Football Between The Lines

England chat, WhatsApp group politics and the way Sky and others keep dumbing football talk down into shouty clips. We get into Ivan Toney’s Saudi wages and whether he solves Spurs’ problems, the Premier League’s proposed spending anchor and what it means for soft power clubs and everyone else. There is time for Liverpool writing to PGMOL, fan entitlement, away ticket loyalty schemes, Palace ultras, the Ballers League and some of the very worst fan takes we have heard in years.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We sat down with Tom from Back of the Net to talk Iraola’s brave style, smart recruitment, and how Bournemouth keep improving after losing a whole back line. We get into Bill Foley’s vision, the stadium expansion, Eddie Howe’s lasting pull, Alex Scott’s England call up, and whether the Cherries can turn this season into a first taste of Europe.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We get stuck into a wild week of goals from Van de Ven, Son, Dan Burn and Thierry Small. We talk Coventry’s stadium singalong, why North London Forever sets us off, and the messy line between football and politics. There is a big chat on John Texter and Wednesday, Palace memories from administration, and the remarkable story of Felix joining Como as a scout at 20. We finish with listeners’ questions on concussions, disastrous signings, and whether being a “big club” even matters.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We get into why grit still wins in a hyper tactical league, from West Ham’s fightback over Newcastle to Freddie Potts grabbing his shot. Spurs at home, whether players should clap after a loss, and concussion protocols after a nasty early head knock. Plus Arsenal’s chokehold start, Haaland vs Kane vs Shearer, Barcelona’s cooked books, a Hearts heater, and a wild FA Cup cameo from Regan Linney.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Palace stroll to a professional 3-0 at Anfield and the fallout is spicy. We dig into Arne Slot’s selection, the “kids” narrative, and why Palace keep giving Liverpool nightmares. From Jeff Stelling’s Arsenal take to the rise of the set-piece era, we ask if direct play has actually made the league more competitive. There is chat on the Boxing Day schedule squeeze, whether bogey teams are real, and how to beat a press by going long. We touch on Chelsea, Maresca’s temperament, and discipline, plus a quick tour through Harry Kane’s absurd numbers and what they say about the Bundesliga. Listener questions included. Football, honesty, and a few laughs.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We dig into Sheffield Wednesday’s slide into administration, why governance failed, what a 12-point deduction means, and how fans and administrators can rebuild. We then head to Scotland to unpack Hearts’ surge at the top, the data-led thinking behind their recruitment, and what it says about a league long dominated by two clubs. We also challenge the idea that the gap between the Championship and Premier League is insurmountable, using Sunderland’s smart planning and early-season resilience as a case study. Along the way we touch on Everton’s direction post-777, Spurs winning while staying pragmatic, Liverpool’s wobble and the Salah chatter, Wolves’ turmoil, Bournemouth’s rise, and whether Manchester United are actually back.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We start with The Cure, Monaco memories, and whether Steve Parish will ever pick up. Then we get into the big one: the collapse of Villarreal vs Barcelona in Miami and the 15-second on-pitch protests: what it says about player power, TV optics, and competitive integrity. “Sacking season” has arrived in the Premier League, we debate Dyche’s remit, and Spurs’ nil-nil in Monaco sparks a wider chat about patience with Thomas Frank. We bring the numbers on Frank Lampard’s Coventry and ask whether managers, like players, simply need time. Listener questions cover neutral sections, half-and-half scarves, why atmospheres sag, soft spots abroad, and the cost of live events. It’s punchy, occasionally spiky, and very Between the Lines.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We open on Nottingham Forest’s latest swerve: Ange Postecoglou out after 40 days and Sean Dyche poised to take over, with Evangelos Marinakis at the heart of the chaos. We break down Forest 0–3 Chelsea, why Forest still created loads, and what Dyche can realistically deliver. Then we cover United’s gritty 2–1 at Anfield, Liverpool’s four-game skid, and how set pieces and ultra-tight margins are shaping the title race. We chat about Marc Guéhi’s future, Palace’s infrastructure push, La Liga’s Miami fixtures and player protests, and Harry Kane’s 400th career goal. Listener comments, gentle beef, and a few classic limbs included.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Adam McKola from Stretford Paddock joins to dig into Manchester United’s season, why patience still exists in the away end, and what INEOS need to fix. We get into Amorim’s future, the reality of state ownership, the Class of 92 legacy, and how fan channels evolved from fanzines. Plus a brilliant nugget on United’s long running academy record.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices