Fighting to Speak by Mark Jones
A talented yet ferocious player, and one of the acknowledged 'bad-boys' of rugby, Mark Jones' on-field brutality was a direct consequence of the off-field torment he suffered with a debilitating stammer. In Fighting to Speak, his revealing and uplifting autobiography, Jones explains how his frustration with his stutter led to a self-loathing and the internalising of an explosive hate that only playing rugby could release - with his unfortunate opponents often on the receiving end of his rage. Sent off six times and banned for over 33 weeks for violent conduct during his career, the dual-code Wales international and Great Britain RL forward was desperately unhappy and detested the thuggish reputation he'd created. After one exceptionally ugly incident, when he broke another player's eye socket, Jones realised that in order to defeat his demons and control his bad behaviour he needed help to conquer his stammer. Mark Jones fought and won the hardest battle of his life with a steely determination and has now found the inner peace and dignity he'd longed for as a young man. He has decided to tell his story in order to seek redemption for his violent past on the rugby field, and to help others overcome their stammers.
'We were all aware about Mark's stammer but it didn't make any difference to meHe is a top bloke and a great rugby player, and to me that's perfection.' Rowland Phillips;'People who didn't know Mark thought he was just an aggressive thug - but to those who know him, he is a kind-hearted, gentle and compassionate man.' Byron Hayward;'I have nothing but the highest respect for Mark. His stammer did not make life easy for him and challenged his mental health, but his immense strength of character saw him beat his demons and win his battles.' Jim Mills
A dual-code rugby international Mark Jones played 15 times for Wales between 1987 and 1990 before switching to rugby league with Hull.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781904609018 |
| ISBN 10 | 1904609015 |
| Title | Fighting to Speak |
| Author | Mark Jones |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | St David's Press |
| Year published | 2022-12-08 |
| Number of pages | 250 |
| Prizes | Short-listed for Sunday Times Rugby Book of the Year 2023 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |