These Football Times

Hillsborough III, with Andrew Knott

15 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On the 35th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, we conclude our conversations by talking to Andrew Knott, the man behind the Anfield crowd mosai...

Hillsborough II, with Peter Scarfe

15 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On the 35th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, we continue our personal reflections as Peter Scarfe speaks about his experiences on the terrace...

Hillsborough I, with Dr Anne Eyre

15 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On the 35th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, we talk to Dr Anne Eyre, a sociologist specialising in the psychosocial aspects of major inciden...

A decade of 80s football: favourite players and games

07 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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, ou...

The Mount Rushmore Debates: 1980s

29 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 choi...

FA Cup giant-killers: Leicester vs Wycombe, 2001

21 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 cupbo...

Inside The Hermit Kingdom: football stories from Stalinist Albania

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 bo...

A decade of 80s football: 1988/89

14 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 subjec...

FA Cup giant-killers: Burnley vs Lincoln City, 2017

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 sid...

A decade of 80s football: 1987/88

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

After surrendering their title to Everton, Liverpool come storming back, fuelled by John Barnes, Peter Beardsley and John Aldridge. A second league an...

A decade of 80s football: 1986/87

03 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 wi...

Remembering Stan Bowles

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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, an...

A decade of 80s football: 1985/86

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Seasons in the Sun: Bradford 2012/13

18 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

A decade of 80s football: Heysel

16 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 disast...

O Jogo Bonito: the story of Brazil 1970

11 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 19...

A decade of 80s football: the Bradford fire

08 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

FA Cup giant-killers: Stoke vs Blythe Spartans, 1978

05 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

A decade of 80s football: 1984/85

01 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A season of agony and ecstasy with tragedies unfolding at Bradford and Heysel, both the subjects of separate podcasts in this series. We concentrate o...

A Jürgen Klopp special

28 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

A decade of 80s football: 1983/84

25 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ne...

FA Cup giant-killers: Hereford vs Newcastle, 1972

23 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The greatest FA Cup game of all time according to many, Hereford’s third-round replay win over Newcastle in 1972 helped build the iconography of the...

The open veins of South American football

22 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the past, the European powers mercilessly exploited South America for its raw materials, making them wealthier and locking the indigenous people of...

A decade of 80s football: 1982/83

18 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As Ron Atkinson would have doubtless said, it was a case of déjà vu all over again in 1982/83, with Liverpool romping to the league title and retain...

Grim days at Reading, better days at Coventry, and the Mbappé saga

14 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The podcast rules over the grim goings-on at Reading, better days for Coventry , an attempt to work out where Kylian Mbappé will be hanging his hat t...

A decade of 80s football: 1981/82

12 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

According to Steven Scragg, Stu Horsfield and Aidan Williams, this is the "Stingray" season – anything can happen in the next nine months. Ron Saund...

Twilight of the Gods: Remembering Zagallo x Beckenbauer

09 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Following the sad passing of Franz Beckenbauer and Mário Zagallo, Steven Scragg and Dave Bowler assess the legacy of football’s greatest names, men...

A decade of 80s football: 1980/81

04 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Was 1980/81 really the final year of the 1970s, the decade when the level playing field threw up all kinds of title winners? With Aston Villa taking t...

A decade of 80s football: 1979/80

31 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Following our trawl through the 1970s, the team return with a new series focusing on the 80s. First under the microscope is the 1979/80 campaign. Stev...

So here it is ... the ghosts of football past, present and future

19 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ebeneezer Thacker, Jacob Scragg and Tiny Tim Fletcher are at the helm of this special christmas podcast where they encounter the ghosts of football pa...

The Mount Rushmore Debates: The European Cup

09 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We venture into the early days of European football in this Mount Rushmore debate as we look to find the greatest names from the European Cup, prior t...

A tribute to Terry Venables and Everton's 10-point deduction

02 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Following the sad death of Terry Venables last week, we take an in-depth look at his playing and coaching career and the legacy he has left behind. An...

Fantastic disappointment: the story of Spurs in 1986/87

22 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a Centre Circle/Seasons in the Sun mash-up as Stephen Peace joins Steven Scragg and Dave Bowler to discuss his book on Tottenham’s memorable ...

