Leeds United on trial - David O'Leary

Leeds United on Trial is the explosive inside account of the season that transformed a youthful, inexperienced side into one of the most feared in Europe, in the process confirming their young manager as the brightest prospect of his generation. It was a season of high drama both on and off the field: the trial and retrial of Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate dominated both headlines and players' thoughts alike; the 18 million signing of Rio Ferdinand broke the British transfer record; an incredible run of injuries to key players such as David Batty and Harry Kewell saw Leeds drop twenty points at home by Christmas and slump to fourteenth place in the table.

But in Europe, O'Leary's young team had grown from boys to men. Leeds came through a group boasting Barcelona and AC Milan, and then one featuring Real Madrid and Lazio. And once O'Leary's side was restored to full strength, the team powered through to a battle with Valencia for a place in the Champion's League final. David O'Leary's gripping and controversial memoir is the football book of the year.