'A brilliant take on the modern game - Robbie tells it like it is' Rio Ferdinand Robbie Savage is one of Britain's most recognisable football pundits. Incisive, forthright and bold, Savage never holds back where the beautiful game is concerned. No Premier League footballer has ever divided opinion quite like Robbie Savage. Mr Marmite, as he was often known (among other things), rampaged his way through almost 350 games in the Premier League and along the way picked up more yellow cards than Gary Lineker has crisps and more enemies than Joey Barton and Neil Warnock put together. In his explosive new book, I'll Tell You What..., Savage lifts the lid on all aspects of the modern game. Managers, players, the Premiership, the European game, the FA Cup, kids' football, and pushy football parents are just a few of the topics that Savage takes on in his inimitable provocative style. Robbie tells us why: * Brian Clough, not Sir Alex Ferguson, is the best Manager the world has ever known * * As a player, he would have complimented any one of Jose Mourinho's teams * * * Vanity should not be confused with 'Good Grooming' * * You simply can't knock on Mark Hughes' door and invite him for a game of golf - even if he invites you * * Drinking wine does not win you football matches * Coaching badges are ridiculous * * He could never become a manager. Or could he? * * Football is easy * * Good manners should come before diamond earrings * * The League Cup has the edge over the FA Cup Robbie Savage's straight-talking common sense is only the start of it. I'll Tell You What is a modern-day guide to life, and should be read by anyone who has an interest in anything at all, especially football. Few may actually agree with him, but everyone listens.

Growing up in a tiny shack in the Dominican Republic, Felipe Alou never dreamed he would be the first man born and raised in his country to play and manage in Major League Baseball-and also the first to play in the World Series. In this extraordinary autobiography, Alou tells of his real dream to become a doctor, and an improbable turn of events that led to the pro contract. Battling racism in the United States and political turmoil in his home country, Alou persevered, paving the way for his brothers and scores of other Dominicans, including his son Moises. Alou played seventeen years in the Major Leagues, accumulating more than two thousand hits and two hundred home runs, and then managed for another fourteen years-four with the San Francisco Giants and ten with the Montreal Expos, where he became the winningest manager in franchise history. Alou's pioneering journey is embedded in the history of baseball, the Dominican Republic, and a remarkable family.

In 1953 Hermann Buhl made the first ascent of Nanga Parbat - the ninth-highest mountain in the world, and the third 8,000-metre peak to be climbed, following Annapurna and Everest. It was one of the most incredible and committed climbs ever made. Continuing alone and without supplementary oxygen, Buhl made a dash for the summit after his partners turned back. On a mountain that had claimed thirty-one lives, an exhausted Buhl waded through deep snow and climbed over technical ground to reach the summit, driven on by an 'irresistible urge'. After a night spent standing on a small ledge at over 8,000 metres, Buhl returned forty-one hours later, exhausted and at the very limit of his endurance.Written shortly after Buhl's return from the mountain, Nanga Parbat Pilgrimage is a classic of mountaineering literature that has inspired thousands of climbers. It follows Buhl's inexorable rise from rock climber to alpinist to mountaineer, until, almost inevitably, he makes his phenomenal Nanga Parbat climb. Buhl's book, and ascent, reminded everyone that, while the mountains could never be conquered, they could be climbed with sufficient enthusiasm, spirit and dedication.

When Frankie Dettori stormed to victory on Golden Horn in the 2015 Derby, the effervescent Italian jockey was writing yet another extraordinary chapter in a remarkable sporting story. This tribute to hugely popular sportsman draws on the unique resources of the Racing Post to chronicle the Dettori career as never before. The son of a Milanese Classic-winning jockey has been Champion jockey on three occasions and has ridden such equine superstars as Dubai Millennium, Lochsong, Lammtarra, Daylami and his first Derby winner Authorized. He made worldwide headlines when winning every contest on a seven-race card in September 1996, which made him a household name. The Dettori story has also had its darker side: surviving a plane crash in 2000 in which the pilot was killed; a six-month suspension in December 2012 for contravening racing's drugs rules; losing the lucrative job as first jockey to Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation. But Frankie has always bounced back, and his next flying dismount is never far away.

Drink, drugs, depression, sex scandals, financial meltdowns and serious health issues are just some of the fights British boxers have faced once they've quit the ring. A Champion's Last Fight examines just why and exactly how some of Britain's greatest boxers have self-destructed in retirement. It tells the stories of former world champions who have struggled in life away from the spotlights and the glare that comes with boxing success; delving into the post-boxing lives and tribulations of Benny Lynch, Randolph Turpin, Freddie Mills, Ken Buchanan, John Conteh, Alan Minter, Charlie Magri, Frank Bruno, Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank, Naseem Hamed, Scott Harrison, Herbie Hide, Joe Calzaghe and Ricky Hatton. With interviews and new revelations, A Champion's Last Fight is an emotional journey through boxing history that examines the struggles many former champions experience after hanging up the gloves - and asks what, if anything, can be done to help the nation's boxing greats adjust to life away from the ring?

Encounters with Moe Norman Golfs Mysterious Genius.

In nearly 25 years as a sports journalist for the Independent, Daily Telegraph, and The Sunday Times, Martin Johnson has covered sporting events all over the world, including cricket and tennis in Australia, golf in America, Formula One in Kuala Lumpur, boxing in Cairo, petanque in Gran Canaria, beach volleyball in Brazil, Olympics in Sydney, football in China, and rugby in South Africa. Sounds like a nice job? You must be joking. Get the true story from sports journalism's equivalent of Victor Meldrew. Ever tried to get a phone call out of Nagpur? Make contact with the office from Norfolk Island? Trudged several miles up a Japanese mountain to watch Britain's No 1 woman skier plough straight through the first gate? Attempted to write a semi-coherent report after a night out with Ian Botham? Nearly frozen to death at a cricket match in New Zealand? Been hi-jacked in Moscow by a drunken Russian? It's hell out there, says Martin, who makes out his case for a life of hardship, deprivation, and a breathless dedication to duty in the face of overwhelming odds. Frankly, however, we still think it reads more like the Life of Riley.

They come out of the football stadium tunnel first, but all eyes are on the well-paid athletes behind them. No one pays the referee or the referee's assistants any attention - until they make a mistake. Then all hell breaks loose. They can't explain - or defend themselves against the crowd's abuse. Gavin Muge threads an entertaining personal football memoir together with his own attempts to scale the peak of the professional game as a match official. His football life has led to encounters with a cast of stars from Gary Lineker to Paul Gascoigne, Arsene Wenger and Roy Keane. He officiated at the infamous Riot of Upton Park in 2009 and has witnessed many examples of the darker side of the game. Gavin has also shared the excitement and the pain of the average football supporter and now has the experience to try to make sense of it all in My Life on the Line. See if you agree with him! And pit your knowledge against Gavin's with the book's Chapter Challenges and his Quiz.

'Paul Chaloner is a living legend in the esports space.' - Jason Lake, founder and CEO of the esports team Complexity Gaming 'Terrific stories and insights from the inside.' - T.L. Taylor, professor of Comparative Media Studies From slapping coins down on arcade cabinets to the lights of Madison Square Garden, competitive video gaming has come a long way. Today, esports is a billion-dollar industry, the best players becoming stars in their own right, battling for eight-figure prizes in front of a global audience of tens of millions. From Call of Duty to Counter-Strike, FIFA to Fortnite, a generation of players have turned multiplayer video games from a pastime into a profession. But there are questions. How did we get here? What exactly is competitive gaming - is it a sport? How much money do the top stars make? Do you really have to retire at 23? And just what the hell is Dota? This is esports (and How to Spell it) addresses all of this and more, as award-winning broadcaster Paul 'Redeye' Chaloner takes you inside the unstoppable rise of pro gaming to reveal the bitter rivalries, scandals and untold history of esports, from origins to sold-out arenas. With his trademark wit - and unrivalled access - Paul delivers the definitive book on the fastest-growing entertainment phenomenon in the world today.

Why would a normal teenager throw his heart and soul into an average Third Division football club for almost a decade, only to walk away from them at the height of their success? After abandoning that club for 20 years, what would cause him to rekindle his passion in a conversion-like experience, and then stick with the club for the rest of his life? The answers lie in the psychology of attachment. This is the story of James Adams and his support of Coventry City, from the days of Billy Frith to Mark Robins. It's an account that delves into the crucial yet poorly understood psychological aspects of football fandom to uncover truths that every football fan can relate to. Join James on a rollercoaster ride as he asks important questions of himself and his life alongside a backdrop of footballing highs and lows, including three Wembley victories and four promotions, as well as FA Cup debacles for the Sky Blues. Attached to Coventry City is a highly personal, honest and reflective account of the unusual story of a lifelong football fan.

