Traversing the world of football in search of the stories that matter, brought to you by expert journalists and guests. Check out our print magazine.
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Jim Cumbes and Aston Villa’s 1975 League Cup glory
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Coming up to the 50th anniversary of Aston Villa’s 1975 League Cup win, the precursor to promotion from Division Two that season, Dave Bowler talks to Villa goalkeeper – and Worcestershire opening bowler – Jim Cumbes about that season.By These Football Times
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The future of club ownership in Argentina
1:10:34
1:10:34
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President Javier Milei’s drive to deregulate football ownership in Argentina could mean a massive change in club ownership. What could this result in for some of the continent’s biggest clubs? Gary Thacker, Pete Watson and Matthew Gibbs explore the implications.By These Football Times
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For fans of football kits, we are taking you to podcast heaven as TFT’s very own Alex Ireland talks us through his new book, Double Diamond: 100 Years of Umbro. Rob Fletcher and Steven Scragg are suitably attired as they quiz Alex on the company that is more synonymous with football’s greatest kits and biggest moments than any other kit manufacture…
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The football season is nearly upon us and that means we’ll fairly shortly be putting the league on hold for an international break. With that in mind, under the chairmanship of Gary Thacker, Chris Lepkowski, Dr David Turner and Dave Bowler reflect on Gareth Southgate’s tenure as England, debate the qualities his successor will need, and run the rul…
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Chaos, Controversy and that kung-fu kick
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1:17:40
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Rob Fletcher is back with his second book on 90s football, and a blockbuster it is too. 1994/95 is under the spotlight in Chaos, Controversy and That Kung-Fu Kick and Rob is with us to trawl through a campaign that had enough incident to last a decade. From Klinsmann to Cantona, bungs to drugs, and the SAS to the sack race, Alex Ireland and Dave Bo…
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The South America Files: Uruguay 5s
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The one where Gary Thacker breaks the podcast. Ahead of a new These Football Times magazine devoted to the might of Uruguayan football, the South America Files team tries to select the nation’s finest five-a-side team. Chaos ensues.By These Football Times
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Néstor Lorenzo and the renaissance of Colombia
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As Colombia prepare for their first Copa América final since 2001, Gary Thacker, Steven Scragg and Pete Watson trace the reasons for their renaissance under coach Néstor Loreno, look ahead to the final itself and discuss the domestic implications of their tournament exploits.By These Football Times
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Los Leones: the unique story of Athletic Club
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Author Christopher James Evans finds himself in the Centre Circle to discuss his excellent book on the history of Athletic Club. We would call it the last word on the club, but as they keep winning trophies, he has to keep adding chapters.By These Football Times
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The South America Files: Argentina 5s
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Pending a new in-depth South America Files series coming your way shortly, the team have produced this pilot project: pick the greatest five-a-side team possible from each of South America’s constituent countries. Think of it as the South America Files meets Mount Rushmore. We road test it by trying to compile Argentina’s finest five-a-side team.…
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The European Championship is finally upon us and a month of magical moments and shattered dreams lie ahead. Will Gareth Southgate lead England to tournament victory or will M&S be awash with returned cardigans from disenchanted fans before the group stages are over? Matthew Gibbs, Rob Fletcher and Gary Thacker may have the answers.…
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Euros Revision: France 3-2 Portugal, 1984
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Aidan Williams takes Gary Thacker on a rollercoaster ride through what he considers to be the greatest match in European Championship history, France’s 3-2 win over Portugal in the semi-final of Euro 84. Iconic venue, iconic kit, Michel Platini at his peak and John Motson going all boy soprano. What’s not to love?…
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Euros Revision: David Trezeguet and the Golden Goal
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Many methods of deciding drawn cup ties have been tried done the years, from drawing lots and tossing coins to penalty shootouts and the golden goal, which was a part of the Euros in 1996 and 2000. In the latter tournament, France rescued themselves from seemingly certain defeat, equalising against Italy in the 93rd minute of normal time before goi…
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Euros Revision: Michels, Netherlands and 1988
