Twelve of Liverpool Football Club's biggest names reflect on their most memorable games during their careers with the club. Laurie Hughes, Ian St John, Ian Callaghan, Tommy Smith, Phil Neal, Alan Kennedy, Mark Lawrenson, Jan Molby, John Barnes, Mark Wright, Gary McAllister and Jamie Carragher recall contributions to memorable triumphs, including league championships, domestic cup success - such as the 1986 all-Merseyside FA Cup Final - and three of the five European Cup wins - with Carragher recalling that night in Istanbul, when Liverpool completed one of the most remarkable comebacks of all time to beat AC Milan. With a foreword by Ronnie Moran, Match of My Life is an evocative and absorbing look back at some of the great moments in the history of the most successful English club side of all time.

The funniest and most entertaining sports book you'll read this year. 'fascinating, frank, funny' Jim White, Daily Telegraph 'insightful' Henry Winter, The Times 'engaging ... revealing ... a warm and often funny read' FourFourTwo 'very entertaining ... great stories' Hawksbee & Jacobs, talkSPORT radio 'an incredible book' The Football Show, Sky Sports News 'a kaleidoscope of anecdotes and detours packed with wisdom acquired on the hoof' The i newspaper 'Yeah, I'm all that plus a bag of chips' 'Come round my house and we'll have a fight on the front lawn' 'I'm as chuffed as a badger at the start of the mating season' 'I thought his bum cheeks looked very pert' Football management is like being a potato - you're never too far from the sack and everyone is constantly chipping away at you. It's not for the faint-hearted and unless you've got skin as thick as rhino and, more importantly, a wicked sense of humour, you've no chance of surviving. Ian Holloway - aka 'Ollie' - has all the above and more besides. His press conferences are the stuff of legend. He's been there, seen it and done it in his 40 years as player and manager, and has been entertaining football fans on and off the pitch for most of his life. He's been head honcho at clubs in all four divisions in English football, experiencing everything from the giddy heights of taking Blackpool to the Premier League to fighting relegation from the Football League with Grimsby Town. There's never been a dull moment. In the joyful How to Be a Football Manager, Holloway weaves a fantastically rich tapestry of hilarious anecdotes to reveal what being the boss is really like. This is not a handbook to tell you when to play a Christmas tree formation or throw on a false nine - it's about dealing with the ridiculous, fighting your corner and always having a comeback.

Whenever a famous footballer dies, there is an inevitable degree of public grief, depending on the age of the individual and the circumstances of his demise. But newspaper obituaries, in the majority of cases, are not about mourning. They are about the celebration of the lives of often remarkable characters who have loomed large in the collective consciousness of their countless supporters, people who have admired them week by week, season by season; been touched by them, perhaps outraged by them, maybe even loved them in that special way which fans reserve for their sporting heroes.The "Independent" newspaper is renowned for its detailed and heartfelt biographies of important figures in every sphere of life. "The Book Of Football Obituaries" deals with the detailed life and times of over 150 players, managers and personalities who have died in the last 15 years. Between these covers rest the likes of George Best, Alan Ball, Sir Stanley Matthews, Sir Alf Ramsey, Brian Clough, Emlyn Hughes, John Charles and many more. The list is formidable, the scale of their achievement truly uplifting, and the essence of these exceptional men is captured here. This collection, featuring iconic images of every person included in the book, reveals the depth and breadth of research and knowledge which goes into each obituary and forms a collection of stunning remembrances of some of the greatest personalities to grace the game in recent times.

Victorian England in the 1870s and the early years of the FA Cup. Pitches are little better than mud baths. Crossbars and referees' whistles don't exist, while the players all charge around in a rough-and-tumble manner more suited to rugby. But one side dares to be different. Combining silky skills with military muscle, they pass the ball in a spectacular new style of play. And they have a team spirit like no other. They are a 'band of brothers' who fight for Queen and Country - and for each other. They are the Royal Engineers from Chatham in Kent and Foot Soldiers is their extraordinary story. Among their ranks are 'Renny', one of the game's first superstars, and 'The Major', the mastermind behind their astonishing rise. In a four-year quest to land football's greatest prize both men must confront a disastrous fire, monstrous bad luck, the elements at their fiercest and the shocking death of one of the team's favourite players on FA Cup Final day itself.

