Steven Marshall and Nick Mayberry

It's the hope that kills you - Football History Podcast with a Scottish Angle

Sports EN ↓ 35 episodes

A look back at historic football tournaments from the perspective of a couple of Scottish football fans. In the first series, we delve into the 1986 World Cup in Mexico and find, not only a brilliant tournament, but also player strikes, an alleged poisoning, Henry Kissenger's failed attempt at soccer diplomacy and the head of the Scottish FA referring to the Uruguayan's as 'cheats and cowards, the scum of world football!'We're in the midst of recording series 2, where we look back to Italia 90.

Author

Steven Marshall and Nick Mayberry

Category

Sports

Podcast website

podcasters.spotify.com

Latest episode

Jul 9, 2026

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Episodes

Quick summary of series 2 launching on 1st of April 24.03.2026

Listen to series 2 where Nick and Stevie turn their short attention spans to cover Italia '90. The rise of icons like Toto Schillaci, Roger Milla and Paul Gascoigne…and, of course, Gazza’s tears. They uncover political corruption that would eventually see the fall of the Italian First Republic, ‘Tactical misdirection’ by Costa Rica to unpick Scotland and a Dutch football song that has all the...

The sort of thing they blast at you between waterboarding sessions in a CIA black site 18.03.2026

It's the turn of the semi-finals. Whilst the games are interesting, things take a disturbing turn when we find a song about Rummenigge.

He daisy cuts his way across the 6 yard box 11.03.2026

Having dedicated an entire eposide to Argentina v England, we review the other quarterfinals. We decide to divide up viewing responsibilities for games and Nick manages to select one of the few truly honking games of the tournament.

A rascal in one situation, and in the other, he was a genius 04.03.2026

We review the most famous game of the tournament...and just maybe, the most famous game of all tournaments. Argentina versus England in the quarterfinals. If you're an England fan, you might want someone near by to give you a cuddle.

Murderers' row 25.02.2026

We review the knock out phase of the World Cup...which sadly, doesn't involve the Scots. That said, we do watch some brilliant games and it sets up one of the most famous games in football history in the quarterfinals.

Cheats and cowards, the scum of world football! 18.02.2026

We immerse ourselves in the group stage. The Danes look like worldbeaters, the German look like sex tourists and the Uruguayan's look like butchers.

Bleeding like Bambi's mother in the snow 11.02.2026

We discuss the selection of Mexico as host, which was much more controvertial than we had imagined, and the build up process for both Scotland and England as they look to acclimatise to the heat and altitude of Mexico.

Quick summary of series 1 05.02.2026

Yes, it's a football podcast, but we uncover a host of intruiging stories when we research the 1986 World Cup.

Looking for the Samaritans to talk him off a bridge 04.02.2026

In this episode, we examine England's route to qualification for the '86 World Cup. During which, they have to navigate a fairly straightforward group but a carnivorous press and the impact of the tragic Heysel Stadium diaster.

Headbutting the ball to death 28.01.2026

In this first series, Nick and I trawl through our memory banks to recall the 1986 World Cup in Mexico from the perspective of a couple of Scottish football fans. Episode 1 sees us delve into Scotland's route to qualification where we faced Wales, Iceland and the mighty Spaniards.

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