Rarely in the modern English game has a player been as loved by his supporters, admired by his teammates and respected by his peers as Ledley King. And even more rarely has such a shining talent seen their career cut so tragically short. Named 'the best defender in Europe' by Thierry Henry, and described by Martin Jol as 'the best central defender I've ever seen', King was undoubtedly one of the greatest talents of his generation. Yet injury forced his retirement, aged only 31. But even at the height of his chronic knee trouble - when he could only train once a week, and was advised not to even play football with his son - King still managed to captain Tottenham Hotspur and be called up to the England squad. King documents the successes and struggles - both personal and professional - behind this unique and unprecedented footballing career: from King's childhood in East London, to his future out of the white shirt of his beloved Tottenham Hotspur.

Football fans love nothing more than to read about their favourite teams. Although this books is aimed at young teenagers they will delight all ages with their mixture of funny and enlightening stories and will give hours of pleasure discovering quirky facts about your favourite team. Each title is also augmented with a selection of sketches by the young sketch artist Becky Welton that depict some of the stories within.

The definitive account of Leicester City's astonishing rise from relegation certainties to Premier League title winners: the greatest achievement in the modern football era. King Power Stadium, countdown to kick off. Out on the pitch a lone brass player sounds the haunting Post Horn Gallop, for 80 years the home players' entrance tune. Spines tingle. Air is gulped into opposition lungs. Game time, time to begin the chase. Burning fox eyes peer down from between the decks of one of the stands. On the stadium's outside wall a royal blue LCD display says #Fearless. Welcome to Leicester City. They were always a club with a difference but in 2015-16 they created a story that in modern football stands unique. Who could believe it: from relegation certainties to champions of England? It was when, on behalf of every small club, dreams were hunted at the King Power, a season where the impossible became merely quarry. 5,000-1 shots when the campaign started, Leicester's transformation has been remarkable. This is the most incredible cast of written-offs, grafters, misfits and journeymen, coming together in a special time and place to simultaneously have the season of their lives. Fearless will document Leicester's hunt of their impossible dream. It will tell the greatest football tale of the Premier League era, in loving detail, with the inside track. Now Leicester have gone all the way and won the title, it's the best story in world sports - for years. Champions of the Premier League. The side who'd been adrift at the bottom 12 months previously, who's started the season as relegation favourites, whose manager was favourite to be the first one sacked once the campaign got underway. A League One side only seven seasons previously. A squad of GBP500,000 and GBP1m men. Leicester. Ridiculous. Miraculous. Fearless.

How much do you really know about Newcastle United? Put your Magpies knowledge to the test with this bumper book of brainteaser quizzes and fascinating facts, beautifully illustrated by one of the world's leading sports artists. It's packed with trivia on all the Newcastle greats - from 'Wor Jackie' Milburn to Supermac and Shearer, from 'King Kevin' Keegan to Rafa Benitez and beyond - providing hours of highly dippable fun and entertainment. On his retirement in 1984, which player left the field by helicopter still dressed in his kit? Which club favourite made 95 appearances for Peru? Alan Shearer once scored a goal 10.4 seconds into a Premier League game against which club? Who was the first Newcastle United player to win the Premier League Golden Boot? The Magpies take to the field for each home game to the sound of which Mark Knopfler song? Trivquiz Newcastle United holds the answers to all these questions and hundreds more.

Mickey Francis and his brothers led an army of Manchester City thugs on a 15-year trail of terror on the streets and football terraces of Britain. They fought scores of pitched battles with rival 'firms' until they were arrested by the police in the most successful undercover operation of its kind.

Ever since the children of penniless immigrants caught the train from Whitechapel to White Hart Lane - to be greeted with the refrain: 'Does Your Rabbi Know You're Here?' - this forgotten tribe have helped to shape the Beautiful Game. In telling the fascinating lives of these largely unsung trailblazers, Clavane uncovers a hidden history of Jewish involvement in English football. From Louis Bookman, the first Jew to play in England's top division, to the pugnacious winger Mark Lazarus, whose last-gasp goal won the 1967 League Cup for QPR, to shady figures like One-Armed Lou, a ticket tout who never told the story of his missing limb the same way twice, through to the businessmen who helped form the breakaway Premier League, and in the process changed the English game for ever.

