Books published by Pitch Publishing Ltd

Fosse v Luffs is a story filled with drama, excitement, controversy - and violence - about a footballing rivalry as intense as any in modern English football. The Fosse (forerunner of Leicester City) were the dominant club in the town of Leicester, and Loughborough (the Luffs) were the biggest and most successful team in the county of Leicestershire. Each encounter between these two sides was a battle for supremacy within the county. Fosse v Luffs charts the growth of the rivalry, from amateur games played in front of a handful of family and friends to Football League encounters witnessed by 10,000-plus spectators, with thousands more eagerly awaiting the outcome. Drawing on extensive newspaper research, Nigel Freestone brings to life this forgotten era when football was a bone-crunching game and not for the faint-hearted. It's a must-read for anyone interested in Leicester City FC, Victorian sport or local history.

A Life with the Robins and Beyond: The Geoff Merrick Story is the most anticipated book on any player ever to pull on the red shirt of Bristol City. An England schoolboy international, Geoff turned down a host of top teams to sign for his local club. He became the Robins' youngest captain at 20 and eventually led them back to the top flight. During City's stay in Division One, Merrick was seen as one of the country's top defenders, but his life and career were thrown into turmoil when he and seven other players were asked to rip up their contracts to save the club from bankruptcy. This they did, and today their sacrifice is commemorated by a plaque outside Ashton Gate, yet it still goes down as the blackest time in City's history. It is a chapter in Geoff's life that he has never spoken about in depth - until now. When life threw Geoff and his family a cruel twist, he showed the qualities of bravery, self-belief and determination, the very traits that had characterised his performances on the pitch. A Life with the Robins and Beyond is the ultimate tale of not giving up.

Bollen delves into the archives of European football to offer an alternative take on the game, covering match-fixing, bribery, extortion and murder. The mavericks, game-changers and unknown heroes are all here. Bollen again proves he's the ideal curator: passionate, meticulously informed and funny. It's a book for every curious football fan.

Set in the 1980s, Not All-Ticket: From Withernsea High to Boothferry Park Halt chronicles a dramatic period in the history of Hull City AFC through the eyes of a young fan from rural East Yorkshire. From relegation and receivership to the 'Robinson renaissance', Lusmore experiences a rollercoaster of emotions, culminating in dismay at perhaps the most contentious managerial dismissal in the club's history. In the process, he charts a course through his coming of age, capturing how it feels to follow an unfashionable team in an often unloved city. He flirts with rival sporting attractions, then tosses them aside in favour of the small-fry team in this tatty fish town. The football-fuelled adrenalin rush is soon replicated in his first forays into the local music and club scene. Discovering the delights of Hull after dark, he soon realises that Saturday is about much more than just the match. First-hand terrace tales and musical memories abound in this uplifting memoir.

John Harris's arrival at Bramall Lane laid the foundations for the appearance of some of the greatest players in Sheffield United's history. In his second full season in charge, the Blades were promoted back to the first division. Ain't Got a Barrel of Money is the story of Harris and those who came after him, building a team that would challenge for a place in Europe, the decline that followed and the inevitable sale of many of the club's finest players. In 1975, they finished sixth in Division One, playing some of the most exciting football in the country. Currie, Woodward, Colquhoun, Speight, Hemsley and Badger were all household names. But within six years Sheffield United had gone from the brink of greatness to the ultimate humiliation - relegation to the fourth division, for the first and only time in the club's wonderful history. Filled with anecdotes and memories from many of those who were there, both on the field and on the terraces, this book captures the highs and lows of being a Sheffield United fan.

The Scottish League Cup has been keenly contested for 75 years. Unsurprisingly, the big Glasgow clubs have won it the most, but Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs, Dundee, Raith Rovers, Livingston and East Fife have also had their moments in the sun. This book pays homage to each one of the 75 seasons, with a detailed account of every final.

In May 2018, Rangers appointed Steven Gerrard as the 16th permanent manager in the club's long history. Fast forward to 7 March 2021 and Gerrard's Rangers clinched the club's 55th title in record time. Adam Thornton delves into the tactical approach of Gerrard and his coaching team and identifies the key principles of their footballing philosophy.

