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The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games: New edn (Mammoth Books #200)
By Graham Burgess, John Emms, Dr John Nunn. 2010
Improve your chess by studying the greatest games of all time, from Adolf Anderssen's 'Immortal Game' to Anand versus Kramnik…
2008, and featuring a foreword by World Champion Vishy Anand.The 125 greatest chess games of all time, selected, analysed, re-evaluated and explained by a team of British experts and illustrated with over 1,000 chess diagrams. Join the authors in studying these games, the cream of two centuries of international chess, and develop your own chess-playing skills - whatever your current standard. Instructive points at the end of each game highlight the lessons to be learned.First published in 1998, a second edition of The Mammoth Book of the World's Greatest Chess Games in 2004 included an additional 12 games. This edition includes a further 13 games as well as some significant revisions to the analysis and information regarding other games in earlier editions of the book, facilitated by the use of a variety of chess software.Countdown to Lockdown: A Hardcore Journal
By Mick Foley. 2010
See the world through the eyes of champion wrestler Mick Foley as he looks back on his days in the…
WWE.As one of the most bizarre and fearless stars of wrestling in recent times, Mick is known for taking extraordinary risks to remain at the peak of his game. COUNTDOWN TO LOCKDOWN is a no-holds-barred, behind-the-scenes account of his mental and physical preparation for the TNA Lockdown - in many ways, the most important wrestling match of his career. This is placed in context by Foley's memories, thoughts and opinions of WWE as well as his life outside the ring, from the Benoit deaths and the 'Royal Rumble' to Sierra Leone and his meeting with former president, Bill Clinton.Full of action from inside the ring, the drama of his last days with the WWE, Foley's trademark humour as well as an industry insider's view of professional wrestling today, Foley's many fans will not be disappointed.John Giles: The heart of the game
By John Giles. 2010
'The dream was football . . .'John Giles had a gift. At the age of three, he could kick a…
ball the way it was supposed to be kicked. And he knew that every hour that passed without kicking a ball was an hour wasted.'It was the same dream that most of the kids had at that time . . .'In A Football Man, Giles tells the story of a dream pursued and realised beyond his wildest imaginings, from his humble beginnings in Ormond Square in 1940s' Dublin,counting down the minutes to his next game of football, to that unforgettable moment when the original football man - his dad, 'Dickie' - announced that his young son, at just fourteen, was on his way to Manchester United.'What I didn't realise was that my dream would come true.'Full of anecdote, insight and wry humour, Giles recounts his rise through the ranks at Manchester United, before and after the Munich Disaster; the great players he knew, the good and the bad times under Matt Busby; his sensational debut for Ireland which he served as player and manager; his starring role in the brilliant, controversial Leeds United of the '60s and '70s; and his challenge to the portrayal of himself and Brian Clough in The Damned United. He also describes his enduring friendship with the 'kid from across Dublin's Tolka Park', Eamon Dunphy, and his career on RTÉ2's football panel, where Giles' intelligent and insightful analysis have made him an even more well-loved and respected national figure.Close to the Wind: An Extraordinary Story of Triumph Over Adversity
By Pete Goss. 1998
Pete Goss became a national and international hero when he rescued French yachtsman Raphael Dinelli as his boat sank beneath…
him in the round-the-world single-handed sailing race, the Vendee Globe, on Christmas Day 1996. In doing so Pete scuppered his own chances in the race but was awarded theLegion d'Honneur by France's president and made a friend for life in Dinelli.Close to the Wind is his own story of the race and its dramas, his revolutionary boat,Aqua Quorum, his thoughts and emotions during four months of solitude at sea, the extraordinary surgery that he had to perform on his own elbow and the aftermath of the rescue in the Southern Ocean.The Autobiography
By Richard Hill. 2010
The long-awaited autobiography of Richard Hill, World Cup winner and the rugby fan's most admired player.Nicknamed 'the Silent Assassin', Richard…
