-
Miami, 1963. A young boy from Louisville, Kentucky, is on the path to becoming the greatest sportsman of all time. Cassius Clay is training in the 5th Street Gym for his heavyweight title clash against the formidable Sonny Liston. He is beginning to embrace the ideas and attitudes of Black Power, and firebrand preacher Malcolm X will soon become his spiritual adviser. Thus Cassius Clay will become 'Cassius X' as he awaits his induction into the Nation of Islam. Cassius also befriends the legendary soul singer Sam Cooke, falls in love with soul singer Dee Dee Sharp and becomes a remarkable witness to the first days of soul music. As with his award-winning soul trilogy, Stuart Cosgrove's intensive research and sweeping storytelling shines a new light on how black music lit up the sixties against a backdrop of social and political turmoil - and how Cassius Clay made his remarkable transformation into Muhammad Ali. ISBN 9781846974762 -
Successful jump jockeys come from a variety of backgrounds. Their childhoods and upbringings show vast differences. Some originate from families already connected to horses and racing - they were always going to be riders. Yet others have parents who have no equine connections whatsoever, which presents the question: why did these kids become jockeys and how?In her latest book on racing, best-selling author Henrietta Knight - the three-time Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning trainer of the legendary Best Mate - charts the lives of more than 80 jump jockeys in the hope of finding out what inspired them in childhood to take up one of the most dangerous jobs in sport. Among the great and good to be profiled are household names such as Richard Dunwoody, John Francome, Sir Anthony McCoy and Ruby Walsh, and throughout Starting From Scratch we discover how many of racing's most celebrated individuals opted to take the path they did. ISBN 9781839500305 -
More words have been written about Muhammad Ali than almost anyone else. He was, without doubt, the world's most-loved sportsman. At the height of his celebrity he was the most famous person in the world. And yet, until now, the one voice missing belonged to the man who knew him best - his only sibling, and best friend, Rahaman Ali. No one was closer to Ali than Rahaman. Born Cassius and Rudolph Arnett Clay, the two brothers grew up together, lived together, trained together, travelled together, and fought together in the street and in the ring. A constant fixture in his sibling's company, Rahaman saw Ali at both his best and his worst: the relentless prankster and the jealous older brother, the outspoken advocate, the husband and father. In My Brother, Muhammad Ali, he is able to offer a surprising insider's perspective on the well-known stories, as well as never-before-told tales, painting a rich portrait of a proud, relentlessly polarizing, yet often vulnerable man. In this extraordinary, poignant memoir, Rahaman tells a much bigger and more personal story than in any other book on the great man - that of two brothers, almost inseparable from birth to death. It is the final and most important perspective on one of the most iconic figures of the last century. A Sunday Times Book of the Year 'Rahaman has, at last, written the definitive biography on his late brother, which tells the real Ali story' - Mike Tyson 'The real life of the Great One' - George Foreman ISBN 9781789461718 -
To Liverpool fans he was 'God', but Robbie Fowler has never told his full story until now. In A Footballer's Life Robbie takes us on a journey through the twenty games that have shaped of his career and thinking about football from Hillsborough to Istanbul, via the cup treble, that celebration, all those goals, Houllier, Benitiez, Klopp and the rest. Personal and revealing, Robbie stories come from a life spent inside the game. He invites us inside the dressing room, sharing stories of legendary team-mates like Rush, Owen and Gerrard, his love of the Kop, his greatest achievements and his biggest regrets as well as the money, fame, and the hoopla that surrounds the modern game. Discussing frankly his rise to football's top table, his struggles with injuries and retirement as well as his feelings about the modern game, A Footballer's Life harks back to a simpler time when fans and players shared the same story, and when the local boy really could dream of scoring a hat-trick for his home club when Saturday came. ISBN 9781788701112 -
Gaelic football is Ireland's native sport. Fast, physical, athletic and driven by local and national rivalries, it is a unique part of our heritage. Ray McManus and his team at Sportsfile are as passionate as all true sports fans, and have been taking photographs for over forty years. They have been at All Ireland finals, of course, but also at club matches throughout the land. With reminiscences from photographers and players alike, this book is a look back over the decades at the legendary players, matches and moments that have contributed to the narrative of one of the world's most exciting sports. A must for Gaelic Football fans wherever they are. First published in 2016, this edition is updated to include many great matches and Dublin's historic Five in a Row. ISBN 9781788491983 -
On the morning of 21 November 1920, Jane Boyle walked to Sunday Mass in the church where she would be married five days later. That afternoon she went with her fiance to watch Tipperary and Dublin play a Gaelic football match at Croke Park. Across the city fourteen men lay dead in their beds after a synchronised IRA attack designed to cripple British intelligence services in Ireland. Trucks of police and military rumbled through the city streets as hundreds of people clamoured at the metal gates of Dublin Castle seeking refuge. Some of them were headed for Croke Park. Award-winning journalist and author Michael Foley recounts the extraordinary story of Bloody Sunday in Croke Park and the 90 seconds of shooting that changed Ireland forever. In a deeply intimate portrait he tells for the first time the stories of those killed, the police and military personnel who were in Croke Park that day, and the families left shattered in its aftermath, all against the backdrop of a fierce conflict that stretched from the streets of Dublin and the hedgerows of Tipperary to the halls of Westminster. Updated with new information and photographs. ISBN 9781788491969 -
