John Ludden is an acclaimed author from Manchester. He has written over twenty books and his work has been translated into several different languages. His cult classic 'Maradona: Once Upon a Time in Naples' is currently the basis for a forthcoming documentary film by Oscar winning director Asif Kapadia due for general cinematic release in 2018. A Manchester United fan, John's work has chronicled the history of his club with the highly acclaimed 'A Tale of Two Cities' and 'From the Stars'. John has also written a series of well-received novels and factual works, these include the intriguing Quality gangster series mixing fact with fiction that take in the Manchester crime scene from the 60s,70s and onwards. John worked closely with Michael Gomez on his acclaimed biography in 2016 and has now moved on to study the history of one of the most famous boxing gyms in the world.

John Ludden was born and raised in Moston, Manchester and spent his formative years obsessed with football and writing to the extent that as a kid he used to write reports of Match of the Day. A former builder, John was inspired by the likes of Hugh McIlvanney to write several acclaimed books on the game including Fields of Fire: The Greatest Football Matches Ever and Once Upon a Time In Naples about Diego Maradona's time in Italy. His work has been translated into several languages. Of a 'A Tale of Two Cities' John comments, "I was fascinated with how United came back after the Munich disaster. How just ten years after the crash they actually finally won the European cup. Also it was a chance to write about the team whom I regard as the greatest ever; the Real Madrid team of Di Stefano, Puskas and Gento. They were not just wonderful players but great characters. The opportunity to tell both stories in one book proved too good an opportunity to let go. I just hope I have done it justice".

“What’s it about? A book that highlights the blood, sweat and tears behind the two biggest football clubs on the planet. How does it read? The history books you read at school usually focus on kings and queens and the occasional bloody war. But its through sport that you really find out about the heart and soul of a nation. In A Tale Of Two Cities we're not talking about the Charles Dickens novel, but the unusual relationship between two football clubs. Love 'em or hate 'em, Manchester United are undoubtedly the most famous British football club. Touched by tragedy in the Munich air disaster of 1958, which killed eight players and 15 other passengers, United were lifted by the efforts of Spanish club Real Madrid. A series of friendly matches were fought out, resulting in a relationship of mutual respect and a tense face off during the 1968 European Cup semi finals. Read what happens when two titans clash. Flipside says: Dramatic and thrilling sporting history.” - Flipside April 2013