Rise Together: Coventry City Under Mark Robins examines the rebirth of Coventry City FC from 2017 to 2020. Having sunk to the depths of English football's lowest professional division, the Sky Blues were a million miles from the FA Cup-winning heyday of 1987 and the glitz and glamour of Premier League football. After a decade of decline, a constant churn of managers, coaches and players, the arrival of Mark Robins for a second spell in charge would end all that. Backed by a fanbase desperate for success, winning the 2017 Football League Trophy was just the beginning. Robins would mould Coventry City into a side capable of something few at the club had achieved before - success. That first trophy at Wembley would be followed by two more - victory in the 2018 League Two play-off final, then the League One title in 2020. With off-the-field issues continuing to dog the club, including a second move out of Coventry, the story of Rise Together is one that every football fan will appreciate.

Got, Not Got: The Lost World of Ipswich Town is an Aladdin's cave of memories and memorabilia, guaranteed to whisk you back to Portman Road's fondly remembered 'Golden Age' of mud and magic - as well as a Blues-mad childhood of miniature tabletop games and imaginary, comic-fuelled worlds. The book recalls a more innocent era of football, lingering longingly over relics from the good old days - Tractor Boys stickers and petrol freebies, league ladders, big-match programmes and much more - revisiting lost football culture, treasures and pleasures that are 100 per cent Ipswich Town. If you're a lifelong Ipswich fan, one of the army of obsessive soccer kids at any time from the arrival of Bobby Robson to the early days of the Premier League, then this is the book to recall the mavericks - Mariner, Muhren and Mills, Holland, Beattie and Butcher - and the marvels of the Lost World of Football.

In 2019, an app called OWNAFC hit the market promising football fans the chance to buy and run their own club. Just a few months later it collapsed, leaving customers hundreds of thousands of pounds out of pocket. Fit and Proper People tells the story of the business that was supposed to revolutionise the game, the people who lost out and the violent consequences suffered by those who tried to hold OWNAFC to account. The book uncovers how poor regulation and the financial structure of English football make clubs easy prey for unsuitable owners and how, time and again, the fans are left to pick up the pieces. With the aborted launch of the European Super League, there is finally widespread recognition that billionaires, venture capitalists, broadcasters and tech businesses must no longer be allowed to dictate the future of the game. Fit and Proper People is a powerful expose of the state of football and a call to properly protect clubs and to involve the people who really love them - the fans - in how they are run.

The searingly honest and at times harrowing autobiography of the former Liverpool, Aston Villa and England striker. Exposes the dark and often seedy world hidden behind the glamorous facade of professional football. 'I was a mess. I couldn't get out of bed. I couldn't structure my day properly. I couldn't face having a shower or getting dressed. Those all seemed like major events I didn't want to confront.' Once the most charismatic and expensive player in the new Premiership flooded with cash, Stan Collymore had, by the age of 28, booked himself into The Priory to treat his depression, close to self-destruction and unable to get his head round playing at all. Along the way, he had been the goalscorer nobody wanted to congratulate, the centre-forward no one knew how to manage, a deeply reluctant star in a tabloid culture that saw him make the front pages as often as the back, and that waited for him to crack up or lash out. When he eventually did, it was, infamously, inevitably, at his then celebrity girlfriend, Ulrika Jonsson. But then retired from football in 2001 and finding himself in the commentary box, he proved he did care about the game, rather too much perhaps, sounding like a fan as much as an ex-player - and at a stroke he had more in common with the rest of the nation. He knew it was all so much more than a game, and what happened on the field was only a reflection of what was going on inside players' heads. The contradictions remain. A man, who had a steady stream of celebrity women falling at his feet, shamed by his voyeurism in a Cannock car park; a star with everything who was once discovered by his wife tightening a belt around his neck; a loving dad of two whose own father walked out of the marital home and who Collymore continues to blot from his memory to this day; a footballer who abstains from drugs, yet who needs therapy at Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous; the loner slated for his aloofness who found critical acclaim as a football pundit on national prime-time radio. This is Stan Collymore's own life story, the real person on his flawed character and personal demons, telling it like you have never seen before - raw and uncut.

