I have been a massive fan of podcasts dating back to 2008. At that time it was a pretty new concept, and one I had to explain to just about everyone I met. I first got introduced to podcasts via IGN’s Game Scoop, a show about computer games. At the time I was undergoing rehab for a footballing injury and I had a daily 5 mile walk to and from the doctors for physio. Radio shows that solely discussed my interests and hobbies?! I was hooked instantly.
Fast forward to 2017 and my old iPhone 6 is now dubbed ‘the podcast phone’ and it comes with me everywhere. It allows me to listen to audio all day at work without draining the battery on my personal phone. Sure, having to carry a personal, work and podcast phone can be a bit of a nuisance, but it’s a necessary evil. My Downcast app keeps track of the 32 podcasts I follow and listen to on a weekly basis. Below, are the top five (in order) I recommend if you are a football fan.
1 The Totally Football Show
The Totally Football Show is new this season, but comes with plenty of pedigree. James Richardson, ex-host of the Guardian’s Football Weekly podcast has jumped ship and started his own show. It keeps the formula of Football Weekly and has a mix of old and new guests from his time with The Guardian. Funny, informative and well rounded. If you only have time for one football podcast, this is the one.
*New episodes every Monday and Thursday.
2 Guardian Football Weekly
To be honest it was a bit of a toss up between this and the Totally Football show. Both are extremely similar, and in the end it just comes down to which host and guest lineup you prefer. Max Rushden, the new host this year gets plenty of stick, but I think he’s doing a brilliant job of filling AC Jimbo’s boots. Regular guest Barry Glendenning is always a highlight as well.
*New episodes every Monday and Thursday.
3 The Football Ramble
I only became aware recently that these guys split opinion among football podding fans. While still informative and diverse in it’s coverage, the Football Ramble leans even more towards comedy than the two former shows. In my opinion this is a good thing and makes the show stand out. Whether you enjoy this show will largely hinge on what you think about the comedy within it.
*New episodes every Monday and Friday.
4 The Game Podcast
The Game podcast is an underrated show hosted by Gabriele Marcotti. The downside to this show is despite Gab being Italian, the show is way too fixated on the English Premier League. Coming in at around an hour and only releasing once a week there’s less time for the crew to expand their horizons. If you are looking to top up your football listening though, you can’t go wrong with this one.
*New episodes every Monday.
5 The Football Writers Podcast
It may be unfair to have this in fifth place, but the truth of the matter is that I have only started listening to it recently and don’t feel in a position to accurately judge it yet. The reason it gets a mention here is because I think it’s the best of the rest. Perhaps in the months to come I will revise this list and it’ll be a different story.
*New episodes every Monday.
Well there you have it. My top five footballing podcasts. If you love the beautiful game make sure and check them all out! Podcasts are a brilliant way to bring some joy to commutes to and from work, during exercise, even when relaxing on the couch or in bed. I have a very busy life and keeping up with all my interests is hard, but podcasts allow even males to multitask, something I’m dreadful at!
Note: This post has been ported over from a previous blog posted a few months back but has been updated to reflect any changes in my podcasting tastes.