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

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Shattered Dreams, Sliding Doors

Shattered Dreams, Sliding Doors

Subtitle:: The Republic of Ireland's 1982 World Cup Qualifying Campaign
By:: Paul Little
Price:: £18.99
Out:: 9th June 2025
ISBN:: 9781836801832
Format:: Hardback
Size:: 222 x 144
Pages:: 224

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Description

Shattered Dreams, Sliding Doors chronicles Ireland's infamous 1982 World Cup qualification campaign, while painting a vivid picture of 1980s Ireland. The book also ponders how a golden generation of Irish players might have fared had they qualified for Espana '82 and the potential impact on manager Eoin Hand's career and on the broader Irish game.

Click here to listen to Paul Little on The Boys We've Seen podcast

About the author

Paul Little is an Irish freelance football writer turned author who has worked in sports broadcasting and written for a number of publications, including Football 365 and, more recently, the Irish Daily Star, where he spent several seasons covering European football. Building on his widely acclaimed 2022 debut In the Shadow of Benbulben: Dixie Dean at Sligo Rovers, Paul is determined to relay more folklore and stories from the beautiful game's long history in Ireland.

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