British Sports Book Awards magazine

celebrating the best books about sport published in the uk

www.britishsportsbookawards.co.uk www.britishsportsbookawards.co.uk

@BSBAwards

The British Sports Book Awards exist to highlight the most outstanding sports books of the previous calendar year, to showcase their merits and to enhance their reputation and profile.

welcome to

Within the pages of this magazine you will find a wonderful selection of books, which have been shortlisted for the awards, as well as the winners in each category.

celebration of

The winners were selected by expert judging panels from the sports world. These books represent the very best sports writing of the year – perfect gifts for sports fans.

of all kinds

the british sports book awards, a

the best in sports books

We hope you are able to enjoy as many of the selected books featured as you can – look out for the British Sports Book Awards logo in bookshops, libraries and online, and look out for coverage of the awards on BT Sport.

You can also now vote for The Times Sports Book of the Year at www.britishsportsbookawards.co.uk. Each category winner is now shortlisted for this overall award.

If you vote you will also be entered into a prize draw to win £100 of National Book Tokens.

Happy reading!

D AV I D H WI L L I S Chairman

The British

14

Sports Book Awards Sports images courtesy of

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Shortlisted Books ADDED TIME

Mark Halsey with Ian Ridley

The most intriguing sportsmen can broadly be catagorised as: 1.

Triumphing in the face of adversity, 2.

Flawed geniuses, 3.

Pure geniuses. Here we’ve got eight stories of how to overcome setbacks (in one case cancer), tackle demons or harness talent to reach the pinnacle of sporting success.

Surviving cancer, death threats and the Premier League is the revealing inside story of being a referee in modern English football, with all its intense tunnel and on-field confrontations between officials, players and managers. It also tells of Mark Halsey's heartwarming return from throat cancer and his battles with the game's authorities.

HENRY CECIL

Brough Scott The story of trainer Henry Cecil is one the great redemption songs of sporting history: decades of success at the highest level followed by years in the professional and personal depths – then a glorious resurrection topped by the unbeatable Frankel, widely considered the greatest racehorse of all time. Hollywood could not have scripted the tale better.

DREAMS DO COME TRUE

Katherine Grainger Winning three Olympic silver medals is an immense achievement and for most people it would have been enough.

For Katherine Grainger there was still the pull of the elusive gold medal to spur her on to London 2012. This is the story of Britain’s greatest female rower, a story which shows that perseverance, determination and passion can triumph and that dreams can come true.

Dennis Bergkamp One of football's most enigmatic stars finally opens up about his life and career, revealing the things that motivate and inspire him. Few footballers' books make you think anew, but in Stillness and Speed Bergkamp presents a new vision for the game and how it might be played. He was a player like no other; his story is told like no other.

DRIVING AMBITION

Andrew Strauss Andrew Strauss is one of the most successful and respected England cricket captains of the modern era, In Driving Ambition he gives a candid account of the highs and lows of his remarkable career for Middlesex and England.

This is an honest and entertaining story of a quiet, modest but fiercely ambitious man.

RUNNING

SWIM BIKE RUN

Ronnie O’Sullivan

Alistair & Jonathan Brownlee

Running has helped Ronnie O’Sullivan fight his demons, win five world snooker championships, and cope with everything life’s thrown at him. For the first time, Ronnie explains how he conquered the darkest moments of his life, what it takes to be a champion, the sacrifices you have to make, the obsessive practice and getting the buzz.

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STILLNESS AND SPEED

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This is the story of how the Brownlees, two skinny brothers from West Yorkshire, became the best triathletes in the world. In Swim Bike Run they take us inside their world and inside their races – including a moment by moment account of their extraordinary Olympic triumph. The Brownlees also provide training tips and secrets to help you achieve your own very best.

Sports images courtesy of

Winner THE OUTSIDER Jimmy Connors

J

immy Connors took the tennis world by storm like no player in the history of the game. He was brash, he was a brat. He was a crowd-pleaser, a revolutionary and he won more tournaments than any other man in history, including eight grand slam singles titles. Only now is Connors ready to set the record straight on what really happened on and off the court.

