Richard Fletcher - Editor

I sub-edited news, features and sports pages for all north Essex newspaper titles, daily and weekly, covering Colchester, Clacton, Maldon, Braintree, Halstead and Harwich. Subject areas included crime, health, education and local government.

Reported on all aspects of professional boxing, writing ringside reports, previews and features. Interviewed many of the sport’s biggest personalities, including fighters, managers, promoters and referees.

Jahangir Khan 555: The Untold Story Behind Squash's Invincible Champion and Sport's Greatest Unbeaten Run

Rod Gilmour, Alan Thatcher

From 1981 to 1986, Pakistani squash great Jahangir Khan went undefeated to herald the longest unbeaten run in world sport until his streak came to an end at the 1986 World Championships. In the 30th anniversary year to mark his unmatched run, Jahangir Khan 555: The Untold Story Behind Squash's Invincible Champion and Sport's Greatest Unbeaten Run dissects his early upbringing, how the then 17-... read more

From 1981 to 1986, Pakistani squash great Jahangir Khan went undefeated to herald the longest unbeaten run in world sport until his streak came to an end at the 1986 World Championships. In the 30th anniversary year to mark his unmatched run, Jahangir Khan 555: The Untold Story Behind Squash's Invincible Champion and Sport's Greatest Unbeaten Run dissects his early upbringing, how the then 17-... read more

The Mad and the Bad: Boxing Tales of Murder, Madness and Mayhem

Thomas Myler

Boxing has always had its wacky warriors and masters of menace. Eight-times married conman Kid McCoy took his own life. The fearless Stanley Ketchel was shot dead by a jealous farm worker. The enigmatic Battling Siki used to parade a lioness down the boulevards of Paris, while the unpredictable Chris Eubank enraged the establishment with his eccentric lifestyle. Mean and moody Sonny Liston die... read more

Boxing has always had its wacky warriors and masters of menace. Eight-times married conman Kid McCoy took his own life. The fearless Stanley Ketchel was shot dead by a jealous farm worker. The enigmatic Battling Siki used to parade a lioness down the boulevards of Paris, while the unpredictable Chris Eubank enraged the establishment with his eccentric lifestyle. Mean and moody Sonny Liston die... read more

Budge Rogers: A Rugby Life

Phil Stevens

Budge Rogers: A Rugby Life is the long overdue biography of one of rugby's most iconic players, Derek Prior Budge Rogers. The story of the wing forward who lit up rugby grounds around the world in the 1960s and 1970s with dazzling and determined wing play, Rogers is a true rugby great. He captained Bedford RFC for five seasons, including the year they won the National Cup in his last game for ... read more

Budge Rogers: A Rugby Life is the long overdue biography of one of rugby's most iconic players, Derek Prior Budge Rogers. The story of the wing forward who lit up rugby grounds around the world in the 1960s and 1970s with dazzling and determined wing play, Rogers is a true rugby great. He captained Bedford RFC for five seasons, including the year they won the National Cup in his last game for ... read more

Rocky Marciano: The Brockton Blockbuster

John Jarrett

Say hello to the world's only undefeated heavyweight champion, a guy called Rocky Marciano, who defied physical limitations - 'He's too small, too short, too light, too old.' With just a 67-inch reach, two left feet and under six feet tall, tough, hard-hitting Marciano blasted his way to 49 wins, 43 inside the distance. He was impervious to pain: you could knock him down but you couldn't knock... read more

Say hello to the world's only undefeated heavyweight champion, a guy called Rocky Marciano, who defied physical limitations - 'He's too small, too short, too light, too old.' With just a 67-inch reach, two left feet and under six feet tall, tough, hard-hitting Marciano blasted his way to 49 wins, 43 inside the distance. He was impervious to pain: you could knock him down but you couldn't knock... read more

Transplant Triathlete: The Story of How One Man Went from Illness to Ironman

Diccon Driver

An ironman triathlon is seen as the hardest one-day endurance event in the world. Consisting of a 3.8km swim, a 180km bike ride, followed by a full marathon, it is a huge undertaking for anyone, never mind a rookie with chronic kidney disease. Transplant Triathlete is Diccon Driver's story: an amateur triathlete who refused to let kidney failure stop him from racing. Even after doctors told hi... read more

An ironman triathlon is seen as the hardest one-day endurance event in the world. Consisting of a 3.8km swim, a 180km bike ride, followed by a full marathon, it is a huge undertaking for anyone, never mind a rookie with chronic kidney disease. Transplant Triathlete is Diccon Driver's story: an amateur triathlete who refused to let kidney failure stop him from racing. Even after doctors told hi... read more

Million Dollar Crolla: Good Guys Can Win

Anthony Crolla, Dominic McGuinness

Million Dollar Crolla tells the rollercoaster story of 'the nicest man in boxing' and his remarkable path from prospect to has-been, from victim to world champion. Written off by many, an office job beckoned for Anthony Crolla before a devastating but defining fight put him back on track. After overcoming the demons of badly injuring a rival, Anthony's boxing dream was again shattered after a ... read more

