Liverpool FC is rarely out of the news and always is the subject of interest from inside and outside of the world of football. From Kenny Dalglish, Alan Hansen and Graeme Souness through Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler and Jamie Redknapp to Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, John Henry and coach Jurgen Klopp, few clubs can boast as many people with so much to say for themselves, especially in the case of Bill Shankly, football's most quoted man. Liverpool have a proud tradition and a very loyal support, and this book aims to capture the flavour of both. In 2019 the Reds came to within a point of their long-awaited 19th title, but ultimately avoided disappointment by finishing their season winning the UEAF Champions League. With the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup also won by the end of 2019, Klopp now knows what it takes to win and few will be surprised if Liverpool are front and centre when it comes to handing out trophies in 2020. The Little Book of Liverpool, brim-full with more than 170 quotes, celebrates the club's continued success at home and abroad.

This book applies research findings from soccer match analysis, coaching analysis, decision making in sport and motor skill acquisition to inform the coach on best practices, with a view to improving performance of the individual player and the team. Soccer match analysis has become more and more important in recent years. No professional soccer club plays a single match without having analyzed their own and their opponents matches to find the best possible plan for success. In Soccer Analytics Ian M. Franks and Mike Hughes explore soccer match analyses and use the results to develop realistic, progressive practices to improve the performance of the individual players and the team. Research is directly applied to the coaching process and technical and tactical practices are designed to accommodate these findings. Not only is the players behavior during practice and matches analyzed but the coaches as well. This helps evaluate different coaching practices to find your ideal coaching style. Coaches of soccer from elite levels to recreational players, directors of coaching clubs and teams, undergraduate university students, college professors involved in coaching and teaching soccer, physical education teachers, parents of soccer players will develop insight from the ample material presented.

‘The game isn’t what it seems from the outside. The game isn’t quite what I was expecting. The game doesn’t always work like the people on television think it does. The game is better, worse and stranger than you can imagine, and that is coming from someone who saw it all with their own eyes.’ Ever wondered what really goes on inside a Premier League dressing room, what it’s like to train under Roy Hodgson, Roberto Mancini and Fabio Capello – and what happens when you kick a sandwich at one of them? When it comes to football, former Manchester City and England star Micah Richards has seen it all – and laughed about most of it. In The Game, Micah shares his funniest and frankest stories from on and off the pitch, be it arriving at his first England training session with two left boots, attempting to supervise the infamous Mario Balotelli or winding up Roy Keane on Super Sunday. From how he spent his first Premier League paycheque and how he prepared – financially and mentally – for the day they stopped coming, to the euphoria of lifting the Premier League trophy and the physical and emotional impact of injury, Micah reflects openly on the many wins and losses in professional football. Full of Micah’s signature cheeky wit, this intimate, unmissable memoir goes behind the scenes of the beautiful game and a remarkable life and career.

Martin O'Neill is one of the most fascinating and respected figures in football. On Days Like These tells the story of his remarkable career. A key part of Brian Clough's legendary Nottingham Forest team in the '70s and early '80s, Martin represented Northern Ireland more than 60 times and led them to the 1982 World Cup. As a manager he took Leicester City to two League Cups, Celtic to seven trophies, and the Republic of Ireland to the European Championship in 2016. Martin tells of his exhilarating highs and painful lows; from the joys of winning trophies, promotion and fighting for World Cups to making the difficult decision to retire as a player, boardroom drama, relegation scraps and being fired. Written with his trademark honesty and humour, On Days Like These is a must-read for any fan of the beautiful game.

Sunderland AFC Miscellany collects together all the vital information you never knew you needed to know about the Black Cats. In these pages you will find irresistible anecdotes and the most mindblowing stats and facts. Heard the one about the goalie who complained the two goals were different sizes? How about the member of the 1973 FA Cup winning team who stood for Parliament? Or the great-grandson of the title-winning Sunderland manager who later played guitar for The Four Tops? Do you know which Sunderland striker once employed Cliff Richard? Which international goalkeeper was taught by HG Wells? And who was the 'singing winger' who appeared with The Beatles? All these stories and hundreds more appear in a brilliantly researched collection of trivia - essential for any Sunderland fan who holds the riches of the club's history close to their heart.