Hill is often most noticed when he isn't playing, as somehow his teams never perform as well without him as they do when he's around. This was shown both in the Lions tour of Australia in 2001 and in England's 2003 World Cup campaign. In his autobiography, he looks back across his hugely successful career as one of the last players in the game who has known both the amateur and professional eras. He provides revealing portraits of his team-mates and opponents, as well as explaining the keys to England's triumphs. He also discusses his frustration at the injuries that have blighted his career over the last two years. Hugely admired by rugby fans for his no-nonsense attitude to the game, only Martin Johnson in the recent era has earned such respect from fans and opponents alike.What Will Be: The Autobiography
By William Fox-Pitt. 2007
The candid autobiography of one of the world's leading and most popular three-day eventersWilliam Fox-Pitt has been one of the…
most successful three-day event riders for many years. He began eventing at the age of fifteen and decided to pursue this passion as a career after graduating from university. In 2004, he had a year of extremes, going from winning Badminton to having the agony of seeing his horse get injured during the Olympics, which destroyed his chances of an individual medal and prevented the team from winning gold. The following year, he won Burghley, Gatcombe and Bramham to confirm himself as Britain's top rider.In his eagerly awaited autobiography, he talks about the issues confronting the sport and reveals much about the vital partnerships with team-mates and, above all, the horses that help him to gain such success.Making Haye: The Authorised David Haye Story
By Elliot Worsell. 2011
David 'The Hayemaker' Haye is the former WBA world heavyweight champion and the former undisputed (WBA, WBC and WBO) world…
cruiserweight champion. Haye is one of British boxing's most celebrated and successful ring champions of the modern era and has won twenty-three of twenty-five professional fights. He has twice been shortlisted for BBC Sports Personality of the Year and is now recognised as the face of British and world boxing. Haye was involved in the biggest heavyweight title clash for nearly a decade when he fought Wladimir Klitschko in July 2011, with the fight televised live in over 140 countries. Although Haye ultimately lost his belt, following a twelve-round points decision, his charismatic approach has reminded fight fans of a time when the heavyweight championship was the greatest prize in sport. This is the authorised story of how Haye reached this point, and details the ten-year rise of the boxer from a precocious World Amateur Champion. Crafted by close confidant Elliot Worsell, Making Haye offers behind-the-scenes, never-before-told insights into some of the most pivotal ring wars of David Haye's turbulent, and at times controversial, professional boxing career.Taking Fresh Guard
By Tony Lewis. 2003
Tony Lewis has reached the top of English cricket as a player captaining his country, as a commentator for the…
BBC, and as an administrator becoming President of the MCC. But even these bare outlines do not do justice to the full range of his career, as a musician, rugby player, head of the Welsh Tourist Board, and much else besides. In this memoir, Tony Lewis takes us through key episodes in his life, showing how chance moments have shaped much that followed. Written in a warm and lyrical style, this is a fascinating account of one man's remarkable life and of the sport he loves so much. He recalls the great characters he has met throughout his career, and gives his vision of a way forward for English cricket.Racing Through the Dark: The Fall and Rise of David Millar
By David Millar. 2011
By his eighteenth birthday David Millar was living and racing in France, sleeping in rented rooms, tipped to be the…
next English-speaking Tour winner. A year later he'd realised the dream and signed a professional contract. He perhaps lived the high life a little too enthusiastically - he broke his heel in a fall from a roof after too much drink - and before long the pressure to succeed had tipped over into doping. Here, in a full and frank autobiography, David Millar recounts the story from the inside: he doped because 'cycling's drug culture was like white noise', and because of peer pressure. 'I doped for money and glory in order to guarantee the continuation of my status.' Five years on from his arrest, Millar is clean and reflective, and holds nothing back in this account of his dark years.John Greig: My Story
By John Greig. 2006
