The Athletic FC Podcast

Mark Chapman & Matt Slater are joined by Stewart Robertson, managing director of Scottish Premiership champions Glasgow Rangers football club. Rangers won their 55th title last year after financial collapse in 2012 saw them have to climb their way up from the fourth division. Stewart shares his experiences at the club across a wide range of issues including the development of home-grown talent...

Hosts Dan Bardell and Flo Lloyd-Hughes are joined by The Athletic's Carl Anka and Jay Harris to discuss why AFCON matters , as the 33rd edition of the tournament kicked off in Cameroon... The panel discuss this rite of passage for a diaspora of young football fans, how European attitudes towards the festival of football continue to evolve, de-bunk some of the typical misconceptions about African f...

Mark Chapman is joined by The Athletic's Adam Crafton & David Ornstein to discuss some of the latest transfer news. Aston Villa are confident of signing Everton left-back Lucas Digne after picking up Philippe Coutinho on loan, Arsenal could be after a striker and Newcastle are targeting further signings ahead of their crunch relegation showdown with Watford. The Athletic’s Jack Pitt-Brooke wil...

Hosts Dan Bardell and George Elek are once again in the company of bet365's Steve Freeth to preview the best of the weekend's FA Cup Third Round action... Will Ben Garner's Swindon stand toe-to-toe with Pep's Man City, could Arsenal be light in midfield against Nottingham Forest and is the Hull City takeover done yet? Plus, why Crystal Palace could be dark horses for the trophy this season, Manuel...

With the Africa Cup of Nations kicking off this weekend Mark Chapman & Matt Slater are joined by Hicham El Amrani, former Secretary General of the African Football Federation. And later in the pod we’ll be joined by The Athletic’s Dan Sheldon who has been speaking to Martin Semmens CEO of Premier League side Southampton following their takeover by a London-based investment firm. Hosted on Acas...

Which referee's name strikes fear into your heart as a fan. Does Stuart Attwell really hate Arsenal and why do Premier League referees all look alike?... Hosts Dan Bardell and Flo Lloyd-Hughes are joined by The Athletic's Stuart James and Dan Barnes to reflect on the 'Great Referee Conspiracy' gripping the hearts of supporters across the country... The guys discuss the concerning lack of diversity...

Mark Chapman discusses the future of Romelu Lukaku - after he was dropped from the Chelsea squad - with The Athletic’s Simon Johnson & James Horncastle & Adam Crafton. Adam Crafton was at Old Trafford last night for The Athletic and has plenty of thoughts on United's struggles following their loss to Wolves.  And with the transfer window now open, The Athletic's Newcastle United writer Chr...

The Athletic Football Podcast is taking break this week so we wanted to point you in the direction of the newest addition to the Athletic podcast network. In The Boardroom is hosted by Jacqui Oatley and she speaks to people from up and down the football pyramid about the day-to-day to running a football club. As a taster, this is Jacqui's conversation with Leon Mann, co-founder of The Football Bla...

Ho-Ho-Hosts Dan Bardell and George Elek are joined by bet365's Steve Freeth to preview the best of the Boxing Day action as Dan questions whether this is a good time for his beloved Villa to face Chelsea and the trio debate where both Newcastle and Manchester United most need to strengthen in January... Plus, Phil Hay chimes in on how badly Leeds need some players back from injury this Christmas,...

Mbappe, Pogba, Rudiger and countless other star players are out of contract next summer; The Athletic's senior writer Stuart James joins Dan Bardell and Flo Lloyd-Hughes to explain... How the pandemic has helped to create a truly 'unique' summer, the role of football agents in this trend and how clubs are trying to wrestle back some control. Plus, who the big winners and losers might be in January...

Mark Chapman is joined by The Athletic's Adam Crafton to discuss the fallout from the Premier League's decision on Monday not to postpone a round of fixtures over Christmas despite the rise in COVID cases continuing to put matches in jeopardy. We're also joined by The Athletic's senior writer Dominic Fifield and our Leeds correspondent Phil Hay to look at Chelsea and Leeds - two of the clubs who h...

Hosts Dan Bardell and George Elek are joined by bet365's Steve Freeth to preview (what's left of) the weekend's Premier League action, as Covid outbreaks continue to disrupt the festive fixture calendar... Has 'Auba-gate' actually galvanised the Arsenal squad and can they take their impressive home form to Elland Road on Saturday? How much Kane would be worth if he tried to engineer another move a...