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The European Championship final of 1988 will always be remembered for that goal by Marco van Basten, but beyond that, it was the day when Rinus Michels, architect of the Total Football that took the Netherlands so close to the summit in 1974, finally won a major international tournament. Dr David Turner relives that day, that goal and that trophy.…
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It’s a grand old team to write about and These Football Times is proving the point with a special magazine dedicated to Everton. Aidan Williams, Chris Lepkowski and true blue Evertonian Paul Mc Parlan talk you through some of the contents of the magazine, covering league and cup wins, great players and managers, and Goodison Park itself, and rumina…
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It might not have been a Panenka, but when Stuart Pearce blasted his penalty into the Spanish net during the quarter-final shootout at Euro 96, he produced a penalty, and certainly a celebration, every bit as iconic. Dave Bowler and Gary Thacker debate the stones of steel shown by Pearce on a day when, after his penalty nightmare at Italia 90, less…
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Euros Revision: Hal Robson-Kanu outdoes Cruyff, 2016
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Johan and his famous Cruyff turn at the 1974 World Cup was all very well, but did it end up with the ball in the back of the net? It did not. Some 42 years later, Hal Robson-Kanu showed how it should be done in the white heat of the 2016 Euros quarter-final, sending the Belgian defence for a bag of chips - mayonnaise optional - and then bludgeoning…
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Euros Revision: England 4-2 Croatia, Euro 2004
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Joining Gary Thacker today is Dr David Turner who takes us back 20 years to a day when England looked to be emerging as genuine contenders for the Euros in 2004, only to have those hopes dashed by injury. It’s all about England v Croatia and it’s mostly about Wayne Rooney.By These Football Times
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Fresh from being chiselled into the European Championships’ Mount Rushmore, Antonín Panenka takes centre stage as Aidan Williams brings us chapter and verse on perhaps the most iconic penalty ever taken.By These Football Times
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Euros Revision: Šuker vs Schmeichel, Euro 96
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A goal of beauty is a joy forever as the old saying almost goes. Proving the old adage true in 1996 was Davor Šuker who produced one of the tournament’s immortal moments with his goal for Croatia against Denmark. Rob Fletcher tells Gary Thacker all about it.By These Football Times
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In a tournament dominated by the usual heavyweight suspects of European football, nobody saw Greece’s title winning tournament of 2004 coming. Matthew Gibbs talks to Gary Thacker about the ultimate underdog story.By These Football Times
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Euros Revision: England 1-3 West Germany, 1972
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Ahead of this summer’s European Championship, Gary Thacker invites members of the team to talk about some of their most indelible memories of the competition. In this first episode, Dave Bowler recalls the night in 1972 when Günter Netzer and West Germany handed out a footballing lesson at Wembley.By These Football Times
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FA Cup giant-killers: Southampton v Manchester United, 1976
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The 1970s provided fertile fare for the lower division teams in the FA Cup, from the early round exploits of Hereford and Colchester to latter stage glory for Second Division Sunderland and Southampton. It’s the latter we concentrate on here, as 5-1 shot Southampton see off Manchester United to win the FA Cup for the first and only time.…
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A review of the 2023/24 Championship season
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With the dust settling on the Championship season ahead of the playoffs, John Dunn, Matthew Gibbs and Dave Bowler gather together for a post-mortem on the campaign, which includes debating the age old wisdom of a Martin Jol quote and the presentation of some fairly robust views on Wayne Rooney.By These Football Times
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We’re joined in the Centre Circle today by Callum McFadden, author of Behind The Curtain Of The Beautiful Game. Callum’s first book features a string of fascinating interviews with characters involved in football, from players, coaches and managers through to referees, commentators and TV producers. Interviewees include Roy Hodgson, Martin O’Neill,…
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Seasons in the Sun: West Brom 1930/31
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It’s football’s greatest achievement that you’ve probably never heard of. In 1930/31, West Bromwich Albion won promotion from the Second Division and, if that wasn’t enough, they won the FA Cup as well. It was the first time that double had ever been done, it hasn’t been done since, and I think we can safely wager the TFT family silver on it never …
