Best Seriea Podcasts (2024)

1
Women and Football Fandom 34:16

12d ago34:16

34:16

I'm joined by Niamh O'Mahoney from Football Supporters Europe (FSE) and JulieAnn Thomas from Fulham Lillies. We look at fan cultures within women's football and the challenges in attracting fans. We also look at women fans within the men's game. What can be done to attract more women to the men's game and more men to women's football?…

1
100 Years of Umbro 29:09

17d ago29:09

29:09

I welcome Alex Ireland back onto the podcast to discuss his new book on Manchester sports manufacturer, Umbro, which celebrated its centenary in 2024.

1
The Industrial Roots of English Football 34:23

24d ago34:23

34:23

My guest is Dave Proudlove, whose new book 'Work and Play' looks at the relationship between the workplace and English football. How pivotal were factories in the foundation and maintenance of clubs within communities and how did that relationship get lost over time?By Outside Write

1
The Fall and Rise of Brighton & Hove Albion 34:26

1M ago34:26

34:26

My guest is Michael Hamlin, who runs the 80s90sFootball Twitter/X account, focussing on football nostalgia. Michael and I discuss the fall and rise of Brighton & Hove Albion. We both stood on the terraces of the old Goldstone Ground and Michael followed the club in its nomadic period and recalls the hard-fought move to the Amex. Brighton is now an …

1
Football and Identity in the Balkans 40:59

1M ago40:59

40:59

I welcome Belgrade-based Kirsten Schlewitz back onto the podcast for a third time to discuss the politics of identity in the Balkan region before and after the break-up of Yugoslavia. If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a review or rating on your preferred podcast platform. You can support the pod further by buying me a coffee. All support is hu…

1
Football in Georgia 28:28

2M ago28:28

28:28

My guest is Luka Lagvilava, whose @GeorgianFooty feed on Twitter/X has become an extremely popular resource on football in Georgia, especially when the former Soviet state made its European Championship debut in 2024. I chat to Luka about the history of football in Georgia, the country's clubs, its greatest players, the international scene, the pol…

1
Subbuteo Culture and the Subbuteo World Cup 2024 31:32

2M ago31:32

31:32

My guest is Derek Air, whose book 'Land of the Giants' explores Subbuteo culture. We're talking ahead of the Subbuteo World Cup 2024, hosted in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England, where the game was invented.

1
Everton Football Club in England and Chile 34:44

3M ago34:44

34:44

Everton is one of the grand old names of English football. Founder members of both the Football League (1888) and the Premier League (1992), Everton have the second-longest run in the top-flight of English football after Arsenal, with seven decades without a relegation - although they have come close. I discuss Everton's history with author Rob Saw…

1
Il Derby della Capitale: Roma-Lazio 30:19

3M ago30:19

30:19

I'm joined by Claus Bermann, whose company Rome Derby organises match tickets and tours for groundhoppers visiting the Italian capital to watch AS Roma and SS Lazio matches, or meetings between the two - the 'Derby della Capitale' (the Derby of the Capital).

1
The Basque Derby 31:11

4M ago31:11

31:11

I am joined by Christopher Evans, author of 'Los Leones', a book on the history of Athletic Club de Bilbao. We're looking at the Basque Derby - Athletic Club v Real Sociedad. It's an iconic derby wrapped up in fierce Basque identity.

1
Football Beyond Borders: How Soccer Can Positively Impact Young People's Lives 25:08

4M ago25:08

25:08

My guest is Ceylon Andi Hickman, director of the charity Football Beyond Borders (FBB). We're discussing how football is making a positive change to young people's lives, especially in their education. The charity has worked with footballers, including Marcus Rashford and Chris Smalling, and is proven to help children do well at school. Ceylon is a…

1
Groundhopping in Norway 34:57

5M ago34:57

34:57

My guest is Marius Helgå as we discuss groundhopping in Norway. It's Western Europe's longest country at 1,750km with clubs stretching from the south right up to the Arctic Circle. We discuss some big names like Vålerenga, Lyn, Odds, Viking, and Bergen, plus some smaller clubs and the national side. We also look at Norwegian fan culture and its inf…

1
Euro '84: 'Danish Dynamite' and 'La Carré Magique'... 36:59

5M ago36:59

36:59

My guest is Aidan Williams, whose new book 'Euro 1984: The Greatest Tournament You Never Saw'. Back when the Euros was a proper elite eight-team tournament, France provided a sublime and dramatic tournament spearheaded by Michel Platini, who bagged nine goals in just five games as France won its first major tournament.…

1
The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 28:36

6M ago28:36

28:36

My guest is Ben Jackson, whose book The Africa Cup of Nations: The History of an Underappreciated Tournament came out in time for the 2024 edition of AFCON. We look back at the tournament's roots, its key moments and players, plus where does it go from here?