Nicknamed 'the Ledge' on account of his legendary status, John Greig has been voted the greatest Ranger of all time…
by the fans and his statue stands outside Ibrox. His achievements speak for themselves: numerous Scottish Championships and Cups, captain of the successful European Cup-Winners' Cup side of 1972 and the only member of three Treble-winning sides. He also captained his country, winning 44 caps for Scotland. In 1978 he moved from the dressing room to the Rangers manager's office where he enjoyed Cup sucesses but never quite reached the heights he achieved as a player. Here he recounts the highs and lows of his career and relives classic moments on the pitch and numerous off-the-pitch antics with both club and country. Please note: this ebook does not contain picture sections.Pride and Passion: My Autobiography
By Warren Gatland. 2019
SHORTLISTED FOR RUGBY BOOK OF THE YEAR AT THE 2020 TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS.'excellent' Donald McRae, The Guardian'Gatland is the…
master' Sir Ian McGeechan'Gatland is a coaching star' Sir Clive Woodward'Gats is one of the all-time great coaches' Sam WarburtonWarren Gatland is one of the world's most renowned and intriguing rugby coaches of the modern era, leading Wales to four Six Nations titles, three Grand Slams and two World Cup semi-finals and masterminding two history-making tours as Head Coach of the British and Irish Lions.As he leaves his post as Head Coach of Wales at the end of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, Gatland's definitive autobiography provides a colourful and vivid chronicle of an extraordinary three decades at rugby's dynamic coal-face. The personal journey has been rewarding and challenging in equal measure, spanning many of the sport's most passionate heartlands such as New Zealand, Ireland, England and, of course, Wales. Gatland reflects in characteristically forthright and intelligent fashion on a lifetime spent playing and coaching the sport which has been his passion since as a young boy he first picked up an oval ball on New Zealand's North Island, dreaming of joining the ranks of the mighty All Blacks.Along the way we encounter the greatest matches, players and rivalries the sport has to offer, get introduced to a stunning cast of unforgettable characters who grace the story with their humour and humanity, and emerge with a striking appreciation of what makes this outstanding rugby man tick.My Story: From Foster Care to Footballer
By Kevin Brennan, Mark Bright. 2019
'Inspirational' Sunday Express'Moving and forthright' Mirror'Like so many of the stories in his book, Bright's account of meeting his father…
for the first time in more than 20 years is told with brutal honesty' GuardianWith a foreword by Gary LinekerMark Bright's 1990s partnership with Ian Wright at Crystal Palace earned them legendary status with the club. Bright played top-level football for most of his career, after starting in non-league while working as an apprentice engineer. He appeared in FA and League Cup finals, played abroad and experienced the change which swept through the game with the introduction of the Premier League.But this book is not just about Bright's time in the game. This is the story of someone who battled against the odds to achieve his dream. It is the story of a boy coping with the bewildering and frightening circumstances of being taken into care with his brother when both were very young. It is the story of his fractured family with a father who arrived in England from the Gambia, met a girl from Stoke-on-Trent, and then very quickly disappeared from his children's lives.It is the story of a mother who was unable to take responsibility for the boys she had given birth to, and it is the story of how a young Mark and his brother Philip found comfort and security after being fostered by a caring, loving white family whilst having to endure racism throughout their childhood. Above all, it is the story of a boy who had an unshakeable belief in his own ability to succeed in one of the most ruthless and high-profile professions in the world of sport. My Story explores Mark's life both on and off the football pitch, containing material he has never spoken of or addressed in the past. It delves into the highs and lows he experienced as a player and as a human being. He writes candidly about the racism he encountered, about the game itself, about those who work in it, about the way in which football has changed, the money it now generates, and about the characters he met along the way.Iron War: Two Incredible Athletes. One Epic Rivalry. The Greatest Race of All Time.
By Matt Fitzgerald. 2011
Longlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2012. On October 14, 1989, driven by one of the…
most intense and lasting two-man rivalries in any sport, a pair of generational talents at the height of their powers ran a race that redefined human limits. The battle between Dave Scott and Mark Allen at the 13th Hawaii Ironman stands as one of the most dramatic stories in the history of athletics. The two greatest athletes of triathlon's pioneering generation raced side by side, literally, for eight straight hours at breakneck speed before Allen finally tore away from his longtime nemesis with less than two miles left in the 140.6-mile event. His margin of victory was a scant 58 seconds. So intense was the drama, the race came to be known as 'Iron War' - the single most awe-inspiring sporting event ever witnessed. More than a compelling story, Iron War is a fascinating exploration of how Scott and Allen pushed themselves and each other - and what it takes for anyone to break through perceived limits. Much as Christopher McDougall added depth to Born to Run by tying in new research on the evolutionary origins of humans as runners, Iron War shows how new discoveries in neuroscience explain how some elite athletes are able to literally will their bodies to do things that should be beyond their capacities. The book weaves an examination of the anatomy of mental toughness into a gripping tale of athletic adventure. With its emotional and intellectual depth, Iron War is a captivating and thought-provoking portrait of the human will.We Are Celtic Supporters
By Richard Purden. 2011
In We Are Celtic Supporters Richard Purden examines what created the culture, ideas and beliefs around Celtic football club. In…
new and exclusive interviews with supporters, he explores the Celtic way of life and the rich traditions that give context to much of the support while deconstructing some myths along the way. As a travelling supporter he visits a variety of fans in locations such as New York, Spain, Germany, Italy and various parts of the UK. He talks to well-known Celtic supporters such as James MacMillan about the often misrepresented Catholic roots, to Pat Nevin about why he fell out of love with the club and to a number of well-known rock 'n' rollers such as Noel Gallagher, Bobby Gillespie and Johnny Marr. We Are Celtic Supporters gives the inside story of how major events in Celtic's history have shaped the identity of the fans, and what it really means to follow this unique football club.A Season on the Brink: Rafael Benitez, Liverpool and the Path to European Glory
By Guillem Balague. 2006
Biographical Portrait of Liverpool's Spanish football manager Rafael Benitez and an extraordinary season for the club.When Rafael Benitez was appointed…
manager of under-achieving Liverpool at the start of the 2004-2005 season, the reaction of many fans was 'Who the **** is Rafael Benitez?'. The Liverpool fans had grown used to French manager Gerard Houllier but he had been a fan of the club himself since his days as a teacher on Merseyside. A Spaniard with admittedly a wonderful record at Valencia was going to take over management of Liverpool's famous Boot Room and try and win over a disillusioned Kop. But in one season, Benitez's importation of Spanish players, coaching methods and diet has led to a revolution, even usurping Jose Mourinho's Chelsea, whereby the team has ended the season winning the ultimate trophy for any European club - the European Champions League. No fan will ever forget the comeback from a 3-0 deficit to a 3-3 scoreline, then dramatic success in the penalty shoot-out.This is the story of Rafa's remarkable success.The Man With Maradona's Shirt
By Steve Hodge. 2010
Intimate, behind-the-scenes account of the last age of innocence in football, just prior to the Premiership, based on the England…
midfielder's diaries.This is not a straightforward autobiography, it's a snapshot of a vanished era of football. The 1980s and the early 1990s was the last era of (relative) innocence in football. Steve Hodge played alongside Hoddle, Waddle and Ardiles in the lauded mid-1980s Spurs midfield; he was a dressing-room witness to the vagaries, charm, whims and downright venomous side of Brian Clough; he was at two World Cups, being instrumental in the 'hand of God' episode, and hanging out with the likes of Gazza and Lineker four years later in Italy. He won the last League Championship medal with Leeds, then languished in the reserves with a 'somewhat shy', cultured Frenchman. As the balls would fly over the midfield - Howard Wilkinson being a disciple of route one - Eric Cantona would turn to him and repeatedly ask, 'Hodgey, why are we here?' THE MAN WITH MARADONA'S SHIRT is a fascinating, behind-the-scenes glimpse of life at the top.On Fire: My Story of England's Summer to Remember
By Ben Stokes. 2019
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERSHORTLISTED FOR SPORTS AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR AT THE 2020 TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS.BEN STOKES: WINNER OF…
