DOUBLE DIAMOND LAUNCH EVENT

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 Aug

DOUBLE DIAMOND LAUNCH EVENT

Hotel Football in Manchester will host the launch of Alex Ireland's eagerly awaited Double Diamond: 100 Years of Umbro on Thursday 29th August, at 7pm.

Double Diamond - Alex's follow up to his first book Pretty Poly - celebrates Umbro's key role in the history of football and the sportswear industry since the company's foundation on 23 May 1924.

The event will include a Q&A with the audience, author Alex Ireland will talk us through the process of writing the book, the characters he met along the way, and the stories he unearthed including how Umbro:

Supplied both 1934 FA Cup finalists just 10 years after the company was founded in a Cheshire pub cupboard.
Created a billion-pound industry with the invention of the replica football kit in 1955.
Became the world’s premier kit supplier by 1966, as the winners of the World Cup, European Cup, and the six major English and Scottish titles all wore Umbro.
Served as adidas’ UK distributor for a quarter-century from 1961, before a souring of the relationship saw Umbro stripped of most of its major team assets.
Revolutionised football merchandising during a period of unprecedented sporting and commercial success as Manchester United’s kit partner from 1992 to 2002.
Had to start again from scratch in 2013, after their sale by previous owners Nike left them without a bank account or even a phone line.

Guests will also hear from key Umbro figures that Alex interviewed for the book, as they share their experiences in football whilst working for the company.

An expert panel will then present a series of original Umbro football items, and identify the innovations and design elements that made them iconic. The event will finish with an Umbro-themed quiz with prizes for the winners.

For more information and to book a ticket please click here.

Double Diamond is the story of Umbro, an ever-present figure in the development of modern football and the multi-billion-pound sportswear industry.

From Sir Geoff Hurst's World Cup Final hat-trick to Sergio Agüero's 2012 injury-time Premier League-winning strike, Umbro has featured in more iconic footballing moments than any other brand.

Football writer, kit collector and university academic Alex Ireland charts the Manchester sportswear firm's 100-year existence, from its 1924 foundation in a Cheshire pub backroom to clothing 85 per cent of British clubs and half the World Cup finals teams by 1966.

You'll discover the central role Umbro has played in the evolution of sportswear, the firm being a leader in the application of new technologies and innovations. From the invention of the replica kit in 1959 to supplying 11 teams in the inaugural 1992/93 Premier League season, Umbro has remained a key player amid the growing commercialisation and globalisation of the beautiful game.