Stoke City started the 1974/75 season with the best team they had ever had, trying to win the league for the first time. In a vintage era, they fell just short as half-a-dozen teams contested one of the tightest finishes ever. It is a story that will resonate with every fan whose team has promised much - but not quite managed to deliver.

Not German, I'm Scouse is the hilarious, emotional and compelling life story of German Liverpool supporter Carsten Nippert. As a young boy, Carsten was fascinated by the Reds. His teenage years were marked by despair and frustration as rare TV highlights and an unreliable radio reception offered the only access to his beloved Liverpool. Fear characterised his first visits to Anfield when he encountered vitriolic Mancunians and Kopites whose dialect confused him. His whole life revolved around his unquenchable passion. An emotionally blackmailed mother had to provide a ticket for a European Cup final when her underage son announced he would travel there regardless. She was even tasked, through his will, with scattering his ashes around Anfield if she outlived him. Carsten's adventures took him to Istanbul, outwitting riot police and 'bunking in' in Athens, a sleepless round-trip to Kiev and an unforgettable party in Madrid. Not German, I'm Scouse is the remarkable tale of an unlikely Liverpool fan who became a Scouser at heart.

This incredible story of one of the world's most innovative social entrepreneurs captures Jurgen Griesbeck's passion, drive and leadership in uniting fans, players, administrators and innovators in a collective mission to unleash the power of football for the benefit of people and the planet. It presents a hopeful vision for football's future.

The O'Leary Years charts the rise and fall of Leeds United at the turn of the 21st century, as a gifted crop of youngsters took the club to the highest of highs, before falling to the lowest of lows. The dramatic fortunes on the pitch were matched by off-field incidents as the club battled for trophies, justice, and eventually to balance the books.

Taxi for Kiev is the true and uncensored story of six lads from very different backgrounds who had never met before but found kinship in a common goal: to get to Kiev for the 2019 Champions League Final between Liverpool and Real Madrid. This is one man's account of that unforgettable six-day adventure, with shocks, tears and laughs aplenty.

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.

Eddie Hapgood, Footballer is the rollercoaster story of Eddie's life as Arsenal idol and national hero. By the late 1930s, the ugly shadows of fascism, Nazism and looming war were bearing down on the beautiful game, and Hapgood found himself in a public fight for justice and respect. In this gripping memoir we discover the real Eddie Hapgood.

Liddell at One Hundred celebrates the life of Liverpool and Scotland legend Billy Liddell. Born in Fife in 1922, Billy made the move from Scotland to Liverpool at 16, but the Second World War delayed his debut. After serving in the RAF as a navigator, he returned to football and won the league with Liverpool in his first full season with the club after the war. A diehard Red, Billy spent his whole career with the club, scoring 228 times in 534 appearances between 1938 and 1961. He remains the oldest goalscorer in Liverpool's history and their fourth-highest scorer of all time. Liddell spent a decade playing for Scotland and has the honour - alongside Stanley Matthews - of being one of only two men to represent a Great Britain XI more than once. A true sportsman and consummate professional, he was never booked or sent off in his entire footballing career. Liddell at One Hundred brings you the inside story of his life from those who knew him best - friends, supporters, family members and former team-mates.

After surviving a near-fatal scalding aged three, David Miller's life incentives emerged through involvement and achievement in a range of sports, nearing amateur international level in football and athletics. But then, needing employment, he retired at 22 to enter sports journalism. Having written on 30 sports from 120 countries for four national newspapers, Miller is perfectly placed to analyse and explain what drives those who excel in sport. This anthology of 50 epic performers provides a mirror of the emotions and commitment that drive the imagination of the many and the ambitions of the elite. From the unself-conscious self-discipline of Jesse Owens, Stanley Matthews, Jahangir Khan, Torvill and Dean and Steve Redgrave, to the fundamental loneliness and insecurity that galvanises spontaneous exhibitionists such as Jack Johnson, George Best and Alex Higgins, Miller uncovers what makes these great athletes and sports stars tick.

Wars of the Ring is a pictorial celebration of half a century of unforgettable fights. It commemorates an array of legendary boxing matches between 1970 and 2020 - from the heavyweight tussles of Ali, Frazier and Foreman to the wars between the 'Four Kings', to Tyson, Benn, Lewis, Golovkin, Fury, Joshua and many more.

