Kieran Smith

Red Dawn: The Ballad of Tom Watson and Liverpool FC's First Champions is the remarkable tale of how Tom Watson, a man from the North East of England, provided the spark that led to the Anfield club's first two top-flight titles in 1901 and 1906.Watson was a visionary whose training methods, advice to players on diet and somewhat controversial recruitment strategy would no doubt raise eyebrows in the modern era. However, he would provide the blueprint for success that saw him become Liverpool's longest-serving manager.Watson's men were the superstars of their day, and included heroic captain Alex Raisbeck and lethal marksman Sam Raybould, not to mention the incomparable Matt McQueen, a future title-winning manager in his own right.Red Dawn is Jeff Goulding and Kieran Smith's second collaboration, and like their previous title, The Untouchables: Anfield's Band of Brothers, the book sheds new light on a previously unheralded period in the club's history.

The Untouchables: Anfield's Band of Brothers chronicles the rise and fall of one of the greatest Liverpool teams ever. In 1918 an enlisted man, Tom Bromilow, stepped off the streets of Liverpool and straight into the team. Still in uniform, he was one of tens of thousands of Liverpudlians who fought in World War One. His signing completed a jigsaw that eventually revealed an image of footballing perfection, a team so great they were called 'The Untouchables'. The book brings to life a host of incredible characters, uncovers friendships and rivalries and reveals amazing backstories. Meet men like Bootle-born Walter Wadsworth, tough-talking Irishman Elisha Scott, champion boxer Jock McNab and many other fascinating figures. The Untouchables reveals previously unknown detail and sheds new light on old controversies, including the real reason behind the departure of the club's manager, Dave Ashworth. Meticulously researched and lovingly told, the book breathes new life into a fascinating and long-forgotten story.