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A Tale of Two Decades: the 1970s and 80s
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1:14:42
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Our epic trawls through the 1970s and 80s are finally at an end, so in one final effort to keep the franchise going, Steven Scragg and Dave Bowler meet to debate the merits and otherwise of the two decades. Alex Ireland bravely takes on the Jack Taylor/Keith Hackett role. Maggie Thatcher, you took one hell of a beating.…
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A decade of 80s football: sins and omissions
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1:26:11
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In the decade that will never die, the 1980s team reunite one last time (probably) for a bit of whataboutery? Some listeners have pointed out a few of the stones that were left unturned in the course of the series, so everyone has reconvened to debate Aberdeen, Chelsea, the legendary summit between Keith Burkinshaw and César Luis Menotti. Thoughts …
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FA Cup giant-killers: QPR vs West Brom, 1982
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Second Division played First at Highbury in 1982, and it was the lower tier side who came out on top, Terry Venables piloting a way to the FA Cup final for his side in a game where West Brom simply couldn’t get going. Dave Bowler relives a teenage nightmare in the company of Steven Scragg and Bill Hern.…
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Euro 84: the greatest tournament you never saw
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Join us as we talk to TFT’s very own Aidan Williams about his new book, Euro 1984: The Greatest Tournament You Never Saw. As the title suggests, here in the UK we missed most of the tournament when the TV companies chose to ignore it after none of the home nations qualified. So let us fill you in on just what happened 40 years ago.…
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On the 35th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, we conclude our conversations by talking to Andrew Knott, the man behind the Anfield crowd mosaics. Andrew takes us through his experiences as one of those who made it onto the pitch from the Leppings Lane terraces, where he would help ferry stricken supporters from the scene on makeshift stretc…
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On the 35th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, we continue our personal reflections as Peter Scarfe speaks about his experiences on the terraces at Leppings Lane on 15 April 1989. Peter, the co-creator and chair of the Hillsborough Survivors Support Alliance (HSA) also talks about the invaluable work that the HSA undertakes, and the lasting …
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On the 35th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, we talk to Dr Anne Eyre, a sociologist specialising in the psychosocial aspects of major incidents, emergency planning and disaster management, who was on the Leppings Lane terraces on 15 April 1989. An open and candid conversation, Anne kindly tells us not only of her experiences and the effect…
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A decade of 80s football: favourite players and games
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And now, the end is near, and so they face an impossibly difficult Question of Sport blowout to decide the Quiz Champion of the 1980s. Before that, our intrepid panellists choose their favourite games and players of the decade, reflect back on what the decade meant to them and, scandalously, refuse to indulge in some community singing of the B-side…
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Following on from our series on the 1980s, we’ve one final visit to the decade as Chris Lepkowski, Aidan Williams and Stu Horsfield offer their choice of the goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, striker and manager who should be chiselled onto the decade’s Mount Rushmore. Gary Thacker attempts to retain some semblance of order.…
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FA Cup giant-killers: Leicester vs Wycombe, 2001
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A striker unearthed at lastminute.com, Robbie Savage writhing in agony, the winning manager watching the last few minutes of the game on TV in a cupboard, all human life is here in this FA Cup quarter-final at Filbert Street as Leicester, fourth in the Premier League, succumbed to third tier Wycombe. Helping guide the regular team through the carna…
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Inside The Hermit Kingdom: football stories from Stalinist Albania
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Phil Harrison joins us in the Centre Circle to talk us through some shadowy tales of footballing life in Albania, all captured in his excellent new book, Inside The Hermit Kingdom.By These Football Times
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And so the 1980s odyssey ends with a tumultuous season. We pay our respects to the Hillsborough disaster, with further podcasts to come on that subject, but this ONE concentrates on the football. Liverpool come through the tragedy to beat Everton in the FA Cup final, but a second double of the decade eludes them when it’s all up for grabs in one fi…
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FA Cup giant-killers: Burnley vs Lincoln City, 2017
