Sports Book Podcast

In this week's podcast, we have 2 books looking at football but coming from completely different angles. OLIVER KAY (The Times) talks to us about Manchester United's lost football genius Adrian Doherty in FOREVER YOUNG - described by Ryan Giggs as "incredible", Adrian was more interested in poetry and Bob Dylan than flash cars and football. Then DAVID SUMPTER tells us what the world of mathematics can teach us about football in his fascinating book SOCCERMATICS. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and if you're enjoying it, please spread the word and follow us on @SportsBookPod

In this week's episode, Matt speaks to 2 more great writers. We hear from EMMA JOHN (The Guardian, The Observer, Wisden) who talks about her teenage obsession with terrible cricket - specifically the England team of the 90s - in FOLLOWING ON. Then RICK BROADBENT (The Times, That Near Death Thing, Ring Of Fire) has written about the extraordinary life of athletics legend Emil Zatopek - who won an unprecedented 3 golds in distance running at the Helsinki Olympics until he fell foul of the Czech secret police and ended up living in a caravan and working down a mine. His book is ENDURANCE. As always, Emma and Rick also pick their favourite sport book. Thanks for downloading - don't forget to subscribe and follow us on Twitter @SportsBookPod

Just one book in the Sports Book Podcast this week but it's a belter - Matt talks to RORY SMITH about his excellent book MISTER. Rory explores how British football coaches have been going abroad teaching the world how to beat us at our own game. From missionaries to mavericks, we talk about why coaches have left these shores over the last 100 years. Thanks for downloading the podcast and if your organisation wants to back us you can contact us on @SportsBookPod

In this episode Matt talks to SPORT magazine's AMIT KATWALA about the great new sport books coming out over the next few months and which ones we're looking forward to the most. Featuring cricket, football management and maths as well as whether you can get better at sport by strapping electrodes to your head! If you want to support this podcast please get in touch via @SportsBookPod

Two more great books to talk about in this episode focussing on women in sport. First we hear from MARIA TOORPAKAI who grew up in a violent tribal region of Pakistan and found herself targeted by the Taliban because she was a girl who wanted to play sport. Her story is in A DIFFERENT KIND OF DAUGHTER. Then we hear from SARAH SHEPHARD who has written a comprehensive book KICKING OFF on how women are changing sport from the playing fields to the boardroom to the TV studios. If you or your organisation wants to get involved in supporting this podcast please contact us on @SportsBookPod

The Sports Book Podcast is back with the first of many great books for 2016. This week we hear from JIMMY BURNS - author of BARCA - A PEOPLE'S PASSION on the history and politics of one of the world's most successful clubs. We want to keep the podcast going so if you or your organisation can help support it please contact us on Twitter @SportsBookPod. Thanks

It's our final Sports Book Podcast for 2015. We hear from 2 authors from the worlds of golf and cricket. IAIN CARTER charts a dramatic year in golf's greatest trophies in THE MAJORS 2015 - he also looks at the history of the 4 big golf events including how the success of Augusta's Masters came about by accident. We hear from the famous cricket analyst SIMON HUGHES as he unveils the secrets of batting in WHO WANTS TO BE A BATSMAN? What does it take to be one of the poster boys of cricket and why the one piece of advice every schoolchild is taught when learning how to bat may be complete rubbish. We'll hopefully be back in 2016. Full details on @SportsBookPod

2 more great books for the Sports Book Podcast this week. First we hear from SIMON LISTER whose excellent book BABYLON ON FIRE was shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book Of The Year. Inspired by the movie of the same name, it tells the story of how the West Indies cricket side of Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards brought a people to its feet. We also go undercover with ED HAWKINS for his book looking at the murky world of young boys being trafficked from Africa and South America on the promise of a chance to play in the top European football sides in his book THE LOST BOYS. Give us a follow on Twitter @SportsBookPod.

The Sports Book Podcast is back with two more great books to talk about. First we hear from GUILLEM BALAGUE - one of the best-connected and well-informed journalists covering Spanish football. He's written previously about Lionel Messi, his latest book is about CRISTIANO RONALDO. Guillem tells us why his time at Real Madrid is coming to a close but that doesn't mean he's heading back to Manchester United. We also speak to ANDY BULL author of the excellent SPEED KINGS. This book has been shortlisted for the Sports Book of the Year. It tells the story of the men who won gold in bobsleigh in the 1932 Winter Olympics but is more interested in their fascinating lives - including why one competitor decided to have his pet brown bear in the bobsleigh with him as he raced down the run. Thanks for listening. Give us a follow on @SportsBookPod

To celebrate the 3rd London Sports Writing Festival, here is an edited version of the live chat, including questions from the audience, we had with England's STUART BROAD, who of course took 8 for 15 in his home test at Trent Bridge in this summer's Ashes. His latest book is "Broadside". Hope you managed to make it down to the Festival. We'll be back with more great books very soon.

The London Sports Writing Festival 2015 is finally here with a great line-up of writers and sports stars at Lord's from 12-15 November. Full details and tickets available at the Lord's box office. To get you in the mood, we've put together a special edition of the podcast featuring some of the authors we've had on the podcast in the past few months who'll also be appearing at the Festival. Full details on the festival on @lswf15 and don't forget to follow us on @SportsBookPod See you at Lord's!

As we get ready for the start of the London Sports Writing Festival on 12-15 November at Lord's, fittingly we're talking about one of the greatest names in cricket WG Grace. CHARLIE CONNELLY talks us through his final years, separating myth from man in "GILBERT". We also hear from SUZE CLEMITSON who has edited and written an in-depth look at women and cycling from the elite athletes to support crews to 2 of the whistleblowers caught up in the Lance Armstrong scandal in "RIDE THE REVOLUTION". Follow us on @SportsBookPod for the latest updates and news on upcoming titles.

This week on the Sports Book Podcast Matt talks to 2 authors who've looked into the history of sport both from the 19th century and more recent. First up he talks to award-winning journalist JAMES LAWTON who began his career in the 1960s covering the great Manchester City side of Colin Bell, Francis Lee and Mike Summerbee - an insightful look into the days of citizens and heroes called FOREVER BOYS. Then we go back to the birth of international cricket in South Africa and the vital role played by Scottish railwayman James Logan - DEAN ALLEN tells the story in EMPIRE WAR and CRICKET IN SOUTH AFRICA. Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and follow us on @SportsBookPod

In this week's episode Matt talks boxing and cycling. We hear from the excellent writer and interviewer DONALD MCRAE - whose latest book is "It's A Man's World" and deals with the astonishing true story of Emile Griffith who killed a man in the ring and was also gay in America at a time when homosexuality was illegal. We also speak to DAVID MILLAR whose second book is "The Racer" - what is it like to be on the start-line in a Grand Tour, what does a crash in the peloton sound like and why did David spend so much time on his farewell tour buying postcards? Hope you're enjoying these, follow us at @SportsBookPod. Tell your friends.

This week Matt talks football managers and Alain Prost. MICHAEL CALVIN reveals what it's really like to be a football manager in "Living On The Volcano". An insightful and often moving account that will change how you feel about the men in the dugout - Michael also be takes aim at those hateful "You're getting sacked in the morning" chants. MAURICE HAMILTON explores the life of Alain Prost - what set him apart, why did he struggle to win public support and what did he really think of the "Senna" movie. Follow us on @SportsBookPod and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week we're talking cricket and football. Matt talks to Scyld Berry who has covered more England tests than anyone else about Cricket: The Game Of Life - a comprehensive history and analysis of a game he loves including why a tiny Yorkshire village was at one point a colossus in the game and what Sun Tzu's Art of War informed England's Ashes win. Then Jamie Jackson who covers Manchester United for the Guardian talks about A Season In The Red - how United tried to replace Ferguson and why there were clues to David Moyes's struggles as early as his opening news conference. Follow us on @SportsBookPod More episodes coming soon!

Matt talks rugby and football. First we hear from Australian rugby's record point scorer Michael Lynagh and his book "Blindsided" where he talks of his "greatest challenge" when he suffered a stroke in 2012. Then Matt speaks to Raphael Honigstein who's written extensively on German football. He explains how Germany went from crisis to world champions in Das Reboot. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SportsBookPod.

It's Episode 8 of the Sports Book Podcast! We're talking Rugby World Cup and trailblazing in girls football. Neil Squires tells us how Stuart Lancaster has turned England from the dwarf-tossing, ferry-jumping stag do of the 2011 World Cup into potential world-beaters in The House Of Lancaster. Then 16 year old Niamh McKevitt tells her extraordinary story in Playing With The Boys of playing football in boys teams. She was so good that the FA changed their age limit on how old girls can be when they play alongside boys. Both fascinating. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter if you know of a book we should be covering - @sportsbookpod.

It's a shorter episode of the podcast as we go on our summer break. But before that Matt caught up with Richard Moore - author of one of the best sport books this year The Bolt Supremacy - Inside Jamaica's Sprint Factory. Why are Jamaica sweeping all the sprint medals? Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and follow us on Twitter @sportsbookpod Enjoy and see you after the summer holidays!

Episode 6 is an Ashes special in which Matt talks to 2 cricketers who know what it takes to win the sacred urn. Mike Brearley led England to victory in the memorable '81 series. His book is a re-release of "The Art Of Captaincy". Then we hear from one of the stars of the famous 2005 series Simon Jones and his account of that series and his career "The Test". Subscribe to us on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts and follow us on Twitter @SportsBookPod