Description

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True Professional tells the story of Clive Sullivan, who emerged from one of Cardiff’s toughest neighborhoods to become an icon of rugby league. Overcoming a major childhood injury and a car crash early in his career, he was a ruthless and thrilling presence on the wings of both Hull FC and Hull KR teams for more than 20 years, scoring more than 300 tries.The first-ever black Briton to captain a British sports team, Sullivan did so with great success, even lifting a World Cup and being awarded an MBE. He was loved by rugby league fans and revered following his untimely and tragic death. Yet the wider sporting public overlooked his achievements at the time and his name is rarely mentioned when discussing Britain’s sporting greats. The book is a snapshot of the working class Northern towns that have long been the heartland of rugby league, and the communities that gave them their unique character. It is also a look at how Clive’s career developed against the backdrop of a declining fishing industry, the lifeblood of the city of Hull. 

About the Author

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James Oddy is the author of In It Together. Since graduating from the University of Bradford, he has written for Rugby League World, League Express, Forty-20, the Yorkshire Evening Post, Boxing Monthly, MMA Weekly, and the New Statesman.

Praise For…

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“Rugby league fans should enjoy James Oddy’s True Professional, an overdue biography of Clive Sullivan, the first black captain of a Great Britain national team and an idol for both sides in Hull.” —Guardian: The best books on sport of 2017