Booked and Abandoned

Bryan Robson bailed. But Riccardo Ball? He showed up and showed off. The voice of NZ football joins us this week from The Rock to Sports Nation and now… us.

We talk:

18-1 drubbings

Life behind the mic

A few liver strains

And the odd broken toe

Hit play, raise a glass, and enjoy the man who actually answered our call.

Captain Fantastic who?

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Jonno Ross joins us for a big chat about football community inclusion and what it means to truly live and breathe the game. From his days as a keeper, managing Mt Albert Ponsonby, to writing for Friends of Football, he shares what goes on behind the scenes and why supporter culture matters.

He’s also a man known for using an impressive amount of tape and we get into that too.

This was our first virtual episode so the audio’s not perfect but stick with it for a great conversation.

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Booked and Abandoned flips the script this week as the birthday boy himself, Andrew McKenzie, jumps from host to guest. With Scott joined by special guest-host Brenden Child (yes, our very first guest, we’re sentimental like that), it’s time to unpack the podfather’s origin story.

From dodgy keeping to German embassy drama, it’s everything you never knew you needed, including one very Lineker-esque moment we definitely didn’t plan.

Get stuck in. It’s Andrew’s party and he’ll overshare if he wants to.

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Robbie Graham is on the pod this week, and if you know Auckland football, you know the name. A MAP icon, long-time keeper, captain, and yes, somehow also the penalty taker.

We reached out to David Seaman who never replied, but it worked out better because Robbie showed up with stories that genuinely deliver.

From saving goals to scoring them, dodgy Europa League trips in Baku, and the real story behind NZ’s win over Bahrain, it’s all here.

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This week on Booked and Abandoned, we're joined by Max Whitehead — Oratia United's First Team forward, law student, and all-round machine.

Max takes us through his footballing journey from Northland FC to the Wellington Phoenix Academy and now leading the line at Oratia. We talk discipline, bodybuilding, balancing a law degree with first-team footy, and what it takes to chase big goals both on and off the pitch.

This isn’t someone playing with a balloon in his sock — Max is the real deal.

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From Valencia to Papatoetoe – Kim Beale Joins the Pod.

Sir Alex might’ve bottled it, but we’ve upgraded the dugout with grassroots coaching royalty: Kim Beale. From leading Papatoetoe United to shaping young talent through Soccer Plus NZ and the Valencia Foundation Academy, Kim’s building more than just game plans, he’s building futures.

We chat about taking kids to Spain for the football experience of a lifetime, running teams on heart not money, and why local legends show up when the global ones ghost us.

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Neil Warnock ghosted us... so we found the Kiwi version – and he brought a lawnmower. Mark O'Donnell has coached half of NZ, managed everyone else, and tells stories like your uncle at the pub (but better). Expect: Ice baths, wild transfers, and tales that probably need a disclaimer.

It’s grassroots gold – boots, beers, and all.

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After a couple of weeks off (life, aye?), Booked and Abandoned returns with a cracker of an episode. This week, we’re joined by Stu Roberts - a proper New Zealand football journeyman with over 500 senior games, 100+ goals, and, yes, an appearance at Old Trafford. That Old Trafford. Eat your heart out, Beckham.

While David ghosted us again (he’s probably off filming another documentary), Stu showed up and brought three decades’ worth of incredible stories from the heart of grassroots football.

A cracking chat about Chatham Cup glories, Lining up against legends like Wynton Rufer and life as a proper club man.

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