BLACK COUNTRY LEGEND

Pitch Publishing is a fantastic imprint – they do all the great Got, Not Gots and retro sports titles.

James Brown, The Late Tackle, talkSPORT

Pitch Publishing show the way for enterprising sports book publishers and remains a beacon of hope for sports authors aspiring or established.

The Sports Bookshelf.com

Pitch Publishing, an outfit whose "pitch perfect" commissioning of boxing material stands as a rebuke to more established houses

Boxing Monthly

Pitch capture the real spirit of sport with entertaining and clever ideas. They work out what the aficianado would want to read, then deliver it with great verve.

Paul Hayward, The Daily Telegraph

Pitch have enabled me to write in the ways I enjoy most. Their production support is superb, delivering eye-catching designs, attentive proof-reading, energetic marketing and helpful advice.

Tim Quelch, Bent Arms & Dodgy Wickets, Underdog!

Pitch are willing to back out-of-the-blue and innovative ideas and turn them into viable, entertaining books. They do so with great presentation and editorial flair.

Justin Parkinson, Then Came Massacre

Pitch saw the potential in my story, used their expertise to polish it, published it and helped inspire thousands around the world to get into triathlon.

Andy Holgate, Can’t Swim, Can’t Ride, Can’t Run

The process of working with Pitch to produce Picking up the Threads was enjoyable and rewarding, with the final edition surpassing expectations and becoming a resounding success.

John Chandler, Picking up the Threads

Pitch will take a chance on books that other publishers won't and realise that interest in football extends beyond the Premier League and the top 20 countries in the FIFA rankings.

Steve Menary, Outcasts!

Pitch have the vision to look beyond the obvious, seeking out interesting ideas and subjects and matching them with the right target audience.

David Tossell, Tony Greig, The Great English Final, Grovel!

Pitch have been an absolute joy to work with, contributing their passion, expertise, knowledge and experience to help produce a brilliant book.

Sam Pilger, Ashes Match of My Life

Pitch took our original concept and further enhanced it, using their knowledge, experience and expertise, and helped make Got, Not Got one of the football books of the year for 2011.

Derek Hammond, Got, Not Got

Pitch bought into the concept of development through football, channeling profits and proceeds from Eleven into helping some of the most disadvantaged young people in the world.

Steve Fleming, Eleven

In the highly competitive world of sport publishing,
Pitch have consistently demonstrated the happy
knack of spotting, nurturing and promoting winners.

Neil Dunkin, Anfield of Dreams

14 Nov

BLACK COUNTRY LEGEND

A legend at West Bromwich Albion and an icon Wolverhampton Wanderers, Alistair Robertson is a rare footballer who can walk tall either side of a bitter Black Country divide. That's why Thou Shalt Not Pass is available with two alternate dustjackets, befitting his heroic status in the West Midlands.

The tough-tackling Scot spent 18 years at Albion, gaining promotion under Johnny Giles and becoming a rock during the club's heyday from the mid-1970s alongside skipper John Wile.

Ultimately Ron Atkinson's entertainers fell short, though not before they had blazed a trail at home and abroad and the likes of Cyrille Regis, Laurie Cunningham and Bryan Robson had thrilled a nation.

Robertson experienced early struggles under Don Howe and other managers earned his ire, including his nemesis Ron Saunders who forced him out of the club in tears. To rub salt into the wounds, he would miss out on a prized Scotland cap. Robertson recovered to lead an ailing Wolves to two divisional titles and a Wembley victory. But beyond the on-pitch aggression and dressing-room camaraderie, Robertson now reveals a calmer, more reflective side to his character.

The highs and lows of Alistair Robertson’s football career, which spanned two decades and the Black Country divide. Read Thou Shalt Not Pass and you will discover:

How Spurs tried to snap up Robertson following Scotland Schools’ win over England – closely followed by Celtic, Rangers, Chelsea and Liverpool
Why he blames himself for the big-game mistakes that cost Albion FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup glory
When Robertson was almost sacked by Albion, expelled from China under a diplomatic cloud
The real reason Willie Johnston got caught up in a World Cup drugs scandal
Why rock legend Eric Clapton became such a firm fixture in Albion's Players' Lounge – and why his gold disc remains a treasured possession in Robertson’s household
How a drunken crash at the height of his fame almost cost him his life, overturning his car and walking home to avoid the police
What happened when a team of ageing Albion All-Stars turned up in Barbados to play a charity game in the mid 80s
How Steve Bull was turned from a raw youngster into a free-scoring battering ram for Wolves and England – via a Tuesday drinking club and car-park five-a-sides

Click here for more information, or to read sample from Thou Shalt Not Pass.