• How can the skills of the sport psychologist be put to best use within a football club?
• How can a sport psychologist help elite footballers perform at their maximum level?

In this groundbreaking guide to the role of the sport psychologist within elite and professional football, leading sport psychologist Mark Nesti argues that working closely with coaches and players to create a receptive environment is vital if psychologists are to add maximum value to team and individual performances.

Drawing on a decade's professional experience working at the top level of English football, Nesti offers a detailed guide to delivering sport psychology in an elite team sport environment, from practical drills on the training field to shaping organizational behaviour at club level. The book explores the full range of issues and themes that define the role of the professional sport psychologist working in football today, including:

• mental skills training
• group cohesion and team dynamics
• counselling, trust and confidentiality
• transitions in football
• managerial and coaching philosophies
• structure, communication and organizational psychology.

The book is illustrated throughout with real-world case studies, drawing on research into sixteen professional clubs across five European countries, and concludes by suggesting how other elite team sports can learn from the experiences of professional football. This is the only book to outline a holistic approach to psychology in football and the to offer such a rich combination of theory and practice. It is therefore essential reading for all students of sport psychology and all psychologists and coaches working in elite team sport.

The nation has commented on and devoured Paul Gascoigne for years. But until now no one has ever known what it is really like to be Gazza. Here Gascoigne, in the company of his therapist, confronts his demons and takes the reader into the recesses of his mind. The triggers that plunged Gascoigne into dark despair are revealed together with the critical moments that influenced his alcoholism, depression, drug abuse, gambling, eating disorders, and compulsive behavior. This is more than the story of one man. It applies to people who face turmoil every day. Through self-assessment forms and expert advice, any reader who sees a mirror of themselves will be offered help and a way forward.

'My Decade in the Premier League' is Wayne's first hand account of his 10 years playing at the highest level in English football - and for the biggest club in the world. This is his inside story of life on the pitch for Manchester Utd; the League titles, FA Cups, League Cups and Champions League adventures. A must for any Utd fan. Wayne Rooney is widely regarded as one of the leading football players of his generation. A talisman for Manchester United, since his move to the club in 2004, Rooney is their star player and an all-time great at the club. In the 10 years since he made his debut as a 16 year old for Everton, he has acquired trophy after trophy, accolade after accolade and headline after headline. 'My Decade in the Premier League' is the inside account of life as a Premier League footballer from the man every one wants to hear from. This is his story, in his words. From gracing the ground at Goodison as an excitable 16 year old to lifting the Champions League trophy with Manchester United. From the emotional high of scoring the winner against Manchester City with that overhead bicycle kick to the crushing low of losing the league title in the last few seconds of the season. This is a book for the fan who would kill to get just 30 seconds on the pitch at The Theatre of Dreams - to run on the famous turf and score in front of the Stretford End. 'My Decade in the Premier League' gives a real insight in to what goes in to being part of the biggest club in the world; the training pitch, the dressing room, the manager, the coaches and, most importantly, the buzz of crossing that white line and hearing the 76,000 strong crowd chant your name. In intricate, emotional detail Wayne talks about every season he has spent in the Premier League and how it feels to be one the most celebrated footballers on the planet.

