Steve Hislop was one of the most famous motorcycle racers in the world. He had always been a controversial and outspoken character having had many famous clashes and splits with teams and riders over the years, not always to his advantage. Season 2003 was no different. Steve's life was incredible, funny and ultimately tragic. Hislop made his debut in 1979 on a bike paid for by his father, but when the latter died of a heart-attack, he embarked on a self-destructive quest that resulted in more crashed bikes and cars than he can remember. Three years later his brother Garry was killed racing at Silloth. It looked as if he would never race again but while on holiday at the Isle of Man TT races in 1983, he was mesmerised by the sight of Joey Dunlop and he knew he had to try it. He took to the roads immediately, amassing an amazing career record of 11 wins and was the first rider in history to lap the course at an average speed of over 120mph. Hizzy's TT victories over big name rivals like Joey Dunlop and Carl Fogarty made him a living legend beyond the confines of just the UK. He turned his back on the Isle of Man in 1994, claiming it was too fast and dangerous for modern superbikes. However, he had already proved he was just as fast on purpose-built short circuits having won the British 250cc championship in 1990 and then went on to win the British Superbike (BSB) title in 1995 and 2002. Defending a title is always difficult and made even harder when your current team doesn't give you a new contract. However, season 2003 started positively for Steve, inasmuch as he found a new team, but he was sacked half way through the season after a string of poor results on an uncompetitive bike. These events, however, paled into insignificance when Steve was killed in July 2003 when the helicopter he was flying crashed in a remote Scottish border region. His book is a fitting tribute to a motor racing legend.

Ian Robertson joined the BBC during the golden age of radio broadcasting and was given a crash course in the art of sports commentary from some of the greatest names ever to sit behind a microphone: Cliff Morgan and Peter Bromley, Bryon Butler and John Arlott. Almost half a century after being introduced to the rugby airwaves by his inspiring mentor Bill McLaren, the former Scotland fly-half looks back on the most eventful of careers, during which he covered nine British and Irish Lions tours and eight World Cups, including the 2003 tournament that saw England life the Webb Ellis Trophy and "Robbo" pick up awards for his spine-tingling description of Jonny Wilkinson's decisive drop goal. He reflects on his playing days, his role in guiding Cambridge University to a long spell of Varsity Match supremacy and his relationships with some of the union code's most celebrated figures, including Sir Clive Woodward and Jonah Lomu. He also writes vividly and hilariously of his experiences as a horse racing enthusiast, his meetings with some of the world's legendary golfers and his dealings with a stellar cast of sporting outsiders, from Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor to Nelson Mandela. It is a hugely entertaining story that begins in a bygone rugby age, yet has much to say about the game in the here and now.

The most capped England rugby scrum-half of all time, a captain of his country, and a two-times British Lions tourist, Matt Dawson's career story is a colourful tale spiced with controversy, from club rugby at Northampton to England winning the Rugby World Cup in Australia. Now fully updated with England's first year as World Champions. The boy from Birkenhead learnt the game the hard way, working as a security guard and an advertising salesman in his formative years, in the days when rugby players found relief in an active and alcoholic social life. (Dawson: 'The drinking started on Saturday night, continued all Sunday and most nights until Thursday.') Despite the frequent visits to the operating theatre and the physio's table, hard graft for his club Northampton eventually heralded international recognition. Dawson talks about the influential, and occasional obstructive figures in his blossoming career: the likes of John Olver, Will Carling, Ian McGeechan and, more recently, Wayne Shelford, Kyran Bracken and Clive Woodward. In typically opinionated mode, he also reflects on the successes and failures of the England team and, famously, the Lions in Australia in 2001. After speaking out against punishing schedules, disenchanted players and lack of management support in a tour diary article, Dawson was almost sent home in disgrace. He revisits that bitterly disappointing period in his life and is still not afraid to point out where everything went wrong. Following England's Rugby World Cup 2003 success, Dawson provides a first-hand account of all the dressing room drama - including a troubled Jonny Wilkinson - and the memorable final itself, followed by the stunning reaction to this historic win back home. And in a new updated chapter for this paperback edition, he reveals how the World Champions have overcome the retirement of key players, reviews the 2004 Six Nations, and looks at his own future in the game.

The raw, candid, unvarnished memoir of an American icon. In 2008, Paul Newman tasked his best friend with interviewing the people who had shaped his life, in order to create an oral history of it. After hearing and reading what they had to say, Newman dictated his own version. Now, this long-lost memoir will be published. Full of wonderful stories and recollections by his family, friends, and such luminaries as Elia Kazan, Tom Cruise, George Roy Hill and Martin Ritt, this book will surprise and shock readers as it reveals Newman's previously unknown sides. In this extraordinary memoir, Newman details his fascinating story: from troubled beginnings, marked by fraught relationships with both his mother and father, to the iconic film roles (both good and bad) that cemented his status as a Hollywood icon and heartthrob, and the complicated relationships that were formed along the way.

Ride lays bare the harrowing beginnings and the tough life lessons learned by superstar John Buultjens on his rise to BMX Glory, Against All the Odds. Raised by his poor family on Glasgow's Drumchapel estate, he slept rough to escape his violent father's beatings. Placed in a children's home by his mother, he was then adopted by a bi-racial couple. After conquering his own racism, his life turned around, and the blockbuster movie E.T. inspired a love of BMX. Although spurred by bitterness, John's emigration to Australia saw him take his sporting enthusiasm to new levels, becoming one of BMX's biggest names. Then came the call from California to lead the most famous BMX brand of them all, Haro. As their global brand manager, he now backs and sponsors riders across the globe. Hollywood has since turned his unbelievable journey into a movie, set for release in November 2017. Here, John reveals inner secrets including family murders, hatred, sexual abuse - and how his white-knuckle ride has taken him to the top against all the odds.

Longlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2014 After finishing high school in New York, Oliver Horovitz was accepted to Harvard University. But there was a problem; he couldn't start until the following year. With time on his hands and a long-standing love of golf, the solution was obvious: a gap year at the University of St. Andrews, alongside the iconic Old Course, known around the world as 'the home of golf'. At the end of term, Ollie joined the St. Andrews caddie trainee programme and spent the summer lining up at the caddie shack, looping two, sometimes three, rounds a day, with the notoriously gruff veteran caddies. And so began an adventure that would change his life in unexpected ways.

The two time winner of the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award on George Best, considered the greatest footballer of our time. No other imposed himself so completely on to the romantic imagination. No other was so emblematic of the era during which he flourished. And no other will ever be as memorable as George Best. On the field Best's skills were sublime and almost other-worldly. Off it, he had a magnetic appeal. He was treated like a pop icon and a pin-up; a fashion-model and a sex-symbol. Every man envied him and every woman adored him. To mark the 50th anniversary of his debut for Manchester United, Duncan Hamilton examines Best's crowded life and premature death. But most importantly, Hamilton presents Best at his glorious peak - the precocious goals, the labyrinthine runs, the poise and balletic balance and the body swerves. This is George Best: footballing immortal.

Niall has come a long way from Denny where he would regularly get into trouble for racing round the streets, as well as in and out of the local chip shops, to impress the girls.

As an amateur it was recognized he had an abundance of talent, especially after winning his first race at Knockhill, but he also had a wild side and looks back on a time when chasing girls and getting drunk were as important as winning races.

After moving up through the amateur ranks and securing his first factory 500cc rides on a Suzuki, Niall notched up a host of 500cc GP podium finishes before moving to Superbikes. He proved unbeatable between 1996 and 1998 when he claimed a hat-trick of British Superbike titles. On each occasion he beat big-name team-mates such as Jamie Whitham, Chris Walker and Steve Hislop.

This fascinating look into the British GP and Superbike scene through the eyes of one of its legends, has now been fully updated with Mackenzie?s latest adventures in his career off the track in 2003.

"Mr. Snyder writes lyrically, and his research appears to be impeccable: It's hard to imagine that anyone has slipped through his interview net... When Bundini died, Ali was abroad and unable to attend the funeral, but he sent flowers with a card that read: 'You made me the greatest.' Many members of the boxing fraternity, George Foreman and Larry Holmes included, think that Ali wasn't exaggerating. Mr. Snyder's affecting portrait will convince the rest of us as well." -Gordon Marino, Wall Street Journal "I think Bundini was the source of Muhammad Ali's spirit. I wouldn't even call him a trainer or cornerman, he was more important than a trainer. Ali had an unmeasurable determination and he got it from Bundini." -George Foreman "When you talk about Bundini, you are talking about the mouthpiece of Muhammad Ali, an extension of Muhammad Ali's spirit. There would never have been a Muhammad Ali without Drew Bundini Brown." -Khalilah Camacho-Ali (Muhammad Ali's second wife) "Bundini gave Ali his entire heart. Bundini played a very important part in Ali's career. He was Ali's right hand man. He knew exactly how to motivate him. He was the one guy who could really get him up to train and get him ready to fight." -Larry Holmes Fifty years after he coined the iconic phrase Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, Drew "Bundini" Brown remains one of boxing's most mysterious and misunderstood figures. His impact on the sport and the culture at large is undeniable. Cornerman and confidant to two of the greatest fighters ever-Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali-Brown lived an extraordinary American life. After a poverty-stricken childhood in Jim Crow Florida, Brown came of age traveling the world as a naval steward. On being discharged, he settled in New York City and spent wild nights in the jazz joints of Harlem, making a name for himself as the charismatic street philosopher and poet some called "Fast Black." He married a white woman from a family of Orthodox Jewish immigrants, in dramatic defiance of 1950s cultural norms, and later appeared in films such as the blaxploitation classic, Shaft. In Bundini, Todd Snyder digs deep into Brown's expansive story, revealing not only how he became Muhammad Ali's "hype man," but also, as boxing's greatest motivator, how he became a model for others who seek to inspire, in any endeavor.

