This final episode of this season of Between the Lines is a documentary about one of the most beloved of all sports books, Joe McGinniss's 1999 hall-of-famer, The Miracle of Castel di Sangro. McGinniss - an American who had previously written landmark books on US politics and true crime - read a magazine piece about an Italian team's improbable rise to Serie B and decided to spend a year of his life embedded with them. The resulting book has it all: tragedy, crime, glory and despair, hope and disillusionment. This special episode would not have been possible without the co-operation of Joe's widow, Nancy Doherty. We'd love to know what you think about the podcast, and also your own thoughts and memories of this great book. Search for @BackPagePress on Twitter and Facebook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Making of ... The Miracle of Castel di Sangro

The secrets to the best sportswriting in the world - featuring interviews, masterclasses and classic books&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sports & Recreation

Professional

Amateur

Outdoor

College & High School

Sports

John Greechan's top tip - get as close to the story as possible (featuring Maradona and a trip to Buenos Aires)
BackPage Mailing List Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sports Writing Masterclass: John Greechan on getting close to the story

Welcome to the second episode in the new season of Between the Lines. This is Martin's chat with John Greechan on his excellent new Ange Postecoglou biography.  As always, we discuss process and explore John's research trip to Melbourne earlier this year. Enjoy
Buy the Book
BackPage Mailing List  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Greechan: Revolution - Ange Postecoglou: The Man, The Methods and The Mastery

To celebrate the publication of Andriy Shevchenko's autobiography, My Life, My Football, we break down the story behind the book: why it took three years for the English language edition to reach bookstores, the significance of the war in Ukraine, what matters most to an elite footballer like Shevchenko when he tells his story, and what happens when you get two world-class strikers in the same room. This episode features Martin and Neil from BackPage and the Ballon d'Or of translation, Mark Palmer.
Find out more about Sheva's book, including where to buy it, here. 
Find out more about our cover designer, Kulbir Gharra 
Michael Cox's Athletic piece on Shevchenko, My Game in My Words
Gary Lineker's interview with Shevchenko  
 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andriy Shevchenko and the Making of My Life, My Football

In this episode, Neil and Martin talk to Mark Palmer, the translator of The Immortals, Arrigo Sacchi’s memoir of Milan’s 1988-89 season, which ended with the first of two back-to-back European Cup triumphs for the great team of Baresi, Maldini, Rijkaard, Gullit and Van Basten.  The Immortals brings to life the training diaries of Sacchi and captures in time one of the greatest club teams in football history.  In this interview, we talk about why this – and not an earlier Sacchi autobiography – was the right one for us; Mark’s task in bringing the eccentricities of Arrigo Sacchi to life; and what happened when we went to Sacchi’s hometown to meet the man himself.  Buy The Immortals here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Arrigo Sacchi And The Making Of The Immortals

Author Daniel Gray and photographer Alan McCredie toured Scotland collecting pictures and that form a charming and true portrait of football in that country, from a European night at Ibrox to the Highland League.  This is Martin's conversation with Daniel about how he and Alan found their subjects and what he learned from his travels. 
Find out more about Snapshot and Nutmeg, the Scottish football periodical that Martin and Daniel mention, here. 
And please also check out the new BackPage title on Liverpool's Premier League campaign, At The End Of The Storm Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Making of ... The Miracle of Castel di Sangro

Download our free app to listen on your phone