A major in-depth biography of Sven-Goran Eriksson - the first foreign manager of the England football team - which chronicles his time in the hot seat, from taking over from Kevin Keegan, the story of the 2002 World Cup Finals in Japan and South Korea, through to the 2004 European Championships. Reserved - some would say introvert - by nature, he has so far dismissed as intrusive almost all questions about anything other than the England team. There is a fascinating story to be told about the moderate full-back who failed in his own country, retired from playing at 27, then went on to become one of the best coaches in the world. The son of a truck driver from a small provincial town in Sweden, Eriksson left school early and worked in a social security office. He went to college to study PE and played football as an amateur before being persuaded by an older teammate Tord Grip (now his assistant with England) that his career lay elsewhere in management. Modest success at Roma and Fiorentina was followed by a renewal of Sampdoria's fortunes. It wasn't long before Lazio came knocking - but not before an acrimonious fallout with Blackburn when his surprise about-turn left the Lancashire club without a new manager. He enjoyed phenomenal success in Rome, however, where he led Lazio to the scudetto, and this eventually paved the way to the England manager's job. Since then Eriksson has come under the microscope from the English press, as much for his private affairs as for his team's stuttering performances. Despite his achievements in leading England to the quarter-finals of the World Cup in 2002, his methods, formations and team selections are the subject of fierce debate up and down the country. Joe Lovejoy's book captures the essence of the man and goes some way to explaining his influence behind England. This paperback edition explores his thoughts about his captain playing his football in Spain and documents England's rocky road to the 2004 European Championship finals.

'The reason they're so popular, is because they're so good!' Chris Evans 'The F2 are unbelievable - what they do is not possible!' - Pele HOW TO BECOME THE PERFECT FOOTBALLER WITH THE BESTSELLING FOOTBALL INFLUENCERS We are The F2. And this is Ultimate Footballer. We have scoured the planet and analysed what components you need to become the perfect footballer: the speed of Mbappe, the dribbling of Hazard, the tekkers of Neymar and the tackling of Ramos. If you want to add skills like the OEzil bounce pass, the Messi soft scoop and the Neymar rainbow, then look no further. And this time we reveal the secret tips told to us by the top Pros behind the scenes. And once you've put your ultimate footballer together, you can compare with ours. Who has the best? You decide. There's a free app to download that will make the pages come to life with exclusive videos, tricks and games. So, what are you waiting for? Open, read, learn, download and get out on the pitch and practise.

International Research in Science and Soccer showcases the very latest research into the world's most widely played sport. With contributions from world-leading researchers and practitioners working at every level of the game, from grass roots to elite level, the book covers every key aspect of preparation and performance, including:

• contemporary issues in soccer coaching
• psychological preparation and development of players
• physical preparation and development of players
• nutrition and recovery
• talent identification and development
• strength and conditioning in soccer
• injury prevention and rehabilitation
• soccer academies.

Sports scientists, trainers, coaches, physiotherapists, medical doctors, psychologists, educational officers and professionals working in soccer will find this in-depth, comprehensive volume an essential and up-to-date resource.

The papers contained within this volume were first presented at The First World Congress on Science and Soccer, held in May 2008 in Liverpool, UK. The meeting was held under the auspices of the World Commission of Science and Sports.

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 in this unique by-the-clock guide. From Rangers' early years and successes to the days of domestic dominance and a European triumph, the book covers everything from the Jock Wallace and John Greig eras through to the days of Ally McCoist and Steven Gerrard. Revisit Rangers' most spectacular modern feats and learn things you didn't know about the club's proud history. From goals scored in the opening seconds to those last-gasp extra-time winners and Old Firm deciders that have thrilled generations of fans at Ibrox and around the world, Rangers Minute By Minute is packed with memorable moments. Read about the goals that secured many of the 54 SPL titles. From McCoist to Baxter and from Gascoigne to Cooper - all the club legends are here, with thrilling memories from kick-off to the final whistle.

Sixty Years a Red... and Counting! is a unique, affectionate, fun and frank account of Liverpool FC over 60 years from the perspective of a dedicated fan and informed observer of Anfield life. From attending his first game at Anfield in 1961, to watching the Kop sing and sway as the Reds plotted a triumphant course through the 1960s and early 70s under Bill Shankly, to league title glory with Bob Paisley and lifting the European Cup three times, Brian Barwick saw it all. In his role as the FA's chief executive, he was in Istanbul for that unforgettable Champions League final. And like thousands of others he punched the air in his front room when the Reds finally lifted the Premier League trophy in 2020. As a journalist and broadcaster, he gained special insight into Liverpool's triumphs while building a rapport with some of the club's top personalities. This book takes you behind the scenes at Anfield to tell the story of Liverpool's rise from Second Division mediocrity to becoming one of the most recognisable names in world sport.