Soccer players may get all the glory, but behind every great player is a great coach. And behind every great coach today stands a deep fraternity who dedicated decades to supporting soccer's long climb from obscurity to become one of the major sports in America. It was an uphill battle, fought persistently and creatively to overcome a public perception of soccer as "foreign," "aloof," "snobby," or simply "odd." This is a story of individual and collective action, of coaches coming together to improve the sport and expand its reach. From coaching methodologies to standardizing rules, improving the play on the field and the perceptions beyond it, persistent coaches were instrumental in creating the game played and watched today. Relentless tells the landmark and previously untold stories of resolute coaches, their love of the game, and how they transformed the sport in the United States.

The Jimmy Greaves We Knew celebrates the life and career of a national treasure through the memories of friends, family, team-mates, the media and fans. They recall a goalscoring great, a TV celebrity - most notably as one half of the legendary Saint and Greavsie - a newspaper columnist, comedian and raconteur who battled alcohol addiction. The modern game also pays tribute to this charismatic, friendly, down-to-earth, witty individual who built a reputation for hitting the back of the net playing for Chelsea, AC Milan, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and England. Greaves set a European record of 357 goals in 516 top-flight games and netted 44 in 57 full international appearances. Tragically, Greaves suffered a stroke in 2015 and died on 19 September 2021, when two of his former clubs, Spurs and Chelsea - plus 60,000 fans - gave him a minute's applause before they played each other at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The love and affection is as strong as ever.

Ken Barnes was widely regarded as one of the finest footballers of his generation never to have won an England cap. During a distinguished playing career with Manchester City, Ken appeared in the FA Cup finals of 1955 and 1956 and later captained the club before retiring in the early 60s. He spent nearly a decade away from Maine Road as a manager of Wrexham and Witton Albion before returning to Maine Road as a coach under Joe Mercer. Ken subsequently went on to serve under every City manager as either a coach or chief scout from Joe Mercer to Joe Royle. As someone who holds forthright views on the game, especially when it comes to the subject of coaching, Ken's views could be dismissed as the 'in my day' rantings of another embittered former pro. Yet one should bear in mind that his integrity and knowledge of the game saw him serve under every Manchester City manager from Joe Mercer to Joe Royle. In his time Ken has seen trends come and go -- from the 'deep lying centre-forward' via 'wingless wonders' to today's 'holding midfielder' and is uniquely placed to give his opinions on them all. Away from football, Ken is described as a 'character'. Make of that what you will. That may be a tale for another day. This is the story of Kens life in football. Im honoured, and privileged, that he asked me to help him tell it.

A dozen Sunderland legends come together to tell the stories behind their favourite ever games for the club - enabling Black Cats fans of all ages to relive these magic moments through the eyes and emotions of the men who were there, playing their hearts out for the red-and-white stripes...Niall Quinn relives the rollercoaster 1998 League Division Two play-off final which went to 4-4 before Charlton pinched it 7-6 on penalties; Jim Montgomery recounts heroic tales of the landmark 1973 FA Cup Final. Ever the crowd pleaser, Gary Rowell waxes lyrical about a 4-1 defeat of Newcastle at St James' Park, while the club's all-time record scorer Bobby Gurney remembers a ten-goal thriller back in 1935! Sunderland greats Marco Gabbiadini, Len Ashurst and Charlie Hurley also turn in characteristic star performances, winding back the clock to relive treasured memories of the Match of Their Lives for the Black Cats.

Firmly situating South African teams, players, and associations in the international framework in which they have to compete, South Africa and the Global Game: Football, Apartheid, and Beyond presents an interdisciplinary analysis of how and why South Africa underwent a remarkable transformation from a pariah in world sport to the first African host of a World Cup in 2010. Written by an eminent team of scholars, this special issue and book aims to examine the importance of football in South African society, revealing how the black oppression transformed a colonial game into a force for political, cultural and social liberation. It explores how the hosting of the 2010 World Cup aims to enhance the prestige of the post-apartheid nation, to generate economic growth and stimulate Pan-African pride. Among the themes dealt with are race and racism, class and gender dynamics, social identities, mass media and culture, and globalization. This collection of original and insightful essays will appeal to specialists in African Studies, Cultural Studies, and Sport Studies, as well as to non-specialist readers seeking to inform themselves ahead of the 2010 World Cup.

