Football Ramble

Andy’s been to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and that’s where we begin on today’s episode of Jules & Andy. We discuss Tottenham’s ultimately underwhelming result against Watford and ask why Spurs have lost the dynamism that typified their early seasons under Mauricio Pochettino. We then again turn our attention to the fight against racism in football, as players at Haringey Borough walked off...

Man United brought an end to Liverpool’s perfect start, all among a sea of digs from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and a Sky Sports studio panel that were set up to put the boot well and truly in. Elsewhere, Jack Grealish shone for Aston Villa and Marco Silva’s Everton seemed to listen to Everton’s Marco Silva for once as they secured a comfortable win over West Ham.  If that’s all a bit serious, neve...

On today’s Greatest Games, in association with The Blizzard, we’re joined by author and Sunday Times’ Chief Football Writer Jonathan Northcroft! He joins us to talk about “the greatest experience he’s ever had watching football”. After winning the Scottish Cup the previous season Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen side swept through the early rounds - conceding only one goal - and then drew the first leg of...

We discuss the awful scenes in Bulgaria and what comes next - as well as England’s excellent performance on the pitch - Ireland’s disappointing night in Switzerland and the return of the Premier League.  Alongside all that Pete thinks he watched North Korea vs South Korea, Marcus submits a thesis and the Gareth Southgate to Man United rumour train leaves the station, as well as some spittings...

The gang are back together for another episode of On The Continent, and we begin with the troubles in Catalunya. We discuss the protests that have caused Barcelona to change their travel plans for their upcoming trip to Eibar, as well the possibility of moving next week’s El Clasico. Elsewhere, we discuss some managerial movements in Serie A— Tuttosport has reported that Max Allegri is being lined...

Across a career spanning 22 years and over 700 senior appearances, Nigel Winterburn developed a reputation as a fiercely competitive and reliable operator at the top of the game under varied managers, from Dave Bassett to Arsene Wenger. In this exclusive interview with Football Ramble Daily, the Arsenal and England left back divulges exactly what it takes to be a pro footballer, how different he w...

On what should have been a night for analysing England’s impressive performance in Bulgaria, racist abuse from the stands is, rightly, the main focus on today’s episode of Jules & Andy. We discuss the dignified response of the England players and staff, the unprecedented actions taken by UEFA and how this abuse can be stamped out at future matches.  There’s also time for deserved praise f...

Oof, England’s visit to Prague wasn’t the stroll in the park many anticipated it being. It was more like a stumble into some stinging nettles because you were looking at your phone and had assumed the whole thing would be straightforward.  Things were better over in Wales, as Gareth Bale’s brilliance earned the home side a point, while Andorra won their first ever European Championship qualif...

Hola y bienvenido to another episode of Greatest Games, in association with The Blizzard. We’re off to the 2000 Intercontinental Cup final where Boca Juniors took on Real Madrid, and our tour guide for today is football writer and editor of Brazil Global Football Rupert Fryer! This was a hugely significant game for both sides; the Boca side featured three legends of the game fleetingly crossing pa...

International breaks can sometimes make for a dearth of talking points, but not today! DI Coleen Rooney has been sleuthing and she’s uncovered some suspicious activity on Instagram.  In a slightly less charged battle North Korea take on South Korea, while England revisit the scene of many, many appalling stags as they take on the Czech Republic in Prague. We’ve also got snipers, Mick McCarthy...

With Andy Brassell away on various continental crusades, we’ve got Lars Sivertsen on today’s On The Continent, alongside messrs Moore and Horncastle. After beginning with renewed praise for Lars’ goalscoring compatriot Erling Braut Håland, we discuss the fallout from St-Étienne’s last gasp win over Lyon in Le Derby. The fortunes of the two managers could not be more different, as Claude Puel got h...

On today’s episode of Ramble Meets… we welcome former Leicester, Liverpool and England legend Emile Heskey! With the recent launch of his new book, Even Heskey Scored, Emile speaks to Luke about his storied 24-year professional career. From breaking through at Leicester City at 17, to winning a hatful of trophies with Liverpool and earning 64 international caps, this candid interview gives a uniqu...

Of course, there’s only one place we’re starting on this week’s episode of Jules & Andy: Brighton’s cracking win against Spurs. Jules, our delighted Brighton representative, recounts her recent meeting with manager Graham Potter and discusses how much the team have improved under his tenure. There’s even time for a Wimbledon update from Andy, since they won as well! Halcyon days indeed. Elsewh...