One of the most talked about stars in the world of soccer, Wayne Rooney now talks about . . . Wayne Rooney--no-holds-barred.

Wayne Rooney is barely twenty-two years old, and he's already one of the finest soccer players in the world. Colorful and controversial, he plays--and lives--with an intensity that's unmatched on and off the field. With remarkable candor, he now tells the true story of his life.

From his working-class upbringing on the back streets of Liverpool and his Premiership debut as a sixteen-year-old phenom to his ebullient entrance on the international scene in the 2004 European tournament and the raw drama of the 2006 World Cup, Wayne Rooney: My Story is an honest and inspiring account of a prodigiously gifted youngster and his meteoric rise to fame and fortune. It is a riveting tale of adversity and triumph, of champions and championships, of a private life that never could escape the headlines . . . and of a remarkable athlete whose destiny was forever altered when Manchester United came calling in the summer of 2004.

First and Last: How I Made European History With Hibs is the fascinating autobiography of Jackie Plenderleith, the only surviving player from the first British side to compete in the European Cup. A graceful yet tough-tackling defender, Jackie takes us back to 1955 and describes what it was like for a 17-year-old coal miner's son to witness first-hand the awkward birth of the global phenomenon now known as the Champions League and his role in helping Hibernian reach the semi-finals. The former Scotland international relives his time playing alongside the Edinburgh club's legendary 'Famous Five' forward line, and reveals how it felt to line up against the incomparable Ferenc Puskas twice in the space of two days while in South Africa. Captain of the British Army team during his national service, a team-mate to Denis Law at Manchester City and the proud possessor of international caps from schoolboy to senior level, Jackie played an important part in football's past and, with typical good humour, he has plenty to say about its future.

'Compelling from start to finish...Downie does full justice to an extraordinary life' Pete Davies, author of All Played Out. A stunning new biography of Socrates, the iconic captain of the greatest Brazil side never to win the World Cup. Socrates was always special. A hugely talented athlete who graduated in medicine yet drank and smoked to excess. The attacking midfielder stood out - and not just because of his 6'4" frame. Fans were enthralled by his inch-perfect passes, his coolness in front of goal and his back heel, the trademark move that singled him out as the most unique footballer of his generation. Off the pitch, he was just as original, with a dedication to politics and social causes that no player has ever emulated. His biggest impact came as leader of Corinthians Democracy - a movement that gave everyone from the kitman to the president an equal say in the running of the club. At a time when Brazil was ruled by a military dictatorship, it was truly revolutionary. Passionate and principled, entertaining and erudite, Socrates was as contradictory as he was complex. He was a socialist who voted for a return of Brazil's monarchy, a fiercely independent individual who was the ultimate team player, and a romantic who married four times and fathered six children. Armed with Socrates' unpublished memoir and hours of newly discovered interviews, Andrew Downie has put together the most comprehensive and compelling account of this iconic figure. Based on conversations with family members, close friends and former team-mates, this is a brilliant biography of a man who always stood up for what he believed in, whatever the cost. 'Brilliantly written and researched. Amazing life.' Alex Bellos, author of Futebol: The Brazilian Way of Life