The phenomenal Sunday Times bestseller Kevin Keegan is one of the greatest players in English football history, famed for his style on the pitch, his relentless ambition and passion for the game. 'And I'll tell you, honestly, I will love it if we beat them. Love it!!!' Kevin Keegan, 1996 In My Life in Football Keegan tells the story of his remarkable rise through the sport, from the Peglers Brass Works reserve team in Doncaster to helping Liverpool become the kings of Europe, winning a Bundesliga title with Hamburg and captaining England. Keegan was recognised around the world as one of the sport's genuine superstars and remains the only Englishman to win the Ballon d'Or twice. As a manager, Keegan's five-year spell in charge at Newcastle is now legendary; he led the club from the depths of the old Second Division to the brink of the Premier League title with a breathtaking vision and flamboyant style that saw his team dubbed 'The Entertainers'. Fifty years since making his professional debut, Keegan tells the full story of the exhilarating highs and excruciating lows, from that epic battle with Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United in the 1995-6 season, as well as the pain of managing England and, finally, the shattering truth about his unhappy return to Newcastle in the controversial Mike Ashley era. Brilliant, funny, passionate, deeply moving and incredibly honest, My Life in Football is the story of the miner's son from Doncaster who became a superstar and was known to his adoring fans as 'King Kev'.

The voice of motor racing and much loved public figure - and the man responsible for introducing millions of viewers to the previously inaccessible world of Formula 1 - tells the story of his incident-packed life, with a brand new chapter on his globetrotting adventures since retirement. Murray Walker is a national treasure. When the man who made famous the catch phrase 'Unless I'm very much mistaken... I AM very much mistaken!!!' announced that he was retiring as ITV's Grand Prix commentator, the media reacted as if the sport itself was losing one of its biggest stars. His reputation for mistakes was the making of Walker. He was the fan who happened to be given the keys to the commentary box - and never wanted to give them back. His high-octane delivery kept viewers on the edge of their seats, while his passion for talking about the sport he loved was matched by an all-encompassing knowledge gained through hours of painstaking research before every race. In his book he writes about his childhood and the influence that his father, British motorcycle champion Graham Walker, had on his career. Failing to match his father's achievements on the track after active service in World War II, he made a successful career for himself in advertising which catapulted him to the top of his profession. An offer from the BBC to take over the commentary seat for their F1 broadcasts was too good to turn down, and it wasn't long before the infamous 'Murrayisms' enlivened a sport which until then had been shrouded in a cloak of unfathomable technical jargon and mind-numbing statistics. He also talks about the biggest changes in the sport over the last 50 years, in particular the safety issues which came to the fore after the tragic death of Ayrton Senna, which he witnessed first hand. His partnership with James Hunt behind the microphone is the subject of some hilarious anecdotes, while his views on drivers past and present such as Stirling Moss, Jackie Stewart, Damon Hill and Michael Schumacher make for fascinating reading.

Meet Marc 'Elvis' Priestley: the former number-one McLaren mechanic, and the brains behind some of Formula One's greatest ever drivers. Revealing the most outrageous secrets and fiercest rivalries, The Mechanic follows Priestley as he travels the world working in the high-octane atmosphere of the F1 pit lane. While the spotlight is most often on the superstar drivers, the mechanics are the guys who make every World Champion, and any mistakes can have critical consequences. However, these highly skilled engineers don't just fine-tune machinery and crunch data through high-spec computers. These boys can seriously let their hair down. Whether it's partying on luxury yachts or photo opportunites aboard gravity-defying aeroplanes, this is a world which thrills on and off the track. This is Formula One, but not like you've seen it before.

