How (Not) to Be Strong

An inspiring memoir of finding strength and resilience from the former England Lioness.

From the football cages of East London to broadcasting to millions, the engine powering Alex Scott’s remarkable journey has always been her resilience. But thanks to a ’push-through mentality’ the world has only ever seen the ’strong’ side of Alex. Now, she is ready to lower the shield.

In her candid memoir How (Not) to Be Strong, Alex shares the lessons that have shaped her, from finally confronting the legacy of a tumultuous childhood to tarnished truth behind the gleaming football trophies.

With raw honesty, Alex shows how she’s tackled life’s challenges and that sometimes the strongest thing you can do is show your most vulnerable side to the world.

Alex Scott MBE is an award-winning broadcaster and former professional footballer. The former Arsenal captain helped to achieve a domestic double of the FA Women’s Cup and represented England in 140 appearances, retiring as the second most-capped England player across the men’s and women’s game. Alex is one of the UK’s most in-demand presenters, appearing on The One Show, Children in Need, Sport Relief and the forthcoming The Real Games. In 2021, she made history as the first permanent female host of BBC’s Football Focus. She is an ambassador for the BBC’s mental health platform, Headspace, and holds honorary doctorates from the University of East London and University of Hertfordshire.