Feeling Leeds gazes into the curious world of the dislocated supporter, the football fan not born and bred in the shadow of their club's ground. Raiford Guins is one such fan. His book recounts the highs and lows of supporting a team from afar - from paying $20 to watch Leeds United matches in Florida via dodgy satellite feeds in the early 1990s, to ringing Elland Road when it was the only way to get midweek results before the internet, to working out league tables with out-of-date copies of Shoot!, to celebrating madly while fuelling his car and watching Leeds clinch a late winner against Villa in December 2018 on his iPhone. Trivial to the supporter who can easily walk to their ground, such moments form the backbone of belonging for those with an ocean between themselves and the turnstiles. Feeling Leeds is the story of one supporter's commitment to cultivating an emotional connection to Leeds United for nearly 40 years. It is written by and for supporters worldwide for whom every day is an away day.

If you attend a soccer match in Buenos Aires of the local Atlanta Athletic Club, you will likely hear the rival teams chanting anti-Semitic slogans. This is because the neighborhood of Villa Crespo has long been considered a Jewish district, and its soccer team, "Club Atletico Atlanta," has served as an avenue of integration into Argentine culture. Through the lens of this neighborhood institution, Raanan Rein offers an absorbing social history of Jews in Latin America.
Since the Second World War, there has been a conspicuous Jewish presence among the fans, administrators and presidents of the Atlanta soccer club. For the first immigrant generation, belonging to this club was a way of becoming Argentines. For the next generation, it was a way of maintaining ethnic Jewish identity. Now, it is nothing less than family tradition for third generation Jewish Argentines to support "Atlanta." The soccer club has also constituted one of the few spaces where both Jews and non-Jews, affiliated Jews and non-affiliated Jews, Zionists and non-Zionists, have interacted. The result has been an active shaping of the local culture by Jewish Latin Americans to their own purposes.
Offering a rare window into the rich culture of everyday life in the city of Buenos Aires created by Jewish immigrants and their descendants, "Futbol, Jews, and the Making of Argentina" represents a pioneering study of the intersection between soccer, ethnicity, and identity in Latin America and makes a major contribution to Jewish History, Latin American History, and Sports History.

Football fans and football culture represent a unique prism through which to view contemporary society and politics. Based on in-depth empirical research into football in Poland, this book examines how fans develop political identities and how those identities can influence the wider political culture. It surveys the turbulent history of Poland in recent decades and explores the dominant right-wing ideology on the terraces, characterised by nationalism, 'traditional' values and anti-immigrant sentiment. As one of the first book-length studies of fandom in Eastern Europe, this book makes an important contribution to our understanding of society and politics in post-Communist states. Politics, Ideology and Football Fandom is an important read for students and researchers studying sport, politics and identity, as well as those working in sports studies and political studies covering sociology of sport, globalisation studies, East European politics, ethnic studies, social movements studies, political history and nationalism studies.

This quiz book covers the fascinating journey of Hibernian Football Club throughout the past 142 years. Offcial club historian Tom Wright has used his comprehensive knowledge of the sport and the team to devise over 600 questions spanning from the early days of the club to the present. This is the perfect book for fans of all ages to learn more about the history of one of Scotland's greatest football teams.

'Magnificent . . . Goldblatt is the doyen of sports historians and brings to this account his forensic and telling eye for detail' - Mail on Sunday A Sunday Times Best Sports Book of the Year The epic exploration of society, politics, and economics in the twenty-first century through the prism of football, by the critically acclaimed author of The Ball is Round. In the twenty-first century football is first. First among sports themselves, but it now commands the allegiance, interest and engagement of more people in more places than any other phenomenon. In the three most populous nations on the earth - China, India and the United States where just twenty years ago football existed on the periphery of society - it has now arrived for good. Nations, peoples and neighbourhoods across the globe imagine and invent themselves through playing and following the game. In The Age of Football, David Goldblatt charts football's global cultural ascent, its economic transformation and deep politicization, taking in prison football in Uganda and amputee football in Angola, the role of football fans in the Arab Spring, the footballing presidencies of Bolivia's Evo Morales and Turkey's Recep Erdogan, China's declared intention to both host and win the World Cup by 2050, and the FIFA corruption scandal. Following the intersection of the game with money, power and identity, like no previous sports historian, Goldblatt's sweeping story is remarkable in its scope, breathtaking in its depth of knowledge, and is a brilliantly original perspective of the twenty-first century. It is the account of how football has come to define every facet of our social, economic and cultural lives and at what cost, shaping who we think we are and who we want to be. 'David Goldblatt is not merely the best football historian writing today, he is possibly the best there has ever been.' - Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times

Rangers FC Cult Heroes is devoted to 20 players who, over the years, have won a special place in the hearts of the Ibrox faithful - not necessarily the greatest footballers, but a unique brotherhood of mavericks and stalwarts, local lads and big signings. The cast list alone is enough to stir up the memories and tug at the heartstrings of any Gers fan - McMinn, Laudrup and Baxter, Johnston, McPhail and McCoist - recalling how these charismatic personalities used to ignite passion on the terraces. Find out which Light Blue icon Pele wished had hailed from Rio instead of Fife. Who warned young players against becoming 'the most underpaid of all public entertainers'. And which hero refused to play for Scotland on the day of Princess Diana's funeral. Discover and delight in the magical qualities of these 20 mere mortals elevated to cult status by the blue half of Glasgow.

