51 SHIRTS WINS SUNDAY TIMES SPORTS BOOK 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

27 May

51 SHIRTS WINS SUNDAY TIMES SPORTS BOOK AWARD

We’re thrilled to announce that Heart of Midlothian, 51 Shirts: Moments in Time has been named Illustrated Book of the Year at the prestigious Sunday Times Sports Book Awards 2023.

Our congratulations go to author and match-worn shirts enthusiast Grant Young, who conceived the idea for the book after spending the best part of 20 years tracking down more than 260 match-worn Hearts shirts.

As well as Grant’s fabulous book taking home an award, ten of our other titles were also shortlisted for awards.

About the Book

Heart of Midlothian are a football club steeped in history, famous for their iconic maroon and white colours. Author Grant Young takes us on a journey from the late 1950s to the Championship-winning season of 2020/21, experienced through 51 match shirts, each brought to life with a compelling story and stunning photographs.

Grant doggedly tracked down the shirts on two-decade quest to bring them together for the first time in print. Immerse yourself in extraordinary kits revered by fans throughout the decades: eye-catching kits of the 70s and 80s, flamboyant kits from the 90s, then on to the 2000s and kits associated with successful seasons and an owner who would take the club to the brink.

Discover shirts from the 1959 League Cup Final, the Scottish Cup wins of 1998 and 2006, plus the incredible 2012 duel against city rivals Hibernian, along with obscure and extremely rare shirts. Finally, we move to the current-day shirts accompanied by the highs and lows of relegation, promotion, demotion and becoming a fan-owned club.

Buy your copy or see a FREE sample

Reader Reviews

‘51 Shirts is a beautifully photographed book of the most memorable Heart of Midlothian shirts together with thoughtful stories behind each match-worn shirt. A must-have for any Hearts fan and shirt collector. Thank you, Grant Young.’

‘I waited on this book coming out and was not disappointed at all. So many fantastic pictures bringing the stories alive. I would say it suits a broad age range because I also bought one for my son (19), who has been engrossed in it, and I just know my dad would love it if he was still with us. If you are ever stuck for an idea for a present for a Hearts supporter, get this!’

‘This book is an amazing encyclopedia of Hearts shirts worn by the players over many years with great facts, figures and historical information for all. The book is printed on high-gloss, good-quality paper and all the Hearts best players are included in various action photos’

‘Really impressive book, fantastic photos and narrative, would highly recommend.’