Once upon a time football was run by modest local businessmen. Today it is the plaything of billionaire oligarchs, staggeringly wealthy from oil and gas, from royalty, or from murkier sources. But who are these new masters of the universe? Where did all their money come from? And what do they want with our beautiful game? While almost cloaked in secrecy, the billionaire owner has to raise his head above the bunker when it comes to football ownership - a rare Achilles heel that allows access to worlds normally off limits journalists and outsiders. In the Billionaires Club James Montague delves deeper than anyone ever dared, to tell this story for the first time. He criss-crosses the world - from Dhaka to Doha, from China to Crewe, from St Louis to London, from Bangkok to Belgium - to profile this new elite, their network of money and their influence that defies geographic boundaries. The Billionaires Club is part history of club ownership, part in-depth investigation into the money and influence that connects the super-rich around the globe, and part travel book as he follows the ever-shifting trail around the globe in an attempt to reveal the real force behind modern-day football. At its heart The Billionaires Club is a football book, about some of the biggest clubs in the world. But it is also about something bigger: the world around us, the global economy, where the world is headed and how football has become an essential cog in this machine.

My family doesn't do happy endings. We do sad endings or frustrating endings or no endings at all. We are hardwired to expect the next interruption or disappearance or broken promise. Hope Solo is the face of the modern female athlete. She is fearless, outspoken, and the best in the world at what she does: protecting the goal of the U.S. women's soccer team. Her outsized talent has led her to the pinnacle of her sport - the Olympics and the World Cup - and made her into an international celebrity who is just as likely to appear on ABC's Dancing with the Stars as she is on the covers of Sports Illustrated, ESPN The Magazine, and Vogue. But her journey - which began in Richland, Washington, where she was raised by her strong-willed mother on the scorched earth of defunct nuclear testing sites - is similarly haunted by the fallout of her family history. Her father, a philanderer and con man, was convicted of embezzlement when Solo was an infant. She lost touch with him as he drifted out of prison and into homelessness. By the time they reunited, years later, in the parking lot of a grocery store, she was an All-American goalkeeper at the University of Washington and already a budding prospect for the U.S. national team. He was living in the woods. Despite harboring serious doubts even about the provenance of her father's last name (and her own), Solo embraces him as fiercely as she pursues her dreams of being a world-class soccer player. When those dreams are threatened by her standing within the national team, as when she was famously benched in the semifinals of the 2007 World Cup after four shutouts and spoke her piece publicly, we see a woman of uncompromising independence and hard-won perseverance navigate the petty backlash against her. For the first time, she tells her version of that controversial episode, and offers with it a full understanding of her hard-scrabble life. Moving, sometimes shocking, Solo is a portrait of an athlete finding redemption. This is the Hope Solo whom few have ever glimpsed.

The sport of soccer has evolved immensely since its beginning around 2,000 years ago and is now considered the most popular sport in the world. The research related to the physical, psychological, and tactical aspects of the game has risen in conjunction with its fame. Elite Soccer Players: Maximizing Performance and Safety seeks to inform the reader with the most current research connected to optimizing physical performance and reducing the risk of injury of the elite soccer athlete for a variety of ages. After providing an initial brief overview of applying physical and psychological scientific concepts in soccer ("Part I: Laying the Foundation"), this book then takes the reader through a series of important yet novel parts including: "Athlete Monitoring and Data Analysis," "Optimizing Physical Performance," "Injury Epidemiology and Risk Reduction," "Achieving Peak Performance and Safety in Various Environmental Conditions," and "Unique Aspects of the Game." The goal of Elite Soccer Players: Maximizing Performance and Safety is to conceptualize and expand upon the current research associated with these topics and provide an applicable point of view to the coaches, sport scientists, strength and conditioning coaches, and sports medicine professionals who work with these athletes every day.

Jimmy Greaves remains the greatest goalscorer in English football history, with a record of 357 top-flight goals that may never be surpassed. Teenage sensation at Chelsea and England debutant at 19, he became - after an unhappy spell at AC Milan - a legend at Tottenham Hotspur. But despite 44 international goals in 57 games, his England career was defined by the heartbreak of missing the 1966 World Cup Final. A shock move to West Ham brought an acrimonious end to his Spurs days and, a year later, he retired from the game, aged only 31. What followed was a desperate descent into alcoholism, followed by a remarkable battle to win back his family and self-esteem. Reinventing himself as a popular TV personality, his instincts in front of camera proved as natural as those in front of goal. Having taken his final drink in 1978, Greaves has remained sober from that day. Drawing on interviews with family, friends, colleagues and opponents, Natural: The Jimmy Greaves Story is the definitive biography of one of England's most loved footballers.