Autobiography & Biography of the Year

The Autobiography & Biography of the Year 2014 sponsored by

“ The more difficult the victory, the greater the happiness in winning.�

Pele

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Covered by BT Sports

AN ACCLAIMED AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND WISDEN BOOK OF THE YEAR 2014

‘A fascinating dissection of the art of leadership’ - Daily Telegraph

Shortlisted Books

The disastrous second Ashes series and England’s failure in the ICC World Cup means cricket has gone from box office to Duckworth Lewis in one ill-judged heave. However, do not fear. Writing of this breadth shows cricket will always have something for everyone – from the traditionalist reminicsing about Bradman’s era to the revolutionist embracing the rise of Twenty20.

A GUIDE TO CRICKET

THE TRUNDLERS

Tony Laughton

Harry Pearson

The fascinating story of Britain’s first cricket magazine, started by C.W. Alcock. Tony Laughton details the way the magazine began, how it progressed under different editors and owners and how it finally collapsed on the eve of WWI. An important reference book which should be on the shelves of every serious student of cricket history.

The Trundlers brings bread-and-butter bowlers who 'do a bit off the seam', 'wobble the odd one about' or simply 'nag away at off-stump' into the limelight for the first time. Warm, affectionate and told with Harry Pearson's trademark humour, The Trundlers celebrates medium-pacers – or dobbers – in all their sleeves-rolled-up, uncomplaining workaday glory.

LOST IN THE LONG GRASS

THE LITTLE WONDER

John Barclay

Robert Winder

John Barclay writes 24 playful sketches of characters he has known in the world of cricket: from Colin Cowdrey and Imran Khan to Peter Roebuck and Mike Atherton.

His lightness of touch is accompanied by an infectious humanity – and no little wisdom.

In 1864 the English cricketer John Wisden, known as "The Little Wonder", first published his eponymous book. That first edition is now a rare artwork worth around £10,000, and the Almanack has been published continuously ever since.

The Little Wonder is the remarkable true story of the world's most famous sports book, published to coincide with the Almanack's 150th anniversary.

BRADMAN’S WAR

Malcolm Knox When the Second World War ended, Don Bradman assembled a cricketing army.

Hailed as one of the greatest cricket teams of all time, the 1948 ‘Invincibles’ are the only Australians to complete an Ashes tour undefeated. Bradman’s ruthlessness, even against war-ravaged veterans at the county clubs, dashed hopes that the legacy of Bodyline would finally be laid to rest and the postwar game resume in a more congenial spirit.

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Winner THE GREAT TAMASHA James Astill

T

he story of modern India told through the glitzy, scandalous and mind-blowingly lucrative Twenty20 cricket tournament, the Indian Premier League. The IPL – merging the three forces of politics, business and Bollywood – has transformed cricket and transfixed India like nothing before it.

Cricket Book of the Year

The Cricket Book of the Year 2014 sponsored by

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Covered by BT Sports

Shortlisted Books FEAR AND LOATHING IN LA LIGA

Sid Lowe

Wouldn’t it have been amazing to see Stanley Matthews play in Barcelona’s all-conquering 2010/11 team, and for Lionel Messi to have replaced Sir Stanley in the 1953 FA Cup final? Two of the greatest ever footballers are generations apart, but books about them went head-to-head on this thrilling list.

An examination of football's greatest rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid by the top Spanish football expert and historian Sid Lowe. By exploring the history, politics, culture, economics and language, while never forgetting the drama on the pitch, Lowe demonstrates the symbiotic nature of the relationship between these two football giants.

I AM ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIĆ

Zlatan Ibrahimović This is the story of how a Swedish outsider rose from poverty to become a football genius.

In his own inimitable style, Zlatan recalls every struggle, every goal, and every training ground bust-up on his journey to dominate the world's top clubs. Full of wicked one-liners and amazing stories, Zlatan lifts the lid on some of the biggest names in football.

