Books published by Pitch Publishing Ltd

The Undisputed Champions of Europe celebrates the iconic teams, managers and players who scaled European club football's greatest mountain. A tournament that was played out in a more rarefied air than its siblings - the European Cup Winners' Cup and the UEFA Cup - the European Cup owned an unmatched sense of occasion.

Always Believe is the gripping autobiography of Chelsea, Arsenal and France star Olivier Giroud. Join him on a remarkable journey, from playing for a small club in southern France to achieving top-flight glory there and in England, before lifting the World Cup with the French national team. Giroud shot to prominence in 2011/12 as the top scorer in France's Ligue 1, netting 21 goals to help Montpellier to their first-ever top-flight title. After signing for Arsenal in 2012, he rewarded the Gunners with 73 goals in 180 games and helped them to three FA Cup wins. He is also the French national team's second-highest scorer. Now at Chelsea, Giroud is still hungry for success. But what about the sacrifices he's made along the way? The pressures of being under the spotlight and having to cope with a constant stream of criticism and questions around his selection for the national side? Usually a private person, Giroud holds nothing back as he shares all the highs and lows of a stellar career at the game's top level in this tell-all book.

Football is Better with Fans tells the story of what it was like for supporters when they were shut out of grounds because of lockdowns during the coronavirus pandemic. It also takes a predominantly light-hearted look at life for the loyal football supporter, sharing their stories, anecdotes, banter, commitment, passion and traditions.

On a sweltering day in May 2010, Blackpool achieved the impossible dream. The Seasiders booked their ticket to the Premier League in a thrilling play-off final win, with all the riches that came with it. Twenty-four hours later, while everybody else was celebrating, the Oystons were meeting to plan how they would take it. Ian Holloway and his side fought bravely for survival, becoming the nation's second team with their swashbuckling style. Behind the scenes, the club was falling apart. Buckets collected rain leaking through the training ground roof. The manager's office could have the heat or lights on, just not at the same time. The Oystons paid themselves nearly GBP30m. It took five years for Blackpool to suffer three relegations back to the basement of the Football League. When fans hit back, they were sued. Chairman Karl Oyston told a fan he was on a 'never ending revenge mission'. How Not to Run a Football Club is the inside story of how one family nearly ran a football club to its death. And how a community brought it back.

Dead Man Running: One Man's Story of Running to Stay Alive is the inspirational story of Kevin Webber. Diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer in 2014 and given just two years to live, Kevin started a brutal regime of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. He also started running and refused to stop. Across the deserts of the Sahara, the snow and ice of the Arctic and the jungles of Cambodia, Kevin's journey has taken him from the depths of despair to achieving the impossible. Kevin describes the emotions of discovering he was terminally ill and the impact on his family and friends. He talks honestly about his cancer, his treatment and making every day count while staring death in the face. The training, the marathons, the injuries, the physical and mental challenges of living with terminal cancer are all described in Kevin's own words. He has never stopped dreaming and living his life the best way he can. This is one man's story of running to stay alive which will hopefully inspire you to live a bit more too.

The Forgotten Champions is an enthralling account of how Everton overcame a devastating catalogue of injuries and the sale of their star striker to reclaim the league title from Liverpool in 1987. Manager Howard Kendall used all his tactical acumen to produce a side that was far greater than the sum of its parts to bring the title back to Goodison.

Marcelo Bielsa vs The Damned United is a fan's account of two extraordinary seasons as Leeds United finally ended their 16-year exile from the Premier League. It capturesthe essence of a unique football genius, a cursed football club, the on-field drama of a two-year promotion race and the trials and tribulations of a long-suffering fan base.

How much do you really know about Manchester City? Put your Blues knowledge to the test with this bumper book of brainteaser quizzes and fascinating facts, beautifully illustrated by one of the world's leading sports artists. It's packed with trivia on all the great Man City sides, providing hours of highly dippable fun and entertainment.

The Sunshine Kids is no ordinary autobiography. Twins Fabio and Rafael Da Silva have seen it all in football - from the favelas of Brazil to the height of the European game with Manchester United. Their performances and contribution to one of the most glittering periods in the club's history cemented their place in the heart of every United fan. Theirs is an incredible journey and story - and, with Wayne Barton ('The pre-eminent writer on Manchester United' - Martin Edwards) the pair tell all. The sheer personality pours from the pages as Rafael's energy shines through in tales of fierce rivalries with Liverpool and Manchester City, and Fabio reveals his battle with anxiety as he sought to establish himself at Old Trafford. From the experience of joining the best team in Europe, to the human aspect and difficulty that comes with it, their familial relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson and their careers since leaving United - you'll discover just why the twins have been adored wherever their football careers have taken them.

