Why Are We Always On Last? Running Match of the Day and Other Adventures in TV and Football is a fly-on-the wall account of Paul Armstrong's career working on Britain's favourite TV sports show (including nearly 15 years as the editor, defending his running orders) and a lifetime spent around sport, and football in particular. From a virtual BBC monopoly of sports coverage and working at the Hillsborough disaster, to the era of Sky, social media and megaclubs, Paul takes us behind the scenes at MOTD and chronicles the joys and pressures of seven World Cups and live broadcasts of varying quality. He provides an honest and humorous account of the seismic changes he's seen, both in broadcasting and the football industry. With inside stories of working with everyone from David Coleman and Brian Clough to Thierry Henry and Alan Shearer.. All infused with the pessimism and jaundice acquired during almost five decades following Middlesbrough FC.
Five Trophies and a Funeral: The Building and Rebuilding of Durham County Cricket Club is the story of how English cricket's youngest first-class county quickly became the country's top team, before overstretching themselves financially to the brink of extinction. When Durham joined the professional game in 1992 they aspired to be a major on-field force and a home to top international cricket. The high demands put on them as a condition of entry, together with their own lofty ambitions, pushed the club to five major trophies in seven seasons while providing England with top-quality players reared in the North East. But striving for ever more at a time of economic downturn led them to live beyond their means, and they were heavily punished for overspending that the authorities partly encouraged. Now they are looking to restore past glories under the chairmanship of Sir Ian Botham. Part fairy tale, part cautionary story, Five Trophies explains how Durham arrived where they are, and where they aim to go next.
The life and times of Middlesex and England wicketkeeper-batsman John 'JT' Murray, one of the acknowledged greats of English post-war cricket. Irresistibly cool, glamorous and apparently unapproachable, Murray was Christopher Sandford's consuming hero at the time the author was confined in an English seaside boarding school in the 60s. Twenty or more years later, the two became friends. In 2017 Murray eventually succumbed to a decade-long campaign and agreed to share in full his lifetime's reminiscences, recounting his experiences of a quarter of a century as a professional English sportsman. Murray proved unfailingly generous and humorous (if by no means uncritical) in his accounts of the great Tests, the tours and the parade of celebrities, sporting and otherwise, he encountered. This treasure trove of stories - described not just in the dry accountancy of scores and averages, but in droll anecdotal detail - lies at the heart of a unique cricket book illustrated by photographs, letters and notes from Murray's own collection.
Growing Up With the Trinity brings to life that unique period in 60s football when Manchester United had three European Players of the Year - Charlton, Best and Law - in their team. As the Manchester football scene blended with music and fashion, a young boy found inspiration watching these legends. As a child, Brendon McGuire was taken to Old Trafford by his mother, as his colourful, hard-drinking father had no interest in football. Seeing George Best make his debut, the Stretford End became a place of sanctuary while the music scene of 1960s Manchester provided the soundtrack for a road to be travelled. The awesome power of a Bobby Dazzler, the sight of the 17-year-old Best twisting a full-back's blood, and the raised-arm salute of Denis Law created an alluring magic. As The Beatles rocked one end of the East Lancs Road, Manchester responded with its own top bands and Northern Soul, forming an irreplaceable moment in time for Manchester United, a fast-changing city and one young boy.
James Cook's autobiography is a gripping account of his life told with the assistance of his friend and boxing author, Melanie Lloyd. Cook was raised by his grandparents in Jamaica until he was nine years old, when his mother arrived from London to collect him. His words paint a vibrant picture of childhood in the Caribbean sun and having to adapt to life on the notorious North Peckham Housing Estate in the late 60s. He started boxing in his teens and became British and European super-middleweight champion. Cook eloquently leads the reader through his life in the ring with plenty of droll tales along the way; but this is much more than a boxing book. Cook's commitment to keeping his local community safe through his youth work contributes to an inspirational and uplifting read. But anybody expecting to find Saint James on every page is in for a shock. His stories range from fighting with wheel-clampers in a Tesco car park to receiving his MBE from the Queen, all told with equal warmth and a sweet honesty that will keep the pages turning.
