Scoring Goals in the Dark by former Irish international footballer Clare Shine, written with Gareth Maher, and My Hidden Race by British sprint track and field athlete by Anyika Onuora with Irish Times contributor Jonathan Drennan are among the 15 books shortlisted for William Hill Sports Book of the Year.
The 15-book longlist features an array of topics including hard-hitting autobiographies and heartbreaking memories, along with harrowing accounts of racism and sexism in sport and never-been-heard before encounters of some of the most compelling figures within the sporting industry.
Football dominates this year’s longlist, with eight books making the list.
Three women authors made the cut with retired track and field athlete Anyika Onuora, The Guardian’s football writer Suzanne Wrack, and Shine are in the running for the Award. The story of woman athlete Beryl Burton, who dominated the world of cycling, also features in the longlist.
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The album that nearly finished U2: The story of How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb and its new ‘shadow’ LP
‘I know what happened in that room’: the full story of the Conor McGregor case
Former sports stars, and first-time authors, Patrice Evra and Steve Thompson have also made the list for the Award which has a £30,000 (€33,000) cash prize for the winner.
Book review panellist and renowned sports broadcaster, Matt Williams said: “This year, we received an unprecedented number of great entries from talented authors and publishers, and whittling these down to our top 15 was no small feat.
“There were many fantastic books which I would pick up and reread over and over again that didn’t make the cut, which highlights just how impressive and well-written the books that made the longlist are.
“Racism and discrimination in sport, women’s football and the devastating effects of early onset dementia are just some of the diverse themes our longlist authors have covered, and are all huge topics in today’s sporting industry.
Now in its 34th year, the award is dedicated to rewarding excellence in sports writing and provides authors and publishers a platform to showcase and promote their book.
The William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2022 Longlist:
· Be Good, Love Brian: Growing Up with Brian Clough by Craig Bromfield
· The Master: The Brilliant Career of Roger Federer by Christopher Clarey
· 1999: Manchester United, the Treble and All That by Matt Dickinson
· Le Fric: Family, Power and Money: The Business of the Tour de France by Alex Duff
· I Love This Game by Patrice Evra
· England Football: The Biography: 1872-2022 by Paul Hayward
· God is Dead: The Rise and Fall of Frank Vandenbroucke, Cycling’s Great Wasted Talent by Andy McGrath
· My Hidden Race by Anyika Onuora with Jonathan Drennan
· Scoring Goals in the Dark by Clare Shine with Gareth Maher
· Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorised) Biography of Golf’s Most Colourful Superstar by Alan Shipnuck
· Expected Goals: The Story of how Data Conquered Football and Changed the Game Forever by Rory Smith
· Unforgettable: Rugby, Dementia and the Fight of My Life by Steve Thompson
· Beryl: In Search of Britain’s Greatest Athlete, Beryl Burton by Jeremy Wilson
· Two Brothers: The Life and Times of Bobby and Jackie Charlton by Jonathan Wilson
· A Woman’s Game: The Rise, Fall and Rise Again of Women’s Football by Suzanne Wrack
