Is this the best-ever Sweeper line-up? In Part 1, Lee & Paul discuss stories from the lower tiers in Spain, Germany & the Netherlands. How has a team from a Spanish villageof 100 people gained promotion? What are the smallest European settlements with a football team? Why did a German footballer hire a plane for a derby on a neighbouring island? And how can the longest journey in Dutch football be between two towns that are 4km apart?

Part 2 contains more stories from across the European continent. What mistake did a Dutch stadium announcer recently make to cause a pitch invasion? Which second-tier club might we see in European competition next season? Why did a Polish football fan hike 100 kilometres to meet a goalkeeper who scored on April Fool’s Day? And why do Oslo-based YMCA club KFUM Kameratene have to go across a Zebra crossing to reach their pitch?

If you want scintillating stories from other continents, join us on Patreon at patreon.com/SweeperPod as we travel to Argentina, Canada & the Philippines. Why has an Argentinian football coach spent 24 years living at club headquarters? Is Canada’s Frostbite Cup really the coldest competition in world football? And why has the Philippines allowed non-professional teams to compete with pro clubs in its top flight?

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 - Intro

01:03 - Subiza's rise to Spanish fourth tier

03:51 - Smallest football towns in Europe

06:17 - The island derby in East Frisia

09:59 - The island derby in West Frisia

14:00 - The sorry plight of Vitesse Arnhem

17:57 - The Roda JC stadium announcer

20:45 - Second-tier Wisła Kraków's cup win

24:57 - A 100km hike to meet scoring keeper

26:49 - The goal-kick that took out a seagull

28:08 - Cringe rap & Zebra crossings in Oslo

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The latest Sweeper starts off in windy Wales with our visit to the game between Llantwit Major & Enfield Town in the Fenix Trophy and a wider look at the tournament regarded as the Champions League of non league. Then we're off to Scandinavia for some goalkeeper heroics, cupsets & geographical extremes, before finishing Part 1 in little Liechtenstein, where FC Vaduz will likely set a world record next month.

With Bayer Leverkusen having claimed the first league title in their 120-year history, Part 2 is dedicated to seven other European clubs gunning for their first-ever title and the longest ongoing title-winning streaks across the continent now that Bayern Munich's 11-year stranglehold on the Bundesliga is over. Finally, we look at the Moldovan Clasico, where two twins recently scored for opposing teams, and read some listener e-mails.

To win a unique Llantwit Major shirt and get access to the bonus segment of this podcast, where we chat about a Japanese side rising rapidly through the ranks, an unusual Portuguese on-pitch protest, an English team playing two games in two days and a truly bizarre Man of the Match award in the USA, join us at patreon.com/sweeperpod. We are entirely self-funded and your support makes a huge difference.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 - Intro

01:11 - A Fenix Trophy game in windy Wales

10:38 - Nonsense in the Nordic nations

17:13 - Liechtenstein's ludicrously quirky cup

23:15 - Potential first-time champs across Europe

31:00 - The longest ongoing title-winning runs

37:48 - Listener e-mails

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This episode of The Sweeper begins with a focus on South American domestic cup competitions. We hear about the Juan Fernández Islands – 670km off the coast of Chile – taking part in the Copa Chile as a special invitee and the unusual journey opponents Santiago Wanderers must take to reach them. Up next is Ecuador’s non-existent cup competition and the story of a team called Bonita Banana ('Beautiful Banana'), followed by some terrible pitches and hideously named players in Peru.

With Sudan’s Al-Hilal set to join the Tanzanian Premier League to escape the conflict in their homeland, we look at teams playing in other country’s football leagues in Part 2, including the likes of Liechtenstein's FC Vaduz and their uniquely tough path to the Champions League. Finally, we have an update on The Sweeper’s competition in conjunction with Icarus, which will send one lucky fan to Bhutan to watch Thimphu City in action.

To hear the bonus segment of this podcast, Sweeper Xtra, which is an extended Q&A session with Lee Wingate and Paul Watson touching on their best and worst football experiences, culinary treats, animal encounters and aspirations for the future, join us at patreon.com/sweeperpod.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 - Intro

01:20 - The Juan Fernández Islands in the Copa Chile

09:00 - The non-existent Copa Ecuador

12:36 - Horrendous pitches & player names in Peru

20:04 - Al-Hilal of Sudan to play in Tanzania

23:43 - Clubs playing in leagues of other countries

33:19 - Update on the Bhutan competition by Icarus

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First up on this episode of The Sweeper, we delve deeper into North Korea’s mysterious cancellation of their World Cup qualifier against Japan and look back at memorable moments in the hermit kingdom’s football history. Then we’re off to Georgia to hear about the nation’s maiden qualification for a major tournament, before we chat through Austria's Rangnick resurgence as they shape up to be EURO 2024 dark horses.

