Welcome to "Talking Spots Books"Twenty-Two Football Shirts that explain the world, geopolitics and the biggest stories of our timeFootball is the world's most popular sport, and the shirts worn by teams and their supporters are its greatest means of cultural expression. Every year clubs launch new kits with increasingly extravagant marketing campaigns and convoluted explanations of how their designs reflect their history and local community. But football shirts are much more than just a symbol of which club we support. A seemingly innocuous combination of colours, sponsor logos and materials can all reflect the social values, financial struggles and political ideologies of the day, as geopolitical issues increasingly seep into every aspect of the game.Investigative journalist Joey D'Urso has travelled across the globe, combining on-the-ground reporting with unparalleled analysis to collate a list of the twenty-two football shirts that best explain the modern world. More Than A Shirt will take fans on a journey from Birmingham to Belgrade and onto Medellin and Mumbai, outlining how we can see the war in Ukraine in the shirt of Schalke in Germany or China's foreign policy in West Bromwich Albion's; how the shirts of state-owned clubs are used for sportswashing; and why the French national kit embodies worldwide migration patterns.A compelling and eye-opening exploration, More Than A Shirt is essential reading for any football fan and will change the way you think about the beautiful game's most universal symbol
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"The Scouting Game" Chris Robinson
Coming up on this edition of "Talking Sports Books"The Scouting Game brings us the inside story of the hidden world of top-level football scouting from a man with 30 years’ experience in the professional game, and more than a decade in the recruitment team at Chelsea FC’s renowned academy.Chris Robinson reveals how scouts work, what they look for and how they report on players, giving practical examples. He sets out the ideal characteristics that scouts search for in every position, and examines scouting at all levels – grassroots, academy, first team and opposition scouting.Chris explains how scouts interact with agents and what parents can expect from scouts and the professional academies, including how trials work and the developing role of data in scouting. He also considers scouting as a career, pointing out the pros and cons and explaining how to get started.
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"Postcards From Santiago" The George Robledo Story
Postcards from Santiago tells the extraordinary true story of George Robledo, the pioneering Chilean footballer whose name has largely been forgotten—despite rewriting the history of English football. Long before the likes of Haaland, Henry, or Cantona made headlines as international stars in England, Robledo was blazing a trail as the first foreign-born player to top the English scoring charts.Abandoned by his father and uprooted from Chile to a Yorkshire mining village, Robledo's youth was shaped by war and hardship. He toiled underground as a Bevin Boy during WWII before launching a football career that would see him rise from Barnsley to Newcastle United stardom. In the 1951–52 season, his record-breaking 33-goal tally made him the most prolific overseas scorer in English football—a record that quietly endures, often overlooked by official statistics.From the searing landscapes of the Atacama Desert to a Wembley FA Cup triumph, and from representing Chile at the 1950 World Cup to appearing on a John Lennon album cover, Robledo’s life was nothing short of extraordinary. Through interviews with those who knew and admired him, Postcards from Santiago offers a vivid portrait of a forgotten icon—an immigrant who became both a national hero in Chile and a quiet legend in England.This compelling biography not only reclaims Robledo's rightful place in football history, but also celebrates the resilience, identity, and impact of one of the game’s earliest global stars.
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Donald McRae "The Last Bell Life Death Boxing"
On this edition of the show In “The Last Bell,” award-winning author Donald McRae reflects on six tumultuous years in boxing, grief, and redemption—featuring Tyson Fury, Canelo Álvarez, and more it is more than just a boxing book — it's a raw, emotional ringside journey through six years of triumph, tragedy, and truth. From Tyson Fury’s comeback to the heartache of Patrick Day, this is sport at its most human.
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"Game For A Laugh" with Elton Welsby
Welcome to another edition of Talking Sports Books with Tim Caple! In this episode, we are joined by the legendary Elton Welsby, who takes us through his remarkable career in football and the release of his highly anticipated autobiography, Game for a Laugh.For over four decades, Elton has woven his love for football into a captivating career—reporting on non-league matches, hosting ITV’s top-flight football coverage, and building close relationships with football icons. His journeys have led him to five international tournaments, including three World Cups in the '80s and '90s, where he witnessed some of the most memorable moments in the sport's history.In his new book, Elton gives us a candid behind-the-scenes look at his incredible experiences—offering insights into his time with legends like Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, and countless managers and players across the country. Join us as Elton shares his personal stories and reflections on a life spent at the heart of the beautiful game.
Presented by Tim Caple "Talking Sports Books" does exactly that every month we review the best Sports literature talking to a selection of authors about their recent releases and rounding up the best sellers lists in the UK and USA
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