Football has never seemed so distant from its fans. Many have been alienated by the greed and shameless self-interest of the Premier League, and no one can predict how the global game will look post-pandemic. In Whose Game Is It Anyway?, Sunday Times best-selling author Michael Calvin searches for a reason to believe. Written at the height of the Covid-19 crisis, the book is a thought-provoking, deeply personal account of the role sport - and particularly football - plays in everyday life. Part memoir, part manifesto, it takes the reader on a tour of the world's greatest sporting occasions and into its outposts in sub-Saharan Africa, the Amazon Basin and the Southern Ocean. Drawn from Calvin's experience as an award-winning sportswriter, covering every major sports event over 40 years in more than 80 countries, it offers first-hand insight into such icons as Muhammad Ali, Maradona and Sir Bobby Charlton. With settings ranging from a jungle clearing to a township in apartheid South Africa, this is sport as you've never seen it before.

This is a stimulating and deeply insightful football narrative by Rafa Benitez which focuses on the legendary manager's dramatic six Champions League campaigns with Liverpool. Rafa expertly navigates fans through intriguing European adventures that embrace the triumph and despair of two Champions League finals, three semi-finals and five quarter-finals in what was a golden era for the Anfield club - an era that supporters felt gave them their pride back after years in the wilderness. What sets this book apart is the unique ways in which Rafa allows fans into his high-pressured world, the fascinating glimpses he offers of a top manager's thought processes and decision making during the cut and thrust of a high-octane European campaign.

For any normal individual, a round the world trip of a lifetime would mean abandoning all thoughts of everyday life and embracing a jetset lifestyle. Not so David Blatt. While his long-suffering wife Helene embarked upon a 90,000 mile global odyssey with thoughts of ticking-off as many of the world's wonders as possible, David felt the magnetic pull of the other love of his life, Manchester United, and the prospect of a whole year without watching Eric's Disciples on Earth. As David proves in "The Red Eye", it is now possible to watch the world's most famous club from almost any part of the globe, with the honourable exception of the Galapagos Islands. From India to Brazil via most points in between, he catches The Reds on dodgy internet streams, at the back of beachside cafes, in restaurants, Aussie pubs and overcrowded hostel reception areas, while Helene plans the next day's breathtaking trip to the likes of the Taj Mahal or Machu Picchu. What emerges is a sharply humorous and insightful account of a trip across four continents with the protagonists often at odds over the purpose of the day: Magnificent Utopia or Manchester United...No contest!

Training players in circular playing fields develops and improves their game competence. Circle Soccer Training contains an integrated game concept and provides varied training exercises for fast implementation in training practice that will benefit all players at any level. The book first delves into the theory of circle training, explaining the main technical and tactical principles of the circle training concept. It contains further helpful information regarding the rules of the game, coaching points, how to organize each game or drill, and detailed illustrations. Following the introduction on circle training is the practical application. Beginning with an explanation on how to use this effective training for improving players' technical abilities, this section contains 100 circular games and drills that will allow players to progress and develop their skills. Also presented in this book are trendy, innovative, and cognitively demanding forms of play, which are an integrated and complex part of modern soccer. The concepts of circle soccer and their application in training are important for all players--at any level--to develop their technical playing abilities. With Circle Soccer Training, players can create a competitive advantage over their opponents.

This handy "how-to" food guide addresses the nutrition questions and concerns of soccer athletes of all ages and abilities to help them achieve success with energy to spare. Soccer athletes are hungry for good nutrition information. They have lots of food questions: * What should I eat before a game? * What about sports drinks? * How much protein should I be eating? Food Guide for Soccer: Tips & Recipes from the Pros will answer those questions-plus others. This easy-to-read book offers practical tips, debunks nutrition myths, and is a simple "how-to" resource for soccer players, their coaches and parents. The text is sprinkled with quotes from professional soccer players as well as recipes, sample menus, and nutrition sidebars.

The Beckham enigma continues. Since the publication of Cashmore's challenging social biography in 2003, the working-class kid from the East London has left Manchester and conquered the world. Undisputedly one of the world's most famous men, Beckham has transcended sport to become an all-purpose cultural icon for the twenty-first century.

What are the sources of Beckham's godlike status? Why does someone who looks good, but speaks in platitudes and does little but play football, command the adulation of the planet? By dissecting his life and setting it in context of the age of celebrity, Cashmore argues that Beckham has been turned into a product, a commodity that can be bought and sold like any other piece of merchandise. There is not just a person named Beckham: there are countless Beckhams that exist independently of time and space, constructions of peoples' imaginations.

The second edition of Beckham updates the original's arguments, covering the events that have shaped the Beckham phenomenon: the Flying Boot that symbolized the growing disquiet at Manchester United, the replacement of his first agents SFX with Simon Fuller (the creator of Pop Idol), the failed attempt to capture a US market, the growing presence of adidas, the sportswear giants, and the transfer saga that took Beckham to Madrid - and his influence beyond.