Do you remember John Giles and Eamon Dunphy when they lit up the pitch, and not just the TV studio? Or Jack's Army beating Italy in Giants Stadium? Or Siapan? Ray McManus and his team at Sportsfile were there, passionately following the boys in green and capturing the essence of this physical, punishing sport and those who play it. With reminiscences from photographers and players alike, this book is a look back over the decades at the legendary players, matches and moments that have contributed to the narrative of our contribution to one of the world's most exciting sports. A must for soccer and sport fans wherever they are. ISBN 9781788491341 -
Ireland is now playing at the top table in world Rugby, with clubs and country considered among the toughest around. It wasn't always like this, and for decades we propped up the bottom of the tables, with moral victories often the most we could hope for. Ray McManus and his team at Sportsfile have been there throughout, passionately following the boys in green (and blue, red, white and the dark green of Connaught), capturing the essence of this physical, punishing sport and those who play it. With reminiscences from photographers and players alike, this book is a look back over the decades at the legendary players, matches and moments that have contributed to the narrative of our contribution to one of the world's most exciting sports. A must for rugby fans wherever they are. Paperback edition updated to include Ireland's historic home win over New Zealand in September 2018 and the 2019 Six Nations. ISBN 9781788491334 -
Three of the greatest football clubs: Celtic, Liverpool and Manchester United. Their three greatest managers: Jock Stein, Bill Shankly and Matt Busby. Three men born within a 20-mile radius of each other in the central lowlands of Scotland; forged in mining communities to subsequently shape the course of modern football. From a BAFTA-winning documentary film maker and the people who brought us AMY, I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES and SENNA, this is a book for anyone who loves football and its history. ISBN 9781787475694 -
Eye-opening contributions from the stars of game make this a powerful, groundbreaking investigation into the mind of the professional golfer. Professional golf is the most remorseless of sports, unique in the complexity of its demands. Technical perfection must be produced in short, concentrated bursts of synchronised movement. Huge mental strength is required. Why, then, do we know so little about what it takes to succeed - even survive - at the highest level? What separates the good from the great? What are the rituals of preparation and execution? How does an elite team come together? In a truly groundbreaking expose of professional golf, Michael Calvin and Thomas Bjorn - captain of the 2018 European Ryder Cup Team - capture the distinctive nature of the game, and the principles and philosophies of players who dominate the world rankings. With unprecedented access to the European Tour players, and in-depth interviews with the European Ryder Cup team, Calvin reveals a sport which operates entirely within the finest margins of excellence. * SHORTLISTED FOR THE TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS * ISBN 9781529110586 -
You might run for fitness. You might run for speed. But ultimately, running is about much more than the physical act itself. It is about the challenges we face in life, and how we measure up to them. It is about companionship, endurance, ambition, hope, conviction, determination, self-respect and inspiration. It is about how we choose to live our lives, and what it means to share our values with other people. In this year-long memoir, which might be described as a historian's take on Haruki Murakami's What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, the celebrated historian Ian Mortimer considers the meaning of running as he approaches his fiftieth birthday. From injuries and frustrated ambitions to exhilaration and empathy, it is a personal and yet universal account of what running means to people, and how it helps everyone focus on what really matters. ISBN 9781786859464 -
For over 130 years the GAA has been at the heart of Irish life. Since the introduction of television Gaelic Games have become a huge entertainment industry, yet at their core remain deeply embedded in the local community. They shape the nationalconversation and lift the mood of the nation. Hurling, ladies' football, camogie and Gaelic football are Ireland's greatest national treasures. The people are the beating heart of the Games and Gaelic Games are part of the DNA of the Irish Race. Now, this comprehensive collection captures the GAA's evolving history; the fabled heroes; the controversies; the scandals; the pulsating games; the fans; the centrality of the clubs; and the unending and heart-stopping drama. Full of fascinating insights, amusing anecdotes, thrilling tales and new revelations about famous incidents and epic encounters, this volume brings the people's games alive in all their vibrancy. Based on exclusive interviews this captivating compendium completely captures the rich history of the GAA - not through statistics but in the compelling stories of the men and women who made them happen. ISBN 9781785303234 -