In 1976, a young Swede named Bjorn Borg put a stranglehold on the Wimbledon men's singles title that proved unbreakable for the next five years. No one in the game's modern era had ever pulled it off and only one, Roger Federer, has subsequently matched it. The Golden Boy of Centre Court tells the story of that phenomenal sporting achievement.

When it comes to sports and entertainment, the glitz and the glamour of celebrity life, most of us only aspire to gain something small such as an autograph. Few of us ever have the chance to sit down with stars and discuss their lives, or rub shoulders with those closest to them. Being up close and personal with UFC, boxing and entertainment stars is just part of Fiaz Rafiq's daily routine. He's worked closely with some of the most revered champions and pioneers of UFC. In this gripping memoir he shares riveting behind-the-scenes stories of the top MMA and boxing champions and legends - from Randy Couture, Royce Gracie, Brock Lesnar, Daniel Cormier and Conor McGregor to Muhammad Ali and Bruce Lee (to many the Godfather of MMA) - their gritty beginnings and their most triumphant moments. The result is the culmination of over two decades of work, gaining the trust and confidence of the greatest fighters and personalities in MMA and combat sports. To the Top is a fascinating odyssey that uncovers the hidden history of the most brutal combat sport on the planet.

A lot can happen in 90 minutes. For almost 160 years, goals, red cards and even substitutions have led to some of the strongest and most remarkable sporting legacies. From the first kick to the last, The History of Football in Ninety Minutes (Plus Extra Time) gives fuel to the notion that every minute in football counts.

Generazione Wunderteam is the enthralling story of the Austrian national football team of the 1930s, an innovative side that dazzled Viennese crowds and sparked a new-found passion for football both at local and international level. Although the Wunderteam was short-lived, this squad led by Hugo Meisl, one of the most prominent figures in European football, proved hugely influential. Vienna quickly became - along with Budapest and Prague - one of the world's football capitals and the birthplace of some of the greatest players of the era, including Matthias Sindelar, a centre-forward whose fame transcended football, and who was often compared to Mozart and other Viennese celebrities. Sindelar died in suspicious circumstances at age 35, after defying the Nazis. The book takes the reader on a journey through that forgotten era, examining the genesis of Hugo Meisl's side, its key figures, the historical vicissitudes of the inter-war years and the most important Viennese teams of the period.

The definitive story of the UEFA Cup's glory years when the tournament made legendary names of the likes of Borussia Monchengladbach and IFK Goteborg, and provided Ipswich Town with arguably their finest moment. The book includes interviews with players, journalists and supporters who lived and loved the competition.

London's Fields: An Intimate History of London Football Fandom celebrates the turbulent rivalries, local antagonisms and even, on occasion, the fraternal harmonies held in common by the supporters of the capital's many professional football teams. The us and them dichotomy of a local derby is told here through the voices of us, the fans. In a one-club town or city your choice of team would appear to be simple. However, in a city with a dozen clubs the choice is less straightforward. London is a place of constant flux and change; it's diasporic nature may have taken people far from their ancestral heartlands but the football clubs that remain there have, in a sense, travelled with them - local bragging rights and capital gains remain just as important. The author's upbringing was steeped in football, he has played and coached the game; written on it and worked in it. His less than conventional path to choosing his own team forms the foundation upon which the stories of other fans are richly rendered.

The King of White Hart Lane is the authorised life story of Alan Gilzean, the legendary, world-class Tottenham Hotspur, Dundee 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'.

A true story of intrigue, mystery, blackmail and skulduggery, which tells how one man was able to bring down an English Football League club. In 1919, Leeds City player Charlie Copeland returned from active service and made a request for a pay rise, which the club steadfastly refused. During the war, guest players for League clubs were supposed to have gone unpaid for their services, though in general this FA law was overlooked as a nod to the war effort. Copeland, however, issued the club with an ultimatum: either meet his wage demand or answer to the FA for making illegal payments. When Copeland carried out his threat and City proved reluctant to produce their books for FA inspection, a complex web of deceit and hypocrisy ensued. Subsequently, Leeds City were disbanded and expelled from the Football League, the only club before or since to receive such harsh punishment. However, out of the ashes of this fallen institution emerged another, brand new club - Leeds United.

Evertonians know what it is to experience greatness. Since the club first came to life in 1878 there have been titles won, European adventures and trips to Wembley. The fans have seen records broken, legends make their mark, matches of undeniable class. Every decade that Everton have been in existence has yielded moments of wonder, games that supporters at the time have cherished for their entire lives and which fans of subsequent generations have looked back on with undeniable pride. From the earliest days, when St Domingo's first morphed into something recognisable as a modern football club, the whole span of Everton's narrative is covered here. Those earliest title wins, those earliest finals, Dean, Lawton, Hickson, the Holy Trinity, Latchford, the glory of Kendall, the agony of Wimbledon, the joy of Royle and restoration under Moyes. Everton Greatest Games is more than just a selection of the moments that have stirred the soul of Blues. It is the story of Everton, the tale of how a church team grew into an English giant.