A weekend full of surprises as Man City, Spurs and Man United lose after limp displays— but what a day for Steve Bruce and Matty Longstaff! No Brucey belly rub for Man United this time. Could the Longstaffs be the new Ameobis? Bruce in! Elsewhere, Norwich took a phenomenal gubbing as the topics went fully out of the window, Luis Figo has a job at Guildford’s tourist board and we have updates on Go...

Join Marcus Speller and Jonathan Wilson, this time alongside author and commentator David Bolchover, for another episode of Greatest Games, in association with The Blizzard. Today we’re heading back to 1962 to celebrate one of the most influential figures in 20th century football: Béla Guttmann. His Benfica side beat Real Madrid 5-3 in the 1962 European Cup final, and this extraordinary game was e...

Marcus’ giddy aunt, Ruddy Nora and Gordon Bennett were all present at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Bayern Munich continued their sustained efforts to destroy all football in North London with a comprehensive battering of Spurs. Can they put it right against Brighton? Liverpool had a strange Champions League experience themselves, and entertain Leicester and the disrespect-machine that is Jamie...

It’s time for another Champions League recap, as James and Andy are in situ for more continental coverage. We begin with Bayern’s tonking win over Spurs, thanks to four goals from Arsenal legend Serge Gnabry. We also take a look at some of your correspondence regarding Niko Kovač, and whether some of the doubts over his qualities have been alleviated, and we consider Bayern’s prospects for the sea...

On today’s episode of Ramble Meets… Andy Brassell is off to Lewes FC in Sussex to meet their general manager, Maggie Murphy. Lewes FC are one of the most forward-thinking clubs in the country and pay their men and women teams equally, with both sides drawing from the same cumulative revenue and sharing the famous pitch at The Dripping Pan. Andy joins Maggie in one of their pitch side beach huts to...

It's time for a brand new episode of Jules & Andy, hot off the press after Monday Night Football! We delve into that slightly underwhelming affair between Man United and Arsenal, before discussing the sides' capacity for any sort of success this season. We then head north to Tyneside to try and understand what's been going wrong at Newcastle. With Rafa Benitez out and Steve Bruce cautiously dr...

Sheffield United came so close to earning a point against Liverpool only for young Dean Henderson to make a costly mistake. Chris Wilder’s response was less arm-around-the-shoulder and more foot-square-in-the-nuts. IT’S THE ONLY WAY HE’LL LEARN. Elsewhere in the Football Universe, Wolves got a much needed win, the magnetic Slaven Bilic marches on with West Brom, we hear of ill-disciplined ball boy...

There are some football derbies that transcend the ninety minutes on the pitch and the few annual fixtures, and instead become knitted into the fabric of the societies they inhabit. The Old Firm Derby is one of the definitive derbies in world football and we’re heading to the 1987 tie between Rangers and Celtic for today’s episode of Greatest Games, in association with The Blizzard. We’re joined b...

A man’s punched a horse again and there’s really nowhere else to start. This time it was a Portsmouth fan. We don’t know why supporters of our teams keep doing this and we assure you we’re not involved. Away from that there was an actual Carabao Cup game as Southampton won THE South Coast derby, while Spurs went out to Lolchester on penalties and Old Man Milner helped Liverpool past MK Dons. ...

Andy’s flown back in from Milan this morning, just in time for a brand new episode of On The Continent! We begin with a look at two sides struggling at opposite ends of Ligue 1, as PSG lost their second of the season against perennially-underrated Reims and Monaco won their first league game in seven attempts. We then discuss the remarkable underdog story in Liga Nos, as Famalicão are top of the t...

Do your stretches, because this time on Fantasy Five-a-Side Jim is joined by actor, Podbible magazine big wig and all round legend in the podcast game, Scroobius Pip.  With a mixture of brawn, grace and some more brawn, Pip’s team will be a match for any who dare cross them.  Listen now for tales of Millwall, metalhead footballers, impossible goals, one of the most emotional returns you’...

On today’s episode of Jules & Andy we begin with a look at Crystal Palace and their place among the pack of varying mediocrity in the Premier League. Does this represent a wider problem? What can owners, players and fans of these clubs realistically strive for in these modern times of financial and commercial inequality? We then take stock of Leicester hugely impressive start to the season and...