A renowned former regional press editor is among a number of journalists whose books have been shortlisted for a top awards ceremony.

Barrie Williams, who edited Nottingham Post, the Kent Evening Post and the Western Morning News during his career which he retired from in 2005, has been shortlisted for the British Sports Book Awards to be held next month.

He has been nominated in the Biography of the Year category for the book ‘Get in There’, telling the story of football legend Tommy Lawton, which he wrote with the footballer’s son Tom Lawton junior.

The book tells the story of the footballer who is known as one of England’s greatest goal-scorers, describing his years of poverty, debt, drink, shame and scandal.

It was published last October in the same month as Barrie’s biography of Christopher Pole-Carew, the controversial former managing director of the Nottingham Post.

Also shortlisted in the awards is the latest book by former Yorkshire Post deputy editor Duncan Hamilton, A Last English Summer, which was named in the Best Cricket Book category.

And a book by The Herald’s deputy sports editor James Morgan called In Search of Alan Gilzean is on the shortlist for the Best Football Book category.

The winners of the awards are due to be announced at a ceremony at London’s Savoy Hotel on 9 May.