Colin Shindler was dealt a cruel hand by Fate when he became a passionate Manchester City supporter. In this brilliant sporting autobiography he recalls the great characters of his youth, like his eccentric Uncle Laurence, as well as his professional heroes. Threaded through these sporting events is the author's own story, which touches on a universal nerve, growing up in a Jewish family, his childhodd destroyed by the sudden death of his mother and his slow emotional recovery through his love for Manchester City. It is a tale that reveals what it is like to be on the outside looking in, with his nose pressed up against the sweet shop window watching the United supporters take all the wine gums.
Manchester United Ruined My Wife, the hilarious tale of a life-long United supporter and the way his obsession affected his wife and daughters, one of whom grew up to be an international pop star, was first published in 2004 selling over 10,000 copies. This new, updated edition brings the tale from the tragedy of Munich up to the triumph of Moscow, including the protracted sale to American owners, the rise and rise of FC United of Manchester and finally the double whammy of United's 17th league title and the agony and ecstasy of Russian penalty roulette in Moscow. How can a man love one woman, when he is in love with eleven men? When people get married it is "Till death do us part," yet, for almost 40% of the population, marriage ends in divorce. But, when you fall truly, madly, deeply in love with your football team there is no divorce; you do not stray. Your team is the one constant, consistent, permanent, overwhelming obsession in your life. Rarely has a book been written that so painfully yet humorously conveys the all-consuming red-hot passion, joy and despair felt by the vast majority of football fans. With highs so intense it reduces sex to mere skin rubbing, David Blatt puts wives in their rightful place on the substitutes bench as he takes the reader on a journey through his United-watching adventures, from the Busby Babes via the 1968 European Cup final, relegation, promotion, the wilderness years of the 70s and 80s, a first Championship in 26 years and the glorious 1999 treble, which culminated in the unforgettable Champions League triumph in Barcelona. It is a tale that millions of so-called "ordinary" football fans can relate to. After all, how can kissing girls compete with getting up at 5am for a 400 mile round trip for home games?
Twelve Wolves legends tell the stories behind their favourite games from their Molineux careers. The selected games include the 1949 and 1960 FA Cup and the 1974 and 1980 League Cup Finals, the famous floodlit friendlies against Honved and Real Madrid and tussles with local rivals West Bromich Albion. Bill Slater and John Richards select their greatest matches in a Wolves shirt, while Steve Bull recalls his best performance, after a night on the tiles! Ron Flowers, Sammy Smyth and the late Norman Deeley also feature in a book with a foreword by Sir Jack Hayward. Wolves Match of My Life will delight fans of all ages as they relive magic moments through the eyes of the men who made them happen.Key features- Part of the popular and successful Match of My Life series which features a number of football clubs- Features twelve of Wolves' greatest names, reflecting on their most memorable match for the club- Also details those players' cherished memories from their time with the club, the players they played with and the managers they served- Includes contemporary and historic images from the legendary matches covered- Written by respected football writer Simon Lowe; a well-known Midlands-based football historian and author, with over 15 published books to his name
When Denis Law signed for Manchester United from Torino for a British record fee of £115,000 in 1962, even at the age of 22 he had already established himself as one of the world's great forwards. No wonder his arrival at United sparked a revival in the club's fortunes, as they won the FA Cup in his first campaign. In his second season, 1963-64, he scored 46 goals - a club record that stands to this day - and became European Footballer of the Year. He then helped United to league titles in two of the next three terms, delivering 39 and 25 goals respectively. Now, having reached 70 years old, Denis looks back on his remarkable career and reflects on both the highs and the lows from his time on the pitch and beyond, as captured in lavishly reproduced photographs, many of them in full colour. Denis Law: My Life in Footballis a book no true fan of football can afford to be without.
Sixteen Walsall legends tell the stories behind their most memorable games for the club, enabling fans of all ages to relive these magic moments through the eyes and emotions of the men who were there. Stretching from Allan Clarke's memories of FA Cup glory to Adam Chambers's account of how Walsall finally reached Wembley after almost a century of trying, this unique collection covers some of the most enthralling encounters in the club's history. Along the way, Alan Buckley tells of how the mighty Saddlers conquered Manchester United, Peter Hart and Craig Shakespeare recall how Arsenal and Liverpool trembled as Walsall came within a hair's breadth of reaching the Milk Cup Final, David Kelly returns to the afternoon when his hat-trick won a play-off final, while Chris Marsh and Adi Viveash look back on the day Walsall pipped Manchester City to promotion. Spanning half a century of Saddlers history, Walsall FC Match of My Life captures the precious memories of the heroes who mean so much to the fans.
