"🍊 The Half Time Oranges: ⚽

NEW EPISODE ⚽ What makes the perfect football tournament? Should it be straight knockout? Group stages? Champions League style? This week, the lads get stuck into one of grassroots football's biggest talking points and share their thoughts on what really works. Meanwhile, Marc doubles down on his Harry Kane comments... and he's still not changing his mind! As if that wasn't enough, th...

NEW EPISODE OUT NOW! Tournament season is here... and so is the drama! This week on Half Time Oranges, Richard and Marc dive into one of the hottest debates in grassroots football after a social media post sparked a huge discussion... 🎥 Has Parent VAR arrived? Parents and coaches filming tournament matches to challenge referee decisions – is it helping the game, or are we taking grassroots footba...

Presentation Days, Participation Awards and Podcast Merch The latest episode of The Half Time Oranges has landed! This week Richard and Marc swap controversy for celebration as they discuss one of the highlights of the grassroots football calendar – Presentation Day. 🏆 Should every player receive an award? 🎖️ Do participation trophies still have a place in football? 👏 How do clubs properly recog...

🎙️ The Half Time Oranges Podcast – New Episode Out Now! This week… things get heated. 👀 Marc returns from his cup final and the big question is — did the hammy actually survive, or is retirement talk already on the cards? Meanwhile Richard’s attended that many County FA CPD sessions lately, people are starting to ask if he’s secretly on the FA payroll. The sponsorship war in the background has no...

🎙️ The Half Time Oranges Podcast – New Episode Out Now! Richard and Marc are back, and this one’s got a bit of everything… ⚽ Richard dives into the world of 3v3 Future Fit football after taking his U7s to their first festival—what worked, what didn’t, and whether it really is the future of the game or just organised chaos with cones. 🤕 Marc drops a bit of a bombshell… he’s picked up an injury. T...

🚨 THE HALF TIME ORANGES IS BACK 🚨 AND… BIG NEWS STRAIGHT AWAY 🏆Richard drops it early… the club is up for Club of the Year 👀🔥 Not bad for a group that can barely get the tech working…Speaking of which… Marc’s somehow pulled it off again 🎥😂 Now onto the chaos… ⚽ What actually makes a GOOD training session?🧠 Are some coaches overthinking it… or just not thinking at all?🛑 And here we go… Wh...

🚨 NEW EPISODE DROP 🚨 The lads are back on Half Time Oranges 🍊⚽ This week… we’re diving straight into what’s creeping into grassroots football 👀 ❌ Poor touchline behaviour🚬 Vaping during games🍺 Drinking on the sidelines Is it just a bit of “sideline culture”… or is it crossing the line? Marc’s got the red card ready 🟥Richard’s on the tactics board 📋And as always… it gets lively 😅 If you’...

After last week’s technical disaster (mainly caused by Marc discovering that podcasts work better when they’re actually plugged in), the Half Time Oranges Podcast is finally back! 🍊🎙️ Richard and Marc return to the mic looking and sounding much better than last week’s silent masterpiece. This episode they get stuck into the recent Silent Weekend across grassroots football and the behaviour we sti...

It’s a brand new Tuesday episode of Half Time Oranges, and Richard & Marc are right in the thick of it. 🌧️ Pitch postponements – are inspections happening early enough? Who’s managing it well, and who’s leaving clubs, players and refs hanging? The fixture backlog is building and patience is wearing thin. 🚨 Racial incidents on the pitch – a serious, honest conversation about what’s happening betwe...

The Half Time Oranges Podcast with Richard & Marc is back — and this one goes everywhere (as usual). Richard kicks things off by revealing plans to start disability football at the club . The lads talk through why it matters, what it could look like, and how grassroots football can (and should) do better. Then… predictably… it descends into chaos. ⚠️ Dodgy decisions get aired 📩 A listener que...

Josh from MK has asked the question everyone’s been whispering about: Are youth players being pushed into adult football too early? ⚽ In Episode 28, Richard and Marc give their no-nonsense take. Expect laughs, real stories from the touchline, and some proper grassroots football insight. Are the kids ready… or are the Boots to Big? Tune in and decide for yourself! 🎧 Listen wherever you get your p...

Following the huge success of the Christmas special, the lads have returned to voice-only podcasts, but don’t worry — the banter, laughs, and football chaos are still in full swing! ⚽😂 In the first episode of 2026, Richard digs through the sacks of letters for your burning questions, while Marc’s love of grass helps deliver top-notch tips and tricks for pitch and grounds work. 🌱 Whether you’re...

