How It All Played Out

How It All Played Out is taking a brief pause, but Season 2 is gearing up to be bigger than ever. In this bonus episode, Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward pull back the curtain on what’s ahead. You’ll get a taste of stories ranging from the Ryder Cup’s infamous War by the Shore , to how Italia ’90 reshaped British football. Hear about athletes and teams who waited decades for their moment of glory, a...

Wearing your country’s crest. Stepping onto the field for the pride of a nation. It’s every athlete’s dream - but for some, it only happens once. In this episode of How It All Played Out , Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward explore the stories of the sports stars who made a single international appearance. From legendary goalkeeper William 'Fatty' Foulkes to football’s Michael Ricketts, Arnie Sidebott...

How do you judge greatness? The 2003–2004 Premier League season stands alone in football history. Arsenal didn’t just win the title - they went the entire campaign unbeaten, becoming The Invincibles . With footballing legends like Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, and Sol Campbell leading the charge, this Arsenal side achieved something no other Premier League team has matched. But d...

"Neville Neville, their in defence. Neville Neville, their futures immense. Neville Neville, they ain't half bad. Neville Neville the name of their dad" The Brits are a nation of music lovers. From The Beatles to The Smiths, David Bowie to Kate Bush, just about every iconic artist has had one of their hits transformed into a football chant. In this episode of How It All Played Out , Mark Pougatch...

"I just don't think they're doing it without drugs" In the scorching heat of Seoul during the 1988 Olympic Games, the world watched as two titans of track and field prepared to battle for gold in the men’s 100m final. Carl Lewis - the outspoken American faced off against Ben Johnson, the quiet Canadian powerhouse and world record holder. What followed wasn’t just the fastest race ever run - it was...

It's home, again! In this special episode of How It All Played Out , Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward celebrate England's Lionesses' thrilling Euro 2025 victory. Sarina Wiegman's squad conquered Europe for the second time asking, being the first senior international British football team to lift a trophy on foreign soil. From the heroics of Chloe Kelly, Hannah Hampton and Michelle Agyemang to the ta...

In this episode of How It All Played Out , sports broadcaster Mark Pougatch and award-winning journalist Paul Hayward reveal their all-time favourite sports films - and why everyone should watch them. From the gritty realism of The Wrestler starring Mickey Rourke, to football drama The Damned United , the World War II classic The Great Escape , and Asif Kapadia’s stunning documentary Diego Maradon...

For every sporting legend, there's someone on the receiving end of their brilliance. Maradona, Shane Warne, Pete Sampras, Johan Cruyff - all icons whose talent truly lit up the world. But what about those who stood in their shadow? The ones left stunned, outclassed, or simply embarrassed by being on the wrong side of a moment of magic. In this episode of How It All Played Out , Mark Pougatch and P...

Sport is no stranger to scandal but few events mix chaos and tradition quite like the World Conker Championships. Is it really a sport? Is there a secret technique? And just how far will some go to claim victory with the perfect nut? In this episode of How It All Played Out , Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward dive into the quirky, competitive world of conkers — exploring its surprising history, the a...

"Football is quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged" On Boxing Day 1920, more than 50,000 fans packed into Goodison Park to watch a football match between Dick, Kerr Ladies and St Helens Ladies - raising funds for wounded World War One soldiers . It was the largest crowd ever recorded for a women’s football game in England, a record that would stand for over 90 years. The Dick...

Achieving a single world record is remarkable. Breaking multiple, in under an hour, is the stuff of legend. But in 1935, Jesse Owens did exactly that. In this episode of How It All Played Out , Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward revisit one of the most extraordinary moments in sports history. They explore how Owens, battling injury, fatigue, and a deeply divided society, delivered a performance that d...

"No one wants to pay to watch you birds play" Travel back to September 1973 in this episode of How It All Played as Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward look at one of the most infamous tennis matches to ever take place - The Battle of the Sexes between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. More than 50 years on, this is a tale that encompasses equal pay, equitable treatment and women's rights on the one ha...

We all lose our cool sometimes - but this takes it to another level. In this bonus episode of How It All Played Out , Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward head to Argentina to revisit the infamous football match that saw a staggering 36 red cards handed out. Yes, thirty-six. From that chaotic clash to some of the most jaw-dropping dismissals in football history including Zidane’s headbutt , Jens Lehmann...

