Course leader shortlisted!

Sport Journalism co-course leader Rob Steen has made the shortlist for the 2014 William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award.

Floodlights and Touchlines: A History of Spectator Sport, published by Bloomsbury in June, is the second of Rob’s books to make the William Hill shortlist – he won the silver medal in 1991 for Spring, Summer, Autumn: Three Cricketers, One Season. “Thinking of how long ago that was makes me feel very old indeed,” he said.

“I’m deeply honoured to get this far, but I must confess I don’t fancy my chances of winning, given the quality and significance of the opposition.

“One of the contenders deals with sexual assault in the sporting arena, while another, Gareth Thomas’s autobiography, deals with the hitherto insurmountable problems that go with being a gay man in a professional team sport, rugby union. Both of these books are incredibly important.”

The winner will be announced at a ceremony at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) on Thursday 27 November.