SBOTY
WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024: OCTOBER NEWSLETTER
The William Hill Sports Book of the Year is back for its 35th year!
Since 1989, we’ve seen the likes of Duncan Hamilton, Michael Holding and Jeremy Wilson walk away with the top prize, while last year saw Lauren Fleshman win with her book ‘Good for a Girl’.
The search for 2024’s winner is nearly over. This month’s newsletter has details of the 2024 longlist, our judging panel and details of titles to read ahead of some of this month’s big sporting events.
WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK CLUB
Every month the book club discusses a contender for the big prize on Talksport. This month sees the panel chat about ‘More Than A Game’ by David Horspool. The author will join Adrian Durham and our very own Neil Foggin to talk about the book, which explores the story of how the British shaped sport and how sport shaped the British.
LONGLIST 2024
Since our last newsletter, our reading panel has whittled down the entrants and put together this year’s longlist. Here are the 17 books in contention:
- THE RACE TO BE MYSELF – CASTER SEMENYA
- EXTRA TIME BECKONS, PENALTIES LOOM – ADAM HURREY
- THESE HEAVY BLACK BONES – REBECCA ACHIENG AJULU-BUSHELL
- WHEN I PASSED THE STATUE OF LIBERTY I BECAME BLACK – HARRY EDWARD
- HEADSHOT – RITA BULLWINKEL
- MY BEAUTIFUL SISTERS – KHALIDA POPAL
- MORE THAN A GAME – DAVID HORSPOOL
- LIV AND LET DIE – ALAN SHIPNUCK
- IT’S NOT BANTER, IT’S RACISM – AZEEM RAFIQ
- RICHIE BENAUD’S BLUE SUEDE SHOES – DAVID KYNASTON and HARRY RICKETTS
- WARMING UP – MADELEINE ORR
- UNIQUE – KELLY HOLMES
- MUNICHS – DAVID PEACE
- ANGEL OF THE MOUNTAINS – PAUL MAUNDER
- THE RACKET – CONOR NILAND
- SEARCHING FOR NOVAK – MARK HODGKINSON
- A CULTURE OF KITS – JOHN BLAIR
THE JUDGES
It now falls on our judging panel to decide the final shortlist and winner. This year we’re delighted to welcome one of the UK’s most-recognisable broadcasters to our panel – Gabby Logan.
Alyson Rudd (Chair): Alyson is an acclaimed award-winning sports journalist at The Times with a deep passion for the written word, a qualified football coach and referee, and the author of two sports books and two novels.
Michelle Walder: Michelle has a wealth of experience in the sporting industry having set-up her own business specialising in leadership and coaching in 2004. She is also a non-executive board member at Brighton and Hove Albion, and chair of their women’s team.
Mark Lawson: An accomplished broadcaster, writer and journalist. Mark is a critic and feature writer for The Guardian and theatre critic of The Tablet. He was the first presenter of Radio 4’s Front Row and has written six books.
Clarke Carlisle: Former professional footballer-turned-broadcaster with a football career spanning two decades and all four top-flight divisions. Clarke brings a unique perspective as an athlete, commentator and pundit.
Dame Heather Rabbatts: Renowned for her groundbreaking accomplishments in sports administration and broadcasting, Dame Heather has a profound understanding of the sports landscape. She was also the first woman to hold the position of Director of the Football Association.
Gabby Logan: A former international gymnast, Gabby now fronts coverage of some of sports biggest events, including the Olympic Games, Six Nations and FIFA World Cup, for the BBC. She’s also hosts Amazon Prime Video’s sports coverage, presents a chart-topping podcast and is a regular columnist for The Times.
WHAT TO READ THIS MONTH
Another busy month of sport sees the women’s World T20, the Super League Grand Final, cycling’s World Track Championships and the America’s Cup.
Here are some books to whet your appetite:
Women’s World T20
- Game On: The Unstoppable Rise of Women’s Sport
Sue Antiss investigates why women have been excluded from the world of sport for centuries – and why we are now witnessing positive change as never before.
Super League Grand Final
- Too Many Reasons to Live (2021 shortlist)
The inspirational memoir of one of rugby league’s true greats, this book documents Rob Burrow’s battle with motor neurone disease and the incredible courage and resilience he showed to keep fighting to the very end.
World Track Championships
- God is Dead: The Rise and Fall of Frank Vandenbroucke, Cycling’s Wasted Talent (2022 shortlist)
Andy McGrath tells the remarkable untold story of the mercurial cycling prodigy Frank Vandenbroucke. - Between the Lines – The Autobography of Victoria Pendleton
Robert Dineen documents the considerable lows, as well as the highs of Victoria Pendleton’s career and reveals what it took to turn her life around and achieve glory at London 2012.
America’s Cup
- Left for Dead: The Untold Story of the tragic 1979 Fastnet Race
The tragic and inspirational story of Nick Ward’s survival against all the odds. It is the story of an ordinary man who survived an extraordinary event. - There is no Second: The definitive account of the first race in 1851 for what would become ‘America’s Cup’ – (2024 Entry)
Magnus Wheatley’s detailed account of how ‘America’s Cup’ came into being and essential reading for all ‘students of the Cup’ seeking to understand its genesis as the pinnacle of international yacht racing.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
With the longlist now confirmed, it’s not long until we crown the 2024 winner. Here are the key dates:
- Shortlist announcement: Thursday, 31st October
- Sports Book of the Year Awards: Tuesday, 19th November
JUDGE A BOOK BY IT’S COVER
With the longlist now confirmed, we’re delighted to launch the second Judge A Book By Its Cover. This competition, voted for by the public via our social media channels, rewards the cover artists of this year’s top entrants. The winner will get £500.
Look out for the launch of this year’s vote @BookiePrize.
