Books published by Pitch Publishing Ltd

Black and White Knight is a story of redemption. The Magpies were on the road to nowhere under Ruud Gullit, with the magic of Kevin Keegan's 'Entertainers' era a distant memory. Sir Bobby Robson - a genius in man-management - arrived in September 1999. Everything changed as he inspired another rollercoaster ride on Tyneside.

Redemption is the ultimate story of sporting salvation. Born into a notorious crime family, John bought his first gun at 16 and carved out a lucrative career in armed robbery. Forced to re-evaluate while serving life at Belmarsh, he discovered an unbelievable talent and broke three world rowing records. He's now one of the UK's leading triathletes.

Late December Back in '63 tells the story of an unforgettable day in top-flight English football - when 66 goals were netted in just ten fixtures on Boxing Day 1963. The author brings each match to life through archive reports and images, exploring how such a staggering tally of goals was scored. This was the age of attacking formations, just before the era of more defensive disciplines, but what other factors were at play? The book examines and tests the veracity of various myths that surround that extraordinary day. Along with club line-ups, match reports, programmes and images from the fixtures, Late December Back in '63 takes an in-depth look at the careers of the various characters who played their part. It also offers a snapshot of where the national sport stood less than 20 years after World War 2 and the socio-economic changes taking place in the 'Swinging Sixties'. You'll get a picture of the state of the game less than three years before the summer of 1966 and how our future World Cup heroes were doing in their careers.

This is the story of Celtic's love affair with the Scottish Cup, a trophy that has formed part of the club's identity since 1889. Romance, drama and passion are all bound up in Celtic's annual quest for the cup, involving great players, from the Sandy McMahon era to the days of Scott Brown.

It's an embarrassing truth for many football fans that it was only when professional football was eventually forced to close down that we recognised Covid-19 as a genuine threat to our way of life. Maybe just as shameful was the fact that once lockdown became normalised, it didn't take long for chatter to start about when the game might begin again. This book begins by charting what happened in the weeks leading up to that point, placing football in the context of furloughs, some new-found community awareness and dithering politicians. At the heart of the book are seven case studies of teams. From Burnley in the Premier League, down through the divisions to grassroots football, Project Restart looks at the hopes and fears of supporters and the actions of those charged with keeping their beloved clubs afloat. It looks at how we almost adjusted to the eerie echo of games on TV with no crowds and finishes by trying to address the biggest question in town: what will football look like in a post-Covid future?

Why Are We Always Indoors is the ex-editor of Match of the Day's personal chronicle of 105 days without MOTD during the coronavirus pandemic. Musings and anecdotes about sport, TV and music are set against an increasingly disturbing backdrop of ever-growing casualty figures and governmental failures.

The Thin White Line: The Inside Story of Cricket's Greatest Scandal tells the story of the spot-fixing scandal of 2010, which sent shockwaves through the sport. It stunned the wider sporting world and confirmed the reputation of the News of the World's Mazher Mahmood as the most controversial news reporter of his generation. It was the start of a stunning chain of events that saw the News of the World shut down, Pakistan captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir banned and sent to prison, before Mahmood himself ended up behind bars. This gripping, forensic account takes the reader through the twists and turns of those fateful days late one August and beyond. For the first time, it shines a light on the tradecraft of the News of the World team and how they exposed the criminal scheming of the cricketers and their fixer Mazhar Majeed. It reveals how deeply fixing had penetrated the Pakistan dressing room, and lifts the lid on the black arts of investigative reporting which would eventually prove Mahmood's undoing.

Liverpool Matches of My Life provides a unique perspective on 50 iconic Liverpool games spanning the author's lifetime, from 1960 to date. It highlights many great matches that have gone down in Anfield folklore. Are Liverpool the greatest English team of the last 60 years? Judge for yourself as you read the story of this wonderful club.

Celebrating a Century of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is the definitive history of the greatest horse race in Europe. Inaugurated in 1920 on the Bois de Boulogne in Paris, the Arc is the end-of-season championship that has conferred legendary status on Ribot, Sea Bird, Allez France, Dancing Brave, Zarkava, Sea The Stars, Treve and Enable.

Who Ate All the Squid? chronicles the season Ian Porterfield, a former Chelsea manager and Sunderland FA Cup legend, took charge of a struggling South Korean football club. Can he revitalise the team by luring a trio of players with Premier League experience out to East Asia? Can the Brits adapt to life in Korea as they battle personal demons?

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.

Flight to Bogota charts an infamous episode in sports history, when UK footballers turned their backs on club and country before the 1950 World Cup for a sporting El Dorado. England's Neil Franklin led the rebellion, only to return home with his career in tatters. But the players' vociferous defence of their behaviour enlightened a shocked nation.

Champions Under Lockdown: Jurgen and the Holy Grail is the story of Liverpool's remarkable 2019/20 season. With the Reds on the brink of a first league title in 30 years, a global virus pandemic almost crushed their dream of a 19th championship. But Liverpool rose again to claim their holy grail. This is the story of the champions under lockdown.

Arsenal FC Minute by Minute takes you on a fantastic journey through the Gunners' matchday history. Relive all the breathtaking goals, heroic penalty saves, sending offs and other memorable moments. From Thierry Henry to Cliff Bastin, from Ian Wright to Charlie George, all the club legends are here. An absolute 'must' for Arsenal fans.

How to Run a Football Club is the story of our national game. Told through a journey up the pyramid, from the muddy pitches and ramshackle changing rooms at grass-roots level to the glitz and glamour of the Premier League, the book explores that common theme that links the game at all levels - the simple love of the sport.

What Was Football Like in the 1980s? provides a fascinating and insightful perspective on the game in a decade when football faced major challenges on and off the field. Richard Crooks explores the good, the bad and the ugly of '80s football, leaving no stone unturned.

England On This Day revisits all the most magical and memorable moments from the national football side's rollercoaster history, mixing in a maelstrom of quirky anecdotes and legendary characters to produce an irresistibly dippable Lions diary. From 1872's first international to the Premier League era, there's an entry for every day of the year.

The King of Dens Park is the authorised life story of Alan Gilzean, the legendary, world-class Dundee, Spurs and Scotland footballer. Exclusive insights provided by his family, closest friends and colleagues add to the author's own experience to reveal Gilzean the man and the player, dubbed 'Nureyev in Boots'.