Mark Chapman & The Athletic's Matt Slater are joined by Edwin van der Sar to discuss his journey from being a hugely successful player to leading one of European football's most famous football clubs as CEO of AFC Ajax. We also hear how Edwin's work at Ajax is being noticed from other clubs including his former side Manchester United. In a wide ranging discussion, Edwin also details the every...

Hosts Dan Bardell and Flo Lloyd-Hughes are joined by Wolves writer Tim Spiers to shine a spotlight on his article: ‘ A footballer’s guide to Christmas parties: The fines, fisticuffs, foreign trips and fancy dress,’ for which Tim enlisted the help of former Wolves winger Matt Jarvis... Standby for some outrageous tales from what Matt proudly describes as the 'biggest night on the footballing calend...

Mark Chapman is joined by The Athletic's David Ornstein & Adam Crafton to discuss the off field dispute that led to Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang being dropped by Mikel Arteta. David & Adam will share what they know following COVID outbreaks at Aston Villa & Manchester United and explain what could happen next. And we’ll speak to The Athletic’s Crystal Palace writer Matt Wo...

Hosts Dan Bardell, George Elek and bet365's Steve Freeth reconvene to discuss their first impressions of the Ralf Rangnick era at Old Trafford, as Aaron Wan-Bissaka fails his first audition infront of his new manager... They also explore Kasper Schmeichel's big dip in form, how Brentford keep finding new ways to replace their star strikers, Man City's ominous recent PL form and more. Hosted on Aca...

Mark Chapman & The Athletic's Matt Slater are joined by Rick Parry, Chairman of the English Football League to discuss regulation and sustainability at all levels of English football in the wake of the recommendations made in the Fan-Led Review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosts Dan Bardell and Flo Lloyd-Hughes are joined by Women's football writer Jessy Parker Humphreys, to reflect on the many ways in which the sport's openly gay power-couples are creating a safe and 'joyous' environment for the LGBTQ+ community... They discuss how love-stories like Sam Kerr and Kristie Mewis, the in-jokes, social media sub-culture and sincere efforts to celebrate the joy of 'queer...

Mark Chapman & The Athletic's Adam Crafton assess the impact Ralf Rangnick is already having as Manchester United interim manager with our German writer Raphael Honigstein The Athletic’s Andy Jones will share his concerns for Burnley who are joint bottom of the Premier League following defeat at Newcastle on Saturday. And, more disarray at Everton means another uplifting Everton chat, this tim...

Hosts Dan Bardell and George Elek are joined by bet365's Steve Freeth to reflect on Arsenal's bad habits after scoring a goal, Michael Carrick's Manchester United legacy and Aubameyang's ability to disappear in big away games... Plus, the trio debate Chelsea's best attacking combination, why Everton are lucky to have Rafa Benitez in charge and if Raheem Sterling is back in Pep's good books? Hosted...

Mark Chapman & Matt Slater are joined by Tracey Crouch MP who responds to criticism from some leaders at Premier League clubs of The Independent Fan Led Review of Football Governance that was chaired by Crouch. Also on the pod, Danny Macklin, CEO of Leyton Orient, who play in League Two in the English football league, to get his thoughts on the review that he hopes can provide lower league clu...

Hosts Dan Bardell and Flo Lloyd-Hughes are joined by Senior Writer for The Athletic, George Caulkin, to discuss Newcastle's perilous Premier League position, the Saudi's first January transfer window and early impressions of new manager Eddie Howe... Plus, a special tribute to Gary Speed - 10 years on from his death - as Alan Shearer asks likes of Sam Allardyce, Duncan Ferguson, Chris Coleman, Gor...

As Ralph Rangnick is confirmed as Manchester United interim manager, David Ornstein who broke the story on The Athletic, joins Mark Chapman to bring the very latest details, whilst Adam Crafton will share some of the details from his piece on United’s five-year pursuit of Mauricio Pochettino.  The Athletic's Patrick Boyland joins us to look at what is going wrong at Everton after another defeat at...

Hosts Dan Bardell and George Elek are joined by bet365's Steve Freeth to reflect on The Athletic's exclusive story, that Ralf Rangnick has agreed a deal to manage Manchester United until the end of the season! Our very own German football expert Raphael Honigstein gives us the low-down on the 'Godfather of Gegenpressing' and the guys discuss what his appointment has done for United's chances at St...

Mark Chapman & The Athletic's Matt Slater are joined by John Textor, who earlier this year invested almost £90million in English Premier League side Crystal Palace and in doing so became a fourth partner and director at the club. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.