Saturday Service - A Faith and Football Podcast

Having enjoyed our break last week and suitably filled with half time oranges, I am delighted to welcome our latest guest John Boyd who is Director of Football at Sunderland Samba FC alongside being a Learning and Develop Officer at The Methodist Church. Sunderland Samba FC was formed over 25 years ago growing out of the youth work of the Sunderland Methodist Circuit, now finding itself a register...

For this latest episode I was delighted to be joined by Nathan Faulkner who is Chairman of the Coventry and District Church Football League and manager of Division 1 side CLM FC. At the time of recording we were mere hours from the opening day of the Premier League season and with Nathan being a lifelong Coventry City fan, it was the perfect time to discuss the fall and rise of the team and the ma...

Wow, 20 episodes, not quite sure how that happened but as always, a huge thank you for your support, it's greatly appreciated. For this weeks edition I am delighted to be joined by Owen Hughes who is National Director for FCA Wales and Chair of the Welsh Churches Football League. Alongside the usual football chatter, Owen shared his love for American Football and Rugby. He is incredibly passio...

For this weeks edition I was delighted to be joined by Martin Bateman who is the National Director of Ambassadors Football GB and Chaplain at Morecambe FC. Martin has over 35 years of Christian Ministry under his belt, beginning at Operation Mobilisation (OM) where he pioneered the Sports Ministry arm SportsLink International. He became the National Director for Ambassadors Football GB in 2015, an...

If you have listened to the podcast for a while, you'll be aware that I'm a huge Irish League fan, so what a delight it was to spend time in the company of this week's guest Philip Mitchell. Throughout his playing career he turned out for the likes of Ards, Linfield, Ipswich Town, Portadown, Distillery and Glentoran. Luckily, he was only to happy to humour me as we looked back at his t...

For this latest edition I had the pleasure of talking to Ed Jervis who is the Content Co-ordinator at United Christian Broadcasters. Alongside Joe Rivers and Producer Tom he presents The Big Man Up Top Podcast, a weekly look at the beautiful game through the lens of faith. As well as possibly having the greatest name a Christian football podcast could have it's also a brilliant listen and come...

For this weeks edition I was blessed with the company of Warren Evans who is the CEO of Sports Chaplaincy UK and the Chair of the Global Sports Chaplaincy Association. Warren shared his early life, from Manchester to the Holmewood Estate in Bradford where his father was a Minister, his personal journey of faith through to his work as a Chaplain at Bradford Bulls RFC and Chaplaincy Director to the...

Fresh from a summer holiday where I took in the sights and sounds of Iceland (the supermarket), we are back and what better way to celebrate than a chat with Mr Stu Alleway! Stu, a massive Chelsea fan, was formerly the Chaplain at Southend United, his tenure coincided with a particularly tumultuous period for the club, so it was fascinating to hear insight into what it was like at that time. He st...

For this latest edition I was delighted to be joined by Yinka Akinsanya who is manager of the recently re-branded Up North FC who ply their trade in the South Manchester and Cheshire Christian Football League. Fresh from guiding his team to the Division 3 title, we delve into the beginnings of the club (as CRM FC), how Yinka found his way into management and in the impact it has on the local commu...

For this week's edition I was delighted to be joined by Rachel Jordan-Wolf who is the Executive Director of Hope Together to discuss the charity's latest publication "Goal of Life" which brings together stories of football and faith alongside the Gospel of Mark. We look back at Rachel's life as an evangelist, what drives that passion, the intentions of Hope Together and how t...

For the latest installment I had the pleasure of talking to David Jardine from Willowfield Duffers FC who play in the Churches League. So, a few episodes back I spoke to Chris Pollock about the aforementioned league and in my research discovered the Duffers and immediately decided they were my team. Luckily for me their social media is run by the very kind and patient David! It was fascinating to...

For this edition I had the pleasure of speaking with Kieran Garland from Dream Centre Wales, both a church and a football team based in Ystrad in the Rhondda Valley, South Wales. Football as a means of outreach is something I'm personally very passionate about and this is certainly the case with the work of Kieran and Dream Centre Wales, fulfilling a vital role in the local community, providin...

So we've somehow made it to episode 10 already and what better way to celebrate than a chat with goalkeeper extraordinaire Leif Hunter. Leif provides a fascinating insight into the life of a footballer, through playing in his native United States in the MLS Next Pro and USL leagues and stints at Salford City and Bala Town. His story is a testament to the power of faith in navigating the often over...

For the latest edition I was delighted to be joined by Reverend Philip Wright who is the Chaplain at West Ham United, a role he fulfils alongside his full-time job as the Lead Hospital Chaplain for Barking Havering & Redbridge Hospital Trust. Rev. Phil as he is affectionately known lives and breathes West Ham, from his early years growing up in Rush Green we trace his journey and how it shaped...

This week I was joined by Tim Mann, the manager of Central Baptist FC and a committee member of the Chelmsford and District Churches League. Tim shared his time with the club, beginning as a player before making the transition into management, the balance between faith and leading a side, the challenges of grassroots football, creating a team culture around Christian values and the ethics of the g...

For this episode I was delighted to be joined by Robert Goodwin who is manger at Danbury Mission FC as well as Chairman of the Chelmsford and District Churches Football League. We recount his football playing adventures, the vision and values of the team, building a Christian community through football, his time as Chair of the League and how Brian Clough informs his team talks. We also look into...

On this weeks episode I am delighted to be joined by Chris Pollock to discuss the Churches League (CL) in Northern Ireland. We discuss the origins and intentions of the league, the importance of branding, and how the CL has fostered an environment of community, inclusivity and fellowship. Chris also shared his personal journey of faith, what it's like to be on the rollercoaster ride that is Arsena...

This week I'm delighted to be joined by my Football Heritage alumni Brock Mildon (@BrocksKitCloset). Brock is based in Utah, USA, a hotbed for American soccer which, along with his Mission work in Germany and Austria, forged a deep passion for the game. We discuss American soccer culture and history, his expansive shirt collection and his journey of faith in the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latte...

For this weeks episode we are joined by Kyle Hall who plays for Carrubbers FC in the Appin Edinburgh Churches Football League. Kyle's story is, in my opinion, a testament as to where sheer enthusiasm, commitment and a love for the game can take you. Indeed, as we reflect on his football journey, it is fair to say he has very much lived the dream! We reflect on his football journey, from the Stretf...

In this episode I was delighted to be joined by Phil Twite who has had over a decades long involvement with Central Baptist FC, fulfilling many different roles in his time with them. He is also the Club Liaison Officer at the Chelmsford and District Churches League. We discussed his time at the club, through ups and downs, culminating in a league championship, how a man from Essex came to support...

This is the second part of my call with Peter. In this half we discuss subjects such as the spirituality of the early church sides, the role faith took in the breaking of societal norms, the changing influence of the Church within clubs, chaplaincy and Peter's own journey through faith. You can find both editions of his excellent book "Thank God For Football!" in all good bookstores.

Peter Lupson is a football historian, writer, TV presenter and much more, authoring the seminal book on football and faith called "Thank God For Football!" an exhaustive look at the Church based origins of some of the biggest clubs in England. I was lucky enough to be able to speak to Peter over the phone at the back end of last year and, to be honest, would've quite happily taken up much more of...

For the first episode it only felt right to talk a gentleman who has had a pretty profound impact on my journey into faith, the Revd. Colin Baldwin who is the Priest in Charge at the Lifestreams Churches in Southend on Sea, England. As well as being the Vicar at my church he is also a big football fan, supporting West Ham United FC. Here he shares insights into his love of football as well as his...