{"product_id":"escape-from-berlin-englands-bert-sproston-and-the-football-refugee","title":"Escape from Berlin – England's Bert Sproston and the Football Refugee","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis biography of the late Bert Sproston is an inspiring footballing tale of redemption.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis compelling book:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExamines how and why the pair met at Berlin's Olympiastadion after England's Nazi salute and their contrasting war stories\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExplores Sproston's struggles to establish himself in non-league football before moving to Leeds, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShows how Sproston put aside his own personal loss from the Munich air disaster to inspire Bolton Wanderers in the 1958 FA Cup Final\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHas 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\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA must-read for football fans everywhere and lovers of moving real-life sport stories, \u003cem\u003eEscape from Berlin\u003c\/em\u003e reveals how one determined and defiant footballer fought intolerance with the spirit of tolerance. This is no ordinary football tale. Published in 2026.\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSize: 160mm x 240mm – 238 pages.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Soccer Books Limited","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57383597441406,"sku":"9781836802792","price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0726\/0546\/6903\/files\/EscapeFromBerlin.jpg?v=1778256320","url":"https:\/\/soccer-books.co.uk\/products\/escape-from-berlin-englands-bert-sproston-and-the-football-refugee","provider":"Soccer Books Limited","version":"1.0","type":"link"}