The hard-hitting, personal stories shared by some of boxing's biggest names are presented in a series of short, sharp features in Tales from the Top Table. Seventeen world champions are among the main attractions. Delve deep into the psyche of the famous fighting men and relive their experiences in the ring - the good, the bad and the ugly. There are many fresh and surprising stories included here, as these memorable anecdotes about the fighters' lives and times were originally intended only for the ears of those in attendance at the Bar Sport in Cannock - and could easily have stayed that way. The bar's upstairs Premier Suite holds just 300 people but countless sporting idols have passed through its doors, helping to put the Staffordshire town on the map. Now Craig Birch's exclusive notes on Bar Sport's after-dinner speakers put you right in the room. Every chapter is packed with the unique stories and inside information from boxing's beloved aficionados. Foreword by Richie Woodhall, former WBC super-middleweight world champion.
I Can't Help Falling in Love with You offers a personal, heartfelt yet tellingly critical survey of the changing world of football fandom. Gregory Whitaker's coming-of-age memoir provides an emotional insight into the modern game from the perspective of a bona fide fanatic who has experienced all the highs and lows of football's last 20 years.
Frank Barson's life story is one of hardship and hard-won fame, his tough tackling and prowess in controlled aggression earning him a reputation that lives on today. Rising from the factory floor to become a footballing giant, Barson lifted the fortunes of Aston Villa and Manchester United while earning more cautions than anyone before or since. Born in Sheffield's industrial district of Grimesthorpe, his no-nonsense football style was forged in the 20s when learning his trade with Barnsley FC's renowned Battlers. Even in an era of ruthless tackling he stood out as a notoriously powerful player, yet his frequent clashes with authority belied his status as an extremely intelligent player, an inspiration to his colleagues and a true leader. Although Barson only earned a single England cap, commentators and colleagues alike would bemoan the fact that he was not captaining the national side. Football's infamous 'hard man' set standards in deadly, focussed aggression which players such as Norman Hunter and Roy Keane have since striven to emulate.
The unconventional and surprisingly uplifting real-life account of football fan Michael Heinicke's experience with cancer. Interspersed with 25 years of exhilarating and heartening memories of life as a Burnley FC supporter, the book takes you back to his first match, as seen through the eyes of a six-year-old boy. The depth of detail woven into Michael's accounts of Burnley matches through the decades - from the old, decaying terraces of Division Four to the euphoria of a Wembley promotion to the Premier League - will strike a chord with football fans everywhere. Back in the present day, his descriptions of medical appointments and chemotherapy treatment will unexpectedly have you laughing out loud. Michael was 32 and the father of three young children when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2014. His story breaks down conventional cancer myths and shows us that sometimes, for a lucky few, life's curveballs can be more positive than negative, bringing a tale of hope to that unfathomable and unbearable cancer diagnosis.
Rangers in the 1980s chronicles the fortunes of the club during one of the most turbulent, transitional decades in their history. The story is told by the players of the era, who recount their routes to Ibrox, memories of their time with the club, and retrospective opinions on both Rangers FC and the changing game.
If the wider, football-conscious world is aware of just two things about Scottish football, they are surely as follows: firstly, that there is a virulent rivalry in Glasgow between the city's two great teams, Rangers and Celtic, based on a religious divide; and secondly, that Rangers recently suffered a catastrophic financial collapse, which ultimately led to the club's insolvency. Split into two separate, but closely linked, sections, Tangled Up in Blue: The Rise and Fall of Rangers FC gives the full account of both of these stories. Stephen O'Donnell explores how Rangers first became associated with hard-line Protestantism, dominating Scottish football for decades without ever knowingly signing a Catholic footballer, until the feted arrival of Maurice Johnston at Ibrox in 1989. He then switches focus to the club's financial affairs, as Rangers' unsustainable spending brought the club to the brink of collapse and, despite the hidden benefits of an illegal tax avoidance scheme, resulted in its liquidation.
Of all games, cricket has long prided itself on its ethical traditions, but to modern sceptics the idea of cricket encapsulating a higher morality is actually something of a myth. Playing the Game? looks at the changing ethics of cricket, from its gentlemanly roots right up until the present day. After decades of sledging, intimidatory bowling, blatant gamesmanship and dissent, the MCC adopted `The Spirit of Cricket' in 2000 in an attempt to reclaim the game's original ethos - but was it already too late? While the concept is a noble one, its impact has so far been limited, as award-winning cricket scribe Mark Peel explains. As well as looking back to the infamous Bodyline series of 1932/33, Peel also investigates the effects of Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket; takes the ICC to task on their failure to quell rowdy behaviour and gamesmanship; examines the double standards of Western cricketing nations towards Pakistan; and delves into the recent ball-tampering affair that has tainted Aussie cricket.
