Between The Lines with Melissa Reddy

When we look back at perhaps the most challenging season in English football history, we probably won't remember the goals or the games. This was the campaign of meaningful action, of meaningful change.

On our final episode of the season, we take another look at some of the biggest stories we've covered over the last year and hear from expert voices, to see what progress has been made. From tackling social media abuse to head injury protocols and the policing of fans in light of the recent protests, this season's off-field developments may be the catalyst in football's quest for a fair and sustainable future. 

Thank you for joining us on this season of Between The Lines. Enjoy the Euros and we'll see you next season!

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Football may have undergone its most seismic shift ever over the last few weeks. The threat of European Super League finally materialised and had evaporated just two days later, blown up in a blaze of fury from an unrivalled unity of football stakeholders.

In its wake, the debate around football club ownership has spread across all corners of the game. Who owns the game's biggest clubs? How did they get here? And what are their motivations behind owning what should be a representations of their communities?

We speak to two men who are experts on modern football governance; Joshua Robinson, author of 'The Club', talks us through the modern history of Premier League club ownership and the culprits behind the Super League. At the other end of the spectrum, Exeter City chairman Julian Tagg explains the benefits - and drawbacks - of their fan ownership model.

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In March 2019, Leigh Nicol - then playing for Charlton Athletic - was made aware that her iCloud had been hacked and some intimate footage had been shared online. In an instant, her life was shredded and she struggled to see how she could piece it back together. 

Leigh joins us on Between The Lines to discuss her gradual journey towards recovery. From contemplating suicide and leaving her bed only to be sick, to the help she received from her family and the Charlton staff, Leigh hopes that sharing her story will prompt other discussions of mental health in football. It is something that isn't spoken about enough – join us as, with Leigh now serving as an inspiration and an example, we shine a light in football's darkest corner.

If you've been affected by anything we've discussed in today's episode, help is available. Visit checkpointorg.com to find resources available in your area.

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For ages, women in football have accepted the unacceptable: sexual and verbal harassment, constant questioning of their abilities, their work cut down by accusations of having intimate relationships with players and managers, not feeling safe in their surroundings and being passed up for opportunities. 

Prompted by an article in The Independent sharing my personal experiences, the wall of silence was shattered with so many women sharing their stories. Soccer Sunday’s Bianca Westwood was one of them and she walks us through her reality, which makes for uncomfortable but important listening. 

Dotted throughout this raw and long overdue episode of Between The Lines are the voices of other women in the industry painting a picture of their experiences. No more silence, no more women feeling like we don’t belong in football.

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What was it like to be the first signing of the Roman Abrahomovic era at Chelsea? How much can playing under such contrasting managers - Jose Mourinho, Rafa Benitez, Brendan Rodgers, Mark Hughes, Kenny Dalglish, Roy Hodgson - affect how you function in your position? How did the role of a fullback evolve during his near two decades in the game?

Glen Johnson joins us to answer all these questions and drop a whole load of knowledge along the way – ever wondered what’s it like to fundamentally disagree with a manager and have them shout at you for a whole half during a match? Well, listen on to find out!

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Remember a time when VAR was being pushed for to reduce the time spent talking about refereeing decisions? The technology is in, but the focus on the officials has never been greater, taking the spotlight away from the football itself and leading to death threats for the men with the whistle. 

In this episode, former Premier League ref Mark Halsey describes the horrific abuse his family was subjected to, but he also admits the standard of officiating in the top-flight needs to improve. He argues that VAR conversations should be made public, a view shared by Peter Walton and Ref Support’s Martin Cassidy. 

We discuss every issue surrounding officials in detail, from the problematic handball and offside laws to where the blame lies for a drop in England’s refereeing level.

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Football has been altered in so many ways due to coronavirus, but the game - the form of players, the record of managers - is still being discussed as it was pre-pandemic. There has been little to no willingness to appreciate all the different circumstances that those tasked with entertaining us are facing and the ways in which it can affect performance. 

From dealing with personal loss publicly, to feelings of guilt, isolation and fearing for the future, leading sports psychologist Tom Young joins us to delve into each change those in football have had to adjust to and the impact it has had.

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Hi everyone! Just to let you know, this week's episode of Between The Lines will be available this Friday.

In the meantime, why not listen back to some of our previous episodes? You can hear from the likes of Alex Scott, Mauricio Pochettino, Daniel Sturridge and Roberto Martinez to name a few!

Make sure you're subscribed to Between The Lines in your podcast app and join us again this Friday.

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Why are recovery tackles celebrated more than being in the right position to make an intervention? Can a mistake at the back actually come from the right decision?

On this episode of Between The Lines, we get stuck into the art of defending - a topic discussed so often, but seldom with deep understanding and appreciation of the role. Joleon Lescott, who was Player of the Season twice at Wolves and Everton before lifting a pair of league titles with Manchester City, is our expert guide on being a centre-back - from outlining the fundamentals of being a great defender to pointing out the mistakes we make in analysing rearguards.

He also explains why Rio Ferdinand at Manchester United is the best the Premier League has seen in the heart of defence, gives his reasons why a fit Virgil van Dijk is currently number one in the game and breaks down the effect of Ruben Dias at Manchester City. 

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At 28, René Marić is already established as one of the sharpest coaching minds in football. He is the assistant manager to the coveted Marco Rose at Borussia Mönchengladbach, but his path to being in the dugout was anything but conventional. 

Marić was a tactical writer for a small German blog, whose work was noticed and used by Thomas Tuchel. Premier League clubs hired him to break down Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp’s pressing games while he did player recruitment profiles for two of the biggest data-driven teams. Marić talks us through this journey, giving us an education on the true definition of tactics. He also explains why players will always be more important in football than the manager…

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