Sports Biographies

One of the most surprising footballstories you will ever read: the life of George Robledo, the forgotten foreigngenius of English football.

True story of a wee Glasgow guy who left school with no formal qualifications and had many jobs before ending up running a business in Australia and New Zealand. There are many coincidences along the way, including meeting famous people and also people from growing up - some I'd not seen or spoken to for 50 years! And also family who have a habit of dying on certain days. Set initially in Glasgow and moving around the city, encountering many strange day-to-day scenarios and events to ending up on a beach in Sydney and then on to Redland Bay in between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Jobs at this time took me all around Australia and New Zealand with trips also to Japan and four times per year back to the UK for a week for company meetings. Birthdays in later life were special times with my 40th in Glasgow, 50th on the Gold Coast and 60th in Melbourne at the famous horse race. My disabled brother, Alexander, was my hero growing up and still is after his achievements in the world of darts. Read about his exploits and be mesmerised by where he ended up having such a short sports career. My family have been strong throughout and my friends are all wacky, but in a really funny kind of way. If you are still wondering about this book, then just let me say - I would like to thank my parents for the gift of life. And thank the gift of life for me having so much fun. Thank fun for giving me a wonderful life. Thank a wonderful life for the opportunity to write this book. Thank this book for giving other people the chance to enjoy my life.

As a follow-up to his hugely popular 2016 autobiography Trailblazer, Ryan Sandes' new book explores the gripping and often life-threatening adventures this extraordinary ultra-trail runner has experienced around the globe since then. Not only have these projects tested the very edge of human endurance, but on several occasions, Ryan literally had to run for his life. Along with a 1 500-kilometre Himalayan adventure, read about his attempt at completing the first 700-kilometre solo run up Namibia's legendary Skeleton Coast - only to stumble upon some very angry Namibian soldiers conducting controversial seal clubbing. And, with his running partner Ryno Griesel, becoming the first people to run the entire circumference of Lesotho in one go, during which they find themselves fighting off an attack from local herdsmen armed with rocks and knobkerries. In between these adventures, Ryan battles to balance a challenging career with a dedicated commitment to his young family. Run. Risk. Reward. is packed with adventure, humour and some fascinating insights into the psyche of an ultra-endurance athlete. These people are not like you and me...

Matt Jansen had it all. He was young, quick, audaciously skilful and, at the turn of the millennium, regarded as one of the most intelligent attacking talents in English football. His potential seemed boundless. After bursting onto the scene with Carlisle in 1997 and helping his hometown club win promotion, Sir Alex Ferguson had tried to lure him to Old Trafford - but foreseeing only bench spot at United, Jansen instead opted for Steve Coppell's Crystal Palace. In 1998, he moved to Blackburn, where he formed an attacking triumvirate with Andy Cole and Damien Duff, and proved himself to be a constant threat for Blackburn and a lethal finisher, scoring 16 times in the 2001/02 season and earning himself a place in Sven Goran-Eriksson's England squad. Widely tipped to be part of England's campaign at the World Cup in South Korea and Japan, Eriksson instead surprised many with his conservative selection of Martin Keown over the rising star; Keown wouldn't play a single minute at the tournament and England would crash out to ten-man Brazil - but Jansen didn't see a minute of it. While England battled it out in the Far East, Jansen had taken a holiday to Rome where he was involved a serious traffic accident. He suffered a brain haemorrhage and slipped into a six-day coma. Jansen survived and, astonishingly, he was back playing for Blackburn just four months later. Physically he may have felt he was ready to return to top-flight football, but mentally he was nowhere near. Battling the spectre of the accident, he was unable to recapture the instinctive genius that had previously defined him. In an effort to reignite his career, he joined Coventry, Bolton and then Wrexham but he was never able to find his former footballing self and was finally forced to admit that his playing days were over. He has since channelled his energies into a new career as a coach - proving to be wise, erudite and compassionate in his new role, but also a continuing object of fascination for those who wonder what might have been. This is the story of a career destined for the stratosphere, cruelly snatched away by the vagaries of fate. Brilliant, bold, and at times brutal in its honesty, this powerful tale of shattered dreams and a life rebuilt is a testament to an inspiring, unconquered soul.

The most complete and rounded picture of Matt Busby - the man and the manager - ever written, from an author widely regarded as the best Manchester United historian alive today. Contains never-before-heard interviews with Matt Busby, Sir Alex Ferguson and other key Manchester United figures.

Inspired by the true story of Frankie Lucas, a young black boxer navigating the vibrant yet challenging world of 1970s London.

Out of the Darkness reveals a grittier side of football. Former Leicester and Sunderland winger Matt Piper retired aged 24, after 16 knee operations, and his life soon spiralled out of control. His daily existence became dependent on alcohol and Valium, culminating in an ugly rock bottom. But after the darkness came light.