This book was published as a special issue of Soccer and Society.

Meet the crews who think nothing of using tear gas, meat hooks, home-made bombs and worse. They come from all corners of the globe: from Brazil, Croatia, Argentina, Italy... and for these football hooligans, their team is their life. In a quest to find the most fanatical football hooligans on the planet, author Dominic Utton visited nine countries in three months with Danny Dyer, and the team behind the hit TV series. Shot at, stoned, glassed and tear-gassed, he survived gunfire in Brazil and a riot in Poland. Full of spine-chilling encounters, extraordinary characters and brutal clashes, The Real Football Factories shows that football hooliganism is alive and kicking all over the world.

Spurs On This Day revisits all the most magical and memorable moments from the club's glorious past, mixing in a maelstrom of quirky anecdotes and legendary characters to produce an irresistibly dippable diary of the club's history - with an entry for every day of the year. From their Victorian roots as Hotspur FC up to the Premier League era, Spurs fans have witnessed a unique FA Cup victory as a non-League side, League and Cup triumphs, hard-fought derbies and unforgettable European nights - all featured here. Timeless greats such as Glenn Hoddle and Danny Blanchflower, Dave Mackay, Jurgen Klinsmann and Bill Nicholson all loom larger than life. Revisit January 22, 2008 when Spurs beat Arsenal 5-1 in the Carling Cup semi-final. May 6, 1961 when Spurs became the 20th century's first Double winners. And July 13 2001, when Steffen Freund scored against Stevenage, his first and only Tottenham goal!

Blackpool FC Miscellany collects together all the vital information you never knew you needed to know about the Seasiders. In these pages you will find irresistible anecdotes and the most mindblowing stats and facts. Heard the one about the goalie who sported glasses and a blue-and-white bandana? How about the fans in masks and fancy dress, known as the Atomic Boys? Or the first ever live televised League match, watched by 2.3 million viewers? Do you know which Premier League-era favourite was sent off on his debut? Which 1970s disco divas sung the official club song? Or who became the first player to play for Blackpool in all four divisions? All these stories and hundreds more appear in a brilliantly researched collection of trivia - essential for any Seasiders fan who holds the riches of the club's history close to their heart.

Coventry City Miscellany collects together all the vital information you never knew you needed to know about the Sky Blues. In these pages you will find irresistible anecdotes and the most mindblowing stats and facts. Heard the one about the substitute who scored on his debut after just 26 seconds? How about the FA Youth Cup winners who were signed by Kenny Dalglish? Or the media pundit who scored in six successive top-flight matches? Do you know what Des Bremner and Gilles de Bilde have in common with Steve Ogrizovic? Which was the last side to win a League game at Highfield Road? And who was the only Irishman who didn't know where Dublin was? All these stories and hundreds more appear in a brilliantly researched collection of trivia - essential for any Coventry City fan who holds the riches of the club's history close to their heart.

Not German, I'm Scouse is the hilarious, emotional and compelling life story of German Liverpool supporter Carsten Nippert. As a young boy, Carsten was fascinated by the Reds. His teenage years were marked by despair and frustration as rare TV highlights and an unreliable radio reception offered the only access to his beloved Liverpool. Fear characterised his first visits to Anfield when he encountered vitriolic Mancunians and Kopites whose dialect confused him. His whole life revolved around his unquenchable passion. An emotionally blackmailed mother had to provide a ticket for a European Cup final when her underage son announced he would travel there regardless. She was even tasked, through his will, with scattering his ashes around Anfield if she outlived him. Carsten's adventures took him to Istanbul, outwitting riot police and 'bunking in' in Athens, a sleepless round-trip to Kiev and an unforgettable party in Madrid. Not German, I'm Scouse is the remarkable tale of an unlikely Liverpool fan who became a Scouser at heart.