Seasons in the Sun: Sunderland 1972/73

16 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Seasons in the Sunderland it is for this episode as we relive the glories of Sunderland’s FA Cup run in 1972/73 that took them all to the way to the...

The sack race, the Copa Libertadores final, Kane, Hayes and more

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Will Erik ten Haag win the sack race? Why does the Copa Libertadores final look so much more spectacular than its Champions League equivalent? How man...

Get It On: how the 70s rocked football

02 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’re back in the Centre Circle to discuss Jon Spurling’s excellent book on 1970s football, the decade that These Football Times won’t let go. S...

Rooney, Carrick and the state of play in the Championship

31 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As the clocks go back and we head into the long, dark nights ahead, it’s time for the early season report card on the Championship, with particular ...

Football’s Black Pioneers, Episode 5: Dave Busby

29 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Wrapping up our series on football’s black pioneers that has run across Black History Month this year, we are again joined by our wise spirit guides...

A tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton

23 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The passing of Sir Bobby Charlton has robbed us of perhaps England’s greatest ever footballer, and certainly its finest sportsman and ambassador. Jo...

Football’s Black Pioneers, Episode 4: Windrush

22 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The huge contribution of the Windrush generation towards every aspect of life in the UK has been well documented - if not by the Home Office – and t...

Seasons in the Sun: Manchester United 2007/08

18 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Seasons In The Sun sees a guest bringing one campaign from their supporting life to the dissection table. In this episode, Alex Ireland talks about M...

Football’s Black Pioneers. Episode 3: Barbados

14 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The contribution of Barbados to English football falls under the spotlight in the third episode of our series marking Black History Month. Steven Scra...

The Mount Rushmore Debates: the 1970s

12 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Following on from our series on the 1970s, we’ve one final visit to the decade as Steven Scragg, Dr David Turner and Dave Bowler offer their choice ...

FIFA, VAR, UEFA and other acronyms …

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tackling this week’s thorny topics, Gary Thacker, Aidan Williams and Paul Mc Parlan run the rule over FIFA’s future World Cup plans, the coming of...

Football’s Black Pioneers. Episode 2: Jamaica

08 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the second episode of a special series marking Black History Month, Steven Scragg and Dave Bowler are again joined by Bill Hern and David Gleave, a...

The Eastern European Chronicles

05 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Not one but two new These Football Times magazines are out, both centred on the wonderful, intriguing world of football from Eastern Europe. From the ...

VAR (again!), a 13-year-old debutant and Friday morning J League

03 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Another glorious weekend for VAR comes under the microscope but Rob Fletcher, Steven Scragg and Matthew Gibbs also cast the net further afield, taking...

Football’s Black Pioneers, Episode 1: Africa

30 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the first of a new series for Black History Month, Steven Scragg and Dave Bowler talk to Bill Hern and David Gleave, authors of Football’s Black ...

The Mount Rushmore Debates: The Euros

26 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The European Championship is the playing field for the Mount Rushmore debate this time around as Aidan Williams, Steven Scragg and Dave Bowler argue f...

Questions from around the English game ...

25 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Will Manchester City become the first club to win four top flight titles in a row in English football history? Is Leicester's promotion to the Premier...

Ange, McKenna, transformative coaches and more

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The power of transformative coaches comes under the spotlight in this week’s podcast as Rob Fletcher, Dr David Turner and Dave Bowler put Ange Poste...

Wrapping up a decade of 1970s football

13 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our season-by-season trawl through the greatest decade ever  might be over, but we couldn’t resist one last chance to come over all Jerry Springer ...

Home thoughts from abroad ...

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

An international weekend allows Steven Scragg, Rob Fletcher and Alex Ireland to reflect on life in the Championship and League Two thus far, as well a...

A decade of 1970s football: the 1978/79 season

08 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The final season of the 1970s as an epic decade goes out in epic style with a magisterial title win for Liverpool, a European Cup for Nottingham Fores...

Bedsheets & Ballyhoo: an incredible summer and looking ahead to 2023/24

04 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The new season has started, the transfer window has (mostly) closed, and football fans around the land are either daring to dream or are already looki...

