These Football Times

Aidan Williams, Steven Scragg and Rhys Richards discuss the career and legacy of Gareth Bale, the fortunes of Napoli and Atlético Madrid, and some intriguing clashes in the League Cup and FA Cup.

From Plymouth to Panathinaikos and FA Cup replays to relegation fears, Today's Football Times finds Steven Scragg, Paul Mc Parlan and Gary Thacker in good voice for the new year.

Alongside the launch of the Colombia magazine, the podcast team got together to discuss Colombian football past and present - from El Dorado, Valderrama and narco-fútbol to a rebirth internationally, Falcao and James.  

The FA Cup is the so-called greatest cup competition in the world. In the first of a series of podcasts that take us all the way to the final, Chris Lepkowski, Aidan Williams and Gary Thacker recall some legendary third-round games from yesteryear. Arsenal, Newcastle and WBA fans might want to look away now …

The passing of Pele robbed football of perhaps its greatest-ever figure, a player of peerless talent, the only one to win three World Cups. Gary Thacker, Paul McParlan and Dave Bowler look back at Pelé's life, his place in the pantheon of greats, his significance as football truly became the global game, and the legacy he leaves behind. 

As the greatest show on earth approaches its climax in Qatar, Chris Lepkowski, Steven Scragg and Dave Bowler reflect on the ghosts of World Cup finals past. There’s Zinedine Zidane embracing his inner John Otway, Diego Maradona entrancing and then enraging the world, the greatest celebration in football history, and penalty kicks that would make Diana Ross blush. 

Football’s equivalent of Christmas Eve, Chris Lepkowski, Gary Thacker and Aidan Williams recall some remarkable World Cup semi-finals as the likes of Brazil, France, West Germany and Argentina hang their stockings on the wall to see if football’s Santa remembers just who’s been naughty and who’s been nice*. *Doesn’t apply to Harald Schumacher.

And then there were eight. Chris Lepkowski, Paul McParlan and Rhys Richards turn the focus to some memorable World Cup quarter-finals. Breathtaking games, abysmal penalties, sublime finishing and the Hand of Suárez.

We're back on our travels around South America to look at the football clubs and culture in various cities there. In this episode, the wonderfully knowledgeable Pete Watson guides Stuart Horsfield, Gary Thacker and Steven Scragg around the perilous highways and byways of the Colombian city of Medellín.

Moving into the knockout stages, Aidan Williams, Steven Scragg and Dave Bowler explore some great games from the round of 16, from 1986 through to 2018. From the death of a dream to the birth of a genius, through conspiracy theories and abysmal predictions from Big Ron, this is your alternative history of the last-16 at the World Cup. 

Kicking off a new series for the duration of the 2022 World Cup, the team look back at their favourite games from each stage of the competition. Betraying their respective ages are Steven Scragg, Gary Thacker and Dave Bowler, guiding us through the mists of time to the events of 1970, 1978, 1982 and 1990. 

Football writer Chris Evans joins us to discuss his book covering the fascinating theme of international management and what goes into delivering World Cup success. We talk big names and big nations, but also the journeymen of international football management delivering success of a different kind.

Rhys Richards joins us to discuss his excellent book covering the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. It was a tournament of legendary moments, some great players and teams in iconic venues.  But it was all played out against the backdrop of the brutal Videla dictatorship which cast its shadow over the finals.

In the final part of our series celebrating the Wales national team, the team discuss Wales' progression in the 21st century from the depths of despair to the greatest of heights: the agony of 2004, the magnificence of 2016 and beyond. Plus a look ahead to Qatar and a first World Cup in 64 years.

In part two of a series celebrating Wales, the podcast team discuss some near misses in the 1980s, when a generation of world-class talent - think Rush, Southall, Hughes - missed out on qualification in a variety of dramatic ways. We also discuss the 1993 clash with Romania and the descent into farce in the best-forgotten era of Bobby Gould.

The podcast crew discuss the turning point that the playoff final loss was for Huddersfield, the magnificence of Gasperoni's Atalanta, and the impact of Gareth Bale, plus a few World Cup matters too.

In the first episode of our series celebrating Wales, the podcast team discuss the huge success and what-if moments of the 1958 World Cup, where Wales were only denied by the teenage genius of Pelé. The lean years that followed were the precursor to a strong generation in the 1970s, which emerged to reach the Euro 76 quarter-finals, an achievement largely overshadowed by the pain of the Joe Jordan...

The pod crew discuss Newcastle's rise, Juventus and Barcelona's demise, the beauty of the FA Cup first round and a few World Cup matters too. 

To celebrate the launch of the Johan Cruyff magazine, the podcast team got together to discuss their memories of the great man. From watching him in the flesh to his impact and legacy as a player and manager, this is 90 minutes on all things Cruyff.  

From the West Midlands to Australia via Suffolk, Aberdeen and Andalusia, join Steven Scragg, Dave Bowler and Chris Lepkowski for this week's edition of Today's Football Times.

The famous blue Scotland jersey has been worn by some wonderful players over the years, but which of those stars deserve to be immortalised on Scotland’s very own Mount Rushmore? In this episode, Lewis Henderson picks his top goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward. But with so many choices available, do you agree? 

We ask if Saturday's 3pm kick-offs should remain a TV-free zone; is Liverpool vs Manchester City now the biggest game in England; and is the Scottish Cup the world’s most romantic cup competition? Answers on a podcast ...

David Bailey, author of The Magical Magyars , joins us to select his four favourite Crystal Palace players to sit atop the club's own Mount Rushmore. There are a couple of surprises and plenty of discussion about who David chose and who missed out from the South Londoners.

In the latest edition of  Today's Football Times, the gang discuss the giant that is Erling Haaland and his already-astonishing feats, as well as the struggles of Steve Cooper at Nottingham Forest and the vote of confidence with his new contract. There's also a bit of Champions League and some international chat thrown in for good measure.

In part two of our discussion with former footballer and broadcaster, Andy Gray we move into the great highs of Andy's time at Everton, and a subsequent return to Villa Park and Scotland with Rangers. We also discuss Andy's second career in broadcasting, and the revolution in how the game was covered.