Essential World Cup Reading | Featured in The New York Times' 'What to Read During the World Cup' Wall Street Journal reporters Joshua Robinson and Jonathan Clegg offer a deeply reported account of the intertwined sagas and legacies of two of the greatest soccer players of all time-Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo-examining how their rivalry has grown from a personal competition to a multi-billion-dollar industry, paralleling the stunning rise, overwhelming excesses, and uncertain future of modern international soccer. For over fifteen years, almost any conversation about international soccer has always come back to two players-Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo-undoubtedly the greatest of their generation but with styles, attitudes, and fanbases that couldn't be more different. For millions of people around the world "Messi or Ronaldo?" isn't simply a barroom argument, or an affirmation of fandom, so much as a statement of philosophy, of values, of what global soccer is today and of what it will be tomorrow. Now Wall Street Journal reporters and co-authors of The Club, Joshua Robinson and Jonathan Clegg, unite the stories of Messi and Ronaldo into a single modern epic of global sports, detailing how one rivalry changed both the game and the business of international soccer-forever. Based on dozens of firsthand accounts and years of original reporting, Messi vs. Ronaldo weaves together the stakes, color, and characters at the heart of each man's story, going inside the locker rooms and boardrooms where their legends were forged and revealing off-field drama as gripping as anything that happened on it. From their contrasting origin stories to their divergent career arcs and their conflicting reputations, these players have built their successes on opposite paths, yet each, in his own way, offers a riveting tale of triumph and excess. Taken together, their story embodies the astronomical growth of international soccer, how social media has revolutionized the power of sports celebrity, and how the desire to capitalize on the billions of dollars these players represent electrified some of the most storied clubs in Europe-Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Manchester United among them-and cost them almost everything. With the 2022 World Cup almost certain to be the last for both of these figures, Messi vs. Ronaldo offers a deeply researched look at their legacy and grapples with the impact that their talents have had on the game for better and for worse. Much more than a retelling of the dual accomplishments of these great players, this is truly a biography of a rivalry, one that has become a crucial lens for understanding the past, present, and future of global soccer.

'I'm no angel.' Bernie Ecclestone Born into poverty, Bernie Ecclestone has made himself a billionaire by developing the world's second most popular sport - Formula One racing. Private, mysterious and some say sinister, the eighty-year-old criss-crosses the globe in his private jet, mixing with celebrities, statesmen and sporting heroes. His success is not just in creating a multibillion-pound global business but in resisting repeated attempts to snatch the glittering prize from his control. Ecclestone has never before revealed how he graduated from selling second-hand cars in London's notorious Warren Street to become the major player he is today. He has finally decided to reveal his secrets: the deals, the marriages, the disasters and the successes in Formula One racing, in Downing Street, in casinos, on yachts and in the air. Surprisingly, he has granted access to his inner circle to Tom Bower, described by Ecclestone as 'The Undertaker' - the man who buries reputations - and has given him access to all his friends and enemies. All have been told by Ecclestone, 'Tell him the truth, good or bad.' No Angel is a classic rags-to-riches story, the unique portrayal of a unique man and an intriguing insight into Formula One racing, business and the human spirit. Tom Bower is the author of nineteen books, including biographies of Robert Maxwell, Mohamed Fayed, Gordon Brown, Richard Branson, Conrad Black and more recently, Simon Cowell.

There are things he does alone, and things that he alone does.

Jacques Anquetil was a cyclist with an aristocratic demeanor and a relaxed attitude to rules and morals. His womanising and frank admissions of doping appalled 1960s French society, even as his five Tour de France wins enthralled it.

Paul Fournel was besotted with him from the start ("Too young to understand, I was nevertheless old enough to admire") and followed Anquetil's career with the passion of a fan and the eye of a poet.

In this stunningly original biography of a complex and divisive character, Fournel - author of the seminal Vélo (or Need for the Bike)- blends the story of Anquetil's life with scenes from his own, to create a classic of cycling literature.

