These Football Times
Episodes
Celebrating Gareth Bale, iconic European clubs and iconic domestic cups
16 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Aidan Williams, Steven Scragg and Rhys Richards discuss the career and legacy of Gareth Bale, the fortunes of Napoli and Atlético Madrid, and some in...
Vialli remembered and VAR dismembered
11 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From Plymouth to Panathinaikos and FA Cup replays to relegation fears, Today's Football Times finds Steven Scragg, Paul Mc Parlan and Gary Thacker in ...
Colombian football past and present: exploring the highs and lows
08 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Alongside the launch of the Colombia magazine, the podcast team got together to discuss Colombian football past and present - from El Dorado, Valderra...
The Magic of the FA Cup: Third Round
06 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The FA Cup is the so-called greatest cup competition in the world. In the first of a series of podcasts that take us all the way to the final, Chris L...
Pelé: farewell to the king
01 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The passing of Pele robbed football of perhaps its greatest-ever figure, a player of peerless talent, the only one to win three World Cups. Gary Thack...
The greatest World Cup finals
16 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As the greatest show on earth approaches its climax in Qatar, Chris Lepkowski, Steven Scragg and Dave Bowler reflect on the ghosts of World Cup finals...
The greatest World Cup semi-finals
11 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Football’s equivalent of Christmas Eve, Chris Lepkowski, Gary Thacker and Aidan Williams recall some remarkable World Cup semi-finals as the likes o...
The greatest World Cup quarter-finals
11 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
And then there were eight. Chris Lepkowski, Paul McParlan and Rhys Richards turn the focus to some memorable World Cup quarter-finals. Breathtaking ga...
The South America Files: Medellín
07 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We're back on our travels around South America to look at the football clubs and culture in various cities there. In this episode, the wonderfully kno...
The greatest last-16 games of the World Cup
04 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Moving into the knockout stages, Aidan Williams, Steven Scragg and Dave Bowler explore some great games from the round of 16, from 1986 through to 201...
The greatest group games of the World Cup
26 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kicking off a new series for the duration of the 2022 World Cup, the team look back at their favourite games from each stage of the competition. Betra...
How to win the World Cup: insights from international football's top managers
24 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Football writer Chris Evans joins us to discuss his book covering the fascinating theme of international management and what goes into delivering Worl...
Blood on the Crossbar: The Dictatorship's World Cup
22 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Rhys Richards joins us to discuss his excellent book covering the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. It was a tournament of legendary moments, some great pl...
Wales in the 21st century and their unprecedented success
16 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the final part of our series celebrating the Wales national team, the team discuss Wales' progression in the 21st century from the depths of despai...
Wales in the 1980s and 90s: two decades of frustration
14 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In part two of a series celebrating Wales, the podcast team discuss some near misses in the 1980s, when a generation of world-class talent - think Rus...
From Huddersfield to Atalanta with a few World Cup detours
11 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The podcast crew discuss the turning point that the playoff final loss was for Huddersfield, the magnificence of Gasperoni's Atalanta, and the impact ...
Wales at the 1958 World Cup and the glory and pain of the 1970s
08 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the first episode of our series celebrating Wales, the podcast team discuss the huge success and what-if moments of the 1958 World Cup, where Wales...
From the FA Cup to the World Cup, with a few stops in between
05 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The pod crew discuss Newcastle's rise, Juventus and Barcelona's demise, the beauty of the FA Cup first round and a few World Cup matters too.
The life, career and legacy of Johan Cruyff
31 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate the launch of the Johan Cruyff magazine, the podcast team got together to discuss their memories of the great man. From watching him in t...
Ipswich impress, Sevilla struggle, binning "banter": it’s an alliteration avalanche
25 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
From the West Midlands to Australia via Suffolk, Aberdeen and Andalusia, join Steven Scragg, Dave Bowler and Chris Lepkowski for this week's edition o...
The Mount Rushmore Selection: Scotland
23 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The famous blue Scotland jersey has been worn by some wonderful players over the years, but which of those stars deserve to be immortalised on Scotlan...
From Lazio to Linlithgow: in search of football’s remaining romance
18 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We ask if Saturday's 3pm kick-offs should remain a TV-free zone; is Liverpool vs Manchester City now the biggest game in England; and is the Scottish ...
The Mount Rushmore Selection: Crystal Palace
17 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
David Bailey, author of The Magical Magyars, joins us to select his four favourite Crystal Palace players to sit atop the club's own Mount Rushmore. T...
A Premier League giant and a Premier League struggler, and some international detours
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the latest edition of Today's Football Times, the gang discuss the giant that is Erling Haaland and his already-astonishing feats, as well as the...
