You Don't Know Me, But . . .: A Footballer's Life


Clarke Carlisle - 2013
    With a growing media profile, thanks to his appearances on Question Time and an acclaimed documentary on racism in football, there were plenty of other opportunities, but he was determined to give it another go. Initially signing for York City before moving to Northampton Town, Carlisle was soon back in the thick of the action. As the events of the year unfolded, Carlisle looked back at his career, from his early days playing for England Under-21s, through career-threatening injuries and a battle with alcohol problems, to a late arrival at the top level with Burnley. As chairman of the PFA, Carlisle is a much-respected figure in the game; his raw honesty and penetrating insights will make readers view the game, and those who play it, in a whole new light.

Ronaldo: Rise Of The Legend. The incredible story of one of the best soccer players in the world.


Roy Brandon - 2016
    On an almost daily basis we see hear his name on the news, see his face on any number of TV commercials, and marvel at the magic show he puts on every weekend when he takes to the field. He is a celebrity whose image and influence affect our popular culture and a soccer star that has been compared with some of the world´s best athletes. But Cristiano was not always the popular, mega-celebrity, soccer superstar that he is today. The success that he enjoys has come from years of hard work and sacrifice that have helped him overcome many obstacles and difficulties in his pathIn this book, we´re going to take a look at the life of Cristiano, beginning at the time he was rising star whose career was threatened by a strange heart condition, right up until his third Ballon D´or recognition. We will also follow Cristiano off of the field to see his impact on popular culture and his life beyond soccer.

Tales from the Dugout: Football at the Sharp End


Richard Gordon - 2015
    When the action heats up on the pitch, emotions in the dugout boil over. Grown men lose control. The normally sane turn into irrational agitators. And every decision, no matter how minor, is hotly contested. Tales From The Dugout is a fantastically entertaining collection of incidents and memories gathered from managers, players, referees, linesmen and broadcasters, which encapsulates the unique environment of the technical area and reveals how even limited exposure to it can transform people unrecognisably. And when the red mist descends, the consequences can be almost unbelievable - and frequently hilarious. With contributions from a host of those who have been at the sharp end and lived to tell the tale, Tales From The Dugout is a unique insight into life in the technical area. There are tales from Scotland manager Gordon Strachan, Craig Brown, Pat Nevin, Kenny Clark, Pat Bonner, Scott Booth, Terry Butcher, Jimmy Calderwood, Billy Dodds, Jim Duffy, Alex McLeish, Alex Smith, Willie Young and Chick Young - amongst many others. And brilliant stories about legends of the game like Tommy Burns, Walter Smith, Martin O'Neill, Ally McCoist, Jim McLean and, of course, Sir Alex Ferguson. And it explains why that small area by the side of the pitch is no place for the faint-hearted.

Secret Diary of a Liverpool Scout


Simon Hughes - 2009
    Now, for the first time, the family of the club's former Chief Scout between 1967 and 1986 has unearthed the diary that exposes the fascinating secrets behind the signings that helped the Reds dominate football at home and abroad in the... Full description

Eve Lloyd's A Deadline Cozy Mystery - Books 6 to 10


Sonia Parin - 2020
    

The Train Part 1: Escape From Hell's Kitchen


Keith Schafer - 2013
    Over the years it was visited by a diverse hodge-podge of notables, including Davey Crockett and Charles Dickens, all who left aghast at the horrible living conditions, the poverty and the decadence of the people they found there. At their zenith, these vulgar, diseased and murderous streets housed 30,000 homeless children of all ages--the street urchins--who played, scavenged for food, fought the elements and each other, and tried to avoid the perpetual violence that routinely threatened their survival. Death was their constant competitor, and death often won. They were the discarded refuse of the great 19th century immigrant migrations to America, and they were an undesirable nuisance to the good citizens of New York. This is the story of two such children, Anna Murphy and Ben McDonald, abandoned to the streets and thrown together in a desperate attempt to achieve the impossible: to escape from Hell’s Kitchen in search of new beginnings in far and distant lands.

Rush: The Autobiography: Liverpool's Greatest Striker, Liverpool's Greatest Era, The True Story


Ian Rush - 2008
    The story of one of Liverpool’s greatest soccer goal scorers, from his beginnings as a rough-edged Welsh teenager thrust into the ranks of an already great team, to how he learned to grow as a player and a man.