A decade of 1970s football: the 1977/78 season

30 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Now then, young man, Brian Clough is back. Cloughie takes Nottingham Forest to the top of the First Division, to a League Cup final win and to within ...

A decade of 1970s football: the 1976/77 season

23 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The 1970s continue to produce moments that echo half a century later. Liverpool are denied the treble by Manchester United but content themselves with...

A decade of 1970s football: the 1975/76 season

14 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There’s a new name at the top of the First Division as QPR go toe-to-toe with Bob Paisley’s Liverpool for the title, and a new name on the FA Cup ...

The Mount Rushmore Debates: FIFA World Cup

11 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Prior to Gary Thacker getting out the chisel for the World Cup version of Mount Rushmore - just where does he find all these untouched mountainscapes ...

A decade of 1970s football: the 1974/75 season

08 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Another tumultuous season beckons as Don Revie struggles to get a tune out of England, Brian Clough finds life at Leeds even tougher, Derby win the ti...

A decade of 1970s football: the 1973/74 season

01 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a packed programme, Brian Clough resigns from Derby and calls a Polish goalkeeper a clown within the same week, England miss out on the World Cup, ...

A decade of 1970s football: the 1972/73 season

25 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

1972/73 arrives and gives us a glimpse of the First Division to come as Liverpool march to the title and carry off the UEFA Cup to boot. At Wembley, t...

The Red Card: Episode 1

21 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nothing stirs the emotions quite like football does - for good and for bad. In this new series, Chris Lepkowski invites two guests to offer up three o...

A decade of 1970s football: the 1971/72 season

17 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We reach 1971/72 in the third part of our 1970s odyssey, an epic title race that ends with the First Division won by a team sitting on a beach in Majo...

The Mount Rushmore Debates: England

12 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Introducing a twist on our popular Mount Rushmore series. Steven Scragg, Stu Horsfield and Dave Bowler are called to the witness box to each make the ...

A decade of 1970s football: the 1970/71 season

09 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Picking up our trawl through the 1970s, the team alight upon 1970/71, a season where Arsenal re-emerged from Tottenham’s shadow to do the double (th...

A decade of 1970s football: the 1969/70 season

06 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the first of a new series that will cover the ten seasons of the 1970s, Steven Scragg guides Paul McParlan and Dave Bowler through the twists and t...

The South America Files: São Paulo

28 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rounding out our South American odyssey, we visit São Paulo in Brazil, where we look through the myriad of clubs and great names that makes up Brazil...

Silver Linings: Bobby Robson’s England

22 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Another pod from the literary Centre Circle, in which we welcome David Hartrick to discuss his book Silver Linings, covering the tumultuous times that...

The South America Files: Santiago

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On our penultimate city stop on the tour of South America, we've skipped over the Andes to Santiago where the team guide you through the intricacies o...

1992: the birth of modern football

16 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We're back in the Centre Circle. This time, we're chatting with Rob Fletcher about his excellent new book 1992: The Birth of Modern Football. Join us ...

Reviewing the European finals

13 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Bringing the season’s weekly podcasts to an end, the team look at a week of European finals and assess Manchester City’s achievements, ponder the ...

The final word on 2022/23 across Europe

07 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With seasons coming to a halt all over Europe, the intrepid team take a lingering look at matters both domestic and continental as we offer the final ...

The Magic of the FA Cup: Final

30 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The FA Cup reaches its climax with the Manchester derby at Wembley. In preparation, the team look at how the FA Cup final launched golden ages for bot...

David Begg, the doyen of Scottish commentary, join us for a trip down memory lane

25 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The team are joined by David Begg, the doyen of radio commentators across his long and successful career with BBC Radio Scotland. We reminisce about c...

Reviewing an extraordinary National League season

23 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s been an extraordinary campaign in the National League, from first day to the final penalty kick. The team is joined by BT Sport’s Adam Summer...

Dutch Masters: when Ajax's Totaalvoetbal conquered Europe

14 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We're back in the Centre Circle talking with Gary Thacker about his book Dutch Masters: When Ajax's Totaalvoetbal Conquered Europe. Find out more abou...

The South America Files: Rosario

12 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rosario is Argentina’s third most populous city and the list of the country’s great players born there reads like a veritable Who’s Who of footb...

Who'll be the winners and losers of this season?

