Sign-In
Cart
Sir Alf
Paperback
ISBN13: 9780007193790
Publisher: Harpercollins 360
Published: Sep 1 2007
Pages: 560
Weight: 0.83
Height: 1.50 Width: 5.00 Depth: 7.60
Language: English
Since England's famous 1966 World Cup victory, Alf Ramsey has been regarded as the greatest of all British football managers. By placing Ramsey in an historical context, award-winning author Leo McKinstry provides a thought-provoking insight into the world of professional football and the fabric of British society over the span of his life.
Ramsey's life is a romantic story of heroism. Often derided by lesser men, he overcame the prejudice against his social background to reach the summit of world football.
The son of a council dustman from Essex, Ramsey had been through a tough upbringing. After army service during the war, he became a professional footballer, enjoying a successful career with Southampton and Tottenham and winning 32 England caps.
But it was as manager of Ipswich Town, and then the architect for England's 1966 World Cup triumph, that Ramsey will be most remembered. The tragedy was that his battles with the FA would ultimately lead to his downfall. He was sacked after England failed to qualify for the 1974 World Cup and was subsequently ostracised by the football establishment. He died a broken man in 1999 in the same modest Ipswich semi he'd lived in for most of his life.
Drawing on extensive interviews with his closest friends and colleagues in the game, author Leo McKinstry will help unravel the true character of this fascinating and often complex football legend.
Also from
McKinstry, Leo
Also in
Soccer
We Are the World (Cup): A Personal History of the World's Greatest Sporting Event
Bennett, Roger
Hardcover
The Messi Effect: How the Global Legend Changed the Future of American Soccer
Tenorio, Paul
Hardcover
The Long Game: U.S. Men's Soccer and Its Savage, Four-Decade Journey to the Top, or Thereabouts
Schaerlaeckens, Leander
Hardcover
Soccernomics (2026 World Cup Edition): Why European Men and American Women Usually Win--And American Men Don't (Yet)
Szymanski, Stefan
Kuper, Simon
Paperback
The Shortest History of Soccer: From Ancient Kicking Games to the World's Most Popular Sport
Bunk, Brian D.
Paperback
Relegated: One American's Pints-And-Pies Journey from the Top to the Bottom of English Football
Smith, Todd
Hardcover
Compete: Developing a Mental Playbook for Performance Under Pressure in Sport
Abrahams, Dan
Paperback
The Ultimate Soccer Jersey Collection: Iconic Kits from the World's Greatest Game
Football Shirts, Classic
Hardcover
Your Guide to the 2026 World Cup: Everything You Need to Know about the Players and Teams
Stay, Shane
Paperback
It's a Numbers Game! Soccer: The Math Behind the Perfect Goal, the Game-Winning Save, and So Much More!
Buckley
National Geographic Kids
Hardcover
More Than a Shirt: How Football Shirts Explain Global Politics, Money and Power
D'Urso, Joey
Paperback
The World Cup: A History of the Planet's Biggest Sporting Event, 2026 Edition
Lisi, Clemente A.
Paperback
The Girls of Summer: The U.S. Women's Soccer Team and How It Changed the World
Longman, Jere
Paperback
Every Moment Matters: How the World's Best Coaches Inspire Their Athletes and Build Championship Teams
O'Sullivan, John
Paperback
The Miracle of Castel di Sangro: A Tale of Passion and Folly in the Heart of Italy
McGinniss, Joe
Paperback
La Historia del Fã°tbol En 500 Partidos / The History of Soccer in 500 Matches
Wernicke, Luciano
Paperback
That World Cup Guy: Forty Years, Nine World Cups and One Fan's Incredible Journey
Milne, Andy
Paperback
The Club: How the English Premier League Became the Wildest, Richest, Most Disruptive Force in Sports
Robinson, Joshua
Clegg, Jonathan
Paperback
American Soccer Nation: The Remarkable 150-Year History of Yanks on a Roll, from Mob Football to the Modern Game
Franek, Mark C.