Fans always answer in the affirmative when their team asks: Will you still love me tomorrow? However, for many GAA fans it is their rivalries that guide them and define them. This unique book celebrates the age-old rivalries that have energised and enlivened the GAA. Based on exclusive interviews with a veritable Who's Who of the great and the good of Gaelic Games, here are remarkable insights into the controversies, epic matches and the thrilling events on and off the field which great GAA rivalries have generated. Full of arresting anecdotes that represent each county, these pages capture the extraordinary pride and passion of Ireland's greatest national treasures: Gaelic football, hurling, ladies' football and camogie. 'Will bring back a treasure trove of great memories for GAA fans.' CYRIL FARRELL ISBN 9781785302640 -
Hailed as the greatest Scottish talent of his generation, George Connelly made 254 appearances for Celtic and played in the Scotland team that qualified for the 1974 World Cup Finals. But at the age of 26 he walked away from football and the promise of a glittering career. So, what went wrong? George Connelly had a rare talent. He could pass long or short with unerring accuracy, could entertain crowds with his keepie-uppie skills and seemed to have the world at his feet. But with a troubled private life and the pressures of stardom weighing on his shoulders, the man behind the laidback exterior was falling apart. In Celtic's Lost Legend, George Connelly tells the remarkable story of why he walked away from his dreams and from the team he loved. Here, at last, he answers the question that has intrigued football fans for more than forty years. Whatever became of George Connelly? ISBN 9781785302466 -
'This obsession of mine has brought both joy and torment. The fixation with winning came from within, it roused me and veered on the dangerous.' This is Sean Cavanagh's account of his extraordinary, obsessive drive to dominate his sport. For the first time, we get up close and personal with the lowest ebbs and greatest highs of his career as one of Gaelic football's era-defining players, and with the truth of what it takes to become a three-time All-Ireland and five-time All Star winner. For 20 years, Sean Cavanagh's relentless routine of train-play-repeat fed an insatiable quest for perfection and made him a permanent fixture in the Tyrone team. His fearless, uncompromising style led him to glory, but his obsession also took its toll on body and mind, and on those around him. As well as the highs, there have been some shattering lows: the anguish and doubt of injury, hostility on and off the field of play, the despair at defeat in crucial games, and the nightmare of gossip hounding his family. ISBN 9781785302435 -
You become a footballer because you love football. And then you are a footballer, and you're suddenly in the strangest, most baffling world of all. A world where one team-mate comes to training in a bright red suit with matching top-hat, cane and glasses, without any actual glass in them, and another has so many sports cars they forget they have left a Porsche at the train station. Even when their surname is incorporated in the registration plate. So walk with me into the dressing-room, to find out which players refuse to touch a football before a game, to discover why a load of millionaires never have any shower-gel, and to hear what Cristiano Ronaldo says when he looks at himself in the mirror. We will go into post-match interviews, make fools of ourselves on social media and try to ensure that we never again pay GBP250 for a haircut that should have cost a tenner. We'll be coached and cajoled by Harry Redknapp, upset Rafa Benitez and be soothed by the sound of an accordion played by Sven-Goran Eriksson's assistant Tord Grip. There will be some very bad music and some very bad decisions. I am Peter Crouch. This is How To Be A Footballer. Shall we? Can't get enough of Crouch? Tune into That Peter Crouch Podcast on Radio 5 Live **Winner of the 2018 Telegraph Sports Book Awards Sports Bestseller of the Year** 'Very funny on almost every page, wonderfully self-deprecating and very sharp on the ludicrous behaviour of the modern player' - Sunday Times 'The funniest man in British sport' - MetroFeatured on BBC Radio 2 with Chris Evans ISBN 9781785039782 -
From the award-winning author of NO HUNGER IN PARADISEOutside the global spotlight, footballers don't drive Aston Martins or pose for underwear ads. This is war. This is life. This is football. Michael Calvin turned up for the first day of pre-season training at Millwall FC. 333 days later, he sat among the subs at Wembley. Over the course of a season, he witnessed the intimate everyday life of a football club far from the glitz and glamour of the Premier League, and the unique characters that come together every day on the field. These are dedicated, hard-working family men, close to their roots, 'playing for the people who hate their jobs, who'd love our lives.' Forget about the over-hyped circus of the Premier League. This is the beautiful game in all its raucous glory: essential reading for anyone whom football is a way of life. ISBN 9781784756109 -
Pick your favourite Roy Keane moment. The header against Juventus? The tunnel clash with Patrick Vieira? The bone-crunching challenge on Marc Overmars at Lansdowne Road? All worthy choices that complement his aggressive, combative warrior persona. But that was Version 2.0. Keane: Origins delves into the inexplicable story of what came before. Focusing on the period between 1988 and 1993, it charts Keane's journey from an economically-ravagedCork to a spectacular three-season spell under Brian Clough at NottinghamForest via a memorable stint on a government-funded training scheme and brief spell in the League of Ireland. With contributions from former team-mates, coaches and those who knew him best, Keane: Origins examines a largely over-looked, under-appreciated and unheralded time in the legendary midfielder's career that set him on the path to immortality. ISBN 9781781177310
