Talking Sports Books

This month award winning author and journalist Michael Calvin joins me to talk about his new book "Whose Game Is It Anyway"  Michael has spent over 4 decades as a sports journalist during which time his career has taken him to every event of significance on the sporting calendar. From interviewing Ali to meeting Nelson Mandela, the Olympics to the Paris Dakar Rally, World Cup's and European C...

This month we begin with the remarkable tale of Johan Cruyff's final year as a player when Ajax believed he was passed it he decided to show them how wrong they were by heading off to their fiercest rivals Feyenoord, Also this month we look at the life of a player Norman Hunter once said was "As good as Bremner"  Gerry Gow author Neil Palmer joins me to talk about a player considered perhaps...

This month we begin with Tom Whitworth's book "When the Seagulls Follow the Trawler" the story of football in the 90's. A tale of TV mega deals rising ticket prices players becoming multi millionaires on field it was a decade of dominance for Man Utd and internationally England began the decade making a World Cup semi final and Ireland under Jack Charlton stunned Italy in 94.  Plus George Sep...

Back in the 70's a young player from Aston Villa by the name of Steve Hunt was told by Ron Saunders that "There's a bloke in the canteen who wants to take you to New York i've accepted the offer" so he swopped the midlands to team up with his new team for pre season in Bermuda waiting to welcome him a squad that included the world's greatest player Pele.

Sunday Times best selling author Brian Doogan joins me as we talk about his new book "The Super Fight" that follows the rise of Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard as their lives followed a path toward the ultimate career climax "The Super Fight" which produced a result which is still hotly disputed 34 years later. Stream or download from the website or Amazon Audible, Spotify, iTunes, Sticher.

Who was the greatest team never to win a world cup, Netherlands team of 74 or 78 perhaps, for some yes for others is it without question the Brazil team of 1982. In this edition of the podcast Stuart Horsfield joins me to talk about his latest book "Brazil 1982 The Glorious Failure" 

This month football with a South American flavour as i talk to Daniel Williamson about his book "Blue and Gold Passion" the history of Boca Juniors  we go back to where it all began at the turn of the 20th century and chart the rise of one of the greatest names in global club football. All the greatest players their successes and failures are bought back to life over the course of our convers...

Welcome to the November edition of the Talking Sports Books Podcast and this month I am joined by writer, journalist and broadcaster Maurice Hamilton who has just released "Formula 1 The Official History"  we look back at all of the legends of the sport from Fangio, Moss, Clark, Lauda, Hunt, Senna to name just a few .

Welcome to the October edition of "Talking Sports Books" its all about Boxing  as one of the most charismatic coaches Paddy Fitzpatrick joins me as we talk about his new book "Hats Handwraps and Headaches"  and we hear from the man who put it all together Lee "Teach" Simpson.

A bumper edition as i"m joined by Steven Scragg to talk about his 2 recently completed books "A Tournament Frozen in Time" the history of the Cup Winners Cup and the soon to be released "Where the Cool Kids Hung Out " the history of the UEFA Cup . 

 In the last decade of the twentieth century, Eastern Europe was plunged into chaos following the disintegration of the Soviet and Yugoslav regimes. Politicians who had once jostled for power on the periphery of the Communist world suddenly became engaged in bloody campaigns as military frontiers sprang up across the region and new nations attempted to assert themselves. Journalist Robert O’C...

Well what a story this is, think of the names, Platini, Giresse, Tigana, Cantona, Papin, Zidane, Petit, Pires, Henry and of course many more besides  all have played their parts over the last 4 decades with Les Bleus and Matt Spiro's book "Sacre Bleu" aims to make sense of it all,the extreme highs and the equally extreme lows.

Mike Ingham spent his entire career working for BBC Radio Sport a career that spanned 5 decades from the 70's until his retirement after the 2014 World Final. He is our guest this month he joined me to talk about a life in broadcasting and his new book "After Extra Time and Penalties.

In this months episode I am joined by Wayne Barton one of the countries foremost authorities on Manchester United to talk about his new book Que Sera Sera which chronicles the history of ManUtd under Dave Sexton and Ron Atkinson. We are going back to an era of transfer tribunals, players breaking through the £1000 per week salary barrier and the resignation of a club legend Sir Matt Busby who oppo...

This month we feature 3 new books and talk to award winning author James Montague about his book "1312 Among the Ultras"  a tale of violence, power, politics, drugs, money and extreme political views. Andy Carters book "Beyond the Pale" chronicles the effects of the first black and asian cricketers arriving in England.  Dave Roberts returns after the success of "The Bromley Boys" with hi...

In this months episode we take a look at John Jarrett's latest book "The Sugar Ray Robinson Story"  The story of boxing's comeback king who is widely considered to be the greatest fighter in the history of the sport. My guest is one of England's most successful women's rugby players and captains who during her career reached 2 World Cup finals won 6 nations titles on multiple occasions a...

Well if you are a Spurs fan this one is for you as this month its record breaking captain Steve Perryman who sits to discuss his life and career and its all here the famous cup wins the Ricky Villa FA Cup goal the Uefa Cup finals and relegation plus we round up whats on the best sellers lists in the UK and US. 

This month Mark Bright joins me to discus in detail his life story from being raised in foster care to becoming a premier league football player. Also this month i am joined by author Derek Hammond who has just released his book "The Got Not Got Football Gift Book" every fans catalogue of dreams so if you grew up playing subbuteo had a betamax tape machine and enjoyed scorcher and roy of the rover...

A Talking Sports Books "EXTRA" podcast author Chris Sweeney joined me earlier this year to talk about his book, 'Mad Dog Gravesen" The Last of the Modern Football Mavericks as the conversation flowed so to did the legendary tales here then are some of the highlights of our conversation.

In this episode of "Talking Sports Books" i am talking to Hyder Jawad whose latest book "The Singing Winger" tells the story of Colin Grainger first division footballer, England international and recording artist who once famously had the Beatles open for him.

Welcome to episode one of "Talking Sports Books" the podcast dedicated to sports books and literature every month we will review some of the more interesting releases talking to the respective authors and we round up the best sellers from both the UK and the USA.