Paperback
La Apasionante Historia de Los Mundiales / The Exciting History of the World Cups
Lati, Alberto
Paperback
Los Héroes Numerados (Crónica Y Ensayo) / The Numbered Heroes (Chronicles and Essays)
Villoro, Juan
Paperback
1000 Football Shirts Revised and Updated: From Vintage Classics to the Latest Releases
Lions, Bernard
Paperback
A Home on the Field: How One Championship Team Inspires Hope for the Revival of Small Town America
Cuadros, Paul
Paperback
The Soccer Book of Why: The Answers to Questions You've Always Wondered about
Cuttone, Charles
Paperback
Messi vs. Ronaldo: One Rivalry, Two Goats, and the Era That Remade the World's Game
Clegg, Jonathan
Robinson, Joshua
Paperback
Angels with Dirty Faces: How Argentinian Soccer Defined a Nation and Changed the Game Forever
Wilson, Jonathan
Paperback
Play With Your Brain: A Guide to Smarter Soccer for Players, Coaches, and Parents
Norsen, Travis
Paperback
The Game of Their Lives: The Untold Story of the World Cup's Biggest Upset
Douglas, Geoffrey
Paperback
Men in Blazers Present Gods of Soccer: The Pantheon of the 100 Greatest Soccer Players (According to Us)
Davies, Michael
Davis, Miranda
Bennett, Roger
Hardcover
World Football Club Crests: The Design, Meaning and Symbolism of World Football's Most Famous Club Badges
Nilsson, Leonard Jägerskiöld
Hardcover
Jurgen Klopp - 102 Passing, Counter-pressing Possession Games, Speed & Warm-ups Direct from Klopp's Training Sessions
Soccertutor Com
Paperback
The Vision Of A Champion: Advice And Inspiration From The World's Most Successful Women's Soccer Coach (Latest Edition)
Dorrance, Anson
Averbuch, Gloria
Paperback
Pep Guardiola Attacking Tactics - Tactical Analysis and Sessions from Manchester City's 4-3-3
Terzis, Athanasios
Paperback
The Great Game: A Tale of Two Footballs and America's Quest to Conquer Global Sport
Martinez, Andrés
Hardcover
It's Not about the Bra: Play Hard, Play Fair, and Put the Fun Back Into Competitive Sports
Chastain, Brandi
Paperback
How to Win the World Cup: Secrets and Insights from International Football's Top Managers
Evans, Chris
Paperback
Coaching Positional Play - ''Expansive Football'' Attacking Tactics & Practices
Basile, Pasquale Casà
Paperback
Soccer Analytics with Machine Learning: Learning Predictive Modeling Techniques with Sports Data
Joury, Ari
Gao, Haipeng
Shen, Weining
Paperback
When Nobody Was Watching: My Hard-Fought Journey to the Top of the Soccer World
Coffey, Wayne
Lloyd, Carli
Paperback
Pep Guardiola - Coaching High Pressing Tactics & Sessions Against Different Formations
Terzis, Athanasios
Paperback
Arsenal Quiz Book: 101 Questions That Will Test Your Knowledge of the Gunners.
Carpenter, Chris
Paperback
My Beautiful Sisters: A Memoir of Courage, Hope, and the Afghan Women's Soccer Team
Popal, Khalida
Hardcover
Leading: Learning from Life and My Years at Manchester United
Ferguson, Alex
Moritz, Michael
Paperback
366 Historias del Fútbol Mundial Que Deberías Conocer / 366 Stories from World Football You Should Know
Relaño, Alfredo
Paperback
Saving Soccer: An insider's account of how the World Game went wrong - and how to set it right
Brennan, Mel
Paperback
American Huckster: How Chuck Blazer Got Rich From-And Sold Out-The Most Powerful Cabal in World Sports
Papenfuss, Mary
Thompson, Teri
Paperback
The Biography of Tottenham Hotspur: The Incredible Story of the World Famous Spurs
Welch, Julie
Hardcover
Lamine Yamal: A Soccer Book for Kids, Activity Book, and Guide to Working Hard and Dreaming Big
Bella Mente Press
Paperback
The Barcelona Complex: Lionel Messi and the Making--And Unmaking--Of the World's Greatest Soccer Club
Kuper, Simon
Paperback