These Football Times

In the first of two episodes with footballer and broadcaster Andy Gray, the ex-striker join us to discuss the early years of his remarkable career with Dundee United, Aston Villa, Wolves and Scotland - a tale of highs and lows, from Player of the Year awards to fallings out and having to move on.

The podcast gang reconvene with a new weekly look at some fresh football issues, from the non-league game to Serie A and the Premier League managerial merry-go-round.

Join us as These Football Times senior writer and social media guru Josh Butler suggests who should be honoured on Manchester United’s very own Mount Rushmore. With so many players to choose from, there’s plenty of debate and opinion from across the panel.

As well as running the @80s90sfootball Twitter account and writing about football’s relationship with politics, Michael Hamlen is a long-term fan of Brighton & Hove Albion. In this episode, he chooses the four Seagulls players that he thinks most deserve to be immortalised on the Mount Rushmore towering over the Amex Stadium.

These Football Times senior writer, James Kelly,  joins us to talk about his new book covering the history of Belgian football. The current Rode Duivels squad is widely regarded as one of Europe's top national teams but, as James explains, there's far more to the story of Belgian football than the current generation. 

These Football Times' very own Steven Scragg joins the podcast to talk about his fourth book, a brilliant look at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. Relive the drama of the Azteca and beyond in the midday sun, as the world was treated to a spectacle of football rarely matched since.  

In this episode, the podcast team are joined by long-time Swindon Town fan Victor Morgan. After supporting the club for more than 50 years, he has plenty of scope when selecting the four players most deserving immortality on Swindon’s own Mount Rushmore.

Author and podcaster Giancarlo Rinaldi takes us on a journey to Tuscany and explains his four chosen players to mark Fiorentina's own Mount Rushmore. There’s plenty of discussion and debate as we both laud his choices and advocate others who could have been included. 

To join the launch of the African Forwards magazine, the podcast team got together to discuss our list of 15 legends to emerge from the continent. From undisputed picks like Drogba, Eto'o and Weah to lesser-known legends including Bwalya, Keita and Yekini, the team discuss the merits of each. 

We're back in the Centre Circle talking to These Football Times' senior writer Aidan Williams about his new book The Nearly Men , focusing on some of the greatest sides that failed to win the World Cup. Join us as we discuss what made them great, why their failure appeals so strongly to so many, and why their legacy endures.

Exeter University lecturer Matt Riley has taken a break from academia to chat to the podcast team about the Exeter City players that he believes deserve to be immortalised, forever looking down on St James' Park from the club’s own Mount Rushmore. Which of the Grecians did Matt select? 

The Beautifully Designed Game host, Marcus Marritt, sits down once again with sports creative Mark Johnson to talk about life as a self-employed creative. From planning ahead in making the move from full-time employment to developing ongoing concepts, building large-scale 3D sculptures and the material delivery challenges, that Inter Milan shirt … to working on murals for retail space and gushing...

We’re back in the Centre Circle for another book chat. Join us as The Football Library's head honcho Jonny Brick chats with us about his new work, From Kids to Champions , tracing the history of the FA Youth Cup.

We’re back in the Centre Circle talking with These Football Times' Gary Thacker about his new book Out of the Blue - Chelsea's unlikely Champions League triumph . It covers the dramatic 2011/12 season, when Chelsea recovered from a tailspin of decline to win the continent’s top club honour against all the odds. Join us to hear a story of remarkable comebacks, unexpected upsets and ultimate triumph...

Adidas and football. Football and Adidas. It just works. But that wasn't always the case. From the legend of the 1954 World Cup final, when West Germany, with the help of Adidas, defeated Hungary's Mighty Magyars, to the fall and rebirth of the Three Stripes, in marking the launch of the magazine, the podcast team have got together to share their memories of Adidas in and out of the beautiful game...

The team are joined by Matt Jones of the hugely popular Blue Room podcast to discuss Everton's current malaise, squad and managerial issues, and a leadership seemingly lacking direction. We dissect the various troubles and Everton's hopes for survival in Today's Football Times.

The Beautifully Designed Game host, Marcus Marritt, sits down with an individual so talented as to be already working with one of the world’s biggest clubs, the wonderful Mary Axon-Smith. From the technical side of life, dropping easter eggs into visual scenes, to celebrating Kevin De Bruyne, Mary gives a great insight into her life as an illustrator ... and living up to her name as a track runner...

The Beautifully Designed Game host, Marcus Marritt, sits down with a genuine leading light in the world of sporting illustration, Dave Will. Talking about their time working on a shared brief to promote European Cup football to Dave’s design industry journey, capturing characters in portraiture,  promoting yourself, getting misty-eyed over 90s kit design, and celebrating King Eric.

The South America Files are open again. Join us as we draw focus on a number of cities around the continent, and discuss the clubs within them. Guided by Dr Pete Watson, our resident South American football expert, as well as looking at their formation, history, culture, glories and troubles, we'll examine local rivalries and consider how the location, politics and unique nature of each city has i...

To celebrate the launch of the Fiorentina magazine, the podcast team got together to talk all things Viola, from the highs of the last Scudetto and Cecchi Gori years to liquidation and legends. Think Batistuta, Antognoni, Baggio, Rui Costa, Luca Toni and more.

The South America Files are open again. Join us as we draw focus on a number of cities around the continent, and discuss the clubs within them. Guided by Dr Pete Watson, our resident South American football expert, as well as looking at their formation, history, culture, glories and troubles, we'll examine local rivalries and consider how the location, politics and unique nature of each city has i...

The South America Files are open again. Join us as we draw focus on a number of cities around the continent, and discuss the clubs within them. Guided by Dr Pete Watson, our resident South American football expert, as well as looking at their formation, history, culture, glories and troubles, we'll examine local rivalries and consider how the location, politics and unique nature of each city has i...

The Beautifully Designed Game host, Marcus Marritt, sits down with a man he considers his brother in design, Luke McCarthy. From partnering as goalkeeper and centre-back to illustrating, designing and publishing a book series together, Luke and Marcus talk matchday experiences, 7-a-side adventures, celebrating the city of Glasgow, and what it means to feel at HOME within the beautiful game.  

The South America Files are open again. Join us as we draw focus on a number of cities around the continent, and discuss the clubs within them. Guided by Dr Pete Watson, our resident South American football expert, as well as looking at their formation, history, culture, glories and troubles, we'll examine local rivalries and consider how the location, politics and unique nature of each city has i...

The South America Files are open again. Join us as we draw focus on a number of cities around the continent, and discuss the clubs within them. Guided by Dr Pete Watson, our resident South American football expert, as well as looking at their formation, history, culture, glories and troubles, we'll examine local rivalries and consider how the location, politics and unique nature of each city has i...