Gareth Southgate

Once labelled as the boy from Crawley who would never make it, Gareth Southgate's dream of a career in football was by no means inevitable. But his tactical intelligence and quiet authority earned him the respect of fans and players alike, leading him into management after a successful career on the pitch. This is the incredible story of how - almost by accident - Gareth became the most successful England manager since 1966. This biography is one of the titles in Ransom's Tales from the Pitch series. These books offer a fresh take on the familiar football biography format. Each of these fast-moving reads focuses on one football superstar: some players who are still to reach the summit of their career, and others who are already at the top of their game. These are exhilarating reads about players from all walks of life. Many have faced failure, injury and rejection, to ultimately make their dreams come true and have inspirational stories. So meet the footballers behind the iconic tackles and goals, and find out what makes each of these players so special.