These Football Times
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.
Episodes
September 2, 2025 • 53 mins
Jonathan Wilson joins Steven Scragg in the centre circle to discuss his monumental new history of the World Cup, in all its glory and in all its gory detail. What further persuasion to listen could you possibly need?
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August 24, 2025 • 65 mins
It’s the turn of the ESPN documentary The Two Escobars to feature in our Reel Football series. It explores how the very different lives of Colombia international Andrés Escobar and drug baron Pablo Escobar became inextricably linked by the 1994 World Cup. Matthew Gibbs and Dr Pete Watson pick apart an extraordinary and tragic tale.
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August 16, 2025 • 70 mins
Our Reel Football series alights upon Asif Kapadia’s 2019 documentary about Diego Maradona, revolving around his time in Naples and the 1986 World Cup. Matthew Gibbs, Dr Pete Watson and Steven Scragg revel in one of the great football films.
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August 6, 2025 • 62 mins
Less Citizen Kane, more 'Citizen Harry Kane', Matthew Gibbs and Rob Fletcher alight upon the cinematic treasure that is the Goal! trilogy. Whether treasure in this context means it’s full of gold, or that it should simply have stayed buried forever, we’ll find out by the end of the pod.
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July 23, 2025 • 51 mins
Donning the mantle of Mark Kermode, Matthew Gibbs sets sail on a new series delving into the world of football on film. In this first episode, he’s joined by Rob Fletcher and Chris Lepkowski to take a closer look at The Damned United. So the first thing you can do is chuck all your medals and all your caps and all your pots and all your pans into the biggest dustbin you can find and pay attention to this.
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July 8, 2025 • 83 mins
We return to the Centre Circle with our guest Dominic Hougham to talk about his new book Veni Vidi Vici: When Italian Football Ruled Europe. If you are a fan of the golden age of Serie A in the 1980s and 90s, this is the book – and podcast – for you. Rob Fletcher and Steven Scragg, cappuccinos in hand, are along for the ride.
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July 6, 2025 • 61 mins
Our 70s series returns and not with a mere bonus track but a supplementary book of learning that brings you everything you needed to know about each of the decade’s FA Cup finals.
We start at Wembley, where there’s barely a blade of grass to be seen as Leeds and Chelsea join battle in a final that sets the tone for the rest of a golden decade in the FA Cup. Steven Scragg and Dave Bowler take you through a truly magnif...
We start at Wembley, where there’s barely a blade of grass to be seen as Leeds and Chelsea join battle in a final that sets the tone for the rest of a golden decade in the FA Cup. Steven Scragg and Dave Bowler take you through a truly magnif...
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May 26, 2025 • 67 mins
Rob Fletcher is joined by Ivan McDouall who talks about his excellent new book Only The Real Thing, which charts Aston Villa’s glory days in the League Cup from 1993 to 1996, as they carried off the Coca-Cola sponsored trophy twice in short order. Coke floats all round.
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May 18, 2025 • 60 mins
The latest club magazine from These Football Times explores Aston Villa, from the days when they were central to forming the Football League through trials and tribulations in the third tier, on to winning the European Cup, and the current resurgence piloted by Unai Emery. TFT’s resident Villan, Ivan McDouall, joins Aidan Williams to discuss all the goodies you’ll find inside.
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May 11, 2025 • 51 mins
Continuing our series where members of the team look at the relationships between their teams, Steven Scragg and Ivan McDouall discuss Liverpool against Aston Villa. Covering favourite games between the sides, nightmare afternoons, players for both teams guilty pleasures and otherwise, just how does these two teams rub up against each other?
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May 5, 2025 • 58 mins
Everton prepare to leave their home of 133 years, Goodison Park, later this month, so we felt that we had to pay tribute to this venerable institution, one of the great cathedrals of English football. Dave Bowler is joined by Paul McParlan, a Goodison regular since the 1960s, to recall the Holy Trinity, the Boys’ Pen, Pele and Eusebio and plenty more in our farewell to the grand old ground.
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April 22, 2025 • 45 mins
Kicking off a new series where members of the team look at the relationships between their teams, Steven Scragg and Dave Bowler discuss Liverpool against West Brom. Covering favourite games between the sides, nightmare afternoons, players for both teams, guilty pleasures and otherwise, just how do these teams rub up against each other?
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April 10, 2025 • 34 mins
Coming soon to a podcast outlet near you. Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, These Football Times brings you a new series, covering the glories of the 1960s. Steven Scragg, Paul McParlan and Dave Bowler will be your spirit guides through a remarkable decade. As a teaser, here are the kinds of things you can expect to hear all about.
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April 3, 2025 • 61 mins
Author Chris Evans is in the Centre Circle to talk with Aidan Willians and Chris Lepkowski about his new biography of Gary Lineker. From Filbert Street to the J League and all points in between and beyond, we discuss the impact of one of the game’s great goalscorers.
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March 27, 2025 • 57 mins
We talk with Chris Lee about his new book Shades Of Green, a journey of discovery around Ireland to learn about one of the world’s oldest football cultures. Along the way, Chris talks to fans, historians and academics. He uncovers a complex story of politics, identity and division, but also one of hope, reconciliation and glory.
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March 23, 2025 • 37 mins
There’s cost cutting aplenty at Manchester United as Jim Ratcliffe ushers in a period of austerity, especially if you are a former player, a staff member without a packed lunch or, indeed, one without a job anymore. And yet, at the same time, United are trumpeting plans for a new stadium, albeit one that barely nods in the direction of their history. Is Ratcliffe’s tin-eared PR sustainable or is cutting spending to the bine th...
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March 20, 2025 • 74 mins
The 1990s was a golden period for English strikers. Rob Fletcher and his guest, Michael Hamlen, trawl the decade to reminisce on Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker, Teddy Sheringham, Dion Dublin, Kevin Phillips, Chris Armstrong, Chris Sutton and Stan Collymore.
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March 17, 2025 • 46 mins
Newcastle carried off the League Cup at Wembley, ending a trophy drought that exceeded the lifespan of TFT’s twin presenters, Aidan Williams and Steven Scragg.
Likely lad Aidan reacts with the bemused excitement of someone who has no idea what winning means, while Steven takes it all with the magnanimity of someone whose team are about to lift the Premier League. Hilarity – and a bad montage – ensue.
Likely lad Aidan reacts with the bemused excitement of someone who has no idea what winning means, while Steven takes it all with the magnanimity of someone whose team are about to lift the Premier League. Hilarity – and a bad montage – ensue.
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March 15, 2025 • 62 mins
As two giants of English football, Liverpool and Newcastle , prepare to meet at Wembley in the final of the League Cup, so two giants of TFT, Steven Scragg and Aidan Williams, preview a game that has consequences for both sides.
Will Liverpool extend their League Cup record wins and take their first step towards a trophy double, or will Newcastle finally end a trophy drought that goes back to 1969 and carry off the ...
Will Liverpool extend their League Cup record wins and take their first step towards a trophy double, or will Newcastle finally end a trophy drought that goes back to 1969 and carry off the ...
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March 13, 2025 • 33 mins
Following the Icons magazine, lovingly detailing 60 of the game’s greatest names, we decided to delve a little deeper into some of them in this podcast series. Dave Bowler and Rob Fletcher bring a little je ne sais quoi to proceedings by discussing Zinedine Zidane.
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