Andy Gray: Everton and beyond, and breaking into broadcasting
06 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In part two of our discussion with former footballer and broadcaster, Andy Gray we move into the great highs of Andy's time at Everton, and a subseque...
Andy Gray: the early years of a lifetime in football
06 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the first of two episodes with footballer and broadcaster Andy Gray, the ex-striker join us to discuss the early years of his remarkable career wit...
A journey from the Premier League and Serie A to the wilds of the non-league
03 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The podcast gang reconvene with a new weekly look at some fresh football issues, from the non-league game to Serie A and the Premier League managerial...
The Mount Rushmore Selection: Manchester United
28 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join us as These Football Times senior writer and social media guru Josh Butler suggests who should be honoured on Manchester United’s very own Moun...
The Mount Rushmore Selection: Brighton & Hove Albion
19 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As well as running the @80s90sfootball Twitter account and writing about football’s relationship with politics, Michael Hamlen is a long-term fan of...
Golden: why Belgian football is more than one generation
12 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
These Football Times senior writer, James Kelly, joins us to talk about his new book covering the history of Belgian football. The current Rode Duiv...
In the heat of the midday sun: the indelible story of the 1986 World Cup
30 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
These Football Times' very own Steven Scragg joins the podcast to talk about his fourth book, a brilliant look at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. Relive...
The Mount Rushmore Selection: Swindon Town
22 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, the podcast team are joined by long-time Swindon Town fan Victor Morgan. After supporting the club for more than 50 years, he has ple...
The Mount Rushmore Selection: Fiorentina
15 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Author and podcaster Giancarlo Rinaldi takes us on a journey to Tuscany and explains his four chosen players to mark Fiorentina's own Mount Rushmore. ...
The greatest forwards in African football history
08 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To join the launch of the African Forwards magazine, the podcast team got together to discuss our list of 15 legends to emerge from the continent. Fro...
The nearly men: the greatest teams that failed to win the World Cup
02 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We're back in the Centre Circle talking to These Football Times' senior writer Aidan Williams about his new book The Nearly Men, focusing on some of t...
The Mount Rushmore Selection: Exeter City
19 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Exeter University lecturer Matt Riley has taken a break from academia to chat to the podcast team about the Exeter City players that he believes deser...
The Beautifully Designed Game with Mark Johnson
15 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Beautifully Designed Game host, Marcus Marritt, sits down once again with sports creative Mark Johnson to talk about life as a self-employed creat...
From kids to champions: a history of the FA Youth Cup
11 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We’re back in the Centre Circle for another book chat. Join us as The Football Library's head honcho Jonny Brick chats with us about his new work, F...
Out of the Blue: the story of Chelsea's 2012 Champions League glory
07 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We’re back in the Centre Circle talking with These Football Times' Gary Thacker about his new book Out of the Blue - Chelsea's unlikely Champions Le...
Adidas in football: the faces, stories, highs, lows, boots, balls and kits
03 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Adidas and football. Football and Adidas. It just works. But that wasn't always the case. From the legend of the 1954 World Cup final, when West Germ...
Everton's malaise and the fight for survival
31 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The team are joined by Matt Jones of the hugely popular Blue Room podcast to discuss Everton's current malaise, squad and managerial issues, and a lea...
The Beautifully Designed Game with Mary Axon-Smith
28 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Beautifully Designed Game host, Marcus Marritt, sits down with an individual so talented as to be already working with one of the world’s bigges...
The Beautifully Designed Game with Dave Will
24 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Beautifully Designed Game host, Marcus Marritt, sits down with a genuine leading light in the world of sporting illustration, Dave Will. Talking a...
The South America Files: La Plata
21 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The South America Files are open again. Join us as we draw focus on a number of cities around the continent, and discuss the clubs within them. Guided...
Fiorentina through the decades: the high, lows, triumphs and tragedies
14 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate the launch of the Fiorentina magazine, the podcast team got together to talk all things Viola, from the highs of the last Scudetto and Ce...
The South America Files: Guayaquil
27 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The South America Files are open again. Join us as we draw focus on a number of cities around the continent, and discuss the clubs within them. Guided...
The South America Files: Cali
21 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The South America Files are open again. Join us as we draw focus on a number of cities around the continent, and discuss the clubs within them. Guided...
The Beautifully Designed Game talks HOME with Luke McCarthy
10 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Beautifully Designed Game host, Marcus Marritt, sits down with a man he considers his brother in design, Luke McCarthy. From partnering as goalkee...
The South America Files: Buenos Aires
06 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The South America Files are open again. Join us as we draw focus on a number of cities around the continent, and discuss the clubs within them. Guided...
The South America Files: Bogotá
31 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The South America Files are open again. Join us as we draw focus on a number of cities around the continent, and discuss the clubs within them. Guided...
