Sportsbiografier

INSTANT #1 BESTSELLER In one of the last great remaining untold stories in all of sports, the Hall of Fame Toronto Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin shares for the first time an unfiltered look at playing hockey in Sweden and across North America as part of the sport’s most fabled franchises.Growing up in Sollentuna, Sweden, on the outskirts of Stockholm, Mats Sundin skated on the lake downhill from his house, a house his father had built with his own hands, on land his mother insisted on buying for their future. In the darkness of the Scandinavian winter Sundin would chase after his older brother on that lake for countless hours. Summers spent in nature with his grandparents instilled a lifelong love for the outdoors. Playing hockey in their driveway, the three Sundin brothers imagined scenes of suiting up for Sweden’s national team and scoring a game winning goal against their favoured rival, the Soviet Union. It wasn’t until his late teens that he caught the eyes of scouts and coaches from the other side of the Atlantic. At the 1989 NHL draft, eighteen-year-old Sundin was as surprised as anyone when he was selected first overall by the Quebec Nordiques. After a few years as a Nordique, Sundin was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for the highly popular Leaf captain, Wendel Clark. In his early years in Toronto, he felt both at home and from away, working extra hard to gain acceptance in the world’s toughest hockey market. Even once he was named captain, Sundin didn’t deviate from his quiet nature but instead lead by example, never asking anyone to work harder than he did. Over thirteen seasons with the team, he would learn just how fiery the cauldron of Leafs Nation could be. In Home and Away, Mats Sundin writes openly for the first time about what it was like for him to uproot his life in Sweden to embark on a long hockey career an ocean away. Home and Away is an elegiac, heartfelt, and honest story of a man who followed his passions, cherished his family, faced heavy scrutiny, and ultimately earned his way into both the hearts of fans and the hockey record books. His journey transcends the rink and shows what it means to be a quiet and unpretentious Swedish kid who went on to become one of the most accomplished players in the history of the game.

Inspired by the true story of Frankie Lucas, a young black boxer navigating the vibrant yet challenging world of 1970s London.

Out of the Darkness reveals a grittier side of football. Former Leicester and Sunderland winger Matt Piper retired aged 24, after 16 knee operations, and his life soon spiralled out of control. His daily existence became dependent on alcohol and Valium, culminating in an ugly rock bottom. But after the darkness came light.

Born prematurely, weighing less than a bag of sugar, Oisin Murphy's life has always been one of struggle. From a young age he found communion with horses. Mesmerised by their power, their spirit, he discovered a gift for the saddle.Oisin quickly established himself as one of horseracing's most prodigious talents. But reaching the pinnacle of the sport required a high-wire dance that pushed his body and mind to their breaking point. Despite a three-year streak as champion jockey, alcohol addiction lurked beneath the surface, and a string of misdemeanours saw him banned for over a year."I dealt with success and failure the same. Drink was the rock I perished on. The day I picked up the championship trophy there was no element of joy in it for me."Fast paced and searingly honest, Sacrifice follows Oisin's extraordinary journey back from the brink to recover his love for the sport and reclaim his champion jockey crown in 2024. It lays bare the realities of life as a professional jockey and the personal cost of success in a sport that demands total obsession.

Told in detail for the first time and based on exclusive interviews, get the inside story on the legendary rivalry between two of the greatest NASCAR drivers ever.The battle for NASCAR dominance was never more pronounced than when Richard Petty and David Pearson met on the track. In head-to-head competition beginning in 1960, they finished one-two an astounding 63 times (Pearson won 33, Petty 30). Petty vs. Pearson is the only book to examine this storied relationship, beginning with their pre-Winston Cup careers. Along the way, author and award-winning motorsports journalist Mike Hembree leaves no stone unturned, detailing:The drivers’ respective backgrounds—Petty earning his way up through a racing dynasty led by his father Lee; Pearson honing his chops as a DIY racer on local South Carolina dirt tracks The Carolinians’ first meeting in a Cup event in 1960The memorable battles between the two drivers, including their legendary wild finish at the 1976 Daytona 500Parallel careers that coincided with seismic changes to NASCAR, including: the advent of superspeedways, the “aero wars,” the injection of corporate money, and the arrival of a new generation of star drivers in the 1980sWhile their rivalry produced amazing finishes and tense moments, Petty and Pearson remained friends throughout. Petty vs. Pearsonexamines all aspects of the relationship, from their salad days in the sport to their respective retirements in 1986 (Pearson) and 1994 (Petty) and their lives in NASCAR beyond the driver’s seat. Throughout the riveting text, Hembree draws on original interviews with both drivers (including interviews conducted with Petty in early 2024), those who were there to witness the rivalry, and NASCAR figures who came later. The result is an entertaining and essential account of a storied rivalry—and friendship—that bridged the divide between NASCAR’s rollicking early years and the entertainment behemoth it is today.Featuring a foreword by Terry Labonte, a legendary NASCAR driver in his own right, Petty vs. Pearson is a must-have for every NASCAR fan’s collection.

The inside story of legendary golfer Tiger Wood's magnificent run, when he won all four major tournaments in a single calendar year, becoming the greatest player of his generation-a show of unparalleled dominance in the sport with which he has become synonymous. In the annals of golf, one achievement towers above all others-the Tiger Slam. A quarter century ago, between 2000 and 2001, Tiger Woods accomplished a feat so extraordinary, it may never be replicated. Published in time for the twenty-fifth anniversary of this remarkable event, The Year of the Tiger transports readers back in time to witness the sheer brilliance and unrelenting determination that propelled Woods to the pinnacle of his game. Through vivid storytelling, meticulous research, and fresh interviews, The Year of the Tiger uncovers new details about the four major championship victories that cemented Tiger's status as an all-time great-while also exposing the cracks in his superstardom that led to his inevitable downfall.