Wags, Carlos Tevez, foreign owners, Sky pundits, the 39th game, Mario Balotelli's bathroom ...so much of the acres of news coverage of football these days has so little to do with what actually goes on on the pitch. Jonathan Wilson has made a name for himself focusing on tactics (with the award-winning Inverting the Pyramid) and how events on the pitch have shaped football history (The Anatomy of England). Here, Wilson borrows the formula from the latter title to produce a forensic analysis of ten key Liverpool games that have shaped the club's fortunes over the last century: from the long lost triumphs of Tom Watson (a nineteenth-century Bill Shankly) to 1970s European triumph over the likes of Borussia Monchengladbach, to the mind-blowing 2005 comeback against AC Milan.

This is the tale of West Ham United's two 1960's cup winning teams made up entirely of English players. The last time this feat was achieved. It is a compelling book about a unique time in English football. This is primarily for fans of West Ham United, but will also appeal to those who love football history, especially those World Cup winning heroes, Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters who all feature in the teams. It includes a foreword by Martin Peters MBE. The young men who played in West Ham's FA Cup Final victory over Preston North End in 1964 were all born and raised in England. In each tie from the third round, only English players had worn the Hammers over their hearts. This feat has not been repeated since and is unlikely to be replicated in the future. A year later West Ham fielded another all-English team to win the European Cup-Winners' Cup, something no other English club has ever done. Thus, the West Ham players of 1964 and 1965 were The First And Last Englishmen, and this is their story. It is a tale told partly from the point of view of Irons striker Alan Sealey, who was right in the middle of the action, and his team-mates. But the voice of the supporters is just as important in this epic. West Ham's rise to European glory is portrayed through the memories of those who played and of those who watched. It is a compelling book about a unique time in English football.

Frank Swift was Manchester City's first goalkeeping legend, winning many honours for the club. This book details those heady times. Ultimately it is a tragic story though as Swift perished at Munich as a reporter for the News of the World. As a genuine MCFC legend, this book will be well received by the fans of the Premiership champions. The club have over 540k followers on Twitter, and the book has guaranteed reviews in the programme, the fanzine and the general football press. Frank Swift is one of the greatest English goalkeeper's of all time. A First and Second Division, FA Cup and Charity Shield winner with Manchester City, his only League club, he represented his country on 33 occasions between 1941 and 1949. Although often injured, and on many occasions knocked unconscious, Blackpool born Swift was fearless and unmoveable in the City goal, playing all but one of over 200 games from the day of his debut, 25 December 1933, up to the start of World War Two. Swift was a regular between the posts for England, and in 1948 he became the first keeper to captain his country in the professional era. Fans also adored Swift for his sportsmanship, broad smile and constant banter with spectators behind his goal. Forty years later in 1998, Swift was one of four City legends named in the Football League 100 legends selected to celebrate 100 seasons of League football. Now in the first biography to be written on him, find out more about the keeper and his exploits.

"The Legends of Aston Villa" will delight all true supporters of the club and many followers of the game in general. Stories of many Villa players are covered in detail in this book, which is illustrated with some high-quality photographs. Aston Villa, founded in 1874 and one of the great clubs in world football, were giants in the game long before the introduction of League football in 1888. Throughout their history, the name of Aston Villa has never been far away from the honours, and over the years some brilliant players have worn the famous claret-and-blue strip, many helping them win the Football League title, the FA Cup, the League Cup, the coveted European Cup and the European Super Cup as well as a handful of other competitions. Now the team is playing with the elite in the Premiership, where they have been since its introduction in 1992, and one feels there could be a few more prizes to be won in the very near future. Around 1,000 players have represented the club at various levels since 1874, but only 100 have been chosen after great deliberation, and their Villa stories are covered in detail in this book, which is illustrated with some high-quality photographs. "The Legends of Aston Villa" is an important addition to the bookshelves of anyone with an interest in this proud club and is sure to appeal to Villa supporters of all ages.