The Beautifully Designed Game with Yoni Weinberg
23 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Beautifully Designed Game host, Marcus Marritt, sits down with the incredibly multi-talented filmmaker and digital artist, Yoni Weisberg. From his...
Talking Ronaldo, the original, greatest phenomenon
16 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To coincide with the launch of the Ronaldo magazine, the podcast team sat down to discuss the career of O Fenómeno, one of the most devastatingly bri...
The South America Files: Avellaneda
02 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The South America Files are open. Join us as we draw a sharp focus on a number of cities around the continent, and discuss the clubs within them. Guid...
The Original Football Manager
23 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this special edition of the podcast, the team talk to Kevin Toms, creator of the original Football Manager game - which was so popular in the 1980s...
The South America Files: Asunción
19 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The South America Files are open again. Join us as we draw a sharp focus on a number of cities around the continent and discuss the clubs within them....
The Beautifully Designed Game: Talking Portraits
09 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Beautifully Designed Game host, Marcus Marritt, sits down with three of the most influential artists practising in the sporting creative field, ta...
The Final Word: The 2005 Champions League final
05 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Destined for defeat at half-time, three goals down to the might of AC Milan, Liverpool conjured up an epic second-half recovery to win the 2005 Champi...
The Beautifully Designed Game with Rob Parker
04 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Beautifully Designed Game host, Marcus Marritt, sits down with copywriter, author and the creative mind behind the two beautiful books World At Yo...
A Whole New Ball Game: Gary Thacker talks his second football fiction release
30 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this podcast we re-enter the Centre Circle with another of These Football Times' authors, discussing Gary Thacker's new book, A Whole New Ball Game...
The Final Word: 2015 Scottish Cup final
28 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On 30 May 2015, Inverness Caledonian Thistle won the Scottish Cup for the only time, one of the great cup runs in the competition's history. The game ...
Tottenham's troubles and newfound hope under Antonio Conte
23 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As Tottenham move confidently into the Antonio Conte era, the podcast team talk to broadcaster and Spurs fan Abbi Summers about how the club have ende...
Origin Stories: the pioneers who took football to the world
22 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The podcast team chat to Chris Lee about his book Origin Stories, in which he charts the growth of the game in each major football country. We discuss...
Vamos Flamengo! An exploration into Brazil's biggest club
17 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Brazil's biggest football club, times are good at Flamengo as they make good on the promise of a star-studded squad. But they've been here before, of ...
Arsène Wenger: Invincible
12 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The podcast team are joined for an exclusive chat with Gabriel Clarke, who talks about his wonderful new documentary charting Arsène Wenger's manager...
The Final Word: 1970 World Cup final
04 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Perhaps the greatest World Cup final display of all time, the great Brazilian team of Pelé and his fellow magicians dazzled in the scorching Mexican ...
How can you become part of the These Football Times team?
02 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We're often asked what writers and artists need to do if they want to become part of the team. There's no easy answer to the question, unfortunately. ...
Forza Italia! BT Sport's Adam Summerton talks Serie A, Golazzo and commentating on the league
28 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Forza Italia. Join us as we talk to commentator Adam Summerton about his long-term love of Serie A and his role as the voice of BT Sport's Sunday nigh...
The Final Word: The 1970 FA Cup final replay
24 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Often described as one of the competition's most brutal and bruising encounters, the 1970 FA Cup final replay between Chelsea and Leeds has gone down ...
The Final Word: The 1974 FA Cup final
22 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The 1974 FA Cup final saw Liverpool lift the trophy as they comprehensively outplayed Newcastle. Along with lifelong Reds fan and all-round LFC doyen,...
The Beautifully Designed Game with Karl Thyer
19 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For the third fixture of the second season, The Beautifully Designed Game host, Marcus Marritt, sits down with the super-talented sports illustrator, ...
The Final Word: The 1998 World Cup final
14 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Final Word, our series exploring the most memorable cup finals of all, we revisit the 1998 World Cup. We’re joined by Tom Sch...
The Saudi takeover of Newcastle United and what it means for the club and league
12 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
With the completion of the sale of Newcastle United, the podcast team discuss a number of issues raised by the takeover: the endless lust for money, t...
The undisputed champions of Europe: how the gods of football became European royalty
10 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We are joined in the Centre Circle by our very own Steven Scragg, as he talks to us about the final part of his incredible European club competition b...
The Final Word: The 2006 World Cup final
07 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Final Word is These Football Times' new podcast series. In each episode, we invite a guest along to talk about their favourite final - from domest...
How Bayern Munich became European royalty and a domestic powerhouse
03 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate the launch of the Bayern Munich magazine, the podcast team got together to discuss all things Bayern, from their remarkable rise in the 1...