Lancashire has had a major role to play in English football from its earliest days to the present. The county's leading clubs were largely responsible for the introduction of professionalism in the 1880s, after Preston North End admitted paying their players, and the world's first Football League was divided between teams from the North West and the Midlands. Preston's 'Invincibles' triumphed in that first competition before adding the FA Cup that two different Blackburn clubs had already won - and soon the great clubs of Merseyside and Manchester were winning their first trophies. As the turf wars developed, Blackpool, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Bury and Oldham all made their mark in the top division; clubs such as Rochdale and Wigan fought the good fight in rugby hotbeds; and more recently Fleetwood and Morecambe have carried the name of their towns further afield. This is the story of these great rivals, their triumphs, scandals and tragedies, and the great players who have kept the red rose to the fore at home and abroad.
Forgotten Nations tells the stories of the international football teams that are unable to break into FIFA's ranks, from the self-funded minnows of Barawa in south-western Sudan to Tibet's Dalai Lama-backed national side, and new media darlings Yorkshire. They play under the auspices of CONIFA - the Confederation of Independent Football Associations - created to help express the cultural identities of football's 'stateless peoples', fighting for recognition on the biggest stage of all. Here are incredible human and sporting stories from diverse regions: from Matabeleland in Zimbabwe, still recovering from massacres 30 years ago, to Tuvalu in the south Pacific, threatened with inundation. Aided by wonderful behind-the-scenes access at London's 2018 CONIFA World Football Cup, and the irresistible willpower of sportsmen and women trying to make their stories heard, Forgotten Nations explains why 11,000 people crammed into a tiny stadium on the Black Sea coast in 2016 to watch two teams that most of the world has never heard of.
Darkness and Light is a thrilling tale of survival against the odds. Joe Thompson overcame a troubled childhood to become a footballer, but was then diagnosed with cancer at 23. He beat the disease and continued his career, only for it to return three years later. He defeated cancer again and then made an astonishing comeback on the pitch.
An entertaining and powerful narrative of a manager striving to satisfy legions of fanatical supporters and an impatient boardroom. In the white heat of North East football mania, Alan Durban battled to achieve long-term stability and on-field success at Sunderland. Heartbreakingly, his vision of 'tomorrow' would never reach fruition.
In 1905, Vic Cartwright's England rugby team lined up against Dave Gallaher's touring All Blacks at Crystal Palace - the first ever meeting of two national teams. Ensuing matches, in both the amateur and professional eras, have been dramatic and controversial, steeped in the historical rivalry of the traditional home of the game for the nation that has claimed rugby as its own. Men in white (such as Wakefield, Beaumont, Carling, Leonard and Johnson) versus men in black (Meads, Lochore, Fitzpatrick, Lomu, McCaw). Hakas drowned out by rousing renditions of 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot'. Grinding forward tussles on cold, murky afternoons and sweeping back-line movements on sun-lit grounds. Thorny Encounters chronicles the first 40 Test matches between England and New Zealand, in which giants of the sport have measured themselves against each other. In the professional era, the match has become the clash of the hemispheres.
In his previous book, Running Hot & Cold, Doug described his journey from couch potato in late middle age to running long-distance races across the Sahara Desert and the polar ice-cap of Greenland. Now approaching 70 years of age, Doug is edging towards his ultimate dream of running at least a half marathon on each of Earth's seven continents.
Stoke and I: The Nineties charts the fortunes of Stoke City Football Club through the decade that spawned Britpop, Euro 96 and Cool Britannia. Key moments such as the title-winning season of 1992/93, the Autoglass Trophy victory and the emotional farewell to the Victoria Ground are recounted through the eyes of a fan growing up in the last decade before football changed beyond recognition. Memories of players and matches, from the great to the awful, sit alongside hilarious tales of playground Potteries derbies, embarrassing school football trials and the author's attempts to become pen pals with Jon Dreyer. Featuring selected highlights from Neil James's popular 'Trouserdog' column in The Oatcake fanzine, plus a wealth of new material and new insights from key figures such as Lou Macari, Mike Sheron and Peter Coates, Stoke and I: The Nineties is a personal take on a fascinating period in the history of England's second-oldest league club.
