A LOVE LETTER TO FOOTBALL

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

11 Oct

A LOVE LETTER TO FOOTBALL

"Profoundly moving, brilliantly written and beautifully observed, this is a Fever Pitch for our times, a wonderful antidote to the ills of modern football and a reminder of the power for good the game still wields." – Oliver Holt, Chief Sports Writer, The Mail on Sunday

Football may not really be a matter of life and death, but A Love Letter to Football is the story of how the beautiful game can provide joy even in the most difficult of times.

In 2016, Mark Davies was diagnosed with a rare and incurable blood cancer. A lifelong supporter of Middlesbrough Football Club, his devotion to the club and passion for a game so cherished by billions of people has been essential in helping him navigate the uncertainty of diagnosis and treatment. It’s been a fundamental part of his life in other ways too, from dealing with depression to fatherhood, not to mention some of the trials and tribulations of life’s broader challenges.

This honest, funny and entertaining account of a life-changing experience, love for a football club and the way the game has been a bedrock throughout his life underlines that football may not be more important than life and death, but the joy and ecstasy it can bring – even for a Middlesbrough fan – really can help when times are hard.

More than a book about football, A Love Letter to Football is an antidote to the excesses of the game. It provides hope and inspiration to anyone facing the uncertainty and fear of cancer and seeks to raise awareness about the blood cancer Myeloma. It describes:

The fear and uncertainty that come with the diagnosis of a rare and incurable cancer: and how love for a football club made an incalculable difference
How football helped during gruelling chemotherapy, a stem-cell transplant, recovery and remission, and why it can matter so much in so many different ways
The rollercoaster recent history of Middlesbrough Football Club through the experiences of a devoted fan as he struggled with depression, cancer and more
The extraordinary transformation of the club – from the depths of despair and the threat of extinction, to a major European final – through important games and goals
The football community at its best and how it provided support and solidarity, from the Championship club chairman to the heroes at the grassroots of the game

The book features contributions from Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson, ex-manager Neil Warnock and Juninho, the Brazilian who remains a legend on Teesside.

Mark Davies is a writer, journalist and communications professional. He has worked for the BBC, CNN, Liverpool Echo, Liverpool Daily Post and Teesside Evening Gazette. He has written for The Guardian, Daily Telegraph and The Mirror as well as Middlesbrough fan sites.