Sports Audiobooks | Biography & Memoir

On Days Like These: The Incredible Autobiography of a Football Legend

"This audio edition is narrated with class by the author, Martin O'Neill. Martin O'Neill is one of the most fascinating and respected figures in football. In On Days Like These, he tells the story of his remarkable career. 'You'll never get your head out of this . . . The stories are fantastic' - John Motson For the first time, Martin O'Neill reflects on one of the most varied and successful football careers in the British Isles. With a journey spanning over fifty years, Martin dives into the exhilarating highs of trophies, promotion and World Cup fights - and the painful lows of fan confrontations, boardroom drama, relegation scraps and getting fired. Read fascinating stories from his journey as a player, his breakthrough with Distillery in Northern Ireland, to joining Brian Clough's legendary Nottingham Forest team as it rose from the Second Division all the way to winning back-to-back European Cups. Go behind-the-scenes on his international career for Northern Ireland, playing alongside and getting to know the Belfast Boy himself, George Best. Then, Martin delves into his work as a manager, including his celebrated leadership of Celtic - retaking dominance from Rangers in his very first Old Firm match. And on more recent times, lessons are learned in England - as he led Wycombe from Conference to the League, and Leicester City and Aston Villa to unprecedented highs - before joining forces with Roy Keane and taking the Republic of Ireland to the second round of the Euros for the first time in their history. Written by Martin himself with his trademark honesty and humour, On Days Like These is an insightful and captivating autobiography from a true icon of football - and a must-listen for any fans of the beautiful game."

Martin O'neill (Author), Martin O'neill (Narrator)

Audiobook

[Spanish] - Mi once ideal: Principios y estrategias para triunfar en la vida y el futbol

"“Siempre estuve ligado a un balón.Si me preguntaras, ése ha sido el gran éxito de mi vida”, así comienza Oribe Peralta, uno de los mejores delanteros que México ha tenido, su impresionante testimonio de que el futbol, además de ser uno de los deportes más bellos, es también una filosofía de vida. Pero Mi once ideal va más allá de lo biográfico y extrae de los éxitos y las caídas del mismo Oribe los principios por los que este jugador ejemplar se ha guiado dentro y fuera de la cancha. En estas páginas encontrarás una guía y el conocimiento necesario para avanzar paso a paso para cumplir cualquier sueño que desees alcanzar, sin importar cuántas dificultades surjan en el camino. Tal y como lo hizo un niño de humildes orígenes llamado Oribe, que jugaba al balompié en la comunidad de La Partida y que, mediante el esfuerzo constante, la concentración y el deseo que anidaba en su corazón, logró, aun con todo en su contra, llegar a laprimera división del futbol mexicano y volverse uno de sus jugadores más destacados; así como darle a México una de sus más grandes glorias al obtener con dos goles suyos el oro frente a Brasil en la final de los Juegos Olímpicos de Londres 2012. Sin lugar a dudas, Mi once ideal tiene la magia necesaria para ponerte en camino hacia la consecución de tus objetivos."

Oribe Peralta (Author), Oribe Peralta (Narrator)

Audiobook

Conflicted Scars: An Average Player’s Journey to the NHL

"An indispensable guide to parents of hockey hopefuls At a time of great change in hockey, Justin Davis exposes the dark underbelly of the journey from the minors to the big leagues Hockey culture: it’s a commonly used phrase inside the game, glorifying sacrifice, toughness, loyalty, and a sense of identity. Justin Davis viewed this culture as something he was lucky enough to experience. After all, he’d won a Memorial Cup after leading the tournament in scoring, and he’d been drafted by the Washington Capitals. “In my mind,” he says, “I was the normal one.” Unfortunately, after stepping outside the game, he began to recognize the racism, sexual abuse and bullying that was so deeply ingrained in the sport. And then, as his own children grew into teenagers, the curtain was pulled back, the memories came rushing forward, and he was horrified: “Why was I naked in a bus bathroom for four hours with seven teammates? What happened to my brain, and why can’t I remember the simplest things? How did I end up living in a basement where the strangers upstairs were clearly engaged in domestic abuse?” As it navigates the sport’s darkest corridors, Conflicted Scars shares the story of the common Canadian player and offers a guide for parents who need to know how and why a typical teenager with NHL dreams, from a small town, now lives anxiously, introvertedly, and battling emotional detachment."