The Beautifully Designed Game with Luke McCarthy
26 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For the fourth fixture of season two, The Beautifully Designed Game host, Marcus Marritt, sits down with Glasgow-based designer and Creative Director ...
The forgotten champions: the Howard Kendall masterclass that delivered Everton's last title in 1987
23 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the 1984/85 season, Everton had become champions of England for the first time in 15 years. The following season they had to watch their title slip...
The Untouchables: the story of Liverpool's first great football team
20 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Once more we are joined by one of These Football Times' favourite authors, Jeff Goulding, to discuss his wonderful new book about a Liverpool side alm...
The Football History Boys: the humble ball can educate and inspire children
16 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the second podcast with The Football History Boys, Ben Jones and Gareth Thomas, we discuss football in education, not only from the benefits of a p...
The Football History Boys: how football can shape the culture of society
12 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the first of two podcasts with The Football History Boys, Ben Jones and Gareth Thomas, we discuss how football not only reflects society but can al...
The Mount Rushmore Selection: Birmingham City
07 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In The Mount Rushmore Selection, we offer writer Matthew Gibbs a chance to nominate his favourite four legends of St. Andrews to be immortalised on Bi...
The Beautifully Designed Game with Craig Black
03 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For the second fixture of the season, The Beautifully Designed Game host Marcus Marritt sits down with Scottish artist and independent designer, Craig...
The Mount Rushmore Selection: Leeds United
29 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In The Mount Rushmore Selection, we offer senior writer James Sweeney a chance to nominate his four favourite Leeds United heroes to be immortalised o...
What lies ahead in the Premier League this season?
26 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
With the new season underway, the podcast team cast their eyes briefly back to Euro 2020 and then forwards to the new season. They discuss the big-spe...
The Mount Rushmore Selection: Wrexham
22 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In The Mount Rushmore Selection, we offer senior writer James Kelly a chance to nominate his four favourite Wrexham heroes to be immortalised on the c...
Whose Game is it Anyway? Football, Life, Love & Loss
20 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Renowned author and journalist Michael Calvin joins us again to discuss his latest book, which takes a look at the very soul of football, at a time wh...
The Mount Rushmore Selection: Tottenham Hotspur
16 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In The Mount Rushmore Selection, we offer writer Tom Scholes a chance to nominate his four favourite Tottenham heroes to be immortalised on Spurs' own...
The Beautifully Designed Game with Stanley Chow
12 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
To kick off our second season, The Beautifully Designed Game host Marcus Marritt sits down with legendary Manchester-based artist and illustrator, Sta...
The Mount Rushmore Selection: Celtic
08 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In The Mount Rushmore Selection, we offer Paul Murphy a chance to nominate his four favourite Celtic heroes to be immortalised on the Bhoys' own Mount...
The dreamers and the achievers: Internazionale through the decades
05 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Alongside our magazine release on Internazionale, the podcast team have got together to discuss the club through the decades, from their favourite mem...
The Mount Rushmore Selection: Everton
30 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In The Mount Rushmore Selection, we offer senior writer Paul Mc Parlan a chance to nominate his four ultimate Everton heroes to sit on his own Mount R...
'Gooaal': the joy of goal celebrations
26 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Goal celebrations can be as iconic and the ball crossing the line. From the traditional firm handshake to the latest choreographed routine and everyth...
The Mount Rushmore Selection: Newcastle United
19 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In The Mount Rushmore Selection, we offer senior writer Aidan Williams a chance to nominate his favourite four legends of St. James' Park to be immort...
When the Seagulls Follow the Trawler
13 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Join disciples of the 1970s and 80s, Stu, Steven, and Gary, as they grill Tom Whitworth about his dedication to all things 1990s and his wonderful boo...
The Turning Season: remembering East Germany's final DDR-Oberliga season
05 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Wagg joins the podcast to talk about his book, a journey back to the final season in the lost nation of East Germany. Revisiting the 14 clubs ...
Peru: the ultimate sleeping giant of South American football
29 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
South America is one of the hotbeds of football, and in this series we explore the different nations of the continent. In each episode of The South Am...
Roberto Baggio: every footballer we've ever loved at once
22 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The ponytail. The shimmies. The dribbles. The free-kicks. The genius. The divinity. Roberto Baggio was every footballer we've ever loved at once. The ...
The story of Argentine football: Maradona, Messi and some of the game's greatest clubs.
15 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
South America is one of the hotbeds of football, and in this series we explore the different nations of the continent. In each episode of The South Am...
Who Ate All The Squid
14 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A struggling Korean football team within the post-2002 World Cup void; a newly-installed Scottish manager; and a football-hungry Canadian watching on ...
Euro 2020: the complete preview
10 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The podcast team cast their eyes back to the Champions League final, and forwards to the tournament summer at Euro 2020. They discuss the British dome...