excluded from the national side. He was also relieved of the Sussex captaincy and banned from first-class cricket for eight weeks. His involvement in the controversial 'Packer Revolution' had caused his fall from grace. Soon afterwards, he left England for good for a commentary career in Australia. At 6ft 7in, Greig was a giant of the game both figuratively and literally. His life story is every bit as fascinating as the controversy that engulfed him.
The inspiring, surprising and sometimes shocking story of Irish boxing coach Paddy Fitzpatrick. After learning his trade at Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach's Wild Card gym, Paddy returned to England and took George Groves to three unforgettable world title fights. There are laughs and tears aplenty in this gripping account of a life in boxing.
Celtic started the 1990s in the doldrums whereas Rangers, under David Murray, continued to dominate Scottish football. Fergus McCann's arrival at Parkhead saw a shift in the balance of power, and in the aftermath both owners witnessed a reversal in their clubs' fortunes. Stephen O'Donnell tells the enthralling story of this seismic shift.
A Corner of Every Foreign Field is an innovative and thought-provoking take on the history of cricket, looking beyond the scorecards to the pivotal issues of class, politics and imperialism that have shaped the game today. Author Tim Brooks skilfully delves into the past while providing a unique vision for the future of cricket.
Wilson on the Wing is the exhilarating story of the life and times of Davie Wilson, one of the greatest forwards ever to play for Rangers FC. Spotted as a schoolboy, Wilson began at Ibrox in 1956. After being lauded in the Scottish press for his early performances, he became a stalwart of the great Rangers side of the early 1960s. He soon gained a reputation as not just a creator of goals but a regular scorer, and was part of an attacking trident that netted over 100 goals in the 1962/63 season. Wilson on the Wing traces Davie's life from his mining-village roots to his emergence as one of the greatest Scottish wingers of his generation. The book is filled with anecdotes and memories from Wilson's playing career - as well as his time at Rangers, there are stories from playing at Dundee United and Dumbarton, plus his 22 Scotland appearances. With contributions from, among others, Sir Alex Ferguson, Denis Law and members of Davie's family, this heart-warming tale presents the inside story of a true Scottish football legend.
Rhapsody in Blue is a joyous celebration of growing up in the late 1960s and early 70s in the aftermath of England's 1966 World Cup victory. It was a time when football and pop culture merged - an era of smoke-filled pubs, when Fray Bentos pies and fry-ups were consumed without guilt and parents had no fear of letting their kids stay out after dark. It was also a time without live TV football, when being a fan meant traipsing through the turnstiles every week. The book vividly recalls how a boy fell in love with Chelsea Football Club, cheering the Blues on week after week, while at the same time becoming immersed in the culture of street football. Neil Fitzsimon skilfully transports us to the Stamford Bridge of his youth, when the likes of Ian Hutchinson and Peter Houseman lit up the pitch. Away from the terraces, he played in his own street team in bitterly contested games against rival street sides. Rhapsody in Blue is a moving and nostalgic tribute to a lost era and way of life.
The People's Wimbledon brings you the magic of SW19 in words and pictures. The book combines hundreds of stunning illustrations with memories and anecdotes from players, journalists, broadcasters and fans - from 1877 to the modern day. This book is a 'must' if you've been bitten by the Wimbledon bug.
Gunner: My Life in Cricket is the revealing and absorbing autobiography of Ian Gould, the former England cricketer who became one of the best umpires in the world. During a 13-year career as an elite umpire, 'Gunner' was centre stage for some of the biggest controversies in world cricket, including the infamous 'sandpaper' Test in 2018. As a former international, he appreciated the pressures players were under and formed a rapport with some of cricket's biggest stars, although he always had the integrity of the game at heart. In this candid story of his life in cricket, he is refreshingly honest about the characters and controversies, and he opens up about his battle with depression, after the introduction of DRS technology made the pressure on him intolerable. There are colourful tales too from his days as a player and coach with England, Middlesex and Sussex, and about how he nearly became a professional footballer instead of a cricketer. This included a stint at Arsenal which earned him the nickname 'Gunner'.