Justin Davis (Author), David Attar (Narrator)

Audiobook

[Spanish] - El último Maradona: Cuando a Diego le cortaron las piernas

"El último Maradona desvela con lujo de detalles la trama secreta de una de las grandes pesadillas de la historia del fútbol argentino. Diego Armando Maradona quiere jugar el Mundial 94. Sueña con volver a ser el del 86, pero está completamente fuera de forma. Alguien le presenta a Daniel Cerrini, un fisicoculturista que nada tiene que ver con el fútbol. Diego lo contrata para que se encargue de su puesta a punto. Los resultados son, o parecen ser, sorprendentes. Maradona está en plena forma física y futbolística. El médico de la selección, sin embargo, está preocupado. Nadie le ha dicho qué clase de medicamentos está tomando El Diez. Argentina tiene un arranque espectacular en el Mundial. Maradona es la gran figura del equipo. Después del triunfo ante Nigeria, una mujer vestida de enfermera lo pasa a buscar al centro del campo. Diego ha sido sorteado para el control antidoping. En el palco, Julio Humberto Grondona le dice al dirigente Eduardo Deluca que ahora hay que rezar. Grondona deberá optar entre dos lealtades: o respalda a su jugador fetiche o cierra filas con el poder de la FIFA."

Alejandro Wall, Andrés Burgo (Author), Hernán Chiozza (Narrator)

Audiobook

Penguins Stopped Play: Eleven Village Cricketers Take on the World

"It seemed a simple enough idea at the outset: to assemble a team of eleven men to play cricket on each of the seven continents of the globe. Except…that's not a simple idea at all. And when you throw in incompetent airline officials, cunning Bajan drug dealers, overzealous American anti-terrorist police, idiotic Welshmen dressed as Santa Claus and whole armies of pitch-invading penguins, you quickly arrive at a lot more than you bargained for. Harry Thompson's hilarious book tells the story of one of those great madcap enterprises that only an Englishman could have dreamed up, and only a bunch of Englishmen could possibly have wished to carry out."

Harry Thompson (Author), Glen Mccready (Narrator)

Audiobook

How to be an Ex-Footballer

"Brought to you by Penguin. The funniest man in British sport - Metro Peter Crouch is a comedy genius - Daily Mail Often recruited before they've worn long trousers, today's footballers become superstars who earn huge amounts without ever learning much about the world beyond the training ground. Coddled by their support teams, everything is done for them. They live their lives in the glaring media spotlight, yet only really develop one life skill - how to kick a ball better. Then inevitably, when age catches up with them or injury strikes, these man-children are thrown out into the real world, utterly defenceless apart from their multi-million-pound bank accounts. So what do these Peter Pans, whose careers end just as most people's are getting going, do with the rest of their lives? Crouch speaks from his own experience and discusses with fellow former professionals too - just how do you safely release a near seven-foot striker back into the wild? Peter goes in search of the answer to what his second career might be and encounters stories far more bizarre than anything you'll find on the pitch. From the pleasure and pain of management to the lessons we can learn from Jamie Carragher and Joe Cole on not going to seed. From those staying in the sport - the diehard veterans, coaches, managers, owners and of course the legion of pundits, to those moving on to pastures new. Peter talks to entrepreneurs, men of the cloth, eco warriors, artists, private detectives and budding actors, as well as those who've lost their way in addiction, crime and NFTs. When the final whistle blows, it's still all to play for. © 2022 Peter Crouch (P)2022 Penguin Audio"

Peter Crouch (Author), Peter Crouch, Simon Darwen (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Father's Son: Family, football and forgiveness