"If we don't beat you, we'll knock your bloody blocks off" As soon as a sport star reaches Mount Olympus, you can guarantee that somebody is waiting in the wings to bring them crashing back down to earth. Fair or foul, an opponent will find any means to defeat a rival, restricting them from their usual tactics and well drilled gameplay. In one of the most bitter and controversial Ashes series ever...

From a sport historians to fashionistas, In this episode of How It All Played Out , Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward read an intriguing email from listener Scott, who claims to know why tennis players flip their collars up. But does the theory hold up? The pair also discuss other sporting attire, exploring how and why certain garments are used in the way they are. And they give their honest opinion...

"Sit down son, it's all over. No one will ever forget what you did here today" In part two of this episode of How It All Played Out , Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward cover the last two fights in the legendary trilogy between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. From the buildup to Super Fight II to the searing heat and savage intensity of the Thrilla in Manila , they explore the bitter rivalry, racial ten...

Commiserations to last place. With Wales getting the Wooden Spoon for two years running in the Six Nations, Mark and Paul discuss how and why the 'prize' came about and they also talk NFL with the Mr. Irrelevant award. Remember to follow or subscribe and give us a 5 star review too! We'd love to hear from you! Email us: howitallplayedout@global.com Executive Producer: Adem Waterman Head of Podcas...

"If we were twins in the belly of our mama, I'd reach over and strangle him"  Sport is all about debate. Who is the best, who is the most famous and who has had the most impact? Many would say that Muhammad Ali is the greatest figure in sport, but you could argue that he’s one half of the greatest rivalry in world sport of all time as well with Joe Frazier. In this episode of How It All Played Ou...

We're used to seeing sports being played in 60,000 seat stadiums under humongous flood lights with a roaring crowd. But did you know astronaut Alan Shepard once played golf on the moon? Join Mark and Paul in this bonus episode of How It All Played Out as they find out about some of the more unusual places humans have played sport. From the trenches of World War I, river football in the Cotswolds a...

“Few Tears, No Blood as Snow White Beats Poison Dwarf” Sport is fueled by rivalries. They are rooted in religion, social class, bitterness and some in plain jealousy. Think Revie vs Clough, Ali vs Frazier or Senna vs Prost. In this episode of How It All Played Out Mark and Paul travel to a cold, damp America in 1994 where figure skater Nancy Kerrigan is exiting the ice after a routine practice ses...

It doesn't really make sense, does it? Football in the rain, hail, and snow. Why not in the lovely summer months? Surely the Premier League would look glorious in the sun. But there are reasons why the Brits play in December & January, and we can blame the private school system. Join Mark and Paul in this bonus episode of  How It All Played Out  as they find out the why we play footb...

"Is he in?" For this episode of  How It All Played Out , Mark and Paul travel to the home of Head Groom Jim Fitzgerald on a stormy night in County Kildare in the Republic of Ireland and investigate one of the most shocking stories from the 1980s - The kidnapping of racehorse Shergar.  This story involves the IRA, a ransom of 2 million pounds and a mystery that is still to be solved. From...

What is deep backward point or a third man? And does the term 'Silly point' make sense? Join Mark and Paul in this bonus episode of  How It All Played Out  and find out why cricket fielding positions are called what they are. Remember to follow or subscribe and give us a 5 star review too! We'd love to hear from you! Email us: howitallplayedout@global.com Executive Producer: Adem W...

In 1966 England won the World Cup with a 4-2 win against West Germany...they even won it on home soil. With players such as Gascoigne, Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane it remains a mystery as to how they haven't won it again...but they haven't even hosted the tournament again. It may seem strange, but there are reasons as to why. Join Mark and Paul as they chart the history of the World...

Travel back in time to South Africa 1995 and join Mark Pougatch & Paul Hayward as they take a look at the Rugby World Cup. It was a watershed moment for the sport, marking South Africa's return to the international stage after the dismantling of apartheid. But how did President Nelson Mandela, who had been imprisoned for 27 years, and rugby, unite South Africa ? And what significance did it ha...