Among the other features of the second edition are chapters on: Manchester United, the club that provided Beckham with his first showcase; Rupert Murdoch's takeover of British football; Beckham's ambiguous sexual image and his gay following; the importance of Madonna in kick-starting the age of celebrity in which Beckham prospered; Beckham's curious relationships with the legacy of Warhol.

Completely revised and updated, the new text emphasizes the often overlooked part played by Victoria in the making of the icon and the guile with which she helped plan an enterprise that had no precedents.

Applauding the Kop is the definitive story of Liverpool FC's goalkeepers. Through a series of remarkable interviews, it reveals the pressure and demands of playing in the prime position for one of the most successful sides in world football. The book offers honest observer accounts of the greatest goalkeepers to ever pull on the number-one jersey at Anfield, and first-hand anecdotes from those who trained at the club. Get an insider's view on the likes of Bruce Grobbelaar, Jerzy Dudek and David James. The players share funny, emotional and alternative viewpoints of their more illustrious team-mates at Liverpool and elsewhere, offering a rare glimpse of life in the most extraordinary leagues and teams in Europe. Applauding the Kop provides a unique insight into the personalities of many goalkeeping greats, and tells the tales of others who were less successful, detailing the events that dictate how they are perceived. Each player had a very different journey in their quest to reach the pinnacle of the game.

Winner of the An Post Irish Sports Book of the Year Award Longlisted for The William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 'Not only the sports book of the year, the book of the year.' Paul Howard 'Unputdownable,' The Last Word, Today FM 'You'll go a long way to find a better autobiography. It's raw, unfiltered honesty from start to finish, a captivating account of one man's story that will resonate with so many more.' The Irish Independent 'The bravest book I've read in a long time. A really quality read written by a man who happened to be a footballer rather than a book necessarily about football.' Damien O'Meara, RTE 'Storytelling of the highest calibre. Richie Sadlier's autobiography is a judiciously layered and thoughtful examination of how to live a life and develop as a person despite everything. It's also relentlessly entertaining. A rare and precious example of a sports book that has both story and stories in abundance.' Malachy Clerkin, The Irish Times 'The kind of book to stop you in your tracks.' The Irish Farmers Journal When a career-ending injury saw former Ireland and Millwall striker Richie Sadlier retire from football at age 24, his life spiraled out of control. Without structure or a sense of purpose, and fueled by a dependency on alcohol, he spent years running from the dark memories and feelings that had haunted him since childhood. Until one day, he hit rock bottom and decided to confront his demons. Now a successful soccer pundit, psychotherapist and mental-fitness teacher, Recovering is about a life shaped by efforts to escape, and how it is possible to rebuild a life, piece by piece, with the right help. Inspiring and groundbreaking, it is an important reflection on the need to move away from perceptions of shame in our discussions about mental health, sex, relationships and addiction.

When Jurgen Klopp was appointed Liverpool manager in October 2015, the world took notice, and Reds fans were united in optimism for the first time in years. The charismatic German eventually took the club to European and world success, but the foundations were laid in his first two years at Anfield, and Kloppite (first published in 2017 and updated in 2020) explores how the bespectacled coach set about reigniting the LFC flame in that period - not only trying to change the fortunes of the once-dominant club, but also making the people believe again. After his successes at Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, Klopp left Germany to take on his greatest challenge as he sought to return the Merseysiders to the summit of English and European football. The hot-seat at Anfield has often been described as one of the toughest jobs in football, and Klopp was tasked with overcoming the adversity of fan expectations, competing against some of the game's best managers and biggest spenders, and turning doubters into believers.

Football is big business - the biggest sport on the planet, it has seen a massive commercial boom over the last twenty years which has resulted in it being worth $12 billion per annum, globally.
Managing Football is the first book to respond to the growing professionalisation of the sport and the need for a text which both students on sport management courses and practitioners in the field can use. Expertly edited by two well known specialists in football management, it draws together the work of a world-class contributor team to form a comprehensive diagnosis of the most important issues facing football managers across the world, providing the reader with:
* Cutting edge analysis of all the important issues in the football industry and the management of football
* A clear and structured presentation and examination of key issues in football internationally
* A strong balance of academic and practitioner analysis and comment
* A strong pedagogy and structure allowing the material to be navigated easily by the reader
* Global coverage of the football markets including England, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Australia, North America, United Arab Emirates, China, South Africa, Argentina, Netherlands, Mexico, South America, Russia.
Managing Football is simply a must-read for anyone studying or working in football management and is set to be an important landmark in this rapidly moving and globally expansive field.
* Contributed to by a world-class team of experts and well edited by two specialists in football management
* Comprehensive coverage of all key issues in football internationally, with a strong balance of academic and practitioner analysis andcomment
* Presented in a clear and structured format, easy-to-use for readers with clear signposts throughout the text and online resources for lecturers

