Welcome to Whistleblowers - Football From The Inside Out

Is FIFA’s new Club World Cup tearing football apart? This week, Whistleblowers dives into the storm brewing around Gianni Infantino’s club football expansion in the form of the Club World Cup - and why players, clubs, and fans are furious. 

Ian Ladyman questions who’s really in charge of football now, and Gordon Smart wonders if we’ve already broken the calendar beyond repair.

Plus, Mark Clattenburg lifts the lid on how referees handle mayhem on and off the pitch.

We also touch on player overload, fan fatigue, and the growing disconnect between football’s global ambitions and its grassroots reality.

We’re also joined by England legend, Terry Butcher! He offers behind-the-scenes chaos from the Old Firm days and explains what happened when he kicked a referee’s door in!

Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman

Producer: Henry Williams

Researcher: William Colledge

Booker: Ashley Whitt

Video Editor: Luke Shelley

Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini 

Social Handles:

X: @blowerspod

Instagram: whistleblowerspod

TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast

Email: [email protected]

A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular. 

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Welcome back to Whistleblowers - Football’s Most Original New Podcast. 

In this week’s bonus episode; Gordon, Mark and Ian start by reacting to comments sent in by people across our social accounts and podcast providers. There are some very nice comments, and there are some not so nice comments, so stay tuned to hear if any of our hosts have taken offence… 

(If you’d like to get involved, don’t forget to reach out)

The lads then turn their hand to some set-building, as the Whistleblowers budget didn’t quite stretch far enough to provide them with a table. In the first instalment of the challenge, as set by Wickes, Mark gets down on his hands and knees to make a stool. 

They then play a game of ‘Hit or Miss’, of all Manchester United signings since Sir Alex Ferguson, before continuing with their all time XIs!

Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman

Producer: Henry Williams

Researcher: William Colledge

Booker: Ashley Whitt

Video Editor: Luke Shelley

Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini 

Social Handles:

X: @blowerspod

Instagram: whistleblowerspod

TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast

Email: [email protected]

A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular. 

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

Welcome back to Whistleblowers - Football’s Most Original New Podcast.

Right then, we’ve had our nicey nice intros, getting to know everyone, time now to really get stuck into a feast of football. 

With two Englishmen and a Scot, there’s plenty to moan about following a rather uninspiring international schedule.

Scotland sit with one win in their last 9 games, despite now boasting a squad that could be challenging, is it time for Steve Clarke’s side to step it up a gear?

We analyse the latest case of Nottingham Forest controversy, after they wrote a letter to Uefa, voicing their concerns about Crystal Palace competing in the Europa League. Mark provides some fascinating insight into what it’s like to work there (as his appointment, as it goes, was one of the controversial moments!)

AND we welcome ‘This City is Ours’ actor, James Nelson-Joyce onto the show. The Liverpool-born actor shares his thoughts on: Trent Alexander-Arnold’s decision to move to Real Madrid, whether he’d like to be 007 one day… and promises to do a ‘Whistleblowers’ themed celebration if he scores at Soccer Aid this weekend!

Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman

Producer: Henry Williams

Researcher: William Colledge

Video Editor: Luke Shelley

Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini 

A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular. 

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Hello and welcome back to Whistleblowers - football’s most original new podcast.

In part two, Gordon, Mark and Ian answer your questions telling tales of their experiences with John Terry and highlighting his on-field and off-field personas. Is Mark’s feud with the Chelsea legend as bitter as it seemed in a recent Baller League encounter?

Gordon discusses his incredible journey to interviewing Robbie Williams at his home, and how the 

Ian reflects on the challenges of press conferences, and defends the stance he took when fiercely challenging Erik ten Hag last season. What did you make of the exchange? Was Ian in the right?

We also begin picking our all time XI. Why? Because it’s classic pub chat and is a nice way to end the pod. First up, naturally, goalkeepers. 

Presenters: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman

Producer: Henry Williams

Researcher: William Colledge

Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini 

A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular. 

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Welcome to Whistleblowers - football’s most original new podcast.

With Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman at the helm, you’re in safe hands this summer and beyond…

Mark details his experience as a referee. He discloses the abuse he regularly received, the lack of support he got from his bosses, and an incredible decision that led to one of the Premier League’s most iconic results.

Ian shares some wild Mario Balotelli anecdotes, and reveals the only manager that truly believed in him.