On the 11th May 1991, Leicester City beat Oxford United to avoid relegation to the third tier of English football. Off the field, the crumbling Main Stand did not meet the requirements of theTaylor Report and the Club was leaking money, something needed to change! And something did change! The appointments of Brian Little as the Team Manager, and Barrie Pierpoint as the Club's first Director of Marketing was the catalyst to one of the most remarkable transformations in English football history. Over the next nine years, Leicester City established themselves as a top Premier League side, won major honours, competed in Europe for the first time in almost thirty years and the loyal Blue Army enjoyed seven trips to Wembley. Off the field, City became market leaders for innovation; Fox Leisure, Family Night Football and the birth of Filbert Fox were some of the initiatives that Barrie and his progressive team introduced. The construction of the state-of-the-art Carling Stand and flotation on the Stock Exchange provided the Club with a much needed injection of cash. Featuring contributions from over forty people, from directors, staff, fans and journalists to corporate clients, team managers and players, including Steve Walsh, Emile Heskey, Simon Grayson, Gary Mills and Tony Cottee - this book chronicles the journey of a struggling football club to one of the best teams in England, told by those who were there and were pivotal to the Club's success. In full colour, including photographs throughout, this book will take you on a nostalgic trip through a glorious period in Leicester City's history.

All About Pressing in Soccer provides a detailed look at the history, theory, and practice of pressing in soccer. With this comprehensive resource, the coach and player will improve their understanding of the game, making them stronger and more successful as a coach or player. Beginning with a look at the history of pressing, the reader will gain background knowledge crucial for understanding the theory behind pressing, which is presented in the following section. Once the reader understands the why and the how of pressing, he will be able to use the practical techniques presented in the third section. With this book, the reader, whether a coach or a player, will have all the tools necessary to implement a strong pressing tactic in the game, giving them that necessary edge over their opponents.

The outspoken and hard-hitting autobiography of one of the most highly-rated, recognisable and controversial football referees of modern times. Mark Clattenburg found himself in the centre circle, whistle in hand, at the start of 450 Premier League matches during a highly eventful 13-year career in football's top flight. He has shaken hands with, issued red and yellow cards to, and been sworn at by hundreds of players. He has been screamed at and shared jokes with dozens and dozens of managers. And he's felt the wrath of thousands upon thousands of irate fans. His autobiography is the ultimate guide to what it's really like to be in the referee's spotlight. It offers numerous intriguing insights into the daily trials and tribulations, the acute stresses and strains, of a top-flight referee. Clattenburg takes the reader into the referee's room, the players' tunnel and out on the pitch to experience precisely what a referee goes through on match day.

The story of two men who almost single-handedly saved their football club from extinction. In the early 80s David Kilpatrick and Graham Morris spied architects' plans to turn Spotland, the home of their beloved, beleaguered Rochdale AFC, into a housing estate. They set about saving the club but first had to take on the alleged 'enemy within'. They worked tirelessly, persuading companies to write off debts while securing loans and donations, a tricky proposition when your club is bottom of the Football League. Meanwhile, the town of Rochdale was on its knees, the last of the cotton mills closing down. The limit of most fans' investment in their club is routinely the price of a season ticket. Directors often risk their houses and businesses, sometimes forfeiting marriages, families and their health in the name of their club. People such as Kilpatrick and Morris - moderately wealthy local businessmen - who serve on football club boards are the unseen, unsung heroes of football, even in the modern age.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2017 The full story of the man who brought unprecedented - and since unmatched - success to Liverpool FC Bob Paisley was the quiet man in the flat cap who swept all domestic and European opposition aside and produced arguably the greatest club team that Britain has ever known. The man whose Liverpool team won trophies at a rate-per-season that dwarfs Sir Alex Ferguson's achievements at Manchester United and who remains the only Briton to lead a team to three European Cups. From Wembley to Rome, Manchester to Madrid, Paisley's team was the one no one could touch. Working in a city which was on its knees, in deep post-industrial decline, still tainted by the 1981 Toxteth riots and in a state of open warfare with Margaret Thatcher, he delivered a golden era - never re-attained since - which made the city of Liverpool synonymous with success and won them supporters the world over. Yet, thirty years since Paisley died, the life and times of this shrewd, intelligent, visionary, modest football man have still never been fully explored and explained. Based on in-depth interviews with Paisley's family and many of the players whom he led to an extraordinary haul of honours between 1974 and 1983, Quiet Genius is the first biography to examine in depth the secrets of Paisley's success. It inspects his man-management strategies, his extraordinary eye for a good player, his uncanny ability to diagnose injuries in his own players and the opposition, and the wicked sense of humour which endeared him to so many. It explores the North-East mining community roots which he cherished, and considers his visionary outlook on the way the game would develop. Quiet Genius is the story of how one modest man accomplished more than any other football manager, found his attributes largely unrecorded and undervalued and, in keeping with the gentler ways of his generation, did not seem to mind. It reveals an individual who seemed out of keeping with the brash, celebrity sport football was becoming, and who succeeded on his own terms. Three decades on from his death, it is a football story that demands to be told.

