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Tag Archives: Amberley Publishing

Why Amberley is a Rising Star in Football Publishing

Amberley Publishing has quickly become a “one stop shop” for quality football titles.  Why? Because of great books like the two that can be found below.

The United Tour of Manchester by Iain McCartney and Tom Clare is an absolute must for English football fans.  It is a different kind of history, one that is more intimate than any other book about Man U.

McCartney, who also wrote the popular Manchester United Rising from the Wreckage, is one of the foremost experts on Manchester United.  Everything he writes or is associated with is pure brilliance.

The book takes you beyond the usual stops on your tour of Manchester United lore, past Old Trafford and the team’s official museum.  You’ll hear great stories about great people and great places in and around Manchester.

Want to see one of the original fields for the Red Devils? Want to see the home of George Best? Want to see the graves of those tragically lost in the Munich Air Disaster? This book has it all; most of which cannot be found anywhere else.

The book was absolutely incredible, something you couldn’t put down.  And this is coming from someone that is not even a Man U fan.  Simply put, it is one of the best books of the fall publishing season.

Manchester City Player by Player by Tony Matthews represents a lifetime of research.

Literally it tells you the personal details of every player who appeared and scored for the club over the last 125 years.  A daunting task to say the least, but Matthews completes it with considerable mastery. This is a must-have for any Man City fan as it is a title of great depth and history.  I doubt you will find anything this extensive anywhere else.

Want to know about Joe Hart? It’s in there.  What about Mario Balotelli? Colin Bell? Billy Meredith? Yes, they are all in there.

If you love or even want to learn more about Man City, this title is the first stop in your footballing journey.  It is an amazing title that is the result of tireless work and tedious research, but the work and the wait for such a title was worth it.

Manchester United: Rising from the Wreckage 1958-68 (Review)

Manchester United is one of the world’s biggest sporting brands, a brand valued at over $3.17 billion by Forbes.  No wonder there are dozens of books written about the storied club each and every year.

However, Manchester United: Rising from the Wreckage 1958-68 by Ian McCartney is a special title, offering something different and something unique.

It focuses on the events leading up to and after the tragic Munich crash, an event that tested every person associated with Man U.  It is a story of unbelievable resilience, a story where a team literally rises from the wreckage to become FA Cup and European Champions in the club’s most memorable and most difficult decade.

We hear about the leadership of Jimmy Murphy and the courage of Matt Busby.  And we hear about the lives and careers lost in an unimaginable tragedy.   Every death was one to be mourned with the story of Duncan Edwards taking center stage.  Edwards, one of the most promising young players in club history, never had a chance to play out what would have been an incredible and global career.  Every story is told with deep respect for those that were lost and those that were left to carry on.

The Munich air disaster was a trying and difficult episode in the history of English football, something that will never be forgotten.  McCartney is flawless in his execution of the story, accurately capturing the highs and lows of such a turbulent and difficult time.  It is a story of tragedy, but also that of hope lost and found again.