THE WIZARD

SIR WALTER WINTERBOTTOM

Jon Henderson Stanley Matthews is one of the most famous footballers ever to play the game, nicknamed ‘The Wizard of Dribble’ for his deadly skills. He played 84 matches for England in a career that spanned 33 years and such was his popularity that attendances for his club teams more than doubled when he played. He was a global superstar, yet what do we really know about this legendary man?

Graham Morse The first England team manager and an innovator of modern coaching, Sir Walter Winterbottom was arguably the most influential man in English football. With interviews and insights from top football names, this book – written

by Winterbottom’s son-in-law – also draws on personal diaries, photographs and letters. This is the story of how modern football came about.

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THE GREAT ENGLISH FINAL

David Tossell The story behind one of football's most iconic matches. Played in the year of the Coronation and set against a backdrop of great change in the country and in the sport, 'The Matthews Final' represented more than just the climax of the thrilling 1953 FA Cup competition.

MESSI

Guillem Balague Lionel Messi’s career has been a stellar ascent, and shows no signs as yet of slowing down.

He has even been praised by Maradona as his 'successor'. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest players of all time, possibly even the greatest. Guillem Balague's perceptive and compelling biography goes to the heart of the mystery – and genius – that is Messi.

HOW NOT TO BE A FOOTBALL MILLIONAIRE

Keith Gillespie with Daniel McDonnell Keith Gillespie is a renowned footballer who liked a bet, and lost a lot. One afternoon he added up how much he had squandered – over £7 million. The former Premier League and Northern Ireland player lived his football life to the full. His honest and shocking story explains, in graphic detail, how not to be a football millionaire.

Sports images courtesy of

Winner THE NOWHERE MEN Michael Calvin

W

elcome to football’s hidden tribe.

Scouts are everywhere yet nowhere, faceless and nameless, despite making the informed decisions worth millions. Awardwinning sportswriter Michael Calvin opens up their hidden world, examining their disconnected lifestyles, petty betrayals and unconsidered professionalism of men who spend long, lonely hours on the road.

Football Book of the Year

The Football Book of the Year 2014 sponsored by

Shortlisted Books

This shortlist can be split down the middle... leisurely versus adrenalinefuelled. Fearless MotoGP champion Casey Stoner, Andy Holgate’s bid to complete two Ironman triathlons and Harriet Tuckey’s story of how a man made it possible to climb Everest will get the pulses racing.

Contrast that to a caddie’s eye view of St Andrews, John Hopkins’ best golf articles and a book about why we love to cycle. Sit back, relax and enjoy.

AN AMERICAN CADDIE IN ST ANDREWS

CAN’T SLEEP, CAN’T TRAIN, CAN’T STOP

Oliver Horovitz

Andy Holgate

An irresistible behind-thescenes peek at the world’s most celebrated golf course – and its equally famous caddie shack – An American Caddie in St Andrews is the hilarious and poignant memoir of a Harvard student who comes of age as a caddie on St Andrews’ fabled Old Course.

FORE!

John Hopkins Collected together for the first time are the very best of the articles of John ‘Hoppy’ Hopkins.

They span four decades and encompass a diverse range of stories, from the most memorable of the 120 major championships he covered to his writing on amateur tournaments, as well as profiles of the finest players to grace the sport.

PUSHING THE LIMITS

Casey Stoner Showing anything is possible when determination meets talent, two-time World MotoGP champion Casey Stoner shares his journey from Queensland toddler with an extraordinary ability on a motorbike, to his decision to retire at twenty-seven with nothing left to prove. As fearless with his opinions as he is on the racetrack, Casey includes all the highs and lows of his life so far.

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Can’t Sleep, Can’t Train, Can’t Stop chronicles Andy’s attempt to complete two Ironman triathlons six weeks apart, a challenge not for the faint hearted. Life has changed and this new dad must adapt to late nights and nappies whilst training for the greatest sporting challenge of his middle aged life.

ON THE ROAD BIKE

Ned Boulting Ned Boulting has noticed something. It's to do with bikes.