'For me, he is England's greatest ever player' Gary Lineker 'Sir Bobby was a hero to millions, not just in Manchester or the United Kingdom, but wherever football is played around the world' Manchester United FC Sir Bobby Charlton was Manchester United through and through. He was a member of the original Busby Babes and devoted his career to the club, playing in 754 games over 17 years. During that period he won everything the game had to offer, played alongside some of the greats such as Best and Law, suffered devastating defeats and was involved in one of the greatest football tragedies of all time. Here is his story of those United years in his own words. With his beloved Reds he tasted FA Cup victory in the emotional final of 1963, won three first division championships and in 1968 he reached the pinnacle of club success, winning the European Cup. Inevitably, such highs are balanced with no less dramatic lows, such as the 1957 European Cup semi-final, the highly charged 1958 FA Cup loss which followed only weeks after the horrors of the Munich Air disaster, and the 1969 European Cup defeat by Milan. He was one of the true gentlemen of football and the legacy that Sir Bobby Charlton gave to United is beyond compare. RIP Sir Bobby Charlton 1937-2023
*THE ORIGINAL BESTSELLING BOOK ON LEADERSHIP AND SUCCESS, BY THE GREATEST FOOTBALL MANAGER OF ALL TIME* 'One of the World's all-time great leaders' Professor Anita Elberse, Harvard Business School 'The foundation for success' Financial Times What readers are saying: 'Worth reading for anyone who wants to know how to succeed.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'You will enjoy the book even if you are not a football lover.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'One of the great leaders of the last century' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A formula for getting the best from people' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ __________ What does it take to lead a team to world-class success over a sustained period of time? Sir Alex Ferguson is one of the few leaders who truly knows. In his 38 years in management, Sir Alex won an astonishing 49 trophies and helped grow Manchester United into one of the biggest commercial brands in the world. In this inspirational and straight-talking book, Sir Alex reveals the secrets behind his record-breaking career. Leading is structured around the key skills that Sir Alex values most highly. It includes subjects we immediately associate with his managerial style: Discipline, Control, Teamwork and Motivation. But it also addresses subjects that are less obvious but no less important when seeking success: Delegation, Data Analysis and Dealing with Failure. Written with the investor Sir Michael Moritz, a longstanding friend of Sir Alex, Leading is packed with insight, wisdom, humour and honesty. The individual stories inevitably concern themselves with football, and the phenomenal success that came along the way, but the lessons can be applied by anyone. Whether you run a business, teach in a classroom, or work in a small team, Leading will help you become a better leader. __________ Perfect for fans of High Performance, Atomic Habits, Surrounded by Idiots and The Diary of a CEO
Gunners greats from David Seaman to Bob Wilson and Theo Walcott to Charlie George take us behind the dressing-room door, enabling fans of all ages to relive these amazing memories through the eyes and emotions of the men who were there, pulling on the famous red-and-white shirts. Contained in these pages are previously untold stories from fan favourites including Ray Parlour on winning the Premier League title at Old Trafford and scoring the winner in the FA Cup Final in the space of just four days and what Arsene Wenger did to transform the club. Lee Dixon reveals how he and his team-mates toasted their remarkable last-gasp 1989 title win at Anfield by swigging Kenny Dalglish's champagne while George Graham offers a rare look back at his amazing Highbury career as both player and manager. Double winners Frank McLintock and George also relive the never-to-be-forgotten 1970/71 season and super-fan Piers Morgan offers a unique account of following Arsene Wenger's Invincibles.
Sunderland AFC Match of My Life sees a dozen all-time greats re-live the game that stands out for them in their Sunderland careers. Jim Montgomery chooses the 1973 FA Cup final where he made the greatest save ever seen at Wembley while Niall Quinn also selects a great game from beneath the old twin towers, the sensational 1998 play-off final where Sunderland scored ten times and still somehow lost. With further contributions from Charlie Huntley, Len Ashurst, Gary Bennett, Kevin Ball and others from the club's past, Match of My Life is an evocative look back at some great games in Sunderland's history.Key features- Part of the popular and successful Match of My Life series which features a number of football clubs- Features twelve of Sunderland's greatest names, reflecting on their most memorable match for the club- Also details those players' cherished memories from their time with the club, the players they played with and the managers they served- Includes contemporary and historic images from the legendary matches covered- Written by Sunderland programme editor Rob Mason. He has written several books on the club, including Cult Heroes, Match of My Life, Greatest Games
Sixteen Stoke legends tell the stories behind their favourite games. Terry Conroy relives the moment his header opened the scoring in City's 1972 League Cup Final. Mark Stein remembers another Wembley win in the 1992 Autoglass Trophy. Denis Smith recalls when Stoke took on the best in Europe and came so close to beating the mighty Ajax, while Peter Fox takes the unusual step of selecting a game in which he only played half an hour. Legends Dennis Herod, Tony Allen and Mark Chamberlain also relive their finest games in the famous red and white stripes. Stoke City Match of My Life will delight Potters fans as they relive these magic moments through the eyes of the men who made them happen.Key features- Part of the popular and successful Cult Heroes series which features a number of football clubs- Features sixteen of Stoke City's greatest names, reflecting on their most memorable match for the club- Also details those players' cherished memories from their time with the club, the players they played with and the managers they served- Includes contemporary and historic images from the legendary matches covered- Written by respected football writer Simon Lowe; a well-known Midlands-based football historian and author, with over 15 published books to his name