Leeds United On This Day revisits all the most magical and memorable moments from the club's rollercoaster past, mixing in a maelstrom of quirky anecdotes and legendary characters to produce an irresistibly dippable Whites diary - with an entry for every day of the year. From the club's formation from the ruins of Leeds City in 1919 through to the Premier League era, the Elland Road faithful have witnessed League and Cup triumphs, hard-fought grudge matches, European adventures and heartbreak - all featured here. Timeless greats such as Billy Bremner, John Charles and Lucas Radebe, Tony Yeboah, Peter Lorimer and Gordon Strachan all loom larger than life. Revisit 25th April 1963, when Jack Charlton debuted against Doncaster, the first of a record 773 appearances. 28th May 1975: when Leeds took on Bayern Munich and were robbed of European Cup victory. Or 26th April 1992: the first League title in 18 years!

Today, seeing Black footballers playing the game at the very highest level is considered very normal. This, certainly, was not the case one hundred and forty years ago, and this is what makes the story of Andrew Watson so remarkable. It seems hard to imagine that a Guyanese-born Black man could head the Scottish national football team in 1881 in a game against England. Not only was he captain, but he also led them to a 6-1 victory in London - an achievement that still ranks as England's heaviest ever defeat on home soil.

Pulled Off at Half-Time is the ultimate collection of hilarious comic offerings delivered by figures in football. No one can dispute that footballers have provided some of the funniest quotes (intentionally or not) in the history of sport. Inspired by England maverick Rodney Marsh's risque exchange with Sir Alf Ramsey, Pulled Off at Half-Time is packed with more than 750 quotes on all aspects of the game from and about the most famous names in football. 'I might have faults, but I am not a bighead' - Wayne Rooney, as modest as ever! 'In football, the only game I know is the 90-minutes game. It's not mind games; I don't try to do that' - Jose Mourinho... really? 'For me it is enough that I have the first and last word' - Jurgen Klopp. 'I think sometimes the best training is to rest' - Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 30th edition of the ultimate reference on European football, The UEFA European Football Yearbook 2017/18 contains everything that a football fan will need to watch their favourite team or country. Gloriously illustrated with dramatic action photos, artworks and maps, this exceptional volume contains a complete statistical review of the previous season's football at club and national levels. There is a selection of essays on the 100 most dominant players in European football in the past year and a detailed breakdown of each club in the top division of every country's main league. As well as a review of the first part of the UEFA qualification competition for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the appendix provides a calendar of events for the remaining fixtures, play-offs and the dates of matches in the two main club competitions. If you are a fan of top-flight football in Europe, this is the one book you cannot afford to be without.

Because it's Saturday is a compelling portrait of life in the professional grass roots of football, far from the glitz and glamour of Premier League superstars. Why does anyone travel from Grimsby to Accrington on a wet Tuesday night in November to watch players battling on a muddy pitch with more gusto than grace? How do teams survive in half-empty stadia, and how does a Cotswolds village side owned by an ex-hippy challenge the likes of Luton for promotion? Award-winning writer Gavin Bell spoke to the owners, managers, players and supporters of eight lower-league sides, over the course of a season, to discover the fierce passions and loyalties that sustain clubs unlikely to win anything other than the devotion of their fans. Going beyond the fields of dreams, Bell explores the communities for whom these clubs are more than football teams. From gritty northern towns blighted by post-industrial decline, to ivory towers of academia and a seaside resort riven by a fans' civil war - it's a rollercoaster ride of a season.