THE 2019 BBC SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR AWARD'He is the Special One, and I intend to call him that for the rest of his career' Sir Ian Botham, Daily Telegraph'There are not enough superlatives to describe Ben Stokes' Nasser Hussain, Daily Mail'The undisputed hero of English cricket' The TimesEarly evening on Sunday 14th July 2019. Lord's Cricket Ground in London. Something unprecedented had just happened: England had won the Cricket World Cup for the very first time since the tournament's inception in 1975. At the epicentre of England's historic triumph was Ben Stokes, the talismanic all-rounder with an insatiable appetite for The Big Occasion. He contributed a critical 84 runs off 98 balls when England batted, a seemingly nerveless innings of discipline and maturity. Thrillingly, it was enough to tie the scores at 241 runs each, so the match reverted to a Super Over - just six balls for each side to bat in the ultimate in sporting sudden-death. Stokes and Jos Buttler saw England to 15 runs off their over. When it was finally confirmed that Martin Guptill had been run out off the very last ball of New Zealand's Super Over with the scores level once again, England had astonishingly won on the boundary count-back, and the nation could finally breathe again.Early evening on Sunday 25th August 2019. A sun-drenched Headingley in Leeds. Having been bowled out for just 67 earlier in the Third Test, England were facing the prospect of failing to regain the Ashes. In their second innings England were still 73 runs short of victory with a solitary wicket remaining. Australia were near certainties to retain the Ashes there and then. Cue one of the most amazing innings ever witnessed as Ben Stokes thrashed the Australian bowlers to all corners of the ground, in the process scoring 135 not out, driving England to a barely-believable one-wicket victory, and keeping the series very much alive. The nation took another breath.On Fire is Ben Stokes' brand new book, and in it he tells the story of England's electrifying first ever Cricket World Cup triumph, as well as this summer's momentous Ashes Test series. It is the ultimate insider's account of the most nerve-shredding but riveting three-and-a-half months in English cricket history.Second Chance: The Autobiography
By Mark Todd. 2012
The London 2012 Olympic medalist on his stunning comeback.Mark Todd's eventing career is the stuff of legends and encompasses one…
of the greatest sporting comebacks of all time.When he 'retired' from competing in eventing in 2000, he had already been named 'Rider of the Century' for his natural empathy with a horse and his extraordinary success, which included back-to-back Olympic gold medals, five Burghley wins and three Badminton victories. He has also show jumped to Olympic level and trained winners on the racecourse. Considered a legendary horseman by his peers, he seemed to have done it all.He returned to train racehorses in his native New Zealand but, eight years later, the idea of a comeback took root, part dare, part personal challenge to see if he could still cut it in a changed sport. Within eight months, he was riding at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and in 2011 he hit the headlines by becoming the oldest rider to win Badminton. This was soon eclipsed by his stunning win at the London 2012 Olympics, however. The story of his progress from dairy farmer to world renown, is told with typically laid-back humour, but it reveals the fierce determination, discipline and personal sacrifice which lies behind the relaxed outlook.Events (The Olympics #2)
By Moira Butterfield. 2012
Each title of The Olympics examines the the Olympic Games from ancient times, then the revival of the 1890s through…
to today's multi-million pound business. From the history of the games to which events are included and why, and from scandals to record breakers, The Olympics puts the reader at the centre of the action with fact-packed text, dramatic full-colour photos, facts and statistics.Brian Clough: The Biography
By Jonathan Wilson, Jonathan Wilson Ltd. 2011
The final word on Brian CloughIn this first full, critical biography, Jonathan Wilson draws an intimate and powerful portrait of…
one of England's greatest football managers, Brian Clough, and his right-hand man, Peter Taylor. It was in the unforgiving world of post-war football where their identities and reputations were made - a world where, as Clough and Taylor's mentor Harry Storer once said, 'Nobody ever says thank you.'Nonetheless, Clough brought the gleam of silverware to the depressed East Midlands of the 1970s. Initial triumph at Derby was followed by a sudden departure and a traumatic 44 days at Leeds. By the end of a frazzled 1974, Clough was set up for life financially, but also hardened to the realities of football. By the time he was at Forest, Clough's mask was almost permanently donned: a persona based on brashness and conflict. Drink fuelled the controversies and the colourful character; it heightened the razor-sharp wit and was a salve for the highs of football that never lasted long enough, and for the lows that inevitably followed. Wilson's account is the definitive portrait of this complex and enduring man.