Sports Biographies

Standing Free is the funny, emotional, at times downright bizarre but always enthralling autobiography of 1980s and 90s Aberdeen FC hero Theo ten Caat. Theo's time at Aberdeen was certainly eventful. All is revealed in this no-punches-pulled chronicle of his career, both in Scotland and Holland, told in Theo's own words.

Derek Underwood was one of Kent and England's finest-ever slow bowlers. In this first-ever biography of Underwood, Mark Peel assesses the qualities that made him such a formidable bowler, the reasons behind his signing for Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket and the England rebel tour of South Africa in 1982, plus much more.

The remarkable story of a man who eclipsed his own greatness to revolutionise rugby coaching. In the 1950s and 1960s one man dominated rugby coaching like no other: Roy Francis. He led teams to championships and Wembley finals, revolutionised the art of coaching, and inspired his players to incredible achievements. But even more amazingly for the time, he was a Black man. As the illegitimate child of a mixed-race couple who gave him up for adoption, his story recounts his upbringing in a Black family living in the Welsh coalfields, a childhood shaped by memories of the 1919 Welsh race riots and, foremost, his gift for rugby. Aged just seventeen, Roy went on to play professionally for Wigan, and despite facing racism, became the first Black player to play for the British Lions in either rugby code. Roy Francis became Hull rugby league club coach in 1950 where he introduced video-analysis, sports psychology and personalised training - revolutionary methods which turned a mediocre team into championship winners. His crowning glory came as his team triumphed in the famous 1968 'Watersplash' Wembley Cup Final, before heading down under in 1969 as North Sydney rugby league club coach. Through archives, family members' accounts and former players' memories, Roy Francis tells the story of a family's journey from slavery to sporting success, and of a remarkable man who eclipsed his own playing greatness by revolutionising coaching.

Mad Dog is the riotous, adventurous and moving story of Mickey Lewis, one of English football's most combative midfielders and then one of the game's most inspirational coaches. Drawing on more than 100 hours of interviews, this is an exploration of what Lewis's legacy can teach us about leadership, life and the game we love.

The compelling story of former footballer, coach, manager and director John Sainty. John had begun working on his autobiography with football writer Neil Vacher before his sudden death in 2023. Determined to do John's story justice, Neil brought this labour of love to fruition with the help of John's former colleagues.

A frank account of what it takes to reach the top from one of hurling's all-time greats.

From Paris Olympics star and legendary gymnast Simone Biles’s longtime coach, an insider’s look at the making of a championWith a Foreword by Simone BilesThe Balance is coach Aimee Boorman’s inside account of the growth of a transcendent athlete and the tumultuous events—from the dictatorial coaching of Bela and Martha Karolyi to the sexual abuse by Larry Nassar—that upended the lives of many girls, including Biles. Simone Biles is one of the greatest athletes of all time. She’s won six all-around world championships and nine Olympic medals (six gold). Five gymnastics moves are named after her, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom (the youngest recipient ever), and at an age when most elite gymnasts have retired, Biles is not just still competing—she’s dominating. She’s soaring in Paris this summer, bringing home more Olympic gold. She’s having so much fun that LA 2028 is not out of the question. But when coach Aimee Borman met her at a gym in Texas, Simone was just a seven-year-old kid. An exceptionally athletically gifted one, to be sure, but not yet great. That would take time, care, love, and balance. Boorman helped shape Biles, both pushing her and holding her back, protecting both her mental and physical health. “She’s like a second mom to me,” writes Biles, and Boorman was the National Team coach in 2016, where the US—and Biles—took home all-around gold.The Balance combines unprecedented insider perspective on a legend, newsworthy details on gymnastics history, and compelling lessons on coaching, leadership, and development.

'Kimber is a 22nd-century cricket writer' The GuardianColourful cricket history meets expert analysis in this richly researched exploration of the art of batting. Most batters are trying to do their best, yet the top players are creating art. It is physically impossible to face an 80mph delivery and track it with your eyes, yet the greatest batters do more than just watch the ball, they predict where it will go. They can see into the future. This book is about the batters who see what mortals don't. Javed Miandad purposefully made errors to manipulate the field, Sachin Tendulkar dug up a pitch to take on Warne, Shivnarine Chanderpaul was peppered by tennis balls on the beach until he created his bastardised technique and Joe Root's great play against spin is a confluence of three random events. Others, such as Smith, Pietersen and Richards, carried on the work of a man 100 years before their time, and Ranji changed cricket with a bucket. Their methods and stories are different, but their currency is the same: runs. Through interviews with cricketing greats such as David 'Bumble' Lloyd, Graeme Swann and Rob Key, this book shows you the science, skill and culture that made the 50 greatest batters of all time, and, ultimately, how these players conquered leather with willow.