After the break it’s time to show some love for groundhoppers and to hear some amazing stories from our patrons in pursuit of the joy of ticking off new stadiums. Then we announce an exciting new competition from Thimphu City and shirt manufacturer Icarus that will see someone win a trip of a lifetime to Bhutan, plus there's a San Marino shirt giveaway too!

To hear the bonus segment of this podcast where we chat about Estonia’s U21 side playing a friendly against the wrong team, a Romanian player who was sacked for turning up to training drunk and then appointed sporting director, and a Bosnian giant in decline, join us at patreon.com/sweeperpod.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 Intro

01:15 North Korea's mysterious no-show

08:33 Georgia's EURO jubilation

11:57 Austria's Rangnick resurgence

16:22 Glorious groundhoppers

33:25 Thimphu City/Icarus competition

38:29 San Marino shirt giveaway

Browse the Icarus website: icarusfc.com

Read the Thimphu City-Icarus competition details: icarusfc.com/pages/thimphu-city-sweepstakes

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Fresh from his trip to San Marino, Paul reflects on the attempt by FIFA’s lowest ranked country to break a 20-year winless streak against Saint Kitts & Nevis, before Lee rounds up the other international news - from the Basque Country's draw with Uruguay to the 'End of the Alphabet Derby - and Producer Tom chips in with a live report as Austria break an all-time record.

After the break, we hop on over to the USA to hear about New York City vs. Toronto at Yankee Stadium - there are few fixtures that could have been more Sweeper than two clubs from different countries meeting in a league match at a baseball stadium - and dissect some of the madness of the US Open Cup, including burrito-based heroics and a rare case of lacrosse stopping play.

To hear the bonus segment of this podcast with the ex-Shanghai Shenhua president banging in goals in the Chinese cup aged 58, arguably the most disastrous debut in football history and the Channel Island of Alderney trying to break their 104-year losing run, join us over at patreon.com/sweeperpod.

RUNNING ORDER

00:00 - Intro

01:05 - San Marino's double-header with St. Kitts

15:17 - International round-up

16:39 - The fastest-ever international goal

21:39 - New York City FC vs. Toronto FC

29:47 - US Open Cup madness

33:20 - Patreon episode teaser

Ellis Platten's Away Days video in San Marino: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56buY8H9Bd0&t=445s&ab_channel=AwayDays

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This episode of The Sweeper begins by looking at the Virgin Derby between the British Virgin Islands and U.S. Virgin Islands in 2026 World Cup qualification. Meanwhile, a non-FIFA team, the Basque Country face Uruguay and may harbour UEFA aspirations.

The Danish Superligaen strikes a huge blow to the European Super League, which might now be forced to rebrand, a Romanian coach returns to the same club for a 10th spell int the dugout and we play a Sweeper version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

RUNNING ORDER

00:00 - Intro

01:15 - The Virgin Derby

10:36 - Basque Country v Uruguay

17:17 - Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

28:30 - Danish Superliga strikes a blow

33:57 - Coach in Romania returns for 10th time

40:04 - Preview of upcoming Sweeper trips

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The latest episode of The Sweeper kicks off with a tour of Oceania and the incredible story of two French journalists with an American (Samoan) Dream, before moving on to Pacific neighbours Micronesia & Nauru and their new coaches. David Johnson & Charlie Pomroy, who both partly credit the pod for their appointments, have sent us voice notes from their respective islands.

Sticking with the island theme but moving back over to Europe, Part 2 starts in the Scilly Isles: the British archipelago is famed for having the smallest league in the world, but rarely is the title race as close as it is this season. In Sweden, meanwhile, a group of Ultras have managed to smuggle a kayak into a cup tie - but it's by no means the strangest item ever to end up in the stands at a football match…

To hear the bonus segment of this podcast about Africa’s hottest derbies, chaos in Cambodian football and a player on the run from his club in the Dominican Republic, join us at patreon.com/sweeperpod. Sign up before Wednesday 20 March to enter our competition for the Pago Pago Youth shirt courtesy of Stingz ProWear!

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 - Intro

00:56 - The American (Samoan) Dream

10:12 - Pago Youth shirt giveaway

12:50 - Micronesia's new coach David Johnson

18:40 - Nauru's new boss Charlie Pomroy

25:25 - The Scilly Isles showdown

31:22 - Smuggled kayaks in Sweden

37:10 - Old Boys vs. Young Boys

38:52 - Bonus segment teaser

Videos

Swedish kayak video: https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/1b65lc2/daniel_kristoffersson_aik_supporters_somehow_got/

Italian moped video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_Nu6HKVSmk&ab_channel=RuthlessReviews

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.