Nessun Dorma Retro Football Podcast

Middlesbrough’s 1996-97 season was the mother of all rollercoasters. They reached two cup finals, lost them both and were relegated – yet they were talk of the football world. Rob talks to Tom Flight, author of Yer Joking Aren’t Ya?, about Boro’s madcap season: the AWOL superstars, the hat-trick of 3-3 draws, the three-point deduction that ultimately sent them down - and the sheer joy of watching...

It’s 25 years since Blackburn Rovers won the Premier League title in incredible circumstances.  In the last episode of our current season, Rob talks to John Duerden, author of Rovers Revolution, about Blackburn’s dramatic rise under Jack Walker, the monstrous brilliance of Alan Shearer – and that unforgettable afternoon at Anfield. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn m...

Possibly the oldest football we have ever discussed, as we take on the 1981 film about a match in the 1940s.  Join Lee, Scott Murray and Carrie Dunn as they ramble about the film that all people in their right mind should adore. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This is a public episode. If you would like to di...

In five and a half years at Old Trafford, Ron Atkinson made Manchester United glamorous again. Rob talks to Wayne Barton, author of Que Sera Sera, about the glorious victories, the doomed title challenges and whether fewer beers would have meant more trophies See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This is a public e...

Gary and Mike are joined by special guest Lionel Bernie, ghost writer of the fantastic Graham Taylor autobiography 'In His Own Words', for a look at the Watford managerial legend's time in charge of the national side. It's all here - Euro 92, subbing off Gary Lineker, that documentary, some reprehensible tabloid coverage, the doomed bid to reach USA '94 and an inspiring speech in Rotterdam that ma...

Now that Silsoe’s “Aztec Gold” has faded out, it’s time to put on “Aztec Lightning” by Heads. Gary, Rob and Mike are back to complete their review of the 1986 World Cup with a look at the knockout phases in Mexico, and there’s an awful lot going on here. Tuck in for two of the greatest World Cup matches of all time, a heart-breaking 5-1 thrashing and one man taking over the tournament like never b...

Strike up "Aztec Gold" by Silsoe, because we’re about to take you on a 2-part journey back to the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. In this first episode Gary, Rob and Mike discuss (among other things) qualification, mascots, altitude, the group stages and Bobby Robson putting his faith in Everton for a crucial match against Poland See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more abou...

Lee, Rob and Gary take a (very) long look at the 1994-95 Season Of Sleaze, including drugs, battered taxi drivers, bungs, a kung-fu kick, a tearful press conference and much more. There's also a tall Irishman in the Underrated Hall of Fame. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This is a public episode. If you woul...

Lee, Rob and Scott Murray talk about Rangers' greatest European Cup season and have another chat about a Journeyman and an Underrated Hall Of Fame Nominee See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit n...

To celebrate the release of the 1980s Everton documentary Howard's Way, our Gary has a good old chat with the director Rob Sloman. *apologies for some slight echo in parts, we unfortunately left Gary in charge of the mixer. Never again... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This is a public episode. If you would...

Our next episode is here as we take a good, long (and believe us when we say it's long) look at Euro 88. Netherlands triumph, bicycles in the air, BELANOOOOOOV, that volley, that other volley, England folding like a broken concertina - it's all here. There's also another Underrated Hall Of Fame nominee and our latest glorious, mulleted, bow-legged Journeyman Of The Week See acast.com/privacy for p...

Come with us back to 1994, when Tottenham went mad under Ossie Ardiles and played The Famous Five. We have a good old chat about what that was all about and also consider the team's legacy and whether they have been harshly judged. There's a Coventry player considered for the Underrated Hall Of Fame (not, it's not Cobi Jones), and perhaps the most journeymannish journeyman yet in our latest Journe...

Lee, Rob Smyth and Scott Murray are here on our return episode to consider an addition to the Underrated Hall Of Fame, another Journeyman Of The Week and have a long chat about Liverpool & The Perch. (You'll want to listen to understand what the bloody hell this perch this is all about, surely?) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit mega...

Lee, Rob and Mike are back for a special episode to celebrate the 25th anniversary of World Cup USA94. We take a good old deep dive into all the talking points and maybe a few you haven't talked about. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subsc...

The new documentary "Diego Maradona" is in cinemas this week. Gary has had an early peek at it and in this bonus episode he let you know what he thinks. DIEGO MARADONA IS OUT IN CINEMAS FROM FRIDAY 14 JUNE See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other s...

We have a chat about Nottingham Forest’s "inbetween" years*: after the European Cups, and up to the relegation in 1993. To help us along on the journey we have Gary Naylor and Forest fan and Guardian journalist, Nick Miller.*yes, we've made that period title up See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This is a public...

In this episode we allow Lee to wallow in the gorgeous warm waters of a time when his football club didn’t cause him abject misery as we take a look at the glorious days of Oldham Athletic between 1989 and 1994. A tale of over achievement, cup runs, promotion, playing with one centre back and a rollercoaster ride that ultimately ended in relegation... so many relegations. This is a public episode....

Lee, Rob and Mike chat all about November 17, 1993, the last great night of international tournament qualification; an evening that ended careers, made reputations, left a legacy a certain Welsh fullback could do without and caused David Ginola to have his parentage questioned. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

We're back for Season 2 and we kick-off with a good old deep dive into the opening fixtures of the 1996-97 season. Lee, Mike and Gary consider Beckham's introduction to the wider world, Richie Humphreys' thunderbolt and decline, Super Kevin Campbell and the general pizzazz and razzamattaz that was the Premier League in the post Euro 96 miasma of self assurance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy an...

Lee, Rob and Mike chat about 1992-93, the season that United finally threw the 25 year old monkey off their back and hoisted the league trophy. There's also an attempt to make and XI out of the best players who didn't play in either the European Cup or the Champions League. Also, as per, Lee manages to somehow make a lot of United' title win about Oldham Athletic. See acast.com/privacy for privacy...

We take leisurely ramble through football as experienced throught the cathode ray tube screen. Lee is joined by Scott Murray and Rob Bagchi to talk theme tunes, Saint & Greavsie, the Sky revolution, FA Cup Final day marathons and much more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This is a public episode. If you woul...

The tenure of Glenn Hoddle at the helm of the national side is pored over by Lee, Mike Gibbons and Adam Hurrey. Is he in credit or debit after his World Cup 98 showing? Was he a good coach? Why couldn't he fit Le Tissier in? What is the relevance of Kenny G and Where is Eileen Drewery now? All of these questions and more are answered. There's also another Brazilian as our Journeyman Of The Week. S...

We take off our shoes and paddle in the genius of the greatest of all time, El Diego. What made him so special and the impact he had on football and for us as viewers lucky enough to see him. There is also a full rundown and rating of those crowned The New Maradona in the past 30 years. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/...

It's time to have a chat about the Jack Charlton period as manager of Ireland. We talk long balls, white baseball caps, Liam Brady's magazine based rebellion, Paul McGrath's genius and the many errors of Packie Bonner with Paul Doyle of The Guardian. We also find time to have a squint at the 1989 Ballon D'or list and ask, just who is Robby Langers and how did Derby County get in there? This is a p...

Watford's transformation for a Fourth Division side with a dog track for a stadium to First Division runners-up under the leadership of Graham Taylor and Elton John is pored over by Lee, Lionel Birnie and Mac Millings. Gerry Armstrong is our Watford related Journeyman Of The Week. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, vi...