EUROPEAN FOOTBALL'S GREATEST GROUNDS LONG-LISTED FOR WILLIAM HILL AWARD

Pitch Publishing is a fantastic imprint.
They do all the great Got, Not Got series
and plenty of other 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 aficionado
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, Good Old Sussex by the Sea, Orient to the Emirates, 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 the sport of triathlon.

Andy Holgate, Can’t Swim, Can’t Ride, Can’t Run & Can't Sleep, Can't Train, Can't Stop

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!, Natural

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 series of books

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

25 Sep

EUROPEAN FOOTBALL'S GREATEST GROUNDS LONG-LISTED FOR WILLIAM HILL AWARD

We’re thrilled to announce that Leon Gladwell’s European Football's Greatest Grounds has been long-listed for the 2025 William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award, the world’s oldest and most valuable sports-writing prize.

Now in its 37th year, the award acknowledges and rewards excellence in sports writing. The winner’s prize is £30,000 and the coveted William Hill Sports Book of the Year trophy. The other shortlisted authors will receive £3,000 and a leather-bound copy of their book.

European Football's Greatest Grounds

Football ground historian and photographer Leon Gladwell offers a bucket list of places to watch football in Europe. This first-of-its-kind book introduces the reader to a diverse and often breathtaking range of venues.

Gladwell made 71 journeys across Europe, from Armenia to the Arctic Circle, clocking up more than 130,000 miles by public transport.

This unique project tells both the visual and written stories of the stadiums and the people who made them, painting a vivid picture of European football in the 21st century and the history it has managed to hold on to.

From iconic World Cup stadiums to forgotten communist super bowls, simple football pitches at the edge of civilisation to the downright eccentric, Gladwell takes us on a compelling journey to uncover the diverse character of the homes of European football.

Praise for the Book

"A book to make you travel – and stay travelling." – Paul Hayward, five times SJA Sports Writer of the Year

"A brilliant read and highly recommended." – Jim Proudfoot, talkSPORT

"My book of the year." – Simon Inglis, Author of Football Grounds of England and Wales

Reader Reviews

"This is undoubtedly a masterpiece of European soccer stadia. The amount of work and effort this must have taken is astonishing. Every corner of Europe is covered with the history of each entry explained in great detail... Truly amazing work and a must for anyone interested in European football stadiums."

"AMAZING PHOTO BOOK! If like me you are a football stadium enthusiast then this book is for you. Accompanying the wonderfully well-written articles are some beautiful photographs of the stadiums."

Buy your copy or read a FREE sample