1
The Superga Air Tragedy and Il Grande Torino 30:17

6M ago30:17

30:17

My guest is Roberto Pennino, whose book 'Immortal Torino' covers the story of 'Il Grande Torino' - the Great Torino FC side that dominated Italian football in the 1940s. Tragically, the team and coaching staff all died as their plane descended into Turin on the way home from a friendly match in Lisbon against Benfica, crashing into the Basilica di …

1
"The Hermit Kingdom": Football in Stalinist Albania 36:24

7M ago36:24

36:24

My guest is Phil Harrison, whose debut book explores football in Europe's last communist state, Albania. It's a fascinated story of football in a secretive and isolated country.

1
Winner Stays On: Groundhopping Every Round of the FA Cup 35:01

7M ago35:01

35:01

My guest is Ruben Clark (RM Clark), whose new book Winner Stays On covers his travels around England following clubs through every round of the FA Cup, trailing the winner of matches into the next round all the way up to the final. It's a fascinating insight into the English regions and the football pyramid.…

1
Portuguese Football History with Miguel Pereira 35:31

8M ago35:31

35:31

My guest is Miguel Lourenço Pereira, who's written a number of football books, but his latest is his first in English, Bring Me That Horizon. It's all about getting to know Portugal through its football. We discuss Portugal's footballing roots and history under the long Salazar dictatorship and the role of football in its demise. We discuss the gre…

1
Groundhopping in Northern Ireland 53:12

8M ago53:12

53:12

My guest is Peter Cinnamond from the Kicking Match podcast, which covers the Irish League/NIFL. We discuss groundhopping in Northern Ireland, covering famous clubs like Linfield and Glentoran, as well as some of the many great grounds that groundhoppers can discover in Belfast and beyond. We also look at some of the political history of the Irish L…

1
The Future of Women's Football with Carrie Dunn 29:05

9M ago29:05

29:05

After a successful 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, what does the future hold for women's football? My guest is journalist and author Carrie Dunn, who discusses some of the topics she raises in her latest book 'Woman Up: Pitches, Pay and Periods. The Progress and Potential of Women's Football'

1
Flamengo 22:08

9M ago22:08

22:08

My guest is Stephen C. Brandt, whose latest book explores the history of one of Brazil's most famous clubs, Flamengo. We discuss the history of the carioca club from its roots at a rowing team's footballing branch up to Copa Libertadores champions.

1
Football in Thailand 24:58

9M ago24:58

24:58

My guest is Matt Riley, who spent several years in Thailand exploring its football. He has chronicled the Thai game in his new book, 'Thai Football Tales: A Beautiful Madness'. His stories are quite something, give it a spin...

1
Ronaldo Nazário 34:42

10M ago34:42

34:42

My guest for his third appearance is Daniel Williamson as he discusses his new book on Ronaldo Nazário - the original Ronaldo for people of a certain age... We look at his career from his teen breakthrough in Brazil through to his moves to PSV, Barça, Inter, Madrid, Milan and, of course, his international career.…

1
The History of Football Kits 22:14

10M ago22:14

22:14

My guest is Alex Ireland to discuss his book 'Pretty Poly: The History of the Football Shirt'. We cover everything from the origins of football shirts, to the emergence of numbering, sponsors' logos, new technologies and the retro appeal of football shirts.

1
The Founding of Manchester United 36:40

11M ago36:40

36:40

My guest is Harry Robinson, author of 'The Men Who Made Manchester United: The Untold Story'. We're looking at the foundation of the club in a railway yard in Newton Heath through to the handover to Matt Busby in 1945. The club came very close to collapse on several occasions. It's a fascinating listen, even if you don't support Manchester United.…

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