This story starts with Great Britain women's hockey team's dismal failure to qualify for the 2004 Olympics and culminates in a gripping match in Rio 12 years later. The stunning gold medal victory at the 2016 Olympics was described as "the moment of the Games" and History Makers charts the turbulent journey of a team that rewrote its own destiny.

Glory, Glory Lane is the life-affirming history - including a momentous last season - of a world-famous football stadium, Tottenham Hotspur's home for 118 years. A Victorian structure turned wraparound 21st-century all-seater, long attracting fans devoted to the 'Spurs way' of achieving glory. From Harry Hotspur to Harry Kane via Harry Redknapp.

Hijacking La Liga tells the story of Atletico Madrid's resurgence from their relegation from Spain's top flight in the year 2000 to their current status as one of world football's most capable clubs. It investigates all of the key moments, decisions, goals and matches that have threatened Barcelona and Real Madrid's dominance of Spanish football.

The Wizards FC was a team of former schoolfriends who - with the help of a few star ringers - slogged their way through mud, skinheads and Staffordshire bull terriers to win the Edmonton Sunday League. Team captain Ewan Flynn brings alive a world of young men giving it their all on sloping pitches a million miles from the glamour of the Premier League, and officials who volunteer to maintain some sort of order. Along the way he charts the bittersweet stories of mates who brought success to the Wizards, despite suffering disappointment in their own all-too-brief professional football careers. It's a sometimes farcical, sometimes tragic tale of growing up in north London: family tensions, friendship, being a man, and seeing where your dreams can take you - even a Roy-of-the-Rovers rise to captaining your country against the world champions. Injuries on the pitch led the writer to many encounters with the surgeon's knife in order to keep playing. He shows how once football has you, it never lets you go.

West Ham United's move to the new Olympic Stadium ended a 114-year stay at the Boleyn Ground at Upton Park. With full access to The Times newspaper archive and stunning photography, lifelong West Ham fan and sports journalist John Dillon has created the definitive history of the ground the club first played at in 1902.

Few cities in the world have as many professional football clubs as London and none have the history explored in this book by journalist and broadcaster Steve Tongue. It was in the English capital that the Football Association - the first of its kind anywhere - was founded in 1863 and that the FA Cup, the world's most famous domestic cup competition, was born. After the North and Midlands dominated the first forty-odd years of league football, three clubs in particular - Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea - began to challenge them and eventually succeeded, joining West Ham United as trophy winners not only at home but in Europe. Between those four clubs, and more than a dozen other professional clubs past and present, grew the turf wars that are the bedrock of the great rivalries and derbies across England's most vibrant football city. Turf Wars tells the story of football in the capital.

Stuck On You charts the history of football stickers in the UK - those little bundles of self-adhesive joy that have given so much to so many since Panini burst on to the scene in the late 1970s. Immerse yourself in a story of bitter rivalry, media moguls and the seedy underbelly of what can be a surprisingly murky business. Discover how upstarts Merlin took on the might of Panini and beat them at their own game - only for the Italian giants to hit back with the weight of nostalgia behind them. But ultimately you're invited to wallow in wistful memories of swapping in the school playground, shinies and recurring doubles. Featuring interviews with many of the industry's leading historical players and images from some familiar and lesser-known collections, Stuck On You is a must-read for anyone who has ever spent months, if not years, hankering after the St Mirren badge.

Got, Not Got: Tottenham Hotspur is an Aladdin's cave of memories and memorabilia, guaranteed to whisk you back to White Hart Lane's fondly remembered 'Golden Age' of mud and magic. Here's Gascoigne, Greaves and Archibald on stickers and in comics, Spurs Subbuteo and petrol freebies, league ladders, big-match progs and tickets, and much more.

Punk Football tells the story of how supporters have made the incredible journey from the terraces to the boardroom. Initially intrigued by the rise of AFC Wimbledon, the supporter-owned club set up after Wimbledon FC's relocation to Milton Keynes, Jim Keoghan was drawn into a world in which ordinary fans have started new clubs, taken a stake in those they once followed and sometimes saved clubs from disappearing altogether. The fan-ownership movement has touched every echelon of the game, challenging the private model that has dominated football for over a century. There have been highs and lows, successes and failures, but through it all the dogged determination of fans to be more than paying customers has shone through. Regarded as a revolutionary force in modern sport, the story of Punk Football is one that will appeal to every fan who has ever thought, "e;I could run this club better myself."e;

Watford FC On This Day revisits all the most magical and memorable moments from the club's rollercoaster history, mixing in a maelstrom of quirky anecdotes and legendary characters to produce an irresistibly dippable Hornets diary. From the club's formation in 1887 to the Premier League era, there's an entry for every day of the year.