They're everywhere. And so are their riders. Some of these riders seem to be sporting sideburns and a few of them are winning things.

Now Ned wants to know how on earth it came to this? And what, exactly is 'this'? In On the Road Bike, he asks how Britain became so obsessed with cycling.

Winner EVEREST: THE FIRST ASCENT Harriet Tuckey

O

n 29 May 1953, the summit of Mount Everest was finally reached. The achievement brought fame and honours to many involved – except the man who made the ascent possible. Now, for the first time, Everest – The First Ascent tells the remarkable story of Griffith Pugh, the forgotten team member whose scientific breakthroughs ensured the world’s highest mountain could be climbed.

Outstanding General Sports Writing Award

The Outstanding General Sports Writing Award 2014 sponsored by

Shortlisted Books

Andy Murray must have been on top of the world when he won the Wimbledon title. It’s apt then that two books illustrating his success were up against a book depicting the world’s highest peaks – as well as David Beckham’s favourite 100 photographs, a pictoral account of Team Sky’s cycling success and awe-inspiring images of perfect surf waves.

8000 METRES

SEVENTYSEVEN

Alan Hinkes

Andy Murray

In this book, renowned mountaineer Alan Hinkes relates his experiences of climbing all 14 of the peaks over 8000m: the world's highest mountains. Alongside stunning photography, he describes his expeditions - many as Alpine-style ascents - capturing the beauty, harshness and danger of these mountains.

From the winner of the 2013 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, this is Andy Murray's Sunday Times bestselling account of his road to Wimbledon glory.

DAVID BECKHAM

THE PAIN AND THE GLORY

David Beckham

Team Sky

David Beckham is a global icon.

Here, talking us through 100 of his favourite photographs, he invites us behind the scenes of an incredible twenty-year footballing career.

A glorious, fully illustrated insider account from Team Sky of the greatest summer in British road cycling history, as Chris Froome became the second Britain to win the Tour de France. This is an essential piece of cycling history told first-hand by those who made it and an essential collector’s item for all fans of British cycling’s finest.

WIMBLEDON 2013

The All England Club The complete story of the dramatic and historic 2013 Wimbledon Championships is told in this official annual. High quality photography and design is used to bring the memorable fortnight, in which Andy Murray ended the 77-year wait for a British men's singles champion, to life and to provide fans with real insight into the world's most prestigious tennis championships.

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Winner INCREDIBLE WAVES Chris Power

T

he sport of surfing has no man made stadiums or racetracks.

Its proving grounds are a small number of classic reef and point breaks scattered across the world's oceans.

Incredible Waves is a stunning coffee-table book of photographs that capture the beauty and majesty of these awesome aquatic arenas.

Illustrated Book of the Year

The Illustrated Book of the Year 2014 sponsored by

e’re all sports fans, right?

We support our sporting heroes, teams and country through batting collapses, triple bogeys at the 18th and penalty shoot-out exits. The feeling of hopelessness is inevitably followed by euphoric expectation, all in the knowledge abject failure is just around the corner.

W

Yet, season after season we’re back in the stands, glued to live updates and dreaming of something marginally better than crushing disappointment.

Why do we do it to ourselves?

I blame my dad. Sporting allegiances tend to be passed through the generations. That was certainly the case with me. My dad took me to my first West Ham game aged six – a 1-1 draw against Norwich City. His dad had taken him to his first Hammers game and, no doubt, I’ll be doing the same when my son reaches the right age to appreciate the beautiful game

(No, Big Sam probably won’t be in charge in five years time.)

SEASON AFTER SEASON WE’RE BACK IN THE STANDS, GLUED TO LIVE UPDATES AND DREAMING OF SOMETHING MARGINALLY BETTER THAN CRUSHING DISAPPOINTMENT Of course, not everyone follows the family tradition – in talent, team or pastime– but it’s likely you’ll have picked up your love of sport from your mum or dad. Judy Murray, whose dad was a professional footballer, won 64 Scottish tennis titles and had the same drive when it came to her sons picking up rackets. There were two books about Andy in the Illustrated Book

Sharing a love for sport & reading britishsportsbookawards.co.uk

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of the Year section in the British Sports Book awards on the back of his 2013 Wimbledon triumph.