Million Dollar Crolla tells the rollercoaster story of 'the nicest man in boxing' and his remarkable path from prospect to has-been, from victim to world champion. Written off by many, an office job beckoned for Anthony Crolla before a devastating but defining fight put him back on track. After overcoming the demons of badly injuring a rival, Anthony's boxing dream was again shattered after a ... read more

Turf Wars: A History of London Football

Steve Tongue

Few cities in the world have as many professional football clubs as London and none have the history explored in this book by journalist and broadcaster Steve Tongue. It was in the English capital that the Football Association - the first of its kind anywhere - was founded in 1863 and that the FA Cup, the world's most famous domestic cup competition, was born. After the North and Midlands domi... read more

Few cities in the world have as many professional football clubs as London and none have the history explored in this book by journalist and broadcaster Steve Tongue. It was in the English capital that the Football Association - the first of its kind anywhere - was founded in 1863 and that the FA Cup, the world's most famous domestic cup competition, was born. After the North and Midlands domi... read more

Into the Woods: The Story of a British Boxing Cult Hero

Clinton Woods, Mark Truly

Into the Woods provides a sharp insight into the true motivations of fighting men. Rather than dealing in clich, hype or the myth of the 'noble art', former world light heavyweight champion, Clinton Woods, lays bare the culture that surrounds his sport. From meagre beginnings in a large family, on Sheffield estates decimated by Margaret Thatcher's attacks on the steel industry, to booze, drugs... read more

Into the Woods provides a sharp insight into the true motivations of fighting men. Rather than dealing in clich, hype or the myth of the 'noble art', former world light heavyweight champion, Clinton Woods, lays bare the culture that surrounds his sport. From meagre beginnings in a large family, on Sheffield estates decimated by Margaret Thatcher's attacks on the steel industry, to booze, drugs... read more

Born to Box: The Extraordinary Story of Nipper Pat Daly

Alex Daley

Nipper Pat Daly was boxing's most amazing prodigy. Extraordinary but tragic, his was a career like no other in sports history. Born in Wales in 1913, he became a professional boxer at age ten after moving to London. With his exceptional talent, by age 14 he was beating grown men in gruelling 15-round fights. At 15 he was thrashing national champions and at 16 was ranked by America's The Ring m... read more

Nipper Pat Daly was boxing's most amazing prodigy. Extraordinary but tragic, his was a career like no other in sports history. Born in Wales in 1913, he became a professional boxer at age ten after moving to London. With his exceptional talent, by age 14 he was beating grown men in gruelling 15-round fights. At 15 he was thrashing national champions and at 16 was ranked by America's The Ring m... read more

Sweet Fighting Man: Ring of Truth

Melanie Lloyd

Sweet Fighting Man is based on a collection of interviews with British boxers, from journeymen to champions. The book covers a timespan of over 50 years and features some classic personalities, such as Dave 'Boy' Green, the ever-popular British and European champion who fought for world titles against Carlos Palomino and Sugar Ray Leonard; Bunny Johnson, the first black British Heavyweight Cha... read more

Sweet Fighting Man is based on a collection of interviews with British boxers, from journeymen to champions. The book covers a timespan of over 50 years and features some classic personalities, such as Dave 'Boy' Green, the ever-popular British and European champion who fought for world titles against Carlos Palomino and Sugar Ray Leonard; Bunny Johnson, the first black British Heavyweight Cha... read more

They Say Our Days are Numbered: Liverpool's Season of Change

Ian Salmon

In 1985, a much younger Ian Salmon wanted to become a Liverpool FC season-ticket holder, and a regular at Anfield - but life had other plans in store. Finally, in 2015 he inherited his late father's season ticket and took ownership of his seat, one which had been in his family for decades, arriving just in time for a season of change. A season which would see the redevelopment of the main stan... read more

In 1985, a much younger Ian Salmon wanted to become a Liverpool FC season-ticket holder, and a regular at Anfield - but life had other plans in store. Finally, in 2015 he inherited his late father's season ticket and took ownership of his seat, one which had been in his family for decades, arriving just in time for a season of change. A season which would see the redevelopment of the main stan... read more

Simply the Best: A Biography of Ronnie O'Sullivan

Clive Everton

Ronnie O'Sullivan's status as one of snooker's all-time greats was cemented in 2017 by adding to his five world titles, a seventh Masters and sixth UK, thus equalling Stephen Hendry's 18 'triple crown' triumphs. Now is the perfect time for his story to be told by Clive Everton - 'The Voice of Snooker'. Simply the Best traces Ronnie's course from carefree junior prodigy to deeply troubled and d... read more

Ronnie O'Sullivan's status as one of snooker's all-time greats was cemented in 2017 by adding to his five world titles, a seventh Masters and sixth UK, thus equalling Stephen Hendry's 18 'triple crown' triumphs. Now is the perfect time for his story to be told by Clive Everton - 'The Voice of Snooker'. Simply the Best traces Ronnie's course from carefree junior prodigy to deeply troubled and d... read more