🎄⚽ Half Time Oranges – Christmas Special ⚽🎄 The lads have gone and done it… The Half Time Oranges hasgone big time. Yes, it’s been filmed 👀 Join Richard and Marc for the Christmas Special as they talkall things grassroots football, see in Christmas the only way they know how, and take you through the highs, the lows, and the “how on earth did that happen?” .studie Expect laughs, a bit of hone...

⚽Are County FAs doing enough to support grassroots football — or have they lost touch with the game?  That’s the question one listener threw our way this week, and Richard & Marc dive straight into it on the latest episode of the Half Time Oranges Podcast 🍊  We also chat about the recent FA inspection at our own club — what they looked at, what they missed, and what it says about how support for...

This week on the Half Time Oranges Podcast, Richard and Marc have been flooded withreferee questions — and it’s safe to say, they don’t sit on the fence 🍊   ⚽ Do sin bins actually work, or are they just adding to the chaos? 😤 Has abuse from parents and players really got worse on the sidelines? 🎯 And listener Ben puts Marc on the spot: “What’s the one thing you wish players and managers unders...

This week on The Half Time Oranges Podcast , Richard and Marc take on their most important topic yet — mental health in football . Known for keeping things light and full of laughs, this episode takes a more honest turn as the lads open up about their own personal experiences with mental health — both on and off the pitch. With recent high-profile stories shaking the sports world, Richard and Marc...

🚻⚽ This week’s Half Time Oranges Podcast gets real about grassroots football facilities — and it all kicked off from one fiery listener question on our Facebook page! Richard’s on a mission after hearing the stories:👉 Kids travelling 40 minutes to play… with no toilets in sight.👉 Girls’ teams still lacking basic facilities in 2025.👉 Clubs trying their best — but battling uphill. It’s honest,...

This week Richard and Marc welcome Alan Ostler – the man who has worked tirelessly to restore ladies’ football a village team. Alan shares the journey of building a team from nothing, the highs and lows of grassroots football, and the very real struggles of recruiting players to keep the women’s game alive. It’s an honest conversation about determination, community spirit, and the passion it takes...

This week Richard and Marc tackle two of the biggest issues in grassroots football: ⚽ Safeguarding and welfare – Hannah in Liverpool asks how clubs can do more to keep players safe and supported. ⚽ Respect for referees – what the FA’s Respect Campaign really means at pitch level, and how we can all play our part. It’s honest, no-nonsense chat straight from the touchline. 🎧 Listen to “Safeguardi...

Grassroots football is full of passion, but it’s also facing a growing challenge:  rising costs . In this episode, Richard and Marc dig into what it really takes to keep local clubs running — from pitch fees to kit costs — and ask the big question:  Is football still affordable for everyone? 💬 Listener questions from  Callum and Chloe  spark a proper debate, and things get personal when Richard s...

This week, Richard puts Marc under the spotlight — grilling him about his refereeing, his FA Cup involvement, and whether he actually  enjoys  being shouted at every weekend! 😅 💬 Big shoutout to Megan from Derby and Lucy Evans for sending in this week’s brilliant questions: ​Megan asks:  What are the best qualities of a grassroots referee? Thick skin, Knowledge or Fitness ​Lucy wants to know:  I...

"For the love of the game, not the lure of the trophy." This week: 💬 Richard’s got something he  needs  to get off his chest... 📊 The boys dive into how leagues  grade teams  based on results to help every player find the right level 🏟️ And they ask:  What makes a BIG CLUB?  Is it the badge, the facilities, or the pull for parents? It’s honest, insightful, and full of the usual laughs and grassr...

In this episode, Richard & Marc: Break down the highs and lows of the  summer tournament circuit  🏆 Answer some brilliant  listener questions  💬 Share their personal stories of how they  got into football  and their journey into  coaching  👟 It’s real, relatable, and packed with grassroots insight. Whether you're pitch-side every weekend or just love the game, this one’s for you. #BetterLat...

🎙️  The Half Time Oranges Podcast – Season 2, Episode 2  🍊🔥 We’re back with the boys and things are heating up fast! ☀️ Marc’s already in holiday mode now that the Year 11s have wrapped up their GCSEs, but Richard’s brought the 🔥 with more burning questions from our ever-growing band of listeners. 🏆 What does  “good”  look like for club presentations? ⚽ Rob asks:  “Our new coach says attitude...

🎙️ The Half Time Oranges Podcast is BACK! 🍊⚽Season 2 kicks off with a fiery debate in our opener: Listener Matt asks: "Is training 4 times a week plus gym sessions too much for U9s?" Are grassroots coaches turning kids into mini academy players? 👀 Marc finally climbs off the fence, Richard shares what this means for parents, and the conversation gets heated. 💬 Got thoughts? Questions? We want...