This book is a must for the bookcase of any true Sunderland fan! What makes a player a cult hero? Well he has to give 100 per cent, and he has to be lovable. As much as any set of supporters, the fans of Sunderland - shown to be the noisiest in the country by a study of decibel levels - love their heroes and take them to their hearts. In this official "Sunderland AFC book, Sunderland Cult Heroes", the club's publications editor Rob Mason speaks to nine cult heroes, including 1973 Cup winners Vic Halom and Dick Malone, sublime schemers Kevin Arnott and Julio Arca, hard-man full-backs Joe Bolton, John Kay and Chris Makin, modern-day cult figure Nyron Nosworthy and the inimitable goalkeeper from the 1970s and 1980s Barry Siddall. To show that cult heroes are not just a modern-day phenomenon, a goalkeeper from a century ago, L.R. Roose, is also featured - perhaps the biggest cult hero of them all.

The 'Busby Babes'. What a great name and title. The "Busby Babes" marked the fruition of the plans for youth which were drawn up by J.W. Gibson and put into practice by Sir Matt Busby and Jimmy Murphy. It marked another new chapter in Manchester United's history. When Sir Matt Busby arrived and took on the Manager's job in 1945, he embraced Gibson's vision totally. Together with his able lieutenant, Jimmy Murphy, Busby drew the blueprint and Murphy put the building bricks together. This book tells the story of 18 players plus Assistant Manager, Jimmy Murphy, who made up the main squad of that famous team. There is still as much an aura about them now as there was before the tragedy of Munich. They were the pollinators of British football; they were the 'Flowers of Manchester'.

"Trautmann: The Biography" is the complete story, from his early life in Bremen where he was born and raised in the seething political climate of the 1920s, to his often hilarious internment as prisoner of war Camp 50, until his signing by Manchester City in 1949. This study of Trautmann's life is a story of controversy, prejudice and passion that will fascinate readers. This is an extremely compelling read that reveals the interesting life of one of the greatest goalkeepers ever seen. In April 1945 a group of bedraggled, weary German prisoners of war landed at Tilbury after being captured during the last days of the war. They were dispersed to prison camps throughout England, and one of their number, a confused 22-year-old veteran of some of the harshest conditions and hardest battles experienced by the German forces, found himself in south-east Lancashire. His name was Bernhard Carl Trautmann, later to become famous as Bert. This book is the complete story, from his early life in Bremen where he was born and raised in the seething political climate of the 1920s, his involvement with the Hitler Youth movement and extraordinary war experiences, to his often hilarious internment as prisoner of war Camp 50, until his signing by Manchester City in 1949 amid a barrage of controversy and prejudice. Trautmann ran the gauntlet of racial hatred to become, without doubt, one of the greatest goalkeepers ever seen. He played in two successive FA Cup Finals, 1955 and 1956, the latter year bringing him into world focus when he sustained a broken neck. Yet he continued in the game. Within weeks of that Cup Final he suffered further appalling personal tragedy, amid turmoil in his home life, as he fought to regain his fitness. The book has been updated to include details of the Trautmann Foundation and Trautmann's OBE.

Every game, every scorer, every player and every attendance. Memorable matches, complete history, pen pictures, manager profiles, appearance records all feature in "Fulham: The Complete Record". Written by experienced Fulham author Dennis Turner, this book is the definitive guide to Fulham and will be on the wish list of every fan. "Fulham: The Complete Record" is the official record of the Cottagers since the club began back in 1879 with Sunday-school boys knocking a ball around a park pitch. Written by experienced Fulham author Dennis Turner, this book is the definitive guide to Fulham and will be on the wish list of every fan. The story of Fulham FC, from its beginnings in the 19th century to the present day, is covered in fascinating detail. Followed by profiles of the club's great players, the managers, the programmes, the attendences, the games that secured trophies and a history of the grounds played on, every game the club has played at first-team level is detailed. Completed with a breakdown of each player's individual record and full representative appearances, this is a book that provides everything any Fulham fan, and indeed any football fan could want to know about Fulham Football Club.

This is the autobiography of one of Ireland's greatest ever full-backs - Dave Langan. Brought to England by the legendary Brain Clough, Langan made his name as one of the best young full-backs in Britain. With brutal honesty, Dave Langan tells of his battles on and off the field, as well as his international career with Ireland. Dave Langan, regarded by many as one of Ireland's greatest full-backs, was also a mainstay of the famous Oxford United team that made history in 1986 when they won the Milk Cup. Managed by Maurice Evans, Langan and his teammates, including fellow Irish legends Ray Houghton and John Aldridge, were part of the side which beat QPR 3-0 in the final. Brought to England by the legendary Brian Clough, Langan made his name as one of the best young full-backs in Britain with Derby, before making a then record breaking transfer to Birmingham. With a brutal honesty reminiscent of his playing days Dave Langan tells of his battles on and off the field, as well as his international career with Ireland.