"'A book about humanity as much as sport. It's like sitting at the kitchen table with your best mate and he's pouring his heart out - about his life, his loss, his triumphs and his faults … and the love that got him through. Honest, generous, and most of all, courageous.' Markus Zusak, bestselling author of The Book Thief Mat Rogers is an Aussie footy legend and TV star who has triumphed over hardship, loss and heartache. He is finally ready to share his powerful life story. He is one of the most talented footballers of the modern era and a dual international in rugby league and rugby union. But for a long time, Mat Rogers lived in both the shadow and the thrall of his famous father, and their complex relationship shaped him in ways he couldn't fathom. Craving paternal acceptance while determined to carve out his own identity and, later, to avoid repeating the sins of the father, he veered between periods of jubilation and depression, fulfilment and despair. Now, in his majestic, evocative autobiography, Rogers tells the story of a life framed by triumph and tragedy, a life in which, ultimately, he finds purpose and contentment in a harsh world. With its cracking pace and unvarnished frankness, A Father's Son will be widely read and difficult to forget. Though by and about a celebrated footballer, it is so much more than another athlete's memoirs. In spare, vivid prose, Rogers reveals how his teenage years were marked by periods of rebellion and self-destructive behaviour. Then, at age 20, he became a father to son Jack before he had finished his own journey into adulthood. By 22, he was married to first wife Michelle with another child, daughter Skyla, following shortly after. As well as discussing the experience of having a family while still a young man, Rogers also recounts the challenges that have defined his life off the sports field - the impact of losing both his parents in tragic circumstances and the experimental neck surgery he underwent in 2007, ending years of debilitating pain. Rogers' story is one of a man who rises to the difficulties life sends his way. The discovery that his son Max is autistic prompted him and second wife Chloe to co-found charity 4 ASD Kids - and he talks passionately about the work he has done to raise awareness of a subject so close to home. That fighting spirit introduced Rogers to an even greater number of Australians who watched the sporting legend thrive on Australian Survivor. Across two memorable appearances on the reality TV series, he impressed viewers with his ability to combine his competitive spirit with his desire to play with heart. That duality, which defines Rogers' life, shines through in A Father's Son. 'I couldn't put this down. Mat shares his story with so much honesty and openness. I was overcome with emotion and such deep respect for Mat and the person, father and role model that he is.' Sally Obermeder, author and presenter "

Mat Rogers (Author), Mat Rogers (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Save of My Life: My Journey Out of the Dark

"A riveting look behind the mask of an NHL goalie, The Save of My Life offers understanding and hope to anyone living with mental illness By the time he was twenty-two years old, goaltender Corey Hirsch had realized his childhood dream of playing in the NHL, won an Olympic medal and drunk from the Stanley Cup. While he excelled on the ice, out of the net Hirsch was plagued by persistent dark thoughts and ceaseless anxiety. On days when he could barely get out of bed, he was able to push aside the endless loop of dark thoughts running inside his brain long enough to win a game. But as soon as he got back home, the agonizing cycle started all over again. And it continued, until finally he was able to confide in a team trainer who helped him get the professional treatment he needed. Diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, Hirsch was able to embark on the rocky road to recovery. As one of the first professional athletes to talk openly about mental health, Hirsch wrote about his OCD for the Players’ Tribune. His piece remains one of their most-read articles ever. As Hirsch says, “I am not insane. I am not a bad person. I am not weak. I have an illness, and there is a treatment.” "

Corey Hirsch, Sean Patrick Conboy (Author), Rex Anderson (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Book of Joe: Trying Not to Suck at Baseball and Life

"Lessons in baseball enlightenment from three-time MLB Manager of the Year Joe Maddon. No one sees baseball like Joe Maddon. He sees it through his trademark glasses and irrepressible wit. Raised in the "shot and beer" town of Hazleton, PA, and forged by 15 years in the minors, Maddon over 19 seasons in Tampa Bay, Chicago, and Anaheim has become one of the most successful, most colorful, and most quoted managers in Major League Baseball. He is a workplace culture expert, having engineered two of the most stunning turnarounds in the past quarter century: taking the Rays from the worst record in baseball one year to the World Series the next and leading the Cubs to their first World Series title in 108 years. Like his teams, Maddon defies convention. He is part strategist, part philosopher, part sports psychologist, and part motivational coach. In THE BOOK OF JOE, Maddon gives readers unique insights into the game, including the tension between art and data, the changing role of managers as front offices gain power, why the honeymoon with the Cubs did not last, and what it's like to manage the modern player, including stars such as Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Yu Darvish, and Kris Bryant. But you expect even more from a manager who meditates daily, admires Twain, and has only one rule when it comes to a team dress code: "If you think you look hot, wear it!" And Maddon delivers. Built on-old school values and new-school methods, his wisdom applies beyond the dugout. His mantras about leadership, mentorship, team building, and communication are meditations on life, not just baseball. Among those mantras are: "Do simple better." "Try not to suck." "Don't ever permit the pressure to exceed the pleasure." "See it with first-time eyes." "Tell me what you think, not what you've heard." THE BOOK OF JOE is Maddon at his uniquely holistic best. It is a memoir of a fascinating baseball journey, an insider's look at a changing game, and a guidebook on leadership and life."