Eye of the Tiger is the story of one of the most legendary figures in Glasgow Rangers' rich history, a man who epitomised what it meant to be a Ranger. Jock Shaw was a no-nonsense full-back whose fierce, uncompromising tackling earned him the nickname 'Tiger' from club supporters. He joined the Gers from Airdrie in 1938 for GBP2,000 and was a key figure in the Ibrox defence in the immediate post-war years. That defence was dubbed the 'Iron Curtain' because it seemed as unyielding as the barrier that divided Europe at the time. The book charts Jock's extraordinary journey from the coal pit at Bedlay (Annathill) to becoming Rangers' first treble-winning captain. His signing for Rangers started a remarkable association with the club, which lasted over 40 years and saw him serve as team captain, third-team coach and groundsman. He also captained Scotland and shared the distinction of beating England with his brother David. Ian Stewart worked with Tiger Shaw's family to bring you the inside track on his life and career.

Tottenham, From the Lane is the story of a vibrant pocket of north London and its treasured football club, a source of local pride and an institution that has made a corner of Haringey famous throughout the world. Out of the ashes of White Hart Lane, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has begun a new chapter.

This is the first full-length biography of Ron Greenwood, West Ham United's most successful trophy-winning manager - a man who was instrumental in the development of 1966 World Cup-winning heroes Moore, Hurst and Peters. Ron lacked the ruthlessness of his more feted contemporaries, Bill Shankly and Don Revie, with whom his trophy success did not compare. But his West Ham team of the mid-1960s had its own moments of heady triumph - an FA Cup win in 1964 (the club's first), a European Cup Winners' Cup victory in 1965 (only the second European win by an English club) - and crucially they were always easy on the eye, even in defeat. Then there was the little matter of supplying three team members to England's World Cup victory in 1966, at a tournament in which their perfection of Greenwood's near-post cross ploy proved devastating. After 16 years at West Ham, Greenwood became England manager in 1977 and led them to the 1982 World Cup. An impeccable sportsman, deep thinker and skilled communicator, he was a noble servant to football.

There was a season when the world's greatest footballers were all on show at British grounds. Best, Keegan, Charlton and Moore were joined by Pele, Cruyff, Beckenbauer and Eusebio, while in the dugouts Clough, Shankly, Revie and Allison duked it out in the closest ever Championship title race. That season was 1971/72. Britain's footballing culture was simpler - purer - than the one we know today, with the game played for the public, not for TV companies. It was a time when players shared pints with fans, A&BC football cards were schoolyard currency, Roy Race ruled the comic world and teleprinters saw footy devotees hold their collective breath every weekend. As well as covering the superstars, '71/'72 is a treasure trove of tales of lesser-known names who added to that extraordinary season. Read about the Aldo Poy goal that is still fanatically celebrated today, Toni Fritsch revolutionising the NFL, cricketing footballers and the OAP ball boy who rowed the River Severn. '71/'72 is a compelling and fast-paced account of a season like no other, and as John Motson labelled it: 'glorious'.

A nostalgic look at Scottish football and mementoes from 1946 to 1986 when the game was at its (almost) egalitarian and entertaining best. It was a period with a wide spread of trophy winners: eight different teams were crowned champions and Scottish clubs regularly impressed in all three European competitions.

His Name is McNamara is the riveting story of the life and career of football manager and former player Jackie McNamara. Jackie played for a series of clubs but is best known for the trophy-laden decade he spent at Celtic, culminating in a spell as club captain and a Scottish international career. His departure from Celtic in 2005 was controversial and abrupt, taking the football world by surprise when he signed for Wolves despite a last-minute attempt by the club to keep him in Glasgow. After spells at Aberdeen, Falkirk and Partick Thistle, he finished playing and moved into management with Thistle, Dundee United and York City. Jackie pulls no punches as he gives us the inside track on a career at the highest level of the game and the battling qualities he needed to succeed. It was those qualities that he drew on when his life was threatened by a brain aneurism in early 2020. His Name is McNamara is a story of success and survival.

The Top Ten of Everything Chelsea revisits the club's long and colourful past in dozens of ranked lists, including the most inspirational skippers, the greatest London derby wins and the most popular terrace chants. Fun, informative, witty and thought-provoking, the book is guaranteed to spark lively debate among Blues fans everywhere.