For followers of the legendary Rams, no phrase sums up the club more aptly than 'it could only happen at Derby County'. This hugely entertaining collection of strange but true tales shows exactly why. Through thousands of fascinating nuggets of trivia - humorous, tragic, strange and utterly bizarre in turn - author and lifelong fan Peter Seddon captures the very essence of the weird and wonderful world of the incomparable Rams. Discover the awful truth about the severed head found at the Baseball Ground, find out which Rams player was immortalised in a feature film, when bad light stopped play, whose wife wrote racy novels, which Rams striker almost wished death on the entire squad, and why ace-winger Alan Hinton was dropped after the worst televised miss of all time. The entertaining stories and quirky snippets in "The Little Book of Derby County" are sure to amuse all football lovers, but in particular that special breed of fan who supports the redoubtable Rams through thick and thin.

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.

'I knew nothing about football before knowing Cruyff.' - Pep Guardiola Johan Cruyff is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in football history. Throughout his playing career, he was synonymous with Total Football, a style of play in which every player could play in any position on the pitch. Today, his philosophy lives on in teams across Europe, from Barcelona to Bayern Munich and players from Lionel Messi to Cesc Fabrecas. My Turn tells the story of Cruyff's life starting at Ajax, where he won eight national titles and three European Cups before moving to Barcelona where he won La Liga in his first season, in 1973, and was named European Footballer of the Year. He won the Ballon d'Or three times, and led the Dutch national team to the final of the 1974 World Cup, famously losing to West Germany, and receiving the Golden Ball as the player of the tournament. Off the field his life was more turbulent, surviving a kidnapping attempt and bankruptcy. This honest and unflinching autobiography also explores his life after retirement, when he became a hugely successful manager of Ajax and then Barcelona when he won the Champions league with a young Pep Guardiola in his team. My Turn is the inspirational account of a legendary football hero, voted European Player of the Century, in his own words. In March 2016 Cruyff died after a short battle with lung cancer bringing world football to a standstill in an outpouring of emotions. A brilliant teacher and analyst of the game he love, My Turn is Johan Cruyff's legacy.

Football is big business. The top teams and leagues in world football generate billions of dollars in revenue and serve an audience of billions of fans. This book focuses on the marketing of football as the apex of the contemporary football industry. Drawing upon key theories and concepts in sport marketing, it highlights the critical strategic and operational elements that underpin effective marketing in football clubs around the world. From the English Premier League to Major League Soccer, this handbook addresses the most important developments in sponsorship, marketing communications, digital marketing strategies, customer relationship management and social media. Written by a team of leading football marketing experts, it presents the latest cutting-edge research in case studies from countries including the UK, USA, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, China and Japan. The only up-to-date book on football marketing written from a truly international perspective, the Routledge Handbook of Football Marketing is an invaluable resource for any researcher or advanced student with an interest in football marketing, as well as all marketers working in the professional football business.

Modern football is an industry and capitalism is its engine. However, this book argues for a more nuanced understanding of contemporary football culture and the (self-)identity of football fans. Drawing on original ethnographic research conducted with fans at all levels, from international to lower league, the book explores the tensions between fans as consumers and 'traditional' football cultures, arguing that modern football fans are able to negotiate the discourses of capitalism and tradition operating upon them to enact their own power and identity within football culture. Featuring case studies of Norwich City, MK Dons and Chelsea fans, this is fascinating reading for anybody with an interest in sport and society or cultural studies.

From the thousands of matches ever played by Tottenham Hotspur, stretching from the club's Victorian foundation by local schoolboys across 130 years to the Premier League era, here are 50 of Spurs' most glorious, epochal and thrilling games of all! Expertly presented in evocative historical context, and described incident-by-incident in atmospheric detail, Tottenham Hotspur's Greatest Games offers a terrace ticket back in time, taking in everything from Southern League championship seasons to the club's eight victorious FA Cup runs. An irresistible cast list of club legends - Alf Ramsey, Bill Nicholson and Edwardian superstar Sandy Brown, Danny Blanchflower, Glenn Hoddle and Jimmy Greaves - springs to life in a thrilling selection of hard-fought derby matches, landmark European victories, league and cup wins, including the landing of the 20th century's first Double. In all, a journey through the highlights of Spurs history which is guaranteed to make any fan's heart swell with pride.