Every cricket lover recalls the deeds of one Ian Botham during England's against-all-odds Ashes victory against Australia in 1981. Now, twenty years on from that memorable event, what could be more appropriate than to look back and remember when English cricket was on top of the world and reflect on the personalities past and present who have made the game so enjoyable to so many people.

'Botham's Century' is a unique collection of 100 cricketing characters taken from his own personal scrapbook. Players, some household names and others not so well known; umpires and coaches; mentors; television commentators; writers; groundsmen; popstars and philanthropists – in fact all those who in Botham's opinion have been an influence for good in the game during his era.

Featured among the cast of characters are the likes of the legendary Don Bradman, Garfield Sobers and Sunil Gavaskar; Botham's soulmate and sparring partner Viv Richards; rival fast bowlers Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomas; and more recent stars of the game in Brian Lara, Shane Warne and the irresistible Darren Gough.

Not forgetting the more eccentric personalities encountered along the way, such as Dickie Bird, Jack Russell and Phil Tufnell; the late John Arlott and Brian Johnston from the commentators box; and Elton John, Mick Jagger and other celebrities from the world of pop and showbiz.

Entertaining, controversial, and written in typical swashbuckling style, these portraits from Botham's Hall of Fame are sure to incite a plethora of opinions from both those inside and outside the game. 'Bothams Century' will be a treasured item for cricket fan's and nostalgia lovers, as well as those just seeking a jolly good read.

Joey Dunlop, ‘Yer Man’, as he was affectionately known, was a racing legend, adored by the Irish people. Born and raised in Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, Dunlop started racing in 1969 on a 199cc Tiger Cub for which he paid £50. It was the beginning of a passion that would rule and ultimately take his life.He was never more at home than competing in the famous Isle of Man Tourist Trophy (TT) races. His mastery of this treacherous course was total, and his passion for success mirrored that of his fans. In 1998 he arrived having crashed in the 100-mile Tandragree road race, breaking his pelvis and collarbone. Still, there was a race to be won and Dunlop duly took the lightweight TT by a margin of 47 seconds. His first two TT victories came on Yamahas, but Honda would be the ally from 1983, the plain yellow helmet a beacon to the supporters who idolised the Irishman. In all he took the chequered flag in 26 TT races, until his tragic death on 2 July 2000 while racing in Estonia.There were honours off the bike too. In 1986 he was awarded an MBE for services to motorcycling. That was followed 10 years later by an OBE in recognition of his efforts transporting food and medical supplies to Romanian orphanages.The Author has blended archive material and freshly conducted interviews with Joey’s friends, family and racing peers like Steve Hislop, Carl Fogarty and Roger Marshall to produce this book. The result is a balanced, revealing and passionate account of a genuine sporting hero.

A gripping, all-access biography of Joe Frazier, whose rivalry with Muhammad Ali riveted boxing fans and whose legacy as a figure in American sports and society endures History will remember the rivalry of Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali as one for the ages, a trilogy of extraordinary fights that transcended the world of sports and crossed into a sociocultural drama that divided the country. Joe Frazier was a much more complex figure than just his rivalry with Ali would suggest. In this riveting and nuanced portrayal, acclaimed sports writer Mark Kram, Jr. unlinks Frazier from Ali and for the first time gives a full-bodied accounting of Frazier's life, a journey that began as the youngest of thirteen children packed in small farm house, encountering the bigotry and oppression of the Jim Crow South, and continued with his voyage north at age fifteen to develop as a fighter in Philadelphia. Tracing Frazier's life through his momentous bouts with the likes of Ali and George Foreman and the developing perception of him as the anti-Ali in the eyes of blue-collar America, Kram follows the boxer through his retirement in 1981, exploring his relationship with his son, the would-be heavyweight Marvis, and his fragmented home life as well as the uneasy place that Ali continued to occupy in his thoughts. A propulsive and richly textured narrative that is also a powerful story about race and class in America, Smokin' Joe is unparalleled in its scope, depth, and access and promises to be the definitive biography of a towering American figure whose life was galvanized by conflict and whose mark has proven lasting.

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

Land of Tempest reveals Eric Shipton at his best - writing with enthusiasm and humour about his explorations in Patagonia in the 1950s and 1960s. He is an astute observer of nature and the human spirit, and this account of his travels is infused with with his own zest for discovery and the joy of camaraderie. Undaunted by hardship or by injury, Shipton and his team attempt to cross one of the great ice caps in Patagonia. It's impossible not to marvel at his determination, resilience and appetite for travel and adventure, be it climbing snow-clad mountains, or walking in forested foothills. Shipton takes a reader with him on his travels, and the often-inhospitable places he visits are a stark contrast to the warmth of the people he encounters. Land of Tempest is essential reading for anyone who loves nature, mountains, climbing, adventure or simply the joy of discovering unknown places.