Ronan O'Gara, whose autobiography was shortlisted for the Rugby Book of the Year, can attribute at least some of his drive in becoming Ireland's highest ever points scorer to his dad Fergal O’Gara, a former winger for the old UCG Club in Connacht.

David Beckham's illustrated book also made it onto the shortlist at the awards. What’s the betting at least one of his sons features in sports awards ceremonies twenty years down the line (his eldest boy Brooklyn has already been training with the likes of Fulham).

EVERY PARENT CAN, AND SHOULD PASS ON THEIR PASSION FOR SPORT You get the picture. But a mega-star or sports-mad parent is not necessarily a dream ticket to a successful athlete for a son or daughter. Quite the opposite in fact.

Enough touchline mums and dads britishsportsbookawards.co.uk

have tried too hard and failed emphatically to prove that statement true. But every parent can, and should, pass on their passion for sport.

In the same way parents who read to their children regularly are more likely to nurture an appreciation in books, getting youngsters interested in sport can only be a good thing, not only for their development, but in developing a shared interest with you.

I've never thanked my dad for sharing his love of boxing, athletics, football et al, and he's never thanked me for following his lead. Perhaps it's just taken as red, but maybe it's unappreciated. In any case, with father's day just around the corner, how about buying him a sports book to share your love of sport.

Sport-mad Dom Bowers is a News Editor at a local newspaper group and is an avid spectator of as many sports as he can manage. He plans to take his 7-month old son to a West Ham game as soon as he can.

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Shortlisted Books

Debuts in sport are usually memorable for the right reasons – Andrew Strauss scored 112 on his England debut, Jeremy Guscott scored a hat-trick on his international bow and Jimmy Greaves scored on every first appearance for club and country.

So while it might not be a surprise these six writers have enjoyed first-time success, all the signs point to them proving they aren’t one-hit wonders.

FAT MAN TO GREEN MAN

THE SERGIO TORRES STORY

Ira Rainey

Sergio Torres

Ira Rainey’s tale of a fortysomething man's quest to uncover his true super powers, as he journeys from fat to fit taking on the 46-mile Green Man Ultramarathon. It is a story of fields and friendships; mud and maps; but more importantly learning how to push yourself to achieve what you would never believe you could – and how to deal with the consequences.

THE RACE AGAINST TIME

Edward Pickering When Chris Boardman first raced against Graeme Obree, it was the start of a rivalry that captivated the British public and brought cycling on to the front pages. The Race Against Time tells the story of how Britain first started to dominate cycling, but is also about the struggle between art and science, tradition and innovation, commercialism and individuality.

YOU DON’T KNOW ME, BUT...

Clarke Carlisle In the summer of 2012, Clarke Carlisle, after 15 years as a professional footballer, was without a contract and wondering if he still had a future in the game. Carlisle looked back at his career, from his early days playing for England Under-21s, through careerthreatening injuries and a battle with alcohol problems, to a late arrival in the Premier League with Burnley.

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Imagine you’re working in a brick factory in Argentina and a colleague tells you he’s going to quit his job to become a professional footballer in Europe. You forget until, three years later, you turn on the TV and he’s playing against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The incredible journey of Crawley Town playmaker Sergio Torres shows that reality can be stranger than fantasy.

STEVEN GERRARD, MICHAEL OWEN AND... ME: MIKE YATES TELLS HIS STORY

Keith Miller A football book with a refreshing difference. A compelling true story of what life is really like for the thousands of youngsters who pass through football academies, believing they will make it, only to find themselves suddenly rejected.

How can young players and parents prepare for both success and failure?

Winner LAND OF SECOND CHANCES Tim Lewis

M

eet Adrien Niyonshuti, a member of the Rwandan cycling team.