Football is more than just a game. Over the past 150 years it has become a source of identity, conflict and debate for all who follow and play it. It has reached the farthest corners of the globe and boasts more players and supporters than any other sport. Football's Fifty Most Important Moments charts the illustrious, colourful and often tragic history of football, uncovering the sport's most significant and staggering moments. Starting in Victorian England with the 1857 introduction of modern football, we journey through 160 years of incredible events to the modern day, where new and innovative ideas are changing the game. Since its creation, football has been shaped by the actions of teams, supporters and of course remarkable individuals on and off the pitch. Whether through mass spectatorship at the 1923 'White Horse Final' or the infamous 'Hand of God' in 1986, football has never failed to amaze and inspire. Learn about its evolution from its modest 19th-century roots to the modern age of nine-figure transfer fees and billionaire investors.
Liverpool FC: 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 Keegan to Salah, from Neal to Robertson, all the Reds legends are here. This is a book every Liverpool fan should own.
The Diary of Sport brings together the most memorable moments and characters in sports history, in one enthralling diary. Learn about the evolution of sport from humble beginnings to the games we love today. The underdogs, heroes and villains, brilliant winners, spectacular losers and bizarre incidents from sports history are all here.
What is it about boxing that charms and bewitches us? John Wight looks for the answer as he delves into the world of beautiful brutality. Showing that boxing is fundamentally tied to the human condition, he pulls back the curtains of his own masculinity to reveal the insecurities, life experiences and vulnerabilities that first drew him to the sport and have informed his engagement with it over a 20-year period. While relating his experiences in boxing gyms on both sides of the Atlantic, Wight reflects on the sport's origins, analysing some of its most memorable moments and characters. Through Wight's compelling memoirs we encounter some of modern boxing's most fascinating figures, among them Freddie Roach, Manny Pacquiao, James Toney and Scotland's IBF junior-welterweight world titlist Josh Taylor. Straddling the line between nobility and barbarity, boxing operates on a different moral and spiritual plane than other sports. This Boxing Game explores why and how.
In the 1980s Manchester United was the footballing byword for underachievement. The club had struggled to rediscover its identity after the shock dismissal of Tommy Docherty in 1977 and a four-year spell under Dave Sexton, a highly respected coach but the polar opposite of his predecessor. Ron Atkinson brought the thrills back to Old Trafford and won two FA Cups before being dismissed in November 1986. 'Big Ron' was the latest in a long line of managers who tried but failed to win the prize United wanted most - the First Division championship. Yet contrary to his reputation for glorious failure, Que Sera, Sera reveals how Atkinson's footballing ideals made him the perfect man to lead the biggest club in the country. Drawing on meticulous research and exclusive interviews, Wayne Barton shines a guiding light on a greatly neglected period of Manchester United history that was filled with big characters and big controversy. Here, for the first time, are the unbridled views of the players, chairman Martin Edwards and 'Big Ron' himself.
Tim Quelch takes a nostalgic look back on a 60s childhood and early adulthood immersed in Sussex sport. Hastings United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Sussex County Cricket Club were his three great loves, his passion for football ignited by United's plucky 1953/54 giant-killing side that came tantalisingly close to a fifth-round FA Cup clash with Arsenal. Later, Brighton secured Tim's lasting loyalty when he witnessed their brave 1961 FA Cup battle with First Division champions Burnley. That same year, Tim was captivated by explosive Sussex batsman Ted Dexter and mesmerised by West Indian fast bowler Wes Hall. Good Old Sussex by the Sea takes us on a whirlwind tour of the highs and lows of Sussex football and cricket in the 1960s, a time when local allegiances counted and expectations of success were more modest. But it was hardly an age of innocence as Hastings United's involvement in a major police corruption scandal shows. The book recalls a rollercoaster ride of triumphs and woes, bringing to life many local heroes of yesteryear.
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