John Blake Publishing: 421 books

NIGEL BENN is a powerhouse among boxers. Known to his fans as the Dark Destroyer, all of his first 22 professional fights ended with him knocking out his opponents - half of them before the first round was over. In this book, Nigel Benn tells it like it is. From the grim days he spent in the army...

A bestseller in both the UK and the USA on its first publication, this book was the first fully authorised life of world's greatest living footballer. With exclusive access to Pelé, award-winning sports writer Harry Harris charts his meteoric rise from humble beginnings in Brazil to his first...

Born in East London in 1949, Lenny McLean grew up in an area that had been ravaged by the Second World War. Although money was scarce and fighting was commonplace, a camaraderie and deep sense of honour and respect remained. A victim of violent abuse at the hands of his stepfather, Lenny spent much...

'Hit me first and that's when I turn psycho. I cracked him so hard that he fell against the wall behind him; that was the only thing that kept him up. He was so dazed that he turned to run away and just ran straight into the wall...'Meet Ian Freeman...otherwise known as The Machine. A friend to keep...

Robin van Persie is one of the most talented players in world football today. An intelligent playmaker and deadly striker, he brings creativity and intelligence to Arsenal's forward line and is the first name on the Netherlands team sheet. Signed by Arsene Wenger in the summer of 2004 with a view...

Two or three of them came over and asked what team I was ...they followed me at a distance and when I looked across the platform I saw the other lads from the train getting a good kicking. I felt uneasy and was obviously next on their list for a hiding. I could not bottle it. I had to front it and...

'A GOOD, DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE MAN WHO COMES ACROSS AS A COMPLEX, ECCENTRIC AND DRIVEN CHARACTER' - THE TIMESIn November 2013, Martin O'Neill was appointed manager of the Republic of Ireland's national football team, with Roy Keane as his assistant manager. For Ireland, and for football itself,...

In 2008, 14-year-old Laura Robson shocked the world by giving Britain its first Wimbledon winner in 14 years.From seemingly out of nowhere, the previously unknown teen stormed through the famous tournament to win the girls' singles title, instantly making her the talk of the tennis cognoscenti.With...

Novak Djokovic is not just one of the world's great tennis players - he is a de facto ambassador for his country, Serbia. It is no easy task, given the country's role in the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s; indeed, some people still associate the name 'Serbia' with 'atrocities'.In this study of both Djokovic...

He is the greatest striker in the game. Thierry Henry is the enigmatic multimillionaire Frenchman who has put the va-va-voom into the Premiership. Adored by fans of Arsenal and France worldwide, he has twice been voted Player and Footballer of the Year.But this living legend started his career with...

In today's game, there is no place on the pitch for player contact, let alone the sort of hard, robust tackling that could earn a player the nickname 'Psycho'. But twenty-five years ago, things were different. Only when players really overstepped the mark were their names added to the referee's little...

Wednesday, Rucks and Rock 'n'Roll tells the story of the East Bank from 1975 to 2002 - the planning, the pubs, the matches, the rucks and the coppers. Never mindless violence - but a day at the football simply wouldn't be complete without a good all-out fight with the rivals.It's the era of the silver...

Ronnie Irani had an extraordinary career as a first class cricketer and is now a star broadcaster with talkSport. He grew up in Bolton and has his professional debut with Lancashire aged just 16. But frustrated at constantly playing in the 'stiffs', Ronnie took his courage in both hands and moved...

Cass Pennant is a man who lets his fist do the talking. One of the hardest men in Britain, he lives his life on the edge of the law, giving respect where it is due, and dishing out retribution upon anyone who dares to cross him. Cass's life story reads like a Hollywood gangster movie. He tells the...