Joy for Clavane as Promised Land is voted Best Football Book among 2011 British Sports Book Awards winners

Anthony Clavane’s Promised Land, his brilliant personal history of Leeds United, has triumphed in the Best Football Book category at the 2011 British Sports Book Awards at the Savoy Hotel in London this evening.
The award is overdue recognition for Sunday Mirror sports writer Clavane, whose book, published by Yellow Jersey Press, relates the history of the team to the evolution of the Jewish community in Leeds and the physical, social and cultural development of the city. (See the shortlist for Best Football Book; read The Sports Bookshelf's interview with Anthony Clavane).
The other winners of the major categories included more success for Harry Pearson, whose Slipless in Settle (Little, Brown) impressed the judges most in the Best Cricket Book category. (See the shortlist for Best Cricket Book; read more about Slipless in Settle).
Pearson’s hilarious take on the northern club cricket scene has already been voted MCC/Cricket Society book of the year.
Trautmann's Journey (Yellow Jersey), the fascinating story of Wembley hero goalkeeper Bert Trautmann's Nazi past, by Catrine Clay, was voted Best Biography. (See the shortlist for Best Biography; read more about Trautmann's Journey).
Rugby star Brian Moore also became a double award winner when his Beware of the Dog (Simon & Schuster), the William Hill Sports Book of the Year, won the award for Best Autobiography. (See the shortlist for Best Autobiography; read more about Beware of the Dog).
The Grudge (Yellow Jersey), Tom English’s splendid story of the politically-charged 1990 Calcutta Cup match, won the prize for Best Rugby Book. (See the shortlist for Best Rugby Book; read more about The Grudge).
The Story of Your Life (Matador), an entertaining history of the Sporting Life newspaper by James Lambie, beat off strong competition in the new Best Racing Book category.(See the shortlist for Best Racing Book).
And Matthew Syed won the prize for Best New Writer for his Bounce (Fourth Estate), a compelling examination of whether winners in sport are born or made.(See the shortlist for Best New Writer; read more about Bounce).
The Best Illustrated Title went to ‘61 The Spurs Double, published by Vision Sports.
It was an excellent night for Yellow Jersey Press, publishers of Promised Land, The Grudge and Trautmann's Journey.
Best Publicity Campaign went to Mari Yamakazi for It's All About the Bike (Particular Books), by Robert Penn, which is just out in paperback, while WH Smith was voted Best Retailer.

For more information or to buy any of the winning books, follow the links here:

Promised Land: The Reinvention of Leeds United
Slipless in Settle: A Slow Turn Around Northern Cricket
Trautmann's Journey: From Hitler Youth to FA Cup Legend
Beware of the Dog: Rugby's Hard Man Reveals All
The Grudge: Scotland vs. England, 1990
The Story of Your Life: A History of the Sporting Life newspaper
Bounce: The Myth of Talent and the Power of Practice
61: The Spurs Double
It's All About the Bike: The Pursuit of Happiness On Two Wheels

Catrine Clay, pictured with Gabby Logan, won Best
Biography for her study of Bert Trautmann

Anthony Clavane receives his award from Queen's
Park Rangers manager Neil Warnock

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