Broadway To Brazil

From South Africa to Japan, via a hugely significant stop in Brazil, these tales more than any other underline just why the Casuals are such a unique entity in English non league football. After Jarek recounts how Corinth’s original journeys led to the birth of a São Paulo club who became champions of the world, Dominic catches up with former players who had the fortune of touring far flung corners of the globe while representing the pink and brown. To conclude the series we hear from a wide range of Brazilian voices who express their joy of visiting a small ground just around the corner from Tolworth Broadway.

Broadway to Brazil is there to chronicle the thrilling conclusion to the 2017/18, as Corinthian-Casuals aim for promotion to the Bostik Premier Division following heartbreak in the previous two years. Late goals, penalty shoot drama and unexpected twists and turns all contribute to a rollercoaster ride. 

To help tell the tale, the podcast delves deeper into a fanbase that has grown significantly since it was once just one man and his infant son behind the goal.

Having looked at the on-field success yielded by the club’s players and management, Broadway to Brazil was also there to explore the Corinthian-Casuals’ tight knit community of volunteers, whose behind-the-scenes devotion ensures the club’s survival week in week out.

From beanie hats to pitch maintenance via cheesy chips and stadium construction, this bumper length episode is a tribute to the unsung heroes of non league football whose incredible efforts keep clubs like the Casuals alive across the country.

In the 2017/18 season the Corinthian-Casuals first team, led by charismatic manager James Bracken, defied the odds and challenged for promotion despite not paying their players.

This episode explores the short yet success-ridden coaching career of Bracken thus far, including two recent heartbreaking seasons at the Casuals, speaking to players past and present – as well as a big name visitor in the form of Stan Collymore – to try and establish just what it is that has enabled the young coach to propel the team up the league.

In episode 02 of Broadway To Brazil, the team connect the dots between the Victorian era, where the original Corinthian FC were almost the Harlem Globetrotters of their time, to the present day, which has seen Corinthian-Casuals continuously struggle to secure its own future.

Father and son cricketing legends Alec and Micky Stewart explain their links to the club, while ex-player and Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler helps paint a picture of proud amateurs playing for the love of the game. 

In our opening episode, host Jarek Zaba wanders the streets of Tolworth Broadway to find out just how much the man and woman on the street know about their local football side, Corinthian-Casuals FC. An apparent lack of local knowledge is contrasted to São Paulo resident Rafael Pedroso, an enthusiastic recent visitor to Tolworth, while first team manager James Bracken explains more about the challenges of running an entirely amateur football side in a largely semi professional league.