From the controversy that surrounded Aberdeen FC's first cup semi-final, through the triumphant European golden era of the 80s to their long-awaited return to glory with their League Cup win in 2014, here are 50 of the Dons' most glorious, epochal and thrilling games of all.
Villeneuve sheds new light on the F1 legend through 48 illuminating interviews with his contemporaries and a stunning array of action and behind-the-scenes photographs, many previously unseen. Gilles Villeneuve, F1's last cavalier, lives on in the memories of his fans - his heritage all the more colourful thanks to Karoly Mehes' vivid tribute.
Waiting is the story of a rookie photojournalist immersed in Formula One's golden age of the 70s and 80s. Aged just 19, Richard Kelley saw the need to faithfully document the sport's lethal dangers, iconic personalities and technological developments in a period of seismic change, which caused F1's unique character to disappear forever.
Lionel Messi and the Art of Living is a book about sport, providing a bold and insightful study of arguably the greatest footballer ever. But it is also a book about life, revealing how the thoughtful examination of an inspirational footballer's career yields lessons which can be implemented in a meaningful and impactful manner in our own lives.
Ronnie O'Sullivan's status as one of snooker's all-time greats was cemented in 2017 by adding to his five world titles, a seventh Masters and sixth UK, thus equalling Stephen Hendry's 18 'triple crown' triumphs. Now is the perfect time for his story to be told by Clive Everton - 'The Voice of Snooker'. Simply the Best traces Ronnie's course from carefree junior prodigy to deeply troubled and depressed adult, and so to maturity and self-knowledge. Along the way, he emerges as instinctively warm-hearted, the most loyal of sons and a true sportsman in his acceptance of defeat. Even so, full consideration is given to Ronnie's mistakes in a rounded portrait of one of snooker's most fascinating, complicated and successful characters.
Wingin' It is the ultimate story of hope over hate, the insightful autobiography of a footballer who beat the bigots. Due to the colour of his skin, Mark Walters always felt he needed to be twice as good as other players in order to succeed. But Mark drew inspiration from the way the late Cyrille Regis handled his racist detractors, and went on to fulfil his potential by flaunting his dazzling ball skills for England. While a starry-eyed kid in Birmingham, he somehow escaped the clutches of evil paedophile Ted Langford, although his mate wasn't so fortunate. He became an idol of the Villa Park terraces, though his move to Scotland was almost halted by a bloodthirsty mob who pelted him with bananas and pigs' feet. But Walters stood firm to become one of England's most popular exports. After a third successive league title, a GBP1.25 million move to Liverpool reunited him with Graeme Souness. Mark rewrote the record books at Anfield, but would ultimately call his decision to head south 'the biggest mistake of my career'.
The Beautiful Badge is the first book to explore the history of football club badges. From the original Red Devil to the GBP10 canary, it looks at what inspired them, who crafted them and how fans reacted. Extensive illustrations show how badges followed fashion, negotiated copyright and expressed the aspirations of owners, managers and fans.
Scotland - Glory, Tears & Souvenirs is an offbeat collection of memories, mementos, rants and aspirations relating to Scotland's national football team. A 'look back in hunger' on the post-war era, with emphasis on the 1970s to date. A reminder of the way football was, the way it is now and the way we'd like it to be!
At 34 years of age, Gregory Howe quit teaching in London to chase his childhood dream of becoming a world-ranked tennis professional. He started his year-long journey in the minor leagues, playing across four continents, as far afield as Bangkok, Kampala and Lahore, initially struggling against younger, fitter aspiring pros. Breaking through to the elite ATP tour, he got within volleying distance of some of the greats of the modern game. Eventually, he managed to juggle competing on the ATP tour with holding down a nine-to-five job. Along the way he encountered almost everything the tennis world has to offer, from rising stars racing to the top, to players whose hopes are slowly being shattered. Chasing Points: A Season on the Men's Pro Tennis Circuit offers a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the life of a touring tennis professional from the perspective of a real 'underdog'.
Almost as much is written in the football media about transfers as about the game itself. Records are smashed and billions spent each transfer window, but how does the transfer market work? How does a transfer come together? How do you become an agent, and what do they actually do? And what are the effects of a move on the main stakeholders?
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