Joe Maddon, Tom Verducci (Author), Will Collyer (Narrator)

Audiobook

All Roads Home: A Life On and Off the Ice

"NATIONAL BESTSELLER A poignant and inspiring memoir of the people and challenges that shaped the life and career of Canada's most decorated Indigenous athlete. Over the course of his incredible career, Bryan Trottier set a new standard of hockey excellence. A seven-time Stanley Cup champion (four with the New York Islanders, two with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and one as an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche), Trottier won countless awards and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. In 2017, he was named one of the NHL's Top 100 Players of All Time. Trottier grew up in Val Marie, Saskatchewan, the son of a Cree/Chippewa/Metis father and an Irish-Canadian mother. All Roads Home offers a poignant, funny, wise, and inspiring look at his coming of age, both on and off the ice. It is a unique memoir in which Trottier shares stories about family, friends, teammates, and coaches, the lessons that he has learned from them, and the profound impact they have had in shaping the person he has become. Some of the incredible characters featured in the book include Trottier's father Buzz; legendary Islanders coach Al Arbour; teammates Clark Gillies and Mike Bossy; and the Penguins' Mario Lemieux, to name but a few. He'll also talk about the high school English teacher and guidance counsellor who helped him develop self-confidence and encouraged him as a writer: Governor General's Award-winning poet, Lorna Crozier. All Roads Home will also include a Foreword from bestselling author Jesse Thistle (From the Ashes) and two very special Afterwords: one from Trottier's daughter, Lindsy Ruthven, and the other from his life-long friend, beloved hockey great Dave 'Tiger' Williams."

Bryan Trottier (Author), Jesse Thistle, Lindsy Ruthven, Marco Timpano, Sheldon Elter (Narrator)

Audiobook

Cheers, Geoff!: Tales from the Touchline

"Geoff Shreeves is a giant of football. From reporting pitchside on the biggest matches to his iconic appearances in EA's FIFA series, Geoff's warmth, humour and expertise have made him a constant fixture of the sport. In this audio edition of Cheers Geoff!, read by the author himself, Geoff shares hilarious, bizarre and moving stories from across his incredible career. This audio edition includes a foreword from Alan Shearer. 'Cracking read . . . loved it' - Piers Morgan 'Packed with brilliant anecdotes about the biggest names' - The Mirror There are just a handful of people who have been ever-present for the thirty years of the Premier League, but only one person has been at the very epicentre for the entire period: Geoff Shreeves. From signalling the very first ball to be kicked on Sky's Premier League coverage to facing down Sir Alex Ferguson's wrath (on countless occasions), Geoff is an integral part of the football fabric, respected by everybody in the game while still asking the toughest questions. Geoff's interviews with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Arsène Wenger, Frank Lampard and Alan Shearer have become the stuff of legend, but it is his close personal relationships with the game's star names that really sets him apart. Packed full of hilarious stories on and off the pitch - including trying to teach Sir Michael Caine how to act, a frightening encounter with Mike Tyson, as well as getting a lift home from the World Cup with Mick Jagger - Cheers, Geoff! is a must-listen autobiography for any fan of the beautiful game. A natural storyteller, Geoff brings an astonishing catalogue of tales to life with his unique brand of experience, insight and humour. 'A legend' - Arsène Wenger 'No one handles the big moments better' - Jordan Henderson"

Geoff Shreeves (Author), Geoff Shreeves (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Game: Player. Pundit. Fan.

"‘The game isn’t what it seems from the outside. The game isn’t quite what I was expecting. The game doesn’t always work like the people on television think it does. The game is better, worse and stranger than you can imagine, and that is coming from someone who saw it all with their own eyes.’ Ever wondered what really goes on inside a Premier League dressing room, what it’s like to train under Roy Hodgson, Roberto Mancini and Fabio Capello – and what happens when you kick a sandwich at one of them? When it comes to football, former Manchester City and England star Micah Richards has seen it all – and laughed about most of it. In The Game, Micah shares his funniest and frankest stories from on and off the pitch, be it arriving at his first England training session with two left boots, attempting to supervise the infamous Mario Balotelli or winding up Roy Keane on Super Sunday. From how he spent his first Premier League paycheque and how he prepared – financially and mentally – for the day they stopped coming, to the euphoria of lifting the Premier League trophy and the physical and emotional impact of injury, Micah reflects openly on the many wins and losses in professional football. Full of Micah’s signature cheeky wit, this intimate, unmissable memoir goes behind the scenes of the beautiful game and a remarkable life and career."

Micah Richards (Author), Delon Jessop (Narrator)

Audiobook

Sports Audiobooks in Biography & Memoir