Adrien lost his family in the 1994 genocide that tore Rwanda apart. Meet Jock Boyer, the coach of Team Rwanda. One of the top American cyclists of all time. Meet Tom Ritchey, the visionary inventor of the mountain bike. Tim Lewis charts the true story of the Rwandan cycling team as they overcome impossible odds to inspire a nation.

New Writer of the Year

The New Writer of the Year 2014 sponsored by

Shortlisted Books CALON

Owen Sheers

The 2014 Six Nations was a three-way tussle between Ireland, England and Wales, and this award has mirrored the tournament’s thrilling climax.

Ronan O’Gara flies the flag for Ireland with Unguarded, England is represented by White Gold, Simon Halliday’s City Centre and The Mud the Beer and Rugby, and Wales had two shots The Good the Bad and the Ugly and Calon.

Sorry Scotland.

What does rugby mean to Wales?

Where does the heart of Welsh rugby lie? In Calon, Owen Sheers takes a personal journey into a sport that defines a nation.

Drawing on interviews and unprecedented access with players and WRU coaching staff, Calon presents an intimate portrait of a national team in the very best tradition of literary sports writing.

UNGUARDED

Ronan O’Gara Ronan O'Gara has been at the heart of Munster and Irish rugby for the past fifteen years.

Now, as he comes to the end of a glittering playing career, it is time for him to reflect on those many successes and occasional failures with the straight-talking attitude that has become his trademark. Never one to shy away from the truth, the result is Ronan O'Gara: Unguarded.

THE MUD, THE BEER AND THE RUGBY

John Collier Humour is the aim, rugby is the game as a soccer-mad youngster is drawn by accident into a different orbit which lands him among a bunch of diverse and colourful characters intent on fun. He lives to tell his and their hilarious tales. For everyone who enjoys a good laugh.

WHITE GOLD

Peter Burns A study of how and why England, the biggest and wealthiest rugby country on the planet, never dominated the game it invented on a global scale – until Clive Woodward took charge from 1997 to 2004. White Gold analyses the 2003 World Cup campaign like never before, revealing fascinating new insights into the extraordinary journey that Woodward and his team enjoyed as they changed the rugby landscape forever.

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY

Nick Bishop & Alun Carter What made Pontypool such a great seam of talent for the Welsh national team? What made Ray Prosser a coach ahead of his time?

This book recounts the dramatic story of the rise and fall of one of the great enigmas of Welsh club rugby, Pontypool RFC, and charts the glories and the violence of the amateur era in the 1970s and 80s.

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Winner CITY CENTRE Simon Halliday

S

imon Halliday has tackled everything that life has thrown at him, be it on the rugby field, or in the City. He has been hit hard in his time, now he is hitting back with his candid and lucidly written autobiography City Centre.

Rugby Book of the Year

The Rugby Book of the Year 2014 sponsored by

Shortlisted Books

The shortlisted books here cover every aspect of horse racing in precise and entertaining detail.

The favourite (Arkle), the rank outsider (Foinavon), the bookmakers (Skint Mob!), the scandal (Doped) and the trainer (Henry Cecil).

We’re under starter’s orders...

ARKLE

DOPED

Anne Holland

Jamie Reid

In 1964, Arkle's win at the Cheltenham Gold Cup marked the start of an incredible campaign by Ireland’s most legendary racehorse: the horse by which all other horses are still measured today. This fascinating biography marks the 50th anniversary of Arkle’s first great win.

It celebrates his career and incredible wins, the people in his life and the ongoing and enduring interest in this legendary horse.

FOINAVON

David Owen It was the upset to end all upsets.

On 8 April 1967 at Liverpool's Aintree racecourse, a 100-1 outsider in peculiar blinkers sidestepped chaos exceptional even by the Grand National's standards and won the world's toughest steeplechase.

Foinavon's victory has become part of British sporting folklore. Here, for the first time, Owen tells the real story and shows why the Grand National holds tens of millions of people spellbound, year after year, for ten minutes on a Saturday afternoon in early spring.

