The Unused Subs

With Tyler St Sport opening its doors for the Superbowl on Monday, The Unused Subs needed a venue to play their unique brand of football…  look no further than directly upstairs, as the mighty Portside came to the rescue!  Only one small issue though: very, very hot in there, with the sun beating down through the glass roof!  Hydration was key, which it will be when CLAUDIA BUNGE and the Football...

Dutch international and injured Wellington Phoenix footballer TESSEL MIDDAG joins The Unused Subs today, but not before the boys talk about Oli Sail’s unfortunate injury for Auckland FC, Bill Tuiloma’s horrible error for the Nix, and debate which kiwi will be promoted to the Premier League from the EFL Championship - Marko Stamenic, Tyler Bindon, Max Crocombe, or Libby Cacace? When Tessel arrives...

A bumper episode from The Unused Subs this week with so much to cover off!  Our special guest is Wellington Phoenix Original and All Whites superstar striker Shane Smeltz, but before we get to him the Subs unpack: * The Michael Woud last-minute shocker against Central Coast Mariners * Should Oli Sail replace Woud in the Auckland FC goal? * What is Auckland FC’s best attacking line-up? * The 21-sec...

The giant frame of Sam Cosgrove eased into the Tyler St Sport studio this week! The Auckland FC big man was ready to chat all things about his move to NZ from the UK, and experiencing his first summer Christmas. Whether Paul Ifill could hang in for the entire chat though was placed in serious doubt; sat at Christchurch Airport ready to fly home, with low phone battery and no charging cable in sigh...

This week, The Unused Subs lick their wounds after a rough weekend.  Jacob Spoonley endured a late, white-knuckle drive from Napier to Wellington after his flight to cover the Phoenix/Adelaide game was canceled, and poor old Paul Ifill got sprayed and drenched in the pre-game by a rogue sprinkler!  Some say his jacket is still drying out. To the football itself though, and the Subs talk about the...

Happy New Year everyone! The Unused Subs are back like we never left (because we didn’t) and our first guest of 2026 is 20 year old Football Ferns striker Milly Clegg - yes, we know, she’s the daughter of former Black Sticks hockey captain Kylie, but let’s see how long it takes for us to mention her… because Mum always hijacks Milly’s chats for some reason! Today we review our respective New Year’...

For the final time in 2025 Jacob & Goran enter the Tyler St Sport studio where they are joined by Paul Ifill.  As the new year approaches rapidly the Subs bench uses this time to review the key moments of the year that was, and look forward to big things in 2026! Michael Boxall’s unlikely goal in the World Cup Qualifier against New Caledonia, Auckland FC winning the Premiers Plate in their ver...

Last week, Auckland FC’s Lachie Brook joined the Subs Bench at Tyler St Sport and took it upon himself to reveal the secret life of teammate Callan Elliot. The man Lachie described was something of a moody, angry individual, capable of abusing a postman or messing with a stranger’s car for no good reason. In this week’s episode, Callan will attempt to set the record straight and clear his name. Bu...

This week on The Unused Subs it’s Lachie Brook of Auckland FC joining the bench. Where doesn’t this chat take us?! When he’s not ripping on his new ‘Best Friend Forever’ Callan Elliot we chat about his growing collection of fabulous goals in the A-League, the son of ‘Goldenballs’ Romeo Beckham, Lachie’s love of music but his disdain of sing-song football initiations, and yes, it seems that all roa...

If you’ve been with The Unused Subs from the start, you’d know that Tommy Smith kicked off the very first episode back in January when he was plying his trade with Auckland FC. Now in the UK, he makes a welcome return to chat about the All Whites’ FIFA World Cup opponents, and his old team piling on more misery atop a luckless Wellington Phoenix - Saturday’s 3-1 win extends their perfect record ov...

The 5th NZ Derby is this Saturday at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart…  and depending on which side of the fence you sit, you’re either gonna love or despise our special guest this week:  Corban Piper of the Wellington Phoenix. In a relatively short A-League career, Corban’s made a name for himself thanks to his physical approach to the game, however he took that to Super Saiyan levels in the 2-1 defeat...

This week’s guest is an absolute ripper:  it’s All Whites defender Bill Tuiloma, repping Aotearoa and Pasifika all over the footballing world.  From humble beginnings on Auckland’s North Shore, the Beach Haven resident helped put Birkenhead on the map…  and then wound up in Marseille under the watchful eye of the legendary Marcelo Bielsa as a teenager!  How does a young man with Samoan heritage av...

Joining Paul, Jacob and Goran this week is MICHAEL WOUD - Auckland FC's number 1 goalkeeper for Season 25/26. It's been a long and difficult road back to the pitch for Woudy, after being stuck behind Alex Paulsen for AFC's inaugural A-League campaign. He talks about the dark times during a stretch of more than 600 days where he failed to play a competitive football match, and how he ha...

