The Back Page

In 2013, Graham book Spain: The Inside Story of La Roja's Historic Treble was released. Graham had behind-the-scenes access at all three tournaments and used his incredible insight to tell the story of the greatest achievement in the history of international football. This is Graham's conversation with Neil White, co-founder of BackPage who published the book and believes it is the best title his...

In Football 2.0., Grant Wahl (Sports Illustrated) breaks down the technical and tactical revolution that has transformed football through interviews with one player in every key position on and off the pitch. Wahl sits down with world-class talents such as Manuel Neuer, Vincent Kompany, Xabi Alonso, Chicharito, Christian Pulisic, Roberto Martinez and Michael Zorc to analyse hours of game footage,...

Archie Macpherson’s book 'Jock Stein: The Definitive Biography' was published in 2004 and updated four years ago. Built on a mountain of research and infused with Archie’s own knowledge through his decades-long professional relationship with Stein, this is by far the most complete view of Stein’s life that has ever been written. This is Martin's conversation with Archie Hosted on Acast. See acast....

In December 2017, Bleacher Report published James Montague's ground-breaking report from inside North Korea - the result of a journey over a decade in the making. His story brings together an Asian Cup qualifier, a nuclear bomb, an under-pressure manager, the world's largest stadium and a ballboy-based international incident. It's a trip. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information...

In 2010, journalist Nick Harris first produced an annual report called the Global Sports Salaries Survey, which compared athletes’ wages on a like-for-like basis from major sports around the world. In 2018, the report now covers all the major football leagues, NBA basketball, NFL, NHL, IPL cricket and more. Here Nick tells us how he pulls it all together thanks to a huge amount of expertise and an...

Cycling journalist Richard Moore reflects on his critically-acclaimed book In Search of Robert Millar, a fascinating portrait of the famous Tour de France cyclist. It’s a book that combines biography with a real-life detective story Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus...

Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl talks us through his 2012 profile piece about FC Barcelona. It was headlined ‘The World’s Team’ and for it, he was given unparalleled week-long access to the club’s new training facility, where he interviewed Xavi, Fabregas and Pique Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other su...

Dennis Bergkamp was a unique footballer, a player who inspired Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal to greatness in the nineties and noughties with an exquisite blend of technique, balletic grace and unforgettable moments. It was always going to take something special to encapsulate the Dutchman’s unique talents in book form. Written as a collaboration between David Winner, author of Brilliant Orange, and Dutc...

David Winner talks through his legendary exploration of Dutch football, Brilliant Orange. Published in 2000, it has become a classic of sports literature. Winner's book is both an idiosyncratic journey into the cultural and social forces which produced the greatest-ever generation of Dutch footballers - embodied in the legendary figure of Johan Cruyff - and a rollicking good football story. Hosted...

Sports Illustrated writer Ben Reiter talks through his 2014 cover story on the Houston Astros. His piece predicted that the Astros - then the worst team in baseball - would win the 2017 World Series. In November, he was at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, to see his prediction come true. This is the extraordinary story of perhaps the greatest long-shot in all of sportswriting. Hosted on Acast. See aca...

We're taking a short break for Christmas - full details here, as well as a preview of what's next from Between The Lines. And if you want to get us a present... nothing says Merry Christmas like a review on iTunes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ba...

Simon Kuper reports on sport and real life for the Financial Times, and is the author of several landmark football books. The first, Football Against The Enemy, made his name and won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year award in 1994. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to...

Rory Smith spent 10 months building a story about the Manchester City midfielder İlkay Gündoğan's recovery from a serious knee injury. His feature ran in the New York Times earlier this year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit backpagepress.substack.co...

Coming soon from BackPage: BETWEEN THE LINES, the stories behind great sportswriting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit backpagepress.substack.com