One of the biggest headline grabbing characters in the Irish League has left our touchlines. Recorded before the news broke, this week we spent time with Matthew Brown of the Shout at the Oval podcast to breakdown all the bumps along the way which led to Glentoran manager Mick McDermott stepping away from the post.  

A cup round short on shocks serves up plenty for us to dissect. From a banner protest by plastic sacks of air to bumper transfer swap deals. We pick through the big moments of the Irish Cups 5th round, react to a rather tasty last 16 draw and give you all the latest from what is already one of the most significant January transfer windows the league has seen. 

Top sports reporter Barry Flynn returns to the pod to break down all the comings and goings in the championship and puts a spotlight on clubs with potential to draw new fans to the league. 

With the festive period in the rear-view, we bounce into the new year with an abundant title field and a potentially expanding drop zone collective. The season of dark horses is over, and it's now time for teams to show their spots. With the new year comes a chance for teams to refresh their squads, and some have been more keen that others early doors. 

We take a look back the the NYD +1 results, review the latest transfer news and musings. Plus, consider NIFL Chief Executive Gerard Lawlor's recent comments about a full time Irish League.

It's great to have Boxing Day back! A couple of thrillers too as the most heated rivals player out on a brisk afternoon. Blues cool heads prevailed at the Oval, Crusaders with a greatest hits performance in North Belfast and Shevlin was the difference on the North coast. 

Big crowds mean a big podcast, this week joined by Belfast Live reporter and Queen's Radio Sports Editor Lauren McCann. 

One of the biggest weeks in the Northern Irish football calendar. With our bellies fully of copious amounts of mini-foods and the head splitting from the Christmas doo, we put all that festive spirt of companionship and unity to one side for 90 minutes, as the annual Boxing Day derby slate welcomes in bumper crowds. 

We look back at the games that did go ahead this weekend past, preview NIFL's biggest day of games as we dive into all the potential Boxing day drama and highlight every team's biggest needs from this January transfer window.

All in the company of podcaster and sporting stat man Ally McCalmont. 

Where there is a will there is a way. And sometimes 'the will' looks like a large cannister of propane. Plastic pitches came up trumps this weekend for the three games in the NIFL Premiership, while Portadown's pitch proved it may be the Bear Grylls  of the league by pulling through to host their first home win since March. Shamrock Park has seen more adversities over the years than some merger frost. 

While Portadown are set to appeal their lost points against Newry City last week, Dungannon kept their distance with another win themselves and Coleraine continue to look sharp in front of goal and even sharper defending theirs.

Plus, this week's guest Dave Watt dives into that ever touchy subject of plastic pitches and how non-full time teams aim to compete moving forward?

While the weather might make you think of jumping into a set of skiing overalls and swagger your way down to a game, the action on the pitch provided plenty of fire as the title chase continues to heat up. Crusaders claim supremacy over Glentoran as the East Belfast side's form continues to slide. Linfield make it ten unbeaten over the weekend as Cliftonville get a front row seat to the McDaid show as they tumble at Warden Street.

Portadown on the other hand not only get their first goal of the Niall Currie era but their first three points in almost 9 months, but could they be chalked off due to an admin error?

We whistle through all the goals, action and drama in the company of former Sports Editor of the Ballymena and Antrim Times, Stephen Alexander.  

Middlesbrough can host 34,000 at the Riverside, could Glentoran be able to host as many by the side of the Belfast harbour? That's if the potential suggestions by their owner Ali Pour on a new home for the East Belfast men becomes a reality, we talk to Matthew Brown of the Shout At The Oval podcast. 

North West sports journalist Johnny McNabb joins the podcast this week to chat through the weekend of games which saw another top 6 stalemate, Cliftonville continue their sterling form, Dungannon shock unpredictable Glenavon and Coleraine surpisingly smash Larne. 

It was a category 5 baltic weekend just past, and while most fans are wrapping themselves up, Glentoran thought wrapping Conor McMenamin in cotton wool this winter was for the birds. With the icy air it was up to the leading pack to not slip and fall as we stake towards the busy festive period.

Matthew Brown from the Shout at the Oval podcast is our guest this week and tackles all the tough topics. Like which team has the best social media graphics, can a club have too many R. Hales and what do we make of the new Football NI app?

A week of drama on and off the pitch, with the league's premier player facing a potential multi-month lay off due to an injury sustained from a controversial tackle which only resulted in a yellow card. Fans and manager were furious, but did some heat of the moment comments cross a line?

With Glentoran stuttering this week, the chasing pack have remained unrelenting with Larne claiming top spot after blasting nine goals in two games. Cliftonville and Linfield take care of business as Newry earn what could be a season defying collection of points. 

Scribe supremo Steven Crawford from Belfast Live/Daily Mirror makes his pod debut to tackle a busy week of headlines.