Ooh wee!  The first kiwi A-League derby of the new season was FIRE as red cards and highline goals took centre stage at Sky Stadium in Wellington.  And The Unused Subs painstakingly go through all the flashpoint moments for you in this week’s episode…  before CARLO ARMIENTO of the Wellington Phoenix joins the show to give his thoughts on what happened across 100 pulsating minutes. How phenomenal w...

Our home ground of Tyler St Sport was unavailable this week so we popped next-door to THE BRIT to welcome back Jacob Spoonley and Paul Ifill to the Subs bench, and handed a debut to Auckland FC’s Director of Football Terry McFlynn. IT’S NZ DERBY WEEK! NIX v BLACK KNIGHTS… So of course we talk about tactics, expectations, and memories of last season’s encounters. Can an injury-ravaged Wellington Ph...

With Monday being Labour Day in NZ, and Jacob working both of the kiwi A-League games across the weekend, he needed some much-needed downtime with family, and nobody else was free... so it was up to Goran to go it alone - 1v1 - with Wellington Phoenix head coach GIANCARLO ITALIANO. The man with a secret part to play in the origin story of The Unused Subs! Chiefy chats openly and honestly about &#3...

With Jacob Spoonley unavailable for selection this week and Tom Doyle sunning himself in Fiji, Goran was forced to pull out all the stops for the second episode of Season Two.  He recruited not only the exceptional SEAMUS MARTEN of Between Two Beers, but handed a debut to none other than PAUL IFILL - the greatest import in the history of the Wellington Phoenix! The removal of Ange Postecoglou from...

That’s right, it’s the SEASON TWO PREMIERE of The Unused Subs!  Somehow, some way, the boys are back…  and they’ve convinced former Auckland FC striker MAX MATA to join the fun at the Tyler St Sport studio. Max has endured a less than desirable off-season; a niggling hamstring injury led to a departure from Shrewsbury Town, and left him without a club.  How does the free agent plot a path to the F...

In the 23rd and FINAL episode of The Unused Subs first season, Jacob & Goran are separated by the Tasman Sea, courtesy of a Spoonley family holiday... but through the wonders of technology The Spoon joins via video call. In studio our old pal TOM DOYLE slots into his position, alongside the big guest for the finale: ALL WHITES HEAD COACH DARREN BAZELEY! In exactly one year, the 2026 FIFA World...

In the 22nd episode of The Unused Subs, Jacob & Goran are joined in the Tyler St Sport studio by the 'Transparent Terminator' FRANCIS DE VRIES of Auckland FC and the All Whites! Fresh off the plane from international duties in Canada, the A-League's best left back chats about the sun protection required to play during the Australasian summertime, at what level in Swedish football y...

In the 21st episode of The Unused Subs, Jacob & Goran are joined IN STUDIO by ALEX PAULSEN and St Etienne's BEN OLD! It was an absolute treat to have the long-time friends on the podcast together, and there was so much to cover off: Oldie's experiences in Ligue 1, playing the newly-crowned European champions PSG, his injury, relegation, all the while being far from home away from famil...

In the 20th episode of The Unused Subs, Jacob & Goran are joined by ALEX RUFER, skipper of the Wellington Phoenix! In the aftermath of Auckland FC’s shock loss to Melbourne Victory he’s the perfect person to chat to, given his Nix suffered the same fate one year ago. What are the emotions he experienced after his own semi final disappointment, as we attempt to understand how the Black Knights...

In the 19th episode of The Unused Subs, Jacob & Goran are joined by the returning Tom Doyle, and Australia's lead A-League commentator Simon Hill. Auckland FC are 90 minutes away from HOSTING an A-League GRAND FINAL, following their 1-0 semifinal first leg win over Victory in Melbourne! We re-watch Neyder Moreno's double poster, Logan Rogerson's goal, The Port drummer takes a spill...

In the 18th episode of The Unused Subs, Jacob & Goran are joined by not one, not two, but THREE fabulous guests! The first half hour is spent in the company of Auckland FC defender DAN HALL, the man who won’t stop winning trophies; a treble last season with Central Coast Mariners, and already a Premier’s Plate with the Black Knights. Dan looks forward to the away clash with Melbourne Victory,...

In the 17th episode of The Unused Subs, Jacob & Goran are joined by Auckland FC’s Guillermo May… and the PREMIER'S PLATE! That’s right, New Zealand’s first piece of A-League silverware is with The Unused Subs in the Tyler St Sport Bar studio. We ask Guillermo about the celebrations on the night it was presented, and how long those particular celebrations lasted… given their very next match...