Escape from Berlin

Escape from Berlin: England’s Bert Sproston and the Football Refugee is an inspiring footballing tale of redemption.

From British Sports Book Awards-nominated author John Leonard, a former sports journalist and TV programme editor.

Leeds United full-back Bert Sproston is controversially forced to make the Nazi salute along with the other England players in Berlin in 1938. But as he leaves the Olympiastadion he befriends a refugee who wants 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.

© 2026 Pitch Publishing (Ebook): 9781836803485

Release date

Ebook: 11 May 2026