By Far The Greatest Team Football Podcast

1. FC Kaiserslautern 1996–1998: The Miracle on the Betzenberg Can a team really fall from the Bundesliga… win a cup… rebuild in the second tier… then return to win the title at the first attempt? In this episode, we dive into the extraordinary, almost impossible tale of 1. FC Kaiserslautern — the Red Devils — and their unforgettable journey from relegation heartbreak to one of the greatest miracle...

From non-league obscurity to conquering the kings of English football — the story of Wimbledon FC from 1984 to 1988 is one of the greatest, wildest, and most unbelievable rises in football history. In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team , Graham and Jamie are joined by London football expert Stuart Burgess to deep-dive into the era that turned a ragtag group of misfits into FA Cup legends. To...

AFC Bournemouth 1984: Harry Redknapp’s Giant Killers & The Quest to Crown the Greatest FA Cup Shock How did a struggling Third Division side pull off one of the most dramatic FA Cup upsets of all time — and does Bournemouth 1984 still stand as the greatest giant killing in football history? In this episode, Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney are joined by regular South Coast guest Jamie Wilson to re...

Aberdeen 1977–1986 – Fergie’s Miracle in Granite In the granite city of Aberdeen, a fiery young manager tore down Scottish football’s natural order. Between 1978 and 1986, Alex Ferguson transformed Aberdeen from outsiders into European conquerors — breaking the Old Firm’s stranglehold, humiliating Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, and building a dynasty of discipline, belief, and brilliance. Before M...

Manchester United 1981–1986: Flair, Frustration & the Big Ron Era Were Manchester United under Ron Atkinson a team of unfulfilled potential — or flamboyant trailblazers who set the stage for everything that followed? In this episode, Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney are joined by lifelong United super-fan Richard Evans to dive into one of Old Trafford’s most compelling transitional eras: Mancheste...

Nottingham Forest 1977–1980 – Clough, Taylor, and the Miracle of European Glory (100th Episode: The Director’s Cut) Summary In this landmark 100th episode of By Far The Greatest Team , Graham and Jamie joined by podcast favourite Phil Craig return to where it all began — revisiting the incredible story of Nottingham Forest 1977–1980 with a full Director’s Cut treatment.  From Second Division obscu...

Italy 1982 – Redemption, Rossi, and the Rebirth of a Nation Summary In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team , Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney revisit Italy’s unforgettable 1982 World Cup triumph — a story of struggle, scandal, and ultimate redemption. From a stuttering group stage and a nation divided, to Paolo Rossi’s remarkable resurgence and Marco Tardelli’s iconic goal celebration, this is th...

Brazil 1982: The Day the Music Died What if the greatest football team of all time never actually won? Brazil’s 1982 side dazzled the world with artistry and flair — only to fall at the hands of Italy. Four decades on, we ask: can beauty alone define greatness, or does history only remember winners? Summary In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team , hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney revisit on...

Peru 1975–1978: The Red Sash of Glory How did Peru’s golden generation of the 1970s capture the imagination of world football—and why does their story still feel unfinished? Summary In this episode, Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney explore the remarkable rise of Peru’s national team during their golden era of the 1970s. From Copa América glory in 1975 to memorable World Cup campaigns in 1970 and 1978,...

Aston Villa 1987–1990: Graham Taylor’s Revival of a Sleeping Giant How did Graham Taylor transform Aston Villa from second-tier strugglers into a competitive First Division force in just a few seasons? Episode Summary In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team , hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney are joined by lifelong Villa fan Stuart Murray to celebrate Graham Taylor’s impact at Aston Villa bet...

Derby County 2007–2008 & Friends: The Art of Failure What happens when a Premier League season becomes a nightmare—and how do other clubs’ struggles help us understand the fine margins between survival and disaster? Summary In this episode, Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney and joined by regular Phil Craig to revisit one of the most infamous campaigns in Premier League history: Derby County’s disas...

Derby County 1970–1973: Brian Clough’s Rams Rise to Glory How did Brian Clough transform Derby County from also-rans into champions of England in just three seasons? Summary In this episode, Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney revisit the rise of Derby County under the charismatic and controversial Brian Clough. They explore how Clough, alongside Peter Taylor, transformed Derby from a middling side into...

