WHEN SKY INVENTED FOOTBALL

What's the meaning of football without live spectators? And how much is the experience of being in a crowd part of the joy of the game?  Adrian and John are joined by Jon Berry, a Birmingham City sufferer and the author of two ace books, Hugging Strangers and Project Restart  (both published by Pitch).

Presented by Adrian Goldberg and John Nicholson

Produced by Adrian Goldberg.

Andrew Spence shares the story of his Talk Sport documentary series and podcast Coming In From The Cold which tells the history of black footballers in England.  He's joined by Anne-Marie Batson, niece of former West Bromwich Albion star player Brendon Batson, who conducted many of the key interviews.  Along with Adrian and John, they reflect on the series, and on the state of racism in football today.

Presented by Adrian Goldberg and John Nicholson
Produced by Adrian Goldberg

Should football fans have to pay £14.95 to watch their team's match on pay per view TV when stadiums are closed because of Coronavirus?  And how credible is a proposed bailout package for the EFL which would give greater voting rights to bigger clubs?

Presented by John Nicholson and Adrian Goldberg.

Produced by Adrian Goldberg.

Adrian and John are joined for this episode by Gareth Castick, one of the directors of Bury AFC, a fan-owned club starting at the base of the football pyramid, after Bury FC were expelled from the Football League.

There's a lively discussion about why the Premier League is experiencing an early season goal glut; while John and Adrian almost come to fisticuffs over the issue of watching matches on TV.  It's just like Eastenders - without the cockney accents.

Presented by Adrian Goldberg (@goldbergradio) and John Nicholson (@Johnnythenic)

Produced by Adrian Goldberg.

Adrian is preaching nothing short of a football revolution in this episode, with a Manifesto for English Football, and argues for the creation of what are effectively two codes of the game.  He's ably assisted by John Nicholson, author of Can We Have Our Football Back, and blogger Matt Jones from Mitch Cook's Left Foot.

Produced by Adrian Goldberg.

As the UK and China drift towards a diplomatic Cold War, what will be the knock-on effect for English football, which has attracted numerous Chinese investors and owners over recent years.  Manchester City, Wolves, Aston Villa, West Brom, Birmingham City, Wigan Athletic, Northampton Town and even Manchester City have all seen cash flow in from China, but will the money start flowing back the other way because of political tensions.

Adrian and John are joined by Simon Chadwick, a Professor at Emlyon Business School, based in Shanghai and Paris. He is an expert in Eurasian Football.

In this episode Adrian and John discuss the plight of Wigan Athletic who have been put into administration without warning after ownership of the club was passed to a company registered in the Cayman Islands.  Lifelong Latics supporter Karen Kendrick and Paul Middleton of the Mudhutter fanzine share their thoughts.

There is crowdfunder for non playing staff at the club https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/official-wigan-athletic-football-club-fundraiser

This week we also celebrate football's homegrown heroes such as Mason Greenwood at Manchester United.

Presented by Adrian Goldberg and John Nicholson

Produced by Adrian Goldberg for Kick In The Grass.

Adrian and John are joined by writer Daniel Gray in an appreciation of Scottish football.  Daniel is the editor of the Scottish football periodical Nutmeg and wrote a book called Stramash, the story of Scotland through its smaller clubs.

And as another gay player comes out AFTER retiring, why can't homosexuality be acknowledged in the mens' game?

Presented by Adrian Goldberg and John Nicholson

Produced by Adrian Goldberg for Kick In The Grass Productions.

For this episode Adrian and John are joined by Alyson Walsh (@fairfloozie) Commercial Director of Fare Share who gives the inside story on Marcus Rashford's successful social media campaign to persuade the government to provide free meals for needy kids over the summer.

They also talk to Chris Skudder (@chris_skudder) the former Sky TV and ITV newscaster about the future of football on television, after the BBC aired its first live Premier League game.  Chris now hosts the Rock n' Goal podcast (@rock_goal)

Presented by: Adrian Goldberg (@goldbergradio) and John Nicholson (@johnnythenic)

Adrian Goldberg and John Nicholson are joined by Tom Walsh from the Wise Men Say podcast to discuss the the future of Sunderland Football Club, amid fears that a pledge to repay £20million in parachute payments - used by the current directors to buy the club from its previous owner - might not now be honoured.

At the centre of the controversy are directors Stuart Donald and Charlie Methven who featured extensively in the Netflix documentary series Sunderland Till We Die.

Adrian, John and Tom also discuss the "football lads" who gathered in London and other UK cities to protect historical statues and ended up in violent clashes with the police.

Presented by Adrian Goldberg and John Nicholson.

Produced by Kick In The Grass.

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