Widely regarded as the greatest footballer of all time, seven-time Ballon d'Or and six-time Golden Shoe winner, Lionel Messi, enjoyed a record-breaking 17-year career at FC Barcelona during which time he scored more goals, played more games, won more titles and provided more assists than any other player in the Catalan club's history. Adored by Barca fans, Messi reigned supreme until August 2021, when he made a tearful farewell to a stunned global audience. Messi: The King of Camp Nou is the definitive story of Lionel Messi's entire Barca career, written by Jason Pettigrove, a football journalist who worked for FC Barcelona during Messi's final years in Catalonia. Charting Messi's rise as a hopeful 13-year-old Argentinian boy from Rosario to becoming the best footballer in the world, Pettigrove's comprehensively researched book features exclusive interviews with key individuals in Messi's story - team-mates, opponents, managers, agents and fellow journalists - including: Joan Laporta, Lionel Scaloni, Victor Font, Sir Kenny Dalglish, Jamie Carragher, Mike Phelan, Josep Maria Minguella, Horacio Gaggioli, Tony Watt, Santi Padro and Jorge Barraza. From being signed by Barca on a napkin to Champions League glory and becoming FC Barcelona captain, Messi: The King of Camp Nou reveals the inside story of Leo's remarkable reign at Barca including breaking Pele's incredible record for most goals scored at one club, how the longed for Copa America title was won and how he, season-on-season, mesmerised the football world.

Perhaps no football manager has ever had his personal life dissected as thoroughly as Sven-Goran Eriksson. Yet the man that monopolized the British press during five tumultuous years as England manager remains an enigma. Who, precisely, is Sven? Here, in his no-holds-barred autobiography, the secretive Swede takes us on one of the wildest rides in world football. Populated by fake sheikhs, Italian lawyers, Nottingham outlaws and, of course, many of the biggest names in the game, his is a 40-year-long career that coincides with the evolution of football into a global multibillion-pound industry. Most of all, this is a surprisingly tender, sometimes heartbreaking, but never bitter account of a simple man with a most complicated story. A man who has reached a crossroads in his life, who until now has never stopped to ask himself the question: was it worth it?

During a stellar 20-year career punctuated by the Second World War, such was Tommy Lawton's prowess in front of goal he was a magnet for spectators at a host of top-level clubs. Prior to the war, he served Burnley and Everton with distinction; enlisted to the British army for the war effort, he guested for a host of clubs. After VE Day he maintained his career average of more than one goal every other game - with Everton, Chelsea, Notts County, Brentford, as player manager, and Arsenal; before another spell as player boss at Kettering. In 46 England games either side of the war and including wartime fixtures, he plundered 46 goals. Those impressive stats would surely be even more so but for the war. Deadly in the air or with either foot, and renowned for his sportsmanship - he was never booked throughout his career - Head and Shoulders Above the Rest is an ode to a swashbuckling centre-forward and the man Stanley Matthews described as: 'Quite simply, the greatest header of the ball I ever saw.'

2022 will go down as a historic, defining year for English football. When Sarina Wiegman's team dramatically edged out Germany in the European Championship final in front of a sold-out Wembley, they ended a 56-year wait for a major trophy. To win the biggest prizes, you must never give in and England did just that and thrilled the nation with their gutsy, stylish, heroic performances during an unforgettable summer festival of football on home turf. This is the only official book of their historic triumph, reliving every kick of a thrilling tournament and telling the personal stories of the players who made it all happen. This European Championship triumph is more than just a great moment in English football history, it is a game-changer for sporting culture. Be inspired again by the legends of 2022 who dared to dream...

Paul Weller was a one-club player. He moved from sunny Brighton aged just 16 to dreary Burnley, with its grey skies, run-down terraced streets and mill chimneys, where riots were among the first things he saw. A more timid person might have caught the first train home. But he went on to play 252 games for the Clarets between 1993 and 2005. He would have played many more but for suffering the debilitating effects of colitis. It took a huge chunk out of his career, forcing him out of the first team. Other players might have capitulated, but he faced the problem head on, battled it and beat it and got back into the first team, with a promotion to the Championship. Remarkably, he was 'player of the season' the very next year. This is a real-life story of how to overcome obstacles and fight illness using courage, grit and determination. But it is also a story of the bullying, pitfalls and perils that await any aspiring footballer, the impact of managers and the inhuman cruelty with which players can be so casually released.