Brides of Weber Valley


Charity Phillips - 2018
    Follow the struggles and triumphs as new opportunities--and the chance for true love--arise for the young ladies from the Hughes and Cooke families in the Brides Of Weber Valley series! This collection by Amazon bestselling author Charity Phillips includes the following six sweet western romances: Book 1: Zelda’s Story Zelda, the eldest daughter of the Hughes family, longs for a life away from the rolling hills and barn animals of her parents’ farm in Ogden. She loves and supports her family but longs to explore what else the world might have to offer her. When word gets around that there is a railway expansion planned to be constructed nearby, Zelda is excited for the new opportunities–and people–it might bring. Book 2: Diana’s Story One day while running errands, Diana Cooke meets a striking young man named Aaron Pratt. She learns that he comes from a proud line of farmers, but is currently facing challenge after challenge at his family’s dairy farm. His father is bedridden from a terrible injury, leaving Aaron to take on all of the daily tasks to keep their livelihood afloat. Her heart goes out to him and his plight and they become fast friends. She finds herself thinking of Aaron every day and longs to help him and his family overcome their hardships. Book 3: Hattie’s Story Hattie Hughes works hard as the assistant innkeeper to her sister-in-law, Diana’s, prosperous business and finds herself longing for a husband of her own. One day, along comes a handsome, mysterious traveler who needs a room for a more long-term basis as his train is delayed by the snow. This stranger, Matthew Ford, turns out to be kind and understanding towards Hattie, offering a friendship she never realized she needed. Book 4: Tabitha’s Story With her younger sister, Suzy, Tabitha Church fled her home in Chicago one autumn night, running away from an engagement that was doomed to become a loveless marriage if she didn’t do something about it. They arrived in the small town of Ogden, Utah with nothing but the dresses on their backs and a fair amount of hopefulness. Book 5: Millie’s Christmas Surprise Millie Saxton knows what she wants. Or, more accurately, she knows what she doesn’t want. She left New York, the place of her birth and her successful job as a seamstress at a shirtwaist factory, to find love out West. She met a man named James O’Neill who placed an advertisement in the newspaper and, before long, sent for her. But when the train stops in Ogden, Utah and a nasty winter storm hits, Millie finds that her future as Mr. O’Neill’s bride might not be what she wants after all. Book 6: Amelia’s Blessed Christmas A recent widow, young Amelia Hawkins leaves behind her life of bereavement and bad memories to travel west to live with Mr. Percy Andrews, a friendly and caring general store owner who is well-liked by everyone in the town of Ogden. From their very first meeting at the railway station, she is taken by his kindness and gentle nature and knows that God has blessed her with a second chance at happiness. This box set features each of the six novella-length stories in the Brides Of Weber Valley series. The Kindle edition features additional bonuses for your reading pleasure.

American Legends: The Life of Bing Crosby


Charles River Editors - 2014
    *Includes Crosby's quotes about his life and career. *Includes a bibliography for further reading. *Includes a table of contents. “I think popular music in this country is one of the few things in the twentieth century that have made giant strides in reverse.” – Bing Crosby A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history’s most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors’ American Legends series, readers can get caught up to speed on the lives of America’s most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known. In 1948, American polls rated Bing Crosby “the most admired man alive”, and it’s no surprise given how popular he was across every major form of entertainment during the decade. With a string of major hits, Crosby was the most popular singer in the country during that era, with classic songs like “White Christmas” helping pave the way for other singers as varied as Bob Hope, Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra. In fact, young Sinatra modeled his clothing and style after Crosby, who was his idol growing up. And as good as he was at singing, Crosby’s work with radio technology helped pave the way for multitracking songs and making it possible to broadcast the same radio programs across the country without cutting another live version. All told, Crosby sold an estimated 500 million records in the 20th century. In addition to being one of America’s most beloved singers and an accomplished radio presence, Crosby not only made popular movies but acted well enough to be critically acclaimed. His Road To… movie series with Bob Hope produced some of the best-selling movies of the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, and he won an Oscar for Best Actor in Going My Way (1944) by playing Father Chuck O’Malley. When he was nominated for the same role in the 1945 sequel The Bells of St. Mary’s, he became one of just 4 people nominated for two Oscars for playing the same role. American Legends: The Life of Bing Crosby examines the life and career of one of America’s greatest and most versatile entertainers. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Kelly like never before, in no time at all.

Gary Speed: Unspoken: The Family's Untold Story


John Richardson - 2018
    Aged just 42, he was found hanged in the garage of his home. As a long-standing legend of the game and manager of Wales, he appeared to have everything to live for. Now, as he would have approached his 50th birthday, family and friends come together to speak honestly and emotionally about the man they knew and loved. Wife Louise opens her heart for the first time and talks in depth about her life with Gary and her own personal journey since his death. Mum Carol and dad Roger recall their beloved son. And a multitude of famous names from the game remember their friend and speak emotionally about how the tragedy has touched their own lives. Author John Richardson was a close friend of the man he knew as ‘Speedo’ and was entrusted to write his autobiography. Gary completed two chapters of his life story before putting the project on hold because he thought he had not achieved enough in the game to merit a book. For the first time, these revealing chapters are published in the original form they were written, with insights from Richardson on the personal story that would remain so sadly untold. Gary Speed: Unspoken is a unique celebration of one of the football heroes of our generation. A tribute to a role model, leader and a much-loved husband, father and son gone too soon.