09 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With title, promotion and relegation issues all coming to a climax as the season’s end hurtles towards us, the  team try to find the winners and lo...

Ipswich, Napoli, refunding fans and Premier League/Championship swaps

02 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With a huge Bank Holiday Monday fixture list in the post-Coronation offing, we debate who will be swapping places between the Premier League and the C...

Levelling the playing field, Scottish Cup romance and conspiracy theories galore

25 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With the recent departures of Patrick Vieira and Paul Ince, there are just three black managers left in the top four English leagues. The team debates...

The Magic of the FA Cup: Semi-Finals

17 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's down to the last four and Wembley beckons - we’re not playing any semi-finals there, thank you very much. From the age of Pathé News through t...

The Mount Rushmore Selection: Aberdeen

13 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode Dave Bowler, joins us to select the four giants who should feature on Aberdeen’s epic Mount Rushmore. The selection might surprise y...

Blue is the colour? The evolution of Chelsea

10 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a Chelsea special at These Football Timess. e look back on the evolution of the Blues from Jimmy Greaves and Ken Bates to Roman Abramovich to G...

The South America Files: Rio de Janeiro

29 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After an early Sunday morning drop, we’re in Rio, the city of beaches, carnival and the towering statue of Christ the Redeemer. Led by the knowledge...

The Defiant: 100 years of football against fascism

24 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this edition of the Centre Circle, we talk with Chris Lee about his book The Defiant: A History of Football Against Fascism, exploring some of its ...

The South America Files: Porto Alegre

19 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we’re off to the south of Brazil to visit Porto Alegre and look at a couple of the biggest clubs in the country, plus one with a ma...

The Magic of the FA Cup: Sixth Round

17 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The sixth round, the last eight, the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. Now it’s getting serious,  eternal glory sitting just three wins away. It’s a ...

Foxes never quit? A Leicester City special

14 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a Leicester City special at These Football Times. We look back on a remarkable decade for the Foxes and ask just where it’s gone wrong this s...

Maguire's demise, Scotland's League Two and England's National League

06 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The podcast crew discuss the strange case of Harry Maguire’s demise, investigate promotion and relegation dramas in Scotland’s League Two and Engl...

The Crazy Gang and the Culture Commentator

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We pay tribute to the late John Motson, laud David Moyes, take the pressure off Erik ten Hag, fret over the future of the EFL, debate a century of con...

The Magic of the FA Cup: Fifth Round

23 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The fifth round of the FA Cup means that for some, Wembley begins to beckon. For others, it’s the graveyard of their dreams. We explore some classic...

Potter, Valencia, Newcastle goalies and UEFA blaming UEFA

20 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Will Graham Potter survive at Chelsea? Will Valencia stay out on a limb? Who will be in goal for Newcastle at Wembley? Who thought a UEFA panel would ...

From the sublime to the VARcical ...

15 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this podcast, we ask what is done to be done about VAR, pay tribute to Joe Allen, ponder the impact of The Office on Southampton, and revel in a po...

The South America Files: Montevideo

12 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Montevideo probably has more football clubs per square mile than any other city in the world. Tag along with Stu Horsfield, Gary Thacker and Steven Sc...

Big league strugglers, lower league successes, and potential cup glories

06 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The pod crew go from Stockport to Spain, Italy and Japan in a global odyssey, picking out some intriguing stories. From Stockport's rise to the length...

The South America Files: Lima

05 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Stu Horsfield, Gary Thacker and Steven Scragg as we journey to Lima, guided, as always, by the brilliant Dr Pete Watson. With marmalade sandwiche...

The highs of Queen's Park, lows of Aberdeen and Everton, and Lampard/Gerrard

30 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After the international discussions of recent weeks, the Today's Football Times crew go all domestic, discussing the highs of Queen's Park and the Nat...

The Magic of the FA Cup: Fourth Round

27 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The fourth round of the FA Cup is sometimes castigated as the ugly duckling or the plodding bassist of the competition, but Steven Scragg, Paul Mc Par...

We’re all going on a European holiday …

23 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Freedom of movement returns to the pod as Steven Scragg, James Kelly and Matthew Gibbs wander the highways and byways of Europe as they talk about LaL...