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We move into the 21st century with this tie, and find that it was easier to remember the 1970s. Nonetheless, rediscovering the day that Conference side Lincoln City went to Turf Moor and upset Sean Dyche and his Burnley team is a joy - unless you’re a Burnley fan. A year when the Cowleys burst onto the national scene as a management team, setting d…
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After surrendering their title to Everton, Liverpool come storming back, fuelled by John Barnes, Peter Beardsley and John Aldridge. A second league and cup double in three years seems inevitable but at Wembley, Dave Beasant saves a penalty and Wimbledon carry off the FA Cup after just 11 seasons in the Football League. Elsewhere, Luton stun Arsenal…
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1986/87: in the Mersey Wars trilogy, we’re up to Everton Strike Back as Howard Kendall’s side regain the league title. Keith Houchen ensures he will be forever frozen in time with that diving header in the FA Cup final as Coventry win the trophy and disappoint a Spurs side that promise so much but end up empty handed, despite Clive Allen’s 49 goals…
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The team mark the sad passing of Stan Bowles with a tribute to the man who illuminated Loftus Road, fell out with Malcolm Allison and Brian Clough, and who should surely have won more than just five England caps. A wonderful maverick.By These Football Times
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A season that began in the shadow of Bradford and Heysel, with a blackout of TV coverage and the implications of the European ban, 1985/86 emerged as a campaign full of highlights. In the title race, Manchester United started like a train and ended like a rag and bone cart, West Ham couldn’t quite come through on the rails, Everton long looked like…
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Seasons in the Sun: Bradford 2012/13
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Wrexham might have their own TV show, but the greatest League Two season of the 21st century surely belongs to Bradford City. The 2012/13 campaign saw them make two visits to Wembley, becoming the first fourth tier team to play there in one of the senior cup competitions, before returning to do battle in the playoffs. It’s a ripping yarn that would…
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With football still reeling from the tragedy of the Bradford fire at Valley Parade, just 18 days later, on 29 May 1985, came the Heysel Stadium disaster at the European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus. Some 39 people, mostly Juventus fans, were killed and around 600 injured when a wall collapsed. Liverpool supporter Chris Rowland was there…
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O Jogo Bonito: the story of Brazil 1970
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1:53:39
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Join us in the Centre Circle as we talk to author Gary Thacker about his latest book, O Jogo Bonito, focusing on the great Brazil team that won the 1970 World Cup. It’s a glorious tale of the events that led to the competition, the triumph itself, and what happened afterwards.By These Football Times
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A decade of 80s football: the Bradford fire
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11 May 1985, Bradford v Lincoln. It should have been one of the most joyous days in the history of Bradford City, as they celebrated winning the Third Division at a canter. Instead, a fire in the Main Stand turned it into a day of tragedy, with 56 spectators killed and at least 265 injured. Mike Harrison, editor of the legendary City Gent fanzine, …
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FA Cup giant-killers: Stoke vs Blythe Spartans, 1978
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With England beleaguered by the wintry weather, non-league Blyth Spartans made two abortive trips to Stoke's Victoria Ground to get their FA Cup game played. Eventually, it was third time lucky as the collection of coalminers, sales reps and schoolteachers sprung one of the competition’s greatest ever shocks. Let Steven Scragg, Bill Hern and Dave B…
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A season of agony and ecstasy with tragedies unfolding at Bradford and Heysel, both the subjects of separate podcasts in this series. We concentrate on the on-pitch issues in this one, Howard Kendall’s Everton emerging to take Liverpool’s crown from them, winning the Cup Winners’ Cup too and coming within a whisker of becoming the 20th century’s th…
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With the announcement of Jürgen Klopp’s impending departure from Liverpool at season’s end, this week’s podcast concentrates on the job he’s done at Anfield, the moments that will live long in the memory, and the legacy that he will leave.By These Football Times
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The midway point in our series, and not much changes as Liverpool win a third straight First Division title and a fourth League Cup in a row. But a new, blue presence is emerging at the bottom of Stanley Park with Everton reaching Wembley twice and carrying off the FA Cup, a portent of what is to come. Spurs win the UEFA Cup before Keith Burkinshaw…
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