For a small footballing nation, Scotland boasts a proud record of having qualified for the World Cup Finals on eight occasions. But this fantastic record is also tarred with the glorious failure of never having reached the latter stages of the tournament. Scotland '74 is a bitter-sweet celebration of the closest Scotland has ever got - so far at least - when a team of superstars managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in the dying seconds. Forty years on, it still hurts. For Scotland, the World Cup Finals in West Germany in 1974 promised much. Group 2 had a talented Brazil side with Jairzinho, Rivelino and Cesar, a hard-to-pronounce Yugoslavia line-up and group minnows Zaire. But the Scotland squad boasted household names like Billy Bremner, Kenny Dalglish, Denis Law, Peter Lorimer and Joe Jordan. How could Scotland not get to the second phase of the tournament for the very first time? Well, this is the story of how, astonishingly, it just didn't happen - even though Scotland ended up as the only unbeaten team in the tournament.As history tells us, 1974 was a massive missed opportunity for Scotland, and Richard Gordon now reveals how it all went wrong in the days before the shambles of Argentina '78 and the 3-0 humbling by Morocco in 1998. Drawing on archive reports and the memories of squad members, Scotland '74 relates the story of that big adventure, encompassing a shocking start to manager Willie Ormond's reign (a 5-0 beating by England), frequent player indiscipline, and, ultimately, the on-field heartbreak that left a nation in mourning for a lost opportunity.

When Stuart Pearce arrived at Nottingham Forest as a 23-year-old, he advertised his business as an electrician in the club programme. This down-to-earth attitude, in an era of superstar prima donnas, and his total commitment on the pitch, immediately earned him the affection of the club's fans, who nicknamed him Psycho. He became almost as influential character at the club as the man who brought him there, Brian Clough. This book reveals the story of one of football's greatest personalities.

In The World at Your Feet: One Man's Search for the Soul of the Beautiful Game, Tim Hartley takes us on a footballing world tour. We meet fans in Hong Kong who refuse to bow to China, help clear the goats off a pitch in Africa and kick off the chanting at a bizarre game in North Korea. Back home, Hartley visits all 92 Premier and Football League grounds and watches a prisoners' team desperate to play a competitive match. Using wry observation and detailed research, The World at Your Feet unfurls the good, the bad and the ugly of football. It is brutally honest, informative and often very funny. This is a rough guide with a difference. The power of football across the world is put in the balance and measured, its successes raised up, its failings laid bare. Hartley rails against the excesses of professional football but he never loses faith and through his travels he finds the soul of the game is still alive and kicking. If you want a global health check of the game we sometimes struggle to love, then you really need The World at Your Feet.

Made in Europe is a glorious celebration of Europe's greatest and most remarkable football talent. From the first European Championship in 1960 through to the modern day, it features a smorgasbord of unforgettable players - each one commemorated in stunning photographs and expertly profiled by a skilled team of writers. The book includes 250 favourites - not just the best footballers, but also the craziest and most colourful, the most stylish and the coolest. Each player is honoured with a mini-biography, interspersed with little-known anecdotes that are sure to come in handy at any football quiz night. The selection features players from all the top European football nations, and six greats (Van Basten, Gascoigne, Beckenbauer, Zidane, Iniesta and De Bruyne) are given full-length profiles. You'll learn things you didn't know about your heroes, and perhaps discover some new ones who until now have slipped under the radar, in this beautifully illustrated book.

Stoke City: Minute by Minute takes you on a tumultuous journey through the Potters' remarkable history. Relive all the breathtaking goals, heroic penalty saves, Wembley wins, game-changing incidents, sending offs and other memorable moments in this unique by-the-clock guide. From the glory days of Stanley Matthews, the celebrated Tony Waddington era, Lou Macari's beloved team, Tony Pulis's promotion to the Premier League and Mark Hughes's 'Stokealona' side, this book covers everything. Featuring goals from Freddie Steele, Jimmy Greenhoff, John Ritchie, Mark Chamberlain, Mark Stein, Mike Sheron, Peter Thorne, Ricardo Fuller and Peter Crouch, plus countless others - the book is crammed with thrilling memories from kick-off through to the final whistle. Revisit the Potters' most spectacular modern feats and learn things you didn't know about the club's incredible past - from goals scored in the opening seconds to those last-gasp, extra-time winners that have thrilled generations of fans at the Victoria Ground and Bet365 Stadium.

What's wrong with Football today? In June 2011, Sepp Blatter was elected - uncontested - as president of Fifa once more. Despite attempts to halt the vote amidst allegations and accusations of corruption, the show went on. As How They Stole The Game, David Yallop's classic expose of the dark heart behind the beautiful game showed when it was first published, Football was rotten from the top down. In the book Yallop reveals the story of Joao Havelenge, Fifa President from 1974 to 1998, the Godfather of football, and how he turned a religion to millions of fans into a multi-billion dollar business, riven with suspicious deals and unexpected payments.

In the third volume of the acclaimed Turf Wars series, journalist and broadcaster Steve Tongue looks at the history of football in the West Midlands, where the world's first Football League was dreamed up and administered more than 130 years ago. Fierce rivalries had already emerged by then, and have remained as strong as anywhere. Aston Villa and Birmingham City (as Small Heath Alliance) were founded within a year of each other, only a few miles apart, as were equally bitter neighbours West Bromwich Albion and Wolves. And just as in London and Lancashire, turf wars were fought off the pitch too. In Burton and Walsall, the biggest local clubs once amalgamated to carry the name of their town forward. But what an outcry there was in the Potteries when Stoke City and Port Vale almost did the same. This is the story of them all, large and small, and non-league too with a colourful cast of characters - Stanley Matthews and Billy Wright, Major Frank Buckley and Ron Atkinson, William McGregor, Jimmy Hill and 'Deadly' Doug Ellis among them.

'Football looked at in a very different way' Pat Nevin, former Chelsea and Everton star and football media analyst Football - the most mathematical of sports. From shot statistics and league tables to the geometry of passing and managerial strategy, the modern game is filled with numbers, patterns and shapes. How do we make sense of them? The answer lies in the mathematical models applied in biology, physics and economics. Soccermatics brings football and mathematics together in a mind-bending synthesis, using numbers to help reveal the inner workings of the beautiful game. This new and expanded edition analyses the current big-name players and teams using mathematics, and meets the professionals working inside football who use numbers and statistics to boost performance. Welcome to the world of mathematical modelling, expressed brilliantly by David Sumpter through the prism of football. No matter who you follow - from your local non-league side to the big boys of the Premiership, La Liga, the Bundesliga, Serie A or the MLS - you'll be amazed at what mathematics has to teach us about the world's favourite sport.

Barry Fry is one of the most colourful characters in English football. Currently at Peterborough, his journeyman career has taken him to Old Trafford, where as a player he was one of the original Busby Babes, through to football management at Barnet, Southend and Birmingham, among other clubs. Wherever he goes, 'Bazza' has a knack of making the headlines. His days as a youth apprentice for Manchester United saw plenty of action on the pitch as he came under the tutelage of Matt Busby - but even more off it as he joined the likes of George Best on 'a binge of birds, booze and betting'. He quickly gained the reputation of 'the has-been that never was'. Playing stints at Luton, Bedford and Stevenage failed to inspire a reckless Fry, and it wasn't long before injury forced him to hang up his boots. His first managerial role was at Dunstable, where Fry recalls with sharp humour how the chairman had suitcases full of currency in his office with hitmen protecting them. He followed this with spells at Maidstone and Barnet, - where he joined forces with the notorious Stan Flashman and proved his pedigree by gaining the club promotion into the League - and Southend, where he was responsible for bringing on a young Stan Collymore. It wasn't long before he was poached by Birmingham under owner and ex-pornographer David Sullevan and his glamorous sidekick, Karren Brady - about whom stories in the book will 'blow people's minds'. Whether it's tax evasion, fraud, transfer bribes or chicanery in the dressing room, Barry Fry has experienced it all as a player, manager and now club owner. He is ready to tell everything in his autobiography - 'Enough to make your eyes water'.