The Chicken Runs at Midnight is the nearly unbelievable---but completely true---story of a Major League Baseball coach whose dying daughter's unusual encouragement changed his heart and his life...and just maybe the outcome of a World Series.

The definitive story of England's greatest cricket team and their historic Ashes triumph. Winning the Ashes in England is one thing. Winning them in Australia, quite another. Since the Second World War, England have only won five Ashes series in Australia, making their 1954-55 triumph a stand-out performance. And on the pitch was one of England's greatest teams - perhaps the greatest. The names among Len Hutton's 18 players - to include Denis Compton, Brian Statham and Frank Tyson - still resonate today. The overwhelming weight of history was against them: only once had England won an away Ashes series after losing the first Test. But they delivered, winning the series 3-1, a monumental team effort spearheaded by the explosivity of fast-bowler Tyson 'Typhoon'. However, the skill was on both sides of the pitch as the players, both talented cricketers and fascinating men, brought to sport an entirely different perspective to our modern-day uber-professionals. With contemporary sources and players' memories from both sides, read the story of a historic and stirring victory, and of the personalities behind the action on the field. Discover how cricket has changed, how tours have evolved and how the relationship between England and Australia has undergone a revolution.

In 2003-04, the St. Joseph's Hawks became the most unlikely and captivating story in college basketball.

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.

There's one well-established truth in professional cycling: the strongest always wins. Yet in a sport of champions, victory is only possible as a team. At the heart of that team effort, that unity, is the road captain.After more than a decade as the pre-eminent road captain in professional bike racing, Luke Rowe reveals here for the first time the intricacies of that role. As he lifts the lid, he provides the ultimate insider's view on racing tactics and strategy within the professional peloton. He gives readers an unprecedented insight into what exactly is going on within that pulsing mass of athletic power and state-of-the-art machinery, seen through the eyes of the rider tasked with leading his team to glory.Featuring exhilarating stories from his years at Team Sky and Ineos Grenadiers - where he played a fundamental role in the team's dominance at the Tour de France, leading Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal to their Tour victories - Luke shows what it's like to manage a road race unfolding at 60km/h. As he points out, it is 'like playing chess on wheels'.Road Captain immerses readers in the team dynamics, tactical complexities and split-second decisions vital to success in professional cycling. It discloses the mental and physical battles taking place within a group of riders, and reveals how the biggest bike races are won.

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.

Pironi: The Champion that Never Was relates the remarkable story of motor racing's forgotten man, ex-Ferrari F1 driver and offshore powerboat racer, Didier Pironi. The book charts an incredible journey which took the young Parisian to the heights of triumph and the depths of despair. Before he joined the legendary Ferrari stable, Pironi was already a Formula Renault, Le Mans and grand prix winner. By 1982, the time had surely come for the enigmatic Frenchman to become his country's first Formula 1 world champion. He was to come tantalisingly close to achieving that lifetime ambition, ahead in the world championship and in pole position for the German Grand Prix - before crashing so disastrously in practice. Over the next five years he fought a long and painful battle to return to the cockpit to reclaim the title that had eluded him that grim morning. It was not to be. Thereafter Didier turned his attention to offshore powerboating where his remarkable life would come to a shattering end in the icy waters of the English Channel.

Ned Boulting's highly anticipated follow up to How I Won the Yellow Jumper

A biography of the Yorkshire and England cricketer Brian Close, one of the game's greatest characters.

This book tears up the traditional narrative of Sir Alf Ramsey's life and career. Using new evidence to tell Alf's story afresh, it changes everything we thought we knew about him. Alf defied disadvantage to play professionally, win trophies and then lead England. His story is an inspiring read - a true odyssey of English diversity.

Standing Free is the funny, emotional, at times downright bizarre but always enthralling autobiography of 1980s and 90s Aberdeen FC hero Theo ten Caat. Theo's time at Aberdeen was certainly eventful. All is revealed in this no-punches-pulled chronicle of his career, both in Scotland and Holland, told in Theo's own words.

Derek Underwood was one of Kent and England's finest-ever slow bowlers. In this first-ever biography of Underwood, Mark Peel assesses the qualities that made him such a formidable bowler, the reasons behind his signing for Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket and the England rebel tour of South Africa in 1982, plus much more.

The remarkable story of a man who eclipsed his own greatness to revolutionise rugby coaching. In the 1950s and 1960s one man dominated rugby coaching like no other: Roy Francis. He led teams to championships and Wembley finals, revolutionised the art of coaching, and inspired his players to incredible achievements. But even more amazingly for the time, he was a Black man. As the illegitimate child of a mixed-race couple who gave him up for adoption, his story recounts his upbringing in a Black family living in the Welsh coalfields, a childhood shaped by memories of the 1919 Welsh race riots and, foremost, his gift for rugby. Aged just seventeen, Roy went on to play professionally for Wigan, and despite facing racism, became the first Black player to play for the British Lions in either rugby code. Roy Francis became Hull rugby league club coach in 1950 where he introduced video-analysis, sports psychology and personalised training - revolutionary methods which turned a mediocre team into championship winners. His crowning glory came as his team triumphed in the famous 1968 'Watersplash' Wembley Cup Final, before heading down under in 1969 as North Sydney rugby league club coach. Through archives, family members' accounts and former players' memories, Roy Francis tells the story of a family's journey from slavery to sporting success, and of a remarkable man who eclipsed his own playing greatness by revolutionising coaching.

Mad Dog is the riotous, adventurous and moving story of Mickey Lewis, one of English football's most combative midfielders and then one of the game's most inspirational coaches. Drawing on more than 100 hours of interviews, this is an exploration of what Lewis's legacy can teach us about leadership, life and the game we love.