Castel di Sangro 1995–1998: The Miracle of Serie B How did a tiny mountain village of 5,000 people produce one of the most incredible underdog stories in football history? Episode Summary In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team , hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney tell the astonishing story of Castel di Sangro , the little Italian club that climbed from obscurity to reach Serie B in the mid-19...

How did Steve Coppell’s Crystal Palace rise from the Second Division to the 1990 FA Cup Final — and create one of the most iconic strike partnerships in English football? In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team , hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney are joined by London regular Stuart Burgess to revisit the brilliance of Crystal Palace between 1987 and 1991 . Guided by Steve Coppell , Palace reb...

Germany 2006: Klinsmann, Culture & the World Cup That Changed a Nation How did Jürgen Klinsmann transform Germany’s football philosophy, unite a country, and lay the foundations for World Cup glory in 2014? Episode Summary In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team , hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney kick off Season 4 by revisiting one of the most transformative tournaments in modern footbal...

By Far The Greatest Team – Season 3 Finale: Promotion, Relegation... or Redemption? After almost 40 teams, countless debates, and one mighty spreadsheet of footballing history, Graham and Jamie return to the boardroom of greatness for the Season 3 Finale — and this time, they’re not alone. Joined by returning favourites Phil Craig and Declan Clark, the team reopens the case files on every single s...

England 1990: Gazza, Penalties & the World Cup That Changed English Football Was Italia ’90 the true turning point for English football culture — and how did England’s semi-final run reshape the game at home? Episode Summary In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team , hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney are joined by former FA PR head Steve Double , who spent six unforgettable weeks inside th...

Charlton Athletic 1998–2006: Alan Curbishley’s Era of Stability and Success How did Alan Curbishley turn Charlton Athletic into one of the Premier League’s most stable and respected clubs of the late 1990s and early 2000s? Episode Summary In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team , hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney are joined by London specialist Stuart Burgess to revisit the Alan Curbishley ye...

Chelsea 1998–2000: Zola, Vialli & the Glamour Before Abramovich How did Chelsea become the most glamorous club in England at the turn of the millennium, long before Roman Abramovich arrived? Episode Summary In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team , hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney are joined by lifelong Chelsea fan Lyndon Baldock to revisit the late-1990s Chelsea revolution — a golden er...

No New Episode This Week – But We’re Not Done Yet! Graham and Jamie are missing in action — ambushed by the day job and temporarily subbed off by the work/life gods. So, sadly, no new episode this week. But don’t worry — By Far The Greatest Team returns next Thursday, 22nd May, for the big Season 3 run-in, featuring: Gianluca Vialli’s silverware-stacking Chelsea Curbishley’s flying Charlton Athlet...

Newcastle United 1992–1998: Keegan’s Entertainers and the Premier League Dream How did Kevin Keegan transform Newcastle United from relegation candidates into “The Entertainers” and genuine Premier League title contenders? Episode Summary In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team , hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney are joined by lifelong Geordie Simon Brunskill to relive the extraordinary Newca...

Santos 1960–1966: Pelé, Lula & the Team That Ruled the World How did Santos, led by Pelé, dominate Brazil, conquer the world, and redefine football in the 1960s? Episode Summary In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team , hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney revisit the golden age of Santos FC from 1960 to 1966 — a period when a club from coastal Brazil became the most feared and celebrated te...

Austria 1930–1934: The Wunderteam and the Birth of Modern Football Were Austria’s Wunderteam the first to play “Total Football” — and how close did they come to ruling the world in the 1930s? Episode Summary In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team , hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney are joined by Austrian fan Benedikt Ost to revisit the remarkable story of Austria’s Wunderteam from 1930 to 19...

Sampdoria 1988–1992: Vialli, Mancini & the Scudetto Dream How did Sampdoria rise from Italian outsiders to win Serie A and reach a European Cup final in just four years? Episode Summary In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team , hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney are joined by regular guest Phil Craig to revisit the extraordinary Sampdoria side of 1988–1992 . Backed by the vision of preside...

Kilmarnock 1964–1965: Willie Waddell’s Wonders How did Kilmarnock stun Scottish football in 1965 to win their first and only league championship — and what was it like for the family of a hero who made it happen? Episode Summary In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team , hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney are joined by David Sneddon , son of Kilmarnock legend Davie Sneddon , to relive the extra...