Bøger udgivet af Empire Publications Ltd

THE BUSBY BABES remain unique in British football. Emerging in a post-war 1950s era of austerity and rationing, they gave a glimpse of the youthful enthusiasm and talent that would emerge a decade later in music and art, while their untimley deaths, at the end of a snowy runway in Munich, inspired a devotion to Manchester United Football Club at odds with staid 1950s behaviour. In this, his fi nal update on his classic work, John Roberts revisits the original interviews he undertook with the relatives of the deceased and the survivors. What emerges is an unsentimental work that remains the greatest account of the tragedy.

Audrey Evans grew up in Oldham, She is a retired lecturer and has a Ph.D. These are stories of her childhood, from before and after the Second World War. Some have been previously published in The Oldham Chronicle in the 1970's.

From growing up in a warzone to befriending the greatest football manager in the history of the game, John White''s story is remarkable. Growing up in Northern Ireland in the 1970s was tough but the prospects for John, a Catholic raised in the Short Strand area of Belfast, were even more restricted. Hemmed in on all sides by Protestants and patrolled on a daily basis by British army forces, John and his neighbours soon learned to make light of the searches, patrols and threats of attack by neighbouring communities, even accepting regular interruptions to games of street football as a daily occurrence. Shining through the darkness was the one thing that united this intensely divided community. It all began with George Best, the pride of the province and hero to every schoolboy in his native Belfast. The greatest player in the world regularly turned out for the national team in the most infamous city in the world at the height of The Troubles and these were the first big football matches John watched as a child. From there it was logical to follow Manchester United''s fortunes and a lifelong romance was born as he joined the fortnightly exodus of Irishmen from both sides of the community to Old Trafford. Later, John founded a cross-community Supporters Club with the express aim of uniting Catholics and Protestants and their shared passion for United. It was in this role that he began hosting charity dinners in Belfast and befriending many United legends, foremost among them the Boss, Sir Alex Ferguson. It''s fair to say that John''s relationship with ''Fergie'' was at odds with his fi rebrand media persona. Ever willing to help Irish charities, Sir Alex was a regular at John''s events and eventually placed his trust in the Carryduff MUSC to help promote his own charity, The Elizabeth Hardie Ferguson Charitable Trust Fund, named after his late mother. Sir Alex became a regular visitor to John''s home in Carryduff and even visited John''s father''s regular haunt, the local bookmakers shop in the Short Strand. Following the 1997 Good Friday Agreement, much of the daily antagonism of the 1970s has disappeared from Belfast life but not all. As John reflects on his life in the city, he takes a realist''s view of the current situation in the Province.

While Mikey Milne is locked up, his shoplifter mother Rachel is forced to fend for herself. Her life is soon in danger when menacing local gangster Davo finds out that Mikey ripped him off for £10,000 and gives her 48 hours to pay up. Mikey's girlfriend Sarah is from a nicer part of town; as green as grass, she does not seem to realise the extent of her boyfriend's involvement with local gangsters or that her well-connected family have threatened to have him bumped off if he ever goes near her again. She's smitten with him and hopes he can change... In Karen Woods 15th novel, prison walls can't keep the outside world at bay forever as dark family secrets come back to haunt fearless Mikey Milne.

Brian Clough was a very successful football manager. By turning two medium size clubs in the east Midlands into football powerhouses he deserves his place in football history. Yet he was so much more than that... Clough''s character and interaction with the people of the area, many of whom were not football fans, is almost unique. Whether it was helping old ladies with their shopping or giving them a lift home in his car or allowing young fans in to see their idols, Cloughie always seemed to have time for those around him without the condescension of it being a PR stunt or a way to win affection from the local populace. Many of the stories in "The Fans Behind The Legend" speak of Brian''s generosity and humility. His TV persona as an opinionated loudmouth may have antagonised some, indeed in the opinion of many it cost him the England job, but his down to earth interactions with often awestruck fans is commonplace. In this heart-warming appreciation of Brian Clough, he comes across as a man of the people, someone who is still very much missed and revered particularly in Derby and Nottingham and a man who continues to influence many of those who came into contact with him decades ago. Steve Brookes is a life-long Aston Villa fan but has always been aware of the high esteem with which Brian Clough has been held. In writing the book he says: "this book has been a fascinating project, speaking to so many Derby County and Nottingham Forest fans and a lot of neutral football supporters and even people with no interest in sport who shared the same admiration and respect for Brian Clough.

Caroline Burch experienced every parent''s worst nightmare when her son Elliot was diagnosed with cancer aged just six months old. To document her experiences she kept a diary detailing the ups and downs of her son''s treatment and the emotional anguish of their situation from diagnosis to remission. Almost ten years later, and with Elliot happily recovered from the condition that threatened his life, Caroline looks back at the traumatic months when there appeared to be no end in sight to the misery. Caroline''s story is proof positive that there is life after cancer and a tribute to the tireless work of the individuals who help parents and their children emerge from their nightmare. A donation will be made to Macmillan Cancer Support for every copy sold.

THERE HAS NEVER BEEN AN ARTIST quite like Chris Sievey or his ''fantastic'' comedic alter ego, Frank Sidebottom. Whether pushing for chart action while fronting his former band The Freshies or allowing the bombastic Sidebottom to wreak anarchy and chaos on television, radio or with the Oh Blimey Big Band, Sievey''s mischievous muse seemed to obey no boundaries. Yet it was only after Chris''s untimely demise in 2010 that the extent of his infl uence became fully apparent. The emergence of Jon Ronson''s fi lm, ''Frank'', Steve Sullivan''s exhaustive documentary ''Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story'' and the bizarre erection of the Frank Sidebottom statue in his native Timperley last October - before 2,000 devotees - all combined to make this the most extraordinary stories of recent decades. In this unorthodox biography, legendary journalist Mick Middles draws on his thirty year friendship with Sievey to gain further insight this most charismatic of artists. Family members, fellow musicians, fans and acquaintances help trace Chris''s career from Timperley to Hollywood.