A trio of English football managerial giants from the north-east are under the spotlight in a new book by Ben Dobson, reviewed by Eric Brown...…
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Category: Books and reviews
‘A cocktail of fascinating history’: County cricket distilled in Scyld Berry’s ‘Disappearing World’
Award-winning author Scyld Berry draws on 50 years of reporting county cricket to write on the state of the game in each of the 18 counties, in a book…
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Astute, abrasive and admired – Ray Illingworth merits the engrossing biography ‘Yorkshire Grit’
The first biography of Ray Illingworth for nearly 50 years explores a capacity for seeking out trouble with his blunt nature but winning over doubters…
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The guts of England’s glory: Duncan Hamilton’s ‘Answered Prayers’ re-examines 1966 World Cup
An insightful new book about the build-up to England's 1966 World Cup triumph and the horrors that haunted the players afterwards is reviewed by Eric …
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Britain’s first Black Olympic medal winner – but Harry Edward’s memoir nearly went unpublished
After being interned in a prisoner-of-war camp, Harry Edward won bronze medals for Britain in both the 100m and 200m at the 1920 Olympic Games in Antw…
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Offbeat stories from 1990 World Cup told with flair in ‘Echoes of an Italian Summer’
A new book revealing stories from the build-up to Italia '90 and the aftermath of the tournament is reviewed by Eric Brown...…
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A vignette of a vintage year – ‘1953: Life in Football Seventy Years Ago’ reviewed
Football's stellar names and iconic matches of a shabby, post-war Britain still hampered by rationing are recalled in a memory jogger of a book by Mar…
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From track to triumph: Lauren Fleshman’s ‘Good For A Girl’ wins Sports Book of the Year Award
Ex-professional runner Lauren Fleshman is crowned the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award winner 2023, taking home a £30,000 cash prize; in th…
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‘Kicking On’ is a captivating study of the other side of the coin for those hanging up their boots
Eric Brown reviews a book tracing the lives of more than 200 retired footballers and reveals how employment opportunities exploded as media outlets mu…
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Alex Williams’ unique story proves he’s a British football hero as well as a Man City icon
As a black goalkeeper in the 1980s, Alex Williams endured shocking racist abuse from opposition fans but was much loved at Manchester City, spending 3…
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