They don't make footballers - and football autobiographies - like this anymore. The brutally honest, riotously entertaining story of the much-loved Everton legend and iconic Premier League bad boy.Praised by Wayne Rooney and Sir Alex Ferguson as one of the greatest and most passionate players to ever play the game, Duncan Ferguson, or Big Dunc as he is known, is larger than life in every sense. Measuring a towering 6 feet 4 inches in height, from the moment the striker emerged in British football in the 1990s, he was front and back page news. On the pitch, fans loved Duncan for his roguish charm, his thrilling goals and his total commitment in every game. Fighting tooth and nail, he was a born leader and took no prisoners. Like his rival Roy Keane, he played close to the limit, and often crossed it. Such as the time he was sentenced to 3 months in Glasgow's toughest prison for headbutting an opponent - the first and only time a footballer has ever gone to jail for a crime committed on a football pitch. In BIG DUNC: The Upfront Autobiography, Duncan reveals, for the first time, the full story: the truth about his experiences in prison, his partying with African princes and Liverpool gangsters, his fighting with burglars, his making and losing a fortune, and how he turned his life around through his beloved Everton F.C.. In the process, the book sheds light on one of football's most charismatic but notorious and enigmatic hardmen. Duncan is now a coach and manager at Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C.. He is a pillar of the community in Merseyside, giving back to stricken children who share a similar tough upbringing to his own. Duncan's book takes readers on a rollercoaster ride of humour, drama and redemption. Buckle up.

No Place for a Girl is the little-known but hugely inspirational story of pioneering woman jockey Karen Wiltshire's fight for acceptance in the male-dominated world of 1970s horseracing. Her obsession brought the reward she craved as she became the first female professional jockey to win a Flat race, beating her male counterparts.

An adventurer, firefighter, and jiu-jitsu practitioner embarks on a journey of a lifetime—a 1,000 mile voyage through the Canadian sub-arctic—after recovering from a life-threatening illness.

The rise and fall of one of America’s first Black sports celebrities

Mitch 'Blood' Green hadmore things going for him to make big money in boxing than nearly any fighterin history. A six-foot-six, 225-pound heavyweight with a chiseled physique anda traffic-stopping look, Green had street credibility for days--he was the gang leaderof the Black Spades--and four New York Golden Gloves heavyweight titles. But his penchant formayhem, drugs, and chaos, while keeping him in the news, torpedoed his pro boxingcareer. He lost a high-profile decision to Mike Tyson at Madison Square Garden, got into a tabloid-grabbing late-night street fight with Tyson at anafter-hours boutique in Harlem, and then disappeared. Until Charles Farrellfound him. In The Legend of Mitch "Blood" Green and Other Boxing Essays, Farrell captures life in the boxingbusiness from its deepest interior, and offers additional portraits of charactersas wide-ranging as Donald Trump, Floyd Patterson, Bert Cooper, Charley Burley, PeterMcNeeley, and Muhammad Ali. Trenchant, fearless, and often flat-out funny, there has neverbeen a boxing book like this, and there will never be another.

Read this collection of illegal hunting and fishing stories, which prove that life as a game warden is surprisingly dangerous and thrilling.Two conservation officers attempt to chase down a motorboat in their canoe. A married couple illegally catches more than 60,000 crappies over a 12-year span. A duo of poachers run over Tom Chapin’s motorbike—and nearly kill him in the process. As a Minnesota game warden for 29 years, Tom investigated hundreds of harrowing and exhilarating cases. In Poachers Caught!, he shares 36 of his most memorable ones with you.Throughout his career, Tom meticulously wrote daily reports and was a stickler for taking photographs to enhance his records. So the stories recounted here are as realistic and factual as possible. From the vividly detailed capture of illegal night hunters to the deconstruction of major fish poaching operations, Poachers Caught! allows you to experience each riveting encounter as if you were there.The tales of true crime are action-packed, shocking, and wildly entertaining. They appeal to anyone with an interest in hunting, fishing, and law enforcement, as well as anyone who’s concerned about the protection of our natural resources. Tom’s writing serves as a tool for educating people about poaching and for promoting ethics in nature. It also yields a heightened appreciation for the wildlife officers who protect out fish and wildlife resources.Tom says, “I always believed a game warden’s job should focus on this one concern: providing an equal playing field for all who purchase a hunting or fishing license.”

The most capped All Black in history speaks for the record about his storied career, spanning four World Cups, nine Super Rugby finals and 153 appearances in the black jersey. 'A modern-day Colin Meads' - Steve Hansen'The ultimate winner' - Scott Robertson'A legend of the game' - Richie McCawAfter making his debut for New Zealand in 2010 at the age of 21, Samuel Whitelock was selected for the 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign. He played in all seven matches and emerged victorious with the nation's first trophy since 1987. Four years later he played in all seven matches of the 2015 tournament, becoming one of an elite group of players to win back-to-back World Cups. Whitelock was instrumental in the most successful period of All Blacks rugby in the modern era, and in his retirement year he topped off his domestic career with a performance for the ages, and a record run of championships for the Crusaders. In this autobiography, Whitelock speaks in his own words about physical and mental toughness, leadership and coaching, friends and foes on the footy field, tradition, darkening the jersey and how family and farming provided the bedrock for global success. View from the Second Row is an inspiring story and a journey like no other, and the epitome of what makes New Zealand rugby special.

Played Up Pompey Four contains fresh interviews with 23 individuals whose immense contributions left an indelible mark on a truly special football club. The fourth in the Played Up Pompey series, this book explores the Blues careers of those whose outstanding performances established them as household names and heroes among the Fratton faithful.