Escape from Berlin – England's Bert Sproston and the Football Refugee

This biography of the late Bert Sproston is an inspiring footballing tale of redemption.

In 1938, the Leeds United full-back was controversially forced to make the Nazi salute in Berlin, along with his England teammates. But, as he left the Olympiastadion, Sproston befriended Rolf Friedland, a 17-year-old Jew, who wanted to escape the Nazis.

This compelling book:

• Examines how and why the pair met at Berlin's Olympiastadion after England's Nazi salute and their contrasting war stories
  
• Explores Sproston's struggles to establish himself in non-league football before moving to Leeds, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City
  
• Shows how Sproston put aside his own personal loss from the Munich air disaster to inspire Bolton Wanderers in the 1958 FA Cup Final
  
• Has been written in co-operation with the families of Bert and Ralph/Rolf Freeman, who gave the author exclusive access to family documents and photos to produce this account

A must-read for football fans everywhere and lovers of moving real-life sport stories, Escape from Berlin reveals how one determined and defiant footballer fought intolerance with the spirit of tolerance. This is no ordinary football tale. Published in 2026.

Size: 160mm x 240mm – 238 pages.