Anneli Drummond-Hay's autobiography is a fascinating insight into the making of an equestrian champion through her struggle for survival.

It is a heart-warming story of a war baby with aristocratic connections, who grew up with very little money and even less love. She never went to school, she had no friends growing up, but she did have a gift with the horses in which she sought solace.

The big love story of her life was one particularly special horse, Merely-AMonarch. He was invincible in eventing, but as female eventers were not permitted to compete in the Olympics in that era, Anneli switched to show jumping. She came so close to going to three Olympics but was foiled at the last moment each time, despite winning just about everything else in the sport.

Besides her wonderful horses, Anneli gives an amazing account of the people she met - from Harvey Smith to the Queen, in front of whom she was asked to lend her horse for the British Olympic effort, and refused; to her asking a favour, in person, of Colonel Gaddafi.

The jet-set life of an elite show jumper may be glamorous but there are more lows than highs, whether it's her top ride being stolen, a potential plane disaster above the Alps, or the sudden death of a star horse.

As The Princess Royal so rightly says in the foreword to this book: 'Thank goodness Anneli decided to write her story.'

**Winner of the William Hill 2018 Sports Book of the Year Award** A Sunday Times Book of the Year and Telegraph Best Book of 2018 'Extraordinary' Clare Balding The poignant, life-affirming story of a determined boy, a visionary coach, and how the dream of a record-breaking Channel swim became reality Eltham, South London. 1984: the hot fug of the swimming pool and the slow splashing of a boy learning to swim but not yet wanting to take his foot off the bottom. Fast-forward four years. Photographers and family wait on the shingle beach as a boy in a bright orange hat and grease-smeared goggles swims the last few metres from France to England. He has been in the water for twelve agonizing hours, encouraged at each stroke by his coach, John Bullet, who has become a second father. This is the story of a remarkable friendship between a coach and a boy, and a love letter to the intensity and freedom of childhood.

This is an exciting account of the Wolverhampton Wanderers player, Peter Broadbent that documents the highs and lows of his career as a key player for the club. It is a must read for any Wolves fan! Before Theo Walcott, was a little-known 17-year-old ever transferred to one of England's top sides for a big fee? Did anyone ever pass the ball with the accuracy of David Beckham? Was there a player with the trickery of Joe Cole? Did any midfielder score as many goals as Frank Lampard? If you are a Wolverhampton Wanderers fan of a certain vintage, your answer to each of those questions would be yes: Peter Broadbent. For those were the qualities that emerged as the unassuming youngster made the long journey from the Kent coalfields to the football hot bed that was the Black Country in the 1950s. There he went from being the young apprentice in the team who made Wolves champions of England for the first time to assuming the mantle of schemer-in-chief as Stan Cullis' side dominated domestic football. Only Broadbent played in the four great floodlit friendlies that captured the nation's imagination: Spartak, Honved, Dynamo and Real Madrid, three championship-winning sides and the FA Cup-winning side of 1960. He is still revered by older Wolves fans who remember his sublime football skills with great affection and their contribution to making his club the best in the land. Sadly, Broadbent now has Alzheimer's disease and the joy and memories he gave to many are lost to him. Here, with the help of his wife Shirley, former team-mates and fans, the author will tell the story of the man who will always be Peter the Great.

German Olympian Isabell Werth is one of the most successful horsewomen in the world. With six Olympic gold medals and scores of championship titles to her name, there are few who equal her on paper. But an equestrian's success is wholly dependent on the relationship she has with her athletic partner-her horse-and Werth's astounding accomplishments would not have been possible without her unique approach to working with the animals she's loved since childhood. Even as a little girl, growing up on a farm on the Lower Rhine, it was clear that Werth possessed an extraordinary gift for empathizing with horses and foreseeing how they were likely to react in certain situations. This insight gave her a special ability as a rider and trainer. Here, Werth collaborates with accomplished sports journalist Evi Simeoni-someone who has witnessed and written about her career from the very beginning-to tell her life story. Readers will get the inside scoop when it comes to Werth's accomplishments-and her failures, too. They'll hear her personal thoughts regarding some of the biggest controversies to rock the dressage world: Rollkur and Totilas. Perhaps most importantly, they'll learn about each of the sensitive and talented horses that has impacted Werth's life, including Gigolo, Satchmo, and Bella Rose. For you see, there is a meme that is popular in the riding community that says, 'Two legs move our body, four legs move our soul'. And it is this sentiment that Werth feels perhaps best defines her.