And Gordon does his best to keep the peace between the journo and the ref, whilst suggesting that HUGE changes could be afoot, atop the Scottish Premier League…

Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman

Producer: Henry Williams

Researcher: William Colledge

Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini

A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.

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

Whistleblowers is football’s most original new podcast - lifting the lid on the parts of the game no one else talks about.

Hosted by Gordon Smart, with ex-elite referee Mark Clattenburg and veteran journalist Ian Ladyman, this isn’t another safe roundtable of punditry. It’s football told differently - with insight, authority, and plenty of laughs.

From what really goes on in the referee’s room, to how clubs spin crises and who’s pulling the strings behind the scenes - Whistleblowers brings the inside stories only those at the heart of the game can tell.

Players have had their say. Now, it’s time to hear from the people who actually know how football works.

Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman

Executive Producer: Jamie East

Producer: Henry Williams

Researcher: William Colledge

Booker: Ashley Whitt

Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini 

A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.

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

Welcome back to Soccer A-Z, for our last EVER episode!

It’s a ‘Questions and Quiz’ edition to round off the series, meaning you can expect a series of questions, and a quiz…

On today’s episode, the gang: say whether they reckon England will win a major tournament in their lifetime, disclose who would be in their Allies squad for ‘Escape to Victory’ and debate what they’d request for their death row meal…

We also feature our final instalment of ‘The Unfair Football Quiz’… this week, the show centred around the letter ‘Z’, so it’s safe to say Tim had to get pretty creative with his questions.

Thanks for watching/listening Soccer A-Z… we hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have!

Presenters:

Tim Lovejoy

Helen Chamberlain

Joe Worsley

Peter Dale 

Producers: Henry Williams and Ashley Whitt

Executive Producers: Tim Lovejoy, & Jamie East

Follow all Soccer A-Z social channels @soccerazpod

Email: [email protected]

A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular!

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Welcome to the final episode of the people’s podcast – Soccer A-Z – saving society week by week. 

This week, Tim and the team take on the letter Z and cover everything from zoo animals on the pitch to Zlatan’s epic quotes. 

Plus, find out how fatherhood is treating Tubes, what Robbie is doing in Italy and what prestigious award Lovejoy once apparently won when working for The Big Breakfast.

And if that wasn’t enough, we’re joined by funnyman, TV star, podcaster and Plymouth fan Josh Widdecombe, who is promoting his UK Tour and Rob Beckett’s Smart TV. 

Presenters:

Tim Lovejoy

Helen Chamberlain

Joe Worsley

Peter Dale 

Featuring

Josh Widdecombe

Producers: Henry Williams and Ashley Whitt

Executive Producers: Tim Lovejoy, & Jamie East

Rob Beckett’s Smart TV

https://www.sky.com/watch/rob-becketts-smart-tv

Josh Widdecombe Tour

https://www.joshwiddicombe.com/#tour-dates

Follow all Soccer A-Z social channels @soccerazpod

Email: [email protected]

A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular!

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Welcome back to Soccer A-Z… for the ‘Questions and Quiz’ instalment!

We have a jam-packed episode coming your way, so stay tuned to hear questions relating to:

We also, of course, have ‘What’s Right With Football’ and ‘Anything But Football’

Presenters:

Tim Lovejoy

Helen Chamberlain

Joe Worsley

Robbie Knox

Producers: Henry Williams & Ashley Whitt

Executive Producers: Tim Lovejoy, & Jamie East

Studio Manager: Sam Chisholm

Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini

Follow all Soccer A-Z social channels:@soccerazpod

Email: [email protected]

A Daily Mail production.

Seriously Popular!

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

Welcome back to Soccer A-Z, ‘The People’s Podcast’, saving football one week at a time (altogether now) WHILST HELPING SOCIETY!

It’s the penultimate letter of the alphabet this time, as we tackle the letter Y…

There’s plenty for the gang to get stuck into in this one…

The list really is endless…

Oh, and do you reckon you can figure out the latest riddle in ‘Peter Selby’s Guess the Goal’?

Presenters:

Tim Lovejoy

Helen Chamberlain

Joe Worsley

Robbie Knox

Producers: Henry Williams & Ashley Whitt

Executive Producers: Tim Lovejoy, & Jamie East

Studio Manager: Sam Chisholm

Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini

Follow all Soccer A-Z social channels:@soccerazpod

Email: [email protected]

A Daily Mail production.

Seriously Popular!

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