"The German monster has survived too long" opined Le Soir on 21 June 1984. And that was one of the more sober conclusions.

After the way France's World Cup had ended, schadenfreude was not in short supply when the reigning European Champions went home before the real action started. It was also one of the two games that was shown live in the UK.

Jonathan O'Brien joins Martyn to make sense of Group 2 with a surprise Iberian challenge and a disappointingly restrictive Romania.

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If the host nation were nervy in that opening night in Paris, they quickly shrugged it off throughout the rest of Group 1. Platini's seven goals in three games, the young promise of Scifo and Stojković, the shackles around the Romanians and the disgrace that derailed Belgium give Martyn and Aidan Williams lots to talk about in a group that produced 23 goals.

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Martyn, Rob and Aidan are back to finish off this memorable qualifying story. Italy were seemingly on a post-World Cup gap year, Northern Ireland managed to beat West Germany home and away and still finish second - a tale of glorious failure that would become more familiar for some home nations - and the Netherlands were booking their hotel after setting Spain the task of winning their final game by 11 clear goals...

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It is tournament time again in the Nessun Dorma marathon and this time we revisit one that was, in the words of one writer, 'the greatest tournament you never saw'.

That writer was Aidan Williams and he joins Rob and Martyn in the first of two parts that tell the remarkable story of qualification for Euro '84, a tale that is almost as dramatic as the Finals themselves.

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Never before or since, has one league been as strong throughout European football. Author and friend of the show, Dominic Hougham joins Martyn to talk about his upcoming new book charting the years between 1988/89 and 1998/99 when Serie A bestrode the continent like a colossus. Owners were as famous as the galaxy of star managers and players as mega clubs and those more provincial managed to get their hands on European prizes and this book takes us through how it happened and, mainly through Channel 4, how we were seduced by its glamour.

This excellent book is available to pre-order here before its general release on 2 June. https://amzn.eu/d/9hixGsO

Our 8-part series on Euro '84 will start next week.

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With season 1983/84 all done and dusted, it is time to take a sporting break as the excellent writer David Goldblatt joins Martyn to discuss that summer's Olympic Games. The epitome of an increasingly commercialised sporting world, these Games made money like never before. David takes us through just how they did, why it will never happen again, the difficulty that the USA had in taking Carl Lewis to their heart and no tears for Zola Budd.

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Mac and Gary are suited and booted and ready to return to Wembley as they revisit the day that their respective sides went head-to-head in the FA Cup Final. Questionable pre-match entertainment, the coming of age of young and exciting side and a controversial decider. What a way to round off the season!

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Gary carries his title into an action-packed Olympic year with plenty for him, Mike and Mac to choose from. Two Olympic games, one international tournament, some legends enhancing their reputations while others were just emerging alongside some controversy on the track and a rocket man over the stands.

But who will be able to convince Martyn that they have best captured the sporting year of 1984?

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With Europe firmly in the grip of English dominance, it was the turn of one of the country's best cup teams to step up. Gareth Dace, historian of Tottenham Hotspur in the 1980s and 1990s, joins Martyn this week to take us through the UEFA Cup winning run of 1983/84. Battle-hardened by narrow exits to Barcelona and Bayern Munich in recent seasons, it was a squad ready to go all the way.

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It was another season of domestic dominance for Liverpool but after two consecutive disappointments beyond the Iron Curtain, it was time to regain their European crown. Tony Evans returns to discuss the Souness farewell tour, mental strength, Joe Fagan, Roma fans and much more.

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