Eye of the Tiger is the story of one of the most legendary figures in Glasgow Rangers' rich history, a man who epitomised what it meant to be a Ranger. Jock Shaw was a no-nonsense full-back whose fierce, uncompromising tackling earned him the nickname 'Tiger' from club supporters. He joined the Gers from Airdrie in 1938 for GBP2,000 and was a key figure in the Ibrox defence in the immediate post-war years. That defence was dubbed the 'Iron Curtain' because it seemed as unyielding as the barrier that divided Europe at the time. The book charts Jock's extraordinary journey from the coal pit at Bedlay (Annathill) to becoming Rangers' first treble-winning captain. His signing for Rangers started a remarkable association with the club, which lasted over 40 years and saw him serve as team captain, third-team coach and groundsman. He also captained Scotland and shared the distinction of beating England with his brother David. Ian Stewart worked with Tiger Shaw's family to bring you the inside track on his life and career.

'Fantastic book written by a true LFC legend.' Jurgen Klopp 'George Sephton is part of the brickwork of Liverpool Football Club and was witness to so many iconic moments. He has lived through a huge chunk of our history, from when Liverpool were in the Second Division, when he used to come to Anfield with his father, all the way to being crowned World Club and Premier League champions. It's been a rollercoaster ride, and George has been there for all the ups and downs - but mainly the ups.' Sir Kenny Dalglish 'The voice of George Sephton has been heard at Anfield for so long that you could be forgiven for imagining him poised with a wind-up gramophone and a 78-rpm record of Gerry with his ukulele and a single Pacemaker, on a comb and tissue paper, piping Alan A'Court and Alf Arrowsmith onto the field.' Elvis Costello George Sephton's relationship with Liverpool Football Club began in 1971 when he wrote to the club secretary applying to be the stadium announcer. His first match also marked the debut of Kevin Keegan. For the past fifty years, Sephton has been at Anfield for all but a handful of home fixtures, as well as travelling with the team to major finals. From the highs of winning numerous league titles and European Cups, to the lows of Heysel and Hillsborough, Sephton has been with Liverpool through it all. From encounters with great managers and legendary players - from Bill Shankly to Kenny Dalglish, John Barnes to Jurgen Klopp, he tells his unique and entertaining story of the greatest club in the world.

The Sheffield United - a book on the Blades like no other, packed with facts, stats, trivia, stories and legends. Sheffield United FC enjoy a notable history. Names such as Ernest Needham, Jimmy Hagan and Alan Woodward have worn the famous red and white stripes hundreds of times. As has the mercurial Tony Currie plus the infamous William 'Fatty' Foulke - a huge keeper who walked off the field at a whim and once dumped a forward on his head in a muddy penalty area. The Sheffield United Miscellany charts these events and many more in an intriguing format. Well known events are covered as are some priceless trivia gems - who can claim to have known the club was founded on the site of one of snooker's most hallowed venues and hosted the obscure winter sport of bandy? Also featured are a wide range of statistics, quotes and biographies from the club's 110-year history, making it a must for any Blade. Can you really afford not to own a copy?

'A heady mix of football history, nostalgia and modern-day action that collectors of all ages will cherish' - When Saturday Comes 'Excellent... This book is like a journey through time, revealing some of the coolest-ever albums and stickers' - Match 'Countless memories come flooding back...' - The Sun 'Lovely book... One for your dad...' TalkSPORT 'A cool, snappy retrospective if the last 60 years of albums.' - The Athletic WELCOME TO THE GLORIOUS WORLD OF PANINI FOOTBALL STICKERS. Collecting Panini football stickers has always been a joy. Tearing open those packets and excitedly filling an album is a rite of passage for millions of kids - and adults. It's so popular, it even has its own language - 'swapsies', 'got, got, need' and 'shinies'. And now, for the first time, Panini have granted access to their archives for this superbly illustrated celebration of their iconic football sticker collections. Licensed by Panini and written by respected sticker authority Greg Lansdowne, this volume showcases Panini's UK domestic football, FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship albums, as well as all the great players, from Pele and Maradona to Marta, Ronaldo and Mbappe (via Frank Worthington, Chris Waddle, Gary Lineker, Eric Cantona, Ally McCoist and a few dodgy haircuts). A heady mix of football history, wonderful nostalgia and modern-day action that collectors of all ages will cherish, this book shows why, for the last 60 years, collecting Panini stickers has been - and remains - a global phenomenon. PANINI FOOTBALL STICKERS: A CELEBRATION includes: - More than 2,000 images of iconic PANINI stickers, album covers and sticker packet designs - Specially curated chapters on every UK-published collection (Football League/FIFA World Cup) - Breakout features on foils, haircuts styles and collecting etiquette

Sheffield Wednesday Miscellany collects together all the vital information you never knew you needed to know about the Owls. In these pages you will find irresistible anecdotes and the most mindblowing stats and facts. Heard the one about the former player who was wrongly presumed dead for 95 years? How about the time the lads were drawn away from home in the Cup on ten consecutive occasions? Or the ex-Owl whose playing career wound up in Greenland and the Falkland Islands? Do you know which Wednesday winger drove to matches in an ice-cream van? The result of the 'secret' match played under the new Hillsborough floodlights? Or the depth of the floodwater on the pitch in 2007? All these stories and hundreds more appear in a brilliantly researched collection of trivia - essential for any Wednesday fan who holds the riches of the club's history close to their heart.

A publishing phenomenon in hardback, Roy Keane's autobiography was the biggest selling sports book of the year. The book will include a new chapter covering events that followed the books publication: Keane's vindication by the FAI report; the punishment meted out by the FA and Mick McCarthy's resignation. Brilliantly reviewed, Roy Keane's riveting, brutally honest autobiography has the potential to be one of the year's biggest paperback bestsellers.

WINNER OF THE FOOTBALL BOOK OF THE YEAR 'This is a masterfully written history of the world's greatest football club. Mes que un book!' - GARY LINEKER From the bestselling co-author of Soccernomics comes the story of how FC Barcelona became the most successful football club in the world - and how that envied position now hangs in the balance. Barca is not just the world's most popular sports club, it is simply one of the most influential organisations on the planet. With almost 250 million followers on social media and 4 million visitors to its Camp Nou stadium each year, there's little wonder its motto is 'More than a club'. But it was not always so. In the past three decades, Barcelona has transformed from regional team to global powerhouse, becoming a model of sporting excellence and a consistent winner of silverware. Simon Kuper unravels exactly how these transformations took place. He outlines the organisational structure behind the club's business decisions, and details the work of its coaches, medics, data analysts and nutritionists who have revolutionised the sporting world. And, of course, he studies the towering influence of the club's two greatest legends, Johan Cruyff and Lionel Messi. Like many leading global businesses, FC Barcelona closely guards its secrets, granting few outsiders a view behind the scenes. But, after decades of writing about the sport and the club, Kuper was given unprecedented access to the inner sanctum and to the people who strive daily to keep Barcelona at the top. Erudite, personal, and capturing all the latest successes and upheavals, his portrait of this incredible institution goes beyond football to understand Barca as a unique social, cultural, and political phenomenon. "I began my research thinking I was going to be explaining Barca's rise to greatness, and I have, but I've also ended up charting the decline and fall."

A Director's Tale is the story of Burnley Football Club in the early 1980s, a time of short-lived success and then turmoil. With special access to the diaries of director Derek Gill, Dave Thomas brings you the unvarnished inside story, revealing what went on behind the scenes amid conflict with chairman John Jackson and manager John Bond. These were torrid times involving, at first, a surprise promotion, then a relegation, then John Bond's departure and another relegation. This was a group of men who were all competent and professional in their own fields - Jackson was a barrister, Gill an accountant - but they became a toxic mix in the boardroom. The Bond season has gone into the Turf Moor history books as one of the most damaging. His name is much derided in Burnley today, but he was only a part of a bigger problem. The Gill diaries provide a unique opportunity to see - warts and all - the workings and machinations of boardroom politics. This is a story of failure and acrimony.