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The true story of the shocking doping gang who scandalised the racing world in the early Sixties. In 1962 an audacious attempt to nobble one of the royal horses alerted police to a well organised band of racecourse criminals, backed by murderous London gangsters. The subsequent Flying Squad pursuit of the gang brought the quaintly deferential world of racing into sharp conflict with the harsher realities of the 'You've Never Had It So Good' era.

SKINT MOB!

Simon Nott In Skint Mob! the author uses his own experiences working for bookmakers as a vehicle to bring to life the colour and characters of that most vibrant and exciting of sporting habitats, the betting ring.

Add a liberal sprinkling of humour and you have a book to appeal to casual readers and racing fans alike.

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Winner HENRY CECIL Brough Scott

T

he story of trainer Henry Cecil is one the great redemption songs of sporting history: decades of success at the highest level followed by years in the professional and personal depths – then a glorious resurrection topped by the unbeatable Frankel, widely considered the greatest racehorse of all time.

Hollywood could not have scripted the tale better.

Horse Racing Book of the Year

The Horse Racing Book of the Year 2014 sponsored by

The British Sports Book Awards on Book Chap

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Vote for The Times Sports Book of the Year from the winners of each of the award categories at www.britishsportsbookawards.co.uk and you could win £100 of National Book Tokens.

Smartphone? Scan this to go straight to the website Competition terms and conditions: 1 lucky winner will receive £100 of National Book Tokens.

Voting closes at midnight on the 9th June 2014. See the website for terms & conditions.

Previous winners of the Sports Book of the Year: 2013 Bobby’s Open by Steven Reid 2012 Engage: The Fall and Rise of Matt Hampson by Paul Kimmage 2011 Promised Land by Anthony Clavane

Vote for The Times Sports Book of the Year National Book Tokens are the only gift card that can be spent everywhere - in all good bookshops, online and on eBooks. Now they also bring you Caboodle - rewards for booklovers like free books, exclusive competitions, and offers from your local bookshop. www.nationalbooktokens.com

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Visit readinggroups.org/ BSBAcomp and enter by 27 June 2014.

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Photo Credits Front cover: Jack Wilshere and Wayne Rooney of England during the International Friendly match between England and Denmark at Wembley Stadium on March 5, 2014 in London. 476827175, Clive Rose/Getty Images Sport.

Page 2: Andy Murray of Great Britain poses with the Gentlemen's Singles Trophy on day thirteen of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship. 173106974, Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Sport.

Page 5: Green tennis court with net and white lines.

108199841, Archives/Vetta collection.

Page 6: A lone Cardiff red shirt stands up amongst the crowd during the Barclays Premier League match between Cardiff City and Newcastle United at Cardiff City Stadium. 183156894, Stu Forster/Getty Images Sport.

Page 9: A general view during the 1st NatWest Series T20 match between England and Australia at Ageas Bowl. 178346166, Julian Finney/Getty Images Sport.

Pages 10 & 11: Mo Farah of Great Britain starts the Virgin London Marathon on April 13, 2014. 484551241, Stephen Pond / Getty Images Sport.

Page 13: Corner of soccer field with vivid green grass.

108203424, Giorgio Fochesato/Vetta.

Page 17: Hawaii, Oahu, perfect wave on the North Shore.

177837910, Vince Cavataio/Perspectives.

Page 19: Children playing football with daddy.

143501776, Sally Anscombe/Moment.

Page 25: Sonny Bill Williams of New Zealand runs with the ball during the Rugby League World Cup Final between New Zealand and Australia at Old Trafford.

452634241, Alex Livesey /Getty Images Sport.

Page 27: A general view as a runner makes its way down the straight at Ascot racecourse. 451535889, Alan Crowhurst /Getty Images Sport.

Page 29: Isklar Norseman Extreme Triathlon. 175481108, Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images Sport.

This page: Saracens v ASM Clermont Auvergne Heineken Cup. 487167059, David Rogers/Getty Images Sport.

Magazine Credits: Agile Marketing Managing Director: Alastair Giles Production Manager: Danielle Bowers Account Manager: Cath Turner Design: Steve Wells

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