English Soccer

One May afternoon in 1984, a football team from unfashionable Watford stepped out onto the manicured turf of the old Wembley stadium wearing incredibly tight shorts and the occasional ridiculous haircut. It was to be their first, and to date only, appearance in an FA Cup Final. As they took to the field they seemed to symbolise changing times, times in which anything could happen. Was the country going to the dogs, or the Isle of Dogs? Just as Scargill was taking on Thatcher, Watford, the new kids on the block, were taking on the football establishment. But this isn’t a book about ...

Approximately 75 percent of children who play organized sports quit by age 13. While there is no definitive answer about why, many researchers suggest that it is because of pressure from parents. One referee always likes to say that he equates kid’s soccer to a musical recital. Parents don’t yell instructions to their seven-year old when they are singing or playing the piano. They are not jumping up from their seats when the proper chord is struck, yelling, “Great job, Jimmy!” or “Big kick on the next chord!” Yet, they feel it is OK to do so on the soccer field. Why? A humorous ...

Paul is having the time of his life with the girl of his dreams… until his secret feminine desires come to light. Natasha and Paul are a power couple on their college campus. He’s a successful, popular soccer player. She’s a beauty everyone envies. Paul wants to tell Natasha about his crossdressing before he pops the big question, but his timeline gets pushed ahead when a jealous ex-girlfriend comes out of the woodwork threatening to tell Natasha herself. Tabitha was the one who broke up with Paul when he told her about his secret stash of heels and dresses, but now she’s returned ...

Strength, speed and dedication: Cristiano Ronaldo is known throughout the world as a colossus of the modern game. But did you know that he underwent laser heart surgery aged just fifteen to enable him to continue playing the game he loved? Or that Nacional, his first professional club, donated twenty balls and two sets of kits to his youth team in order to sign him? Or how he came to be known as abelhinha—'little bee'—a name he would later pass on to his Yorkshire Terrier? Find out all this and more in Luca Caioli's biography of the global superstar.

Did you know a soccer field is called a pitch? Or that only soccer goalkeepers can use their hands? Find out all about soccer positions, moves, equipment, teams, and more in this fact-filled book.

This Sports Illustrated Kids title combines fast-paced action, famous plays, and SEL skills to show what sets your favorite athletes and teams apart.

Behind every big-time soccer record is a dramatic story of how a player or team achieved greatness on the field. From mind-boggling goals to the greatest fingertip saves, here are the record-setting moments that will keep soccer fans tuned in for more.

50 Things To Know About Fantasy Premier League, by Zlatko Stefkovski, offers a fun and insightful approach to the game that became the number-one companion piece to the English Premier League.

Kristy Barrett is a soccer star. She's been a star since elementary school, and now is so good that she's been told she may someday make the women's Olympic team. Everything changes in an instant, when a blow to her head during a game results in a severe concussion. It's not her first head injury, but it's the worst one she's ever had. The doctors say it will take time to recover; they don't know how long. All Kristy knows is that her team is moving on without her, and her purpose—soccer—is gone, and she doesn't know what to do.

Why does an international footballer with the World at his feet decide to take his own life? On November 10, 2009, the German national goalkeeper Robert Enke stepped in front of a passing train. He was 32 years old. Viewed from the outside, Enke had it all. Here was a professional goalkeeper who had played for a string of Europe's top clubs, including Jose Mourinho's Benfica and Louis Van Gaal's Barcelona. Enke was destined to be his country's first choice for years. But beneath the veneer of success lay a darker story.

Twelve-year-old Ronja Middlefield's world turns upside down when she discovers a pair of old, glowing soccer shoes in her grandmother's dusty attic. Little does she know, these aren't just any shoes—they're magic! Suddenly, Ronja's soccer skills skyrocket, turning her into the star of the team and leaving everyone in awe, especially her rival, Vicky. But with great power comes great...confusion. As Ronja navigates the ups and downs of her newfound talent, she faces jealous teammates, mysterious secrets, and the biggest tournament of her life. Perfect for young readers who love soccer, ...

Alex Carter is the United and England Captain as well as being a nominee for Footballer of the Year. When he attends the prize giving dinner he witnesses a tragedy that will rock the game he loves. Keen to keep a distance from the scandal that unfolds after the tragedy he is slowly drawn into a web of deceit and the dark underbelly of sport where lies, violence and greed rule. Sustaining a career threatening injury it soon become clear that his soccer woes are the very least of his problems. Blackmailed, threatened and attacked, Alex is in fear for his own life and that of his family. His ...

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Fever Pitch, by Nick Hornby read by Julian Rhind-Tutt.A s a young boy, growing up in the Home Counties and watching his parents marriage fall apart, Nick Hornby had little sense of home. Then his dad took him to Highbury. Arsenals football ground would become the source of many of the strongest feelings he'd ever have: joy, humiliation, heartbreak, frustration, and hope.

After being jilted in Kentucky, playing for Calverdale Ladies in England was a chance to escape and spend Christmas alone, avoiding my feelings. Which is how I’ve ended up snowed in at a Welsh pub with a retired rugby player who’s hot enough to thaw me out. But when the snow’s gone, so am I. I won’t let another man in, not even one as gorgeous as Geraint…

The first half of this delightful audiobook is packed with stories that will thrill football-loving adults. From epic comebacks to incredible goals, these tales will have you on the edge of your seat. And the best part? You can share them with your children in the second half of the audiobook, where they'll discover their own heartwarming soccer stories.

Cristiano Ronaldo - The Rise of a Winner is the gripping life story of a boy who rose from the streets of Madeira to become one of the greatest soccer players ever. A heartfelt, startling tale of his journey to glory and what made him the man he is.

In his brilliant new memoir, Pat Nevin takes us on a journey to the less glamorous side of football. From Tranmere to Kilmarnock, he plays some of the best football he's ever played. Then, in an unprecedented twist of fate, finds himself both player and Chief Executive of Scottish First Division club Motherwell.

The U15 Soccer Coaching Guide serves as an essential tool for coaches aiming to positively influence the development of U15 soccer players across all genders. This all-encompassing manual spans the gamut of coaching necessities, from grasping the distinctive traits and developmental stages of U15 athletes to the application of impactful coaching ideologies and methods of communication. Initiating with an examination of the cognitive, physical, and emotional evolution typical of U15 players, the guide underscores the necessity of crafting an engaging and welcoming atmosphere conducive to ...

Mark Noble joined the West Ham Youth Academy in 2000 and immediately made an impression. Tenacious, aggressive, brave and full of character, he was the perfect embodiment of West Ham’s values and was seen as having a bright future in the Hammers first team. But nobody could have dreamt of Mark’s career at the club: the most appearances in the Premier League for West Ham United and, by the time of his retirement in 2022, the longest-serving one-club player in Europe – his achievements cemented him as one of the club’s modern legends and earned him the nickname ‘Mr West Ham’.

On 30 November 1872, England took on Scotland at Hamilton Crescent in Glasgow, a match that is regarded as the first international fixture. More than 5,000 fans watched the two sides play out a 0-0 draw. It was the first of more than a thousand games played by the side, and the beginning of a national love affair that unites the country in a way that few other events can match. In Hayward's brilliant new biography of the team, based on interviews with dozens of past and present players and coaches, we get a vivid portrait of all aspects of the team's story.