Told in detail for the first time and based on exclusive interviews, get the inside story on the legendary rivalry between two of the greatest NASCAR drivers ever.The battle for NASCAR dominance was never more pronounced than when Richard Petty and David Pearson met on the track. In head-to-head competition beginning in 1960, they finished one-two an astounding 63 times (Pearson won 33, Petty 30). Petty vs. Pearson is the only book to examine this storied relationship, beginning with their pre-Winston Cup careers. Along the way, author and award-winning motorsports journalist Mike Hembree leaves no stone unturned, detailing:The drivers’ respective backgrounds—Petty earning his way up through a racing dynasty led by his father Lee; Pearson honing his chops as a DIY racer on local South Carolina dirt tracks The Carolinians’ first meeting in a Cup event in 1960The memorable battles between the two drivers, including their legendary wild finish at the 1976 Daytona 500Parallel careers that coincided with seismic changes to NASCAR, including: the advent of superspeedways, the “aero wars,” the injection of corporate money, and the arrival of a new generation of star drivers in the 1980sWhile their rivalry produced amazing finishes and tense moments, Petty and Pearson remained friends throughout. Petty vs. Pearsonexamines all aspects of the relationship, from their salad days in the sport to their respective retirements in 1986 (Pearson) and 1994 (Petty) and their lives in NASCAR beyond the driver’s seat. Throughout the riveting text, Hembree draws on original interviews with both drivers (including interviews conducted with Petty in early 2024), those who were there to witness the rivalry, and NASCAR figures who came later. The result is an entertaining and essential account of a storied rivalry—and friendship—that bridged the divide between NASCAR’s rollicking early years and the entertainment behemoth it is today.Featuring a foreword by Terry Labonte, a legendary NASCAR driver in his own right, Petty vs. Pearson is a must-have for every NASCAR fan’s collection.

The Chicken Runs at Midnight is the nearly unbelievable---but completely true---story of a Major League Baseball coach whose dying daughter's unusual encouragement changed his heart and his life...and just maybe the outcome of a World Series.

The definitive story of England's greatest cricket team and their historic Ashes triumph. Winning the Ashes in England is one thing. Winning them in Australia, quite another. Since the Second World War, England have only won five Ashes series in Australia, making their 1954-55 triumph a stand-out performance. And on the pitch was one of England's greatest teams - perhaps the greatest. The names among Len Hutton's 18 players - to include Denis Compton, Brian Statham and Frank Tyson - still resonate today. The overwhelming weight of history was against them: only once had England won an away Ashes series after losing the first Test. But they delivered, winning the series 3-1, a monumental team effort spearheaded by the explosivity of fast-bowler Tyson 'Typhoon'. However, the skill was on both sides of the pitch as the players, both talented cricketers and fascinating men, brought to sport an entirely different perspective to our modern-day uber-professionals. With contemporary sources and players' memories from both sides, read the story of a historic and stirring victory, and of the personalities behind the action on the field. Discover how cricket has changed, how tours have evolved and how the relationship between England and Australia has undergone a revolution.

In 2003-04, the St. Joseph's Hawks became the most unlikely and captivating story in college basketball.

You've heard of David Beckham: the world-famous celebrity, actor, model, entrepreneur, philanthropist and charity ambassador. But what about the footballer behind the brand? Drawing on exclusive interviews with former Beckham team-mates, acclaimed author Wayne Barton explores Beckham's contribution as one of the greatest players of his generation.

There's one well-established truth in professional cycling: the strongest always wins. Yet in a sport of champions, victory is only possible as a team. At the heart of that team effort, that unity, is the road captain.After more than a decade as the pre-eminent road captain in professional bike racing, Luke Rowe reveals here for the first time the intricacies of that role. As he lifts the lid, he provides the ultimate insider's view on racing tactics and strategy within the professional peloton. He gives readers an unprecedented insight into what exactly is going on within that pulsing mass of athletic power and state-of-the-art machinery, seen through the eyes of the rider tasked with leading his team to glory.Featuring exhilarating stories from his years at Team Sky and Ineos Grenadiers - where he played a fundamental role in the team's dominance at the Tour de France, leading Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal to their Tour victories - Luke shows what it's like to manage a road race unfolding at 60km/h. As he points out, it is 'like playing chess on wheels'.Road Captain immerses readers in the team dynamics, tactical complexities and split-second decisions vital to success in professional cycling. It discloses the mental and physical battles taking place within a group of riders, and reveals how the biggest bike races are won.

What is it like to get so close to your dream that you can almost touch it, only to have it torn cruelly away? Anthony Potts knows the answer. He sacrificed everything in an all-consuming pursuit of his dream to become a professional footballer. It was a dream, like many others, seeded in childhood. He was born with some natural talent, but things did not come easy for him. Nevertheless, he persevered and the hard work paid off. He was part of the Tottenham side that won the 1990 FA Youth Cup, and he earned a place in the England youth team. Later, he was a member of Tottenham's first Premier League squad alongside Paul Gascoigne and Gary Lineker - but he never got to play for the first team in a competitive match. In this tell-all book, Anthony shares the inside story of his time at Spurs, including his friendship with Gazza. It is a story that rarely gets told - the story of a failed footballer. Anthony sacrificed everything in pursuit of his dream. Was it worth it? You be the judge.