This is the first full biography of Sydney Wooderson, Britain's most popular sportsman during the 1930s and 1940s. A more unlikely sports hero is hard to imagine - he was small, shy and ran in thick glasses and baggy shorts. The public loved seeing him beat bigger and more muscular `Johnny Foreigners', symbolising Britain's bulldog spirit. At the 1936 `Hitler Olympics' Sydney secretly photographed the Fuhrer, a snap recently uncovered in a dusty attic and published here! Against all odds he broke world records and won titles galore, and for years was the world's fastest miler. He was widely expected to be first under four minutes, only for war to intervene. Despite his fame, Sydney took the daily train to his London office job, happy to be anonymous in dark suit, hat and briefcase. Bad eyesight meant his war service was restricted to the home front, doing his bit running for war charities before falling seriously ill. He bounced back to become the European 5,000 metres champion and English national cross-country champion. Sir Roger Bannister was among many to name him their No.1 inspirational figure. During his glory days Sydney was best-known sportsman in the land, but his shyness and dislike of publicity saw him become a forgotten hero. The book covers every race from his school days to retirement, describes his life in austerity Britain.

South Africa has produced more great cricket all-rounders than any other country, and Jacques Kallis and 12 Other Great South African All-Rounders, a first on these remarkable players, is based on records, articles and interviews with living players as well as archival research of early players.

Over a hundred years ago, there was Jimmy Sinclair, the first man to score a century and take six wickets in an innings in a test match. More recently was the brilliant era of Eddie Barlow, Tiger Lance, Mike Procter and Clive Rice, as well as Tony Greig and Basil D’Oliveira, South Africans who played for England. A great tradition was established for the modern era: since re-admission in 1992 there has been Brian McMillan, Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener and, the greatest of them all, Jacques Kallis. Jacques Kallis and 12 Other Great South African All-Rounders is about the 13 men each of whom were worth two or three players in one, worth their place as batsmen or bowlers, adored by the fans, and capable of changing a game with either of their skills.

With a readable mix of anecdotes, commentary and statistics, Jacques Kallis and 12 Other Great South African All-Rounders is the first book about these multitalented heroes of cricket. A very special feature of the book is the inclusion of the careers of four black allrounders who were unable to play for national teams because of their race.

'A really great read, fascinating, moving' Adrian Chiles The End to End record is the longest place-to-place cycling record in Britain. It is a daunting 842 miles and for the men and women who attempt to break the record, there can be no second place, only the binary outcome of total success or failure. Paul Jones decided to ride from Land's End to John O' Groats to try to understand the relentless physical and mental challenges involved. End to End is a captivating and beautifully written narrative. A lyrical account of the journey sits alongside meetings with amazing cyclists; people like Eileen Sheridan; who covered the distance in under three days in 1954, or current men's record holder Michael Broadwith who did it in a scarcely believable 43 hours. End to End is a portrayal of hope and ambition, of what happens when things go wrong and how hard it is to make them right. It is about courage, obsession and joy, but above all else, it is a compelling exploration of why journeys matter for all of us. 'A brilliant book, a triple trip: one on the road, one in History and one into the author's mind. Cycling is about all that' Paul Fournel 'Jones's funny and affectionate book is a celebration of "the fellowship of the road"' Spectator 'A truly excellent book . . . Paul Jones's End To End is a wonderful, sometimes frenetic and deeply honest book by a man bursting with passion for cycling, its cultures and lore, and people who do extraordinary things' BikeRadar

Marathon Man is a truly remarkable book that will inspire all who read it to know that they can take on the biggest challenges in their lives and overcome them. It all began when Rob's fiancee, exasperated as he sat slumped in front of the television watching the London marathon, bet him 20p that he'd never complete even one such race. Watching the 40,000 competitors as they raised over GBP53 million for charity, Rob decided to take things a little bit further. Despite never having run a marathon before, he set out to achieve an astonishing new record: he would run more than 365 marathons in a year. So it was that Marathon Man UK was born. This book not only tells the incredible story of Young's quest, during which he broke numerous world records, but also provides vital lessons in how to motivate yourself to achieve your goals and essential tips (learned the very hard way) in how to run and keep on going. He takes the reader on a vivid journey through some of the most beautiful scenery, as they join him in some of the toughest marathons and ultra-marathons in the UK. After suffering horrendous abuse as a child, Young has developed a determination that few can match. It enabled him to complete 370 marathons in the year and to win the Race Across USA (competing with a group of elite marathon-runners) by 30 hours. As Paula Radcliffe commented: 'This is amazing!' Marathon Man shows exactly why and how he achieved it.