The Manager


Ron Atkinson - 2016
     He remains the only Englishman to have won major trophies with three different clubs: Manchester United, Sheffield Wednesday and Aston Villa. At West Bromwich Albion, he was one of the first managers to promote black footballers, including Laurie Cunning- ham, who went to Real Madrid, Cyrille Regis, who became an England international, and Brendon Batson MBE. After retiring from management, Ron evolved into one of the most familiar and forthright commentators on football. Yet that career came to an end in April 2004 with a single, unguarded comment about the Chelsea defender, Marcel Desailly. Atkinson was labelled a racist and driven from the game he loves. In The Manager Ron Atkinson delves into the highs and lows of an extraordinary career that took him from non-league football to Old Trafford’s theatre of dreams in the space of seven years. He almost managed two Midlands clubs - Aston Villa and West Brom – to the league title. But behind the familiar image of the bling and one-line quips Ron Atkinson was – and remains – a deep observer of football and footballers. Here, he gives the full account of a life in football. From an awestruck youngster in 1950s Birmingham watching the supermen of Honved via a stalwart career as a lower league professional with Oxford to managing one of the biggest club in world football, Atkinson’s has been a life less ordinary. With detailed portraits of the men he worked with an against, including Bryan Robson, Paul McGrath, Sir Alex Ferguson and Dwight Yorke, Atkinson also discusses the rise of the foreign footballer; the decline of the English manager and what it is like to sing live at Ronnie Scott’s.

The Husband


Deirdre Purcell - 2016
    Soon she has divorced her husband and, in the throes of newfound passion, finds herself quickly remarried to this extraordinary man.Her new husband has unlocked something in Marian and she feels high on life as never before, even when a darker side to his nature begins to reveal itself.Nothing can prepare her for what is to follow, though, as devastating circumstances lead her on a trail to Daniel's home in Ireland, and in turn back to America, as she tries to come to terms with the enigmatic nature of the man for whom she threw it all away - only to discover that nothing was what it seemed. The Husband is a gripping human story of love in its many guises, of losing everything and ultimately - in the small Midlands village of Glanmilish - of rediscovering the meaning of family.

Jamie Johnson: Skills from Brazil


Dan Freedman - 2014
    Will the new boy overshadow Jamie's skill? From the school pitch to the beaches of Rio, Jamie Johnson is going to learn there's more to being a great footballer than he ever imagined.

Only Here For A Visit: A Life Lived to the Full – from Sporting Glories to Wild Stories


Alan Brazil - 2020
    As Alan recounts tales from his extraordinary life, he relives the sporting occasions, radio broadcasts and famously long drinking sessions that have defined his career. He takes readers inside the talkSPORT studio for a behind-the-scenes view of his most memorable interviews, and talks for the first time about the on-pitch rivalries and dressing room debriefs of his footballing career.With his typically outspoken and irreverent delivery, Alan shares everything from his thoughts on how the sports he loves have changed to his top tips for picking winners (and many losers) at Cheltenham. And he revels in wine-soaked jaunts in the South of France and late-night supermarket sweeps with Ray Parlour – if you can keep up.Packed full of never-before-told stories, refreshing appraisals, sporting controversy and a cast of larger-than-life characters, this is a brutally honesty and wickedly funny insight into an extraordinary life.

Stand Up Pinocchio: Thommo from the Kop to the Top: My Life Inside Anfield


Phil Thompson - 2006
    Few others can offer such a remarkable insight into life at Anfield from Shankly to Houllier and beyond. Born in Liverpool in 1954, Phil later moved to his spiritual home of Kirkby where his footballing abilities were soon noticed and he quickly acquired a range of schoolboy honours before signing professional forms for his beloved Reds in 1971.As he staked a claim for a first-team place, Kop messiah Bill Shankly would memorably declare: “Aye, Phil Thompson. The boy tossed up with a sparrow for his legs and lost!”Shanks, however, was in no doubt about the young Thommo’s qualities and Phil would go on to claim a host of Anfield honours including seven League Championships, three European Cups, two League Cups and an FA Cup.The proudest moment of his footballing life came in 1981 when he led the Reds to a third European Cup with a 1-0 defeat of Real Madrid in Paris, later parading the trophy at his local pub, The Falcon.He left the Reds after winning 42 England caps before returning to Anfield in a coaching capacity under Liverpool player manager Kenny Dalglish.Despite being controversially sacked by Reds boss and former teammate Graeme Souness in 1992, he sensationally returned to Anfield as Gerard Houllier’s right-hand man in 1998, going on to revive the glory days by claiming a famous treble of trophies in 2001.Coming full circle and happy to be a fan again, he shared in the joy of the Reds’ 2005 Champions League triumph in Istanbul – as highlighted during remarkable scenes on SKY TV.