After 71 years at their dilapidated Layer Road Ground, Colchester United are set to move to a brand new 10,000-seater, expandable to 18,000, stadium for the 2008 season. "The Who's Who of Colchester United" celebrates the players who played first-team football during the Layer Road years. Every player has their appearance and goal statistics listed, along with a career history and many previously unseen photographs. From the 1930s goalkeeper Ronnie Dunn, who 'bugled' his teammates onto the pitch with 'The Post-Horn Gallop', to surprise wartime guest internationals and products of the present day youth scheme who have progressed to the Premiership, they are all included."The Who's Who of Colchester United" is a must for all U's fans and is a valuable resource for football followers and statisticians alike.It details every player to appear for the team during the Layer Road years. It is officially backed by Colchester United Football Club. It includes features and reviews in the local press; as well as strong support from Colchester United FC.

The global Black Lives Matter campaign has given greater exposure to the extent and insidious nature of the structural and systemic racism that exists in all strata of our society and has provided renewed impetus to the urgent need to challenge and eradicate racism in all its forms and wherever it is found. Sadly, sport has not been immune from this, especially so in the case of football. For too long, there were attempts to hide and mitigate racist attitudes and actions within the game, but thanks to the growing profile and visibility of black and minority ethnic (BAME) players both past and present - Viv Anderson, Cyrille Regis, Jimmy Carter, Les Ferdinand, Pat Nevin and Ruud Gullit to name just a few - and almost three decades of education and campaigning led by Kick It Out, attitudes have changed. However, now is not the time to be complacent - there's still a great deal left to do. Throughout his entire journalistic career, leading sportswriter Harry Harris has championed the fight against racism in football. Now, within these pages, he shines a timely spotlight on the Beautiful Game, revealing the forces within football that have both helped expose and challenge racism - and, at times, sadly, hinder more rapid positive change. Over the years, Harris has gathered an impressively large network of contacts within the game - players, managers, media pundits and association personnel among them. Many of them, such as Greg Dyke, Glenn Hoddle, Ivor Baddiel, Mek Stein, and Jermain Defoe, have spoken exclusively to Harris for this book. Red Card to Racism is not only a welcome addition to the ongoing debate surrounding ending prejudice within football but also a timely and necessary addition to the wider discussion of the need within our evermore global multicultural society for all people, whatever their beliefs, gender, identity, sexuality or ethnic background, to be treated with equity, humanity and respect.

Scotland - Glory, Tears & Souvenirs is an offbeat collection of memories, mementos, rants and aspirations relating to Scotland's national football team. A 'look back in hunger' on the post-war era, with emphasis on the 1970s to date. A reminder of the way football was, the way it is now and the way we'd like it to be! There's Switzerland 54, Denis Law, trading cards, match programmes, Archie Gemmill, Argentina 78, beermats, Kenny Dalglish, vinyl records, Spain 82, Ally McCoist, the Tartan Army, Italia 90, the Kirin Cup, Jimmy Hill, France 98, Panini stickers and James McFadden. Nostalgia and a warped sense of humour are what gets Scotland supporters through in a nightmare world where all our near-neighbours now get to 'go to the ball' - France 2016, at least - while we await the arrival of a Fairy Godmother and a defence that doesn't leak goals. There's no room for wallowing in self-pity, though. Read this therapeutic comfort blanket of a book, cheer at the good bits and laugh at the bad. We shall overcome...

Overpaid players. Sunday lunchtime kick-offs. Absurd ticket prices. Non-black boots. Football's menu of ills is long. Where has the joy gone? Why do we bother? Saturday, 3pm offers a glorious antidote. It is here to remind you that football can still sing to your heart. Warm, heartfelt and witty, here are fifty short essays of prose poetry dedicated to what is good in the game. These are not wallowing nostalgia; they are things that remain sweet and right: seeing a ground from the train, brackets on vidiprinters, ball hitting bar, Jimmy Armfield's voice, listening to the results in a traffic jam, football towns and autograph-hunters. This is fan culture at its finest, words to transport you somewhere else and identify with, words to hide away in a pub and luxuriate in. Saturday, 3pm is a book of love letters to football and a clarion call, helping us find the romance in the game all over again.