Podcasts about Watford

Our guest for this episode is the brilliant Sheyi Martins-Allen. You might know her for her political rants on Instagram, her hilarious agony aunting, or her strong views on adapting Pride and Prejudice for the small screen. She is also a fantastic singer - she tells us how her recent show went, and about her plans for the future. We find out how she became friendly with Dolly Alderton, how she deals with Trump supporters in her DMs, and why her Dad is struggling with the behaviour of Brooklyn Beckham. Plus: we discuss the use of humour to talk about politics, and teach Sheyi a new and unpleasant word. We finish with some Confessions involving a series of unfortunate incidents at the Stratford Upon Avon Literary festival, and school run politics. Do go and check out Sheyi's Instagram account, we love it - @sheyimartinsallenWe are on tour! See you soon, Manchester, Watford and Eastleigh! Then we're visiting all sorts of venues all over the country right up till 2027. Yes, INCLUDING NORWICH! Visit scummymummies.com for dates and tickets. WE HAVE A SHOP! Visit scummymummies.com for our ace t-shirts, mugs, and sweatshirts. FREE UK DELIVERY! We're on Instagram and Facebook @scummymummies. If you like the podcast, please rate, review and subscribe. Thank you for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EP01: Who is the new Head Coach Alessio Dionisi? Hello and welcome to the Watford Buzz Podcast! The Home of your Watford FC chat, featuring journalist Tom Bodell (@TBBodell), analyst Jordan Wiemer (@JordanWeimer) and hosted by commentator and presenter Matt Mesiano (@MessyMesiano) We all have one thing in common, we're all huge Watford fans and we LOVE talking about the Hornets! On today's show, Matt, Tom and Jordan discussed:Pay our respects to Kenny JacketChat Watford Players at the World CupDiscuss the new head coach Alessio DionisiIf you want to get in touch you can do so really easily – just ping a message across on Twitter , BlueSky, OR send us an email to WatfordBuzzPodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To mark the Hornet Heaven podcast's tenth birthday this summer, we're re-issuing one episode from each of the ten seasons since we began in 2016. The idea is to re-immerse listeners in how it has felt to be a Watford fan during the club's recent ups and downs. If you're feeling distant from the club at the moment, as many people are, some of these episodes will, hopefully, remind you how it feels to love Watford Football Club. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paul Hawksbee and Andy Jacobs bring you a packed show tracking the massive breaking story in English cricket. The Cricketer's senior correspondent George Dobell joins the podcast to break down why he believes Test captain Ben Stokes is on the verge of stepping down and retiring from the sport entirely by the end of the day.Shifting focus to football, former referee and broadcaster Christina Unkel helps make sense of the breaking World Cup controversy after top Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry into the United States, completely ruling him out of officiating the tournament. Plus, comedian and Watford die-hard Dee Allum stops by to discuss her wild plan to watch absolutely every single match of the tournament. Finally, comedian and Evertonian Phil Nichol drops in to talk about returning to the Edinburgh Fringe for his first show in seven years, 'Aren't We Lucky'. You can check out a detailed breakdown of the cricket breaking news on talkSPORT.comFollow us on socials:X/Twitter: @tSHandJInstagram: @tSHandJYouTube: talkSPORT Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To mark the Hornet Heaven podcast's tenth birthday this summer, we're re-issuing one episode from each of the ten seasons since we began in 2016. The idea is to re-immerse listeners in how it has felt to be a Watford fan during the club's recent ups and downs. If you're feeling distant from the club at the moment, as many people are, some of these episodes will, hopefully, remind you how it feels to love Watford Football Club. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“That kind of put soccer on my radar as a sport. I saw how deeply it meant to people, in a way I didn't appreciate prior to that. And then I was in London when the World Cup began, and I saw the opening match — Argentina and Cameroon, with Cameroon winning in an upset. Just the whole spectacle of it gave me an appreciation for the game.” — Brian Bunk, on Ireland, Italia '90, and the moment everything changed Not long now. Only seven days until the World Cup begins. Just enough time to read Brian D. Bunk's new The Shortest History of Soccer: From Ancient Kicking Games to the World's Most Popular Sport. History isn't Bunk with Brian. He looks a bit like Elton John, which is appropriate given that old Rocket Man was chairman of Watford and bankrolled the tiny English club to almost winning the league. Pop stars like Ed Sheeran (Ipswich) and Robert Plant (Wolves) love football, Bunk notes. Probably because it reminds them of where they came from. Bunk's thesis is that soccer's global dominance is not accidental. Born in the industrial communities of nineteenth-century England, the game gave workers a new identity, new evidence of their collective power, proof they'll never walk alone. That same logic explains why middle-aged men all over America religiously gather at their local bars to watch English teams with strange names like Ipswich Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Such is religion in our globalised post-industrial age. “Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I don't like that attitude. I can assure them it is much more serious than that,” the great Liverpool manager Bill Shankly quipped. That's the shortest of short histories of football. What the working-class Shankly meant was that it gives us social meaning — which is, indeed, more historically significant than the life or death of a single individual. Or even God. Football saves our souls, Brian Bunk concurs with Bill Shankly. Enjoy the World Cup. Five Takeaways •       Soccer Was Born in Industrial Communities for a Reason: The game emerged in industrial Britain in the second half of the nineteenth century not by accident but because industrialisation had shattered traditional community life. Mass migration to cities, technological disruption, the loss of familiar rhythms — all created a need for new kinds of identity and belonging. Soccer filled that need. It gave factory workers a team to follow, a ground to gather at, a shared identity that transcended ethnic and class lines. Bunk's argument: this community function is baked into the game itself, which is why it has replicated across every culture it has touched. •       Why Americans Love the Premier League: Bunk identifies the 1990s as the pivotal decade for American soccer. The 1994 World Cup on home soil. The women's World Cup. The formation of MLS. The arrival of the FIFA video game. The Premier League broadcasting deals with ESPN and Fox. All of these combined and snowballed. Add to that the NFL owners investing in English clubs, the celebrity ownership wave (Ryan Reynolds, Elton John), and the cultural footprint of shows like Ted Lasso and Welcome to Wrexham. The result: a generation of Americans for whom following the Premier League is a primary source of community. •       Maradona: All the Contradictions of Football in One Man: Asked which historical match he would most want to attend, Bunk chooses Mexico City, June 1986: Argentina vs England. Not for the Hand of God goal — which was cheating — but for the second goal, the one where Maradona picked up the ball in his own half, went past five English players, and scored what is generally considered the greatest goal in the history of the game. Bryon Butler's BBC radio commentary: “turning like a little eel.” Andrew's verdict: if any single figure captures all the genius, joy, turbulence, and tragedy of football, it is Maradona. •       The World Cup Returns to North America: In seven days, the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins in the United States, Canada, and Mexico — the first time the tournament has returned to North America since the USA hosted in 1994. The timing of Bunk's book is deliberate. Soccer is more popular in America than at any point in history, and the home World Cup is the event that could push it into the first tier of American sports culture. The Premier League, MLS, women's soccer, and now the World Cup: the game's US footprint is larger than it has ever been. •       Andrew's Game: Tottenham vs Benfica, April 1962: Andrew's own fantasy match, offered unprompted at the end: the first leg of the 1962 European Cup semi-final between Tottenham Hotspur and Benfica at the Est00e1dio da Luz in Lisbon on March 20, 1962, with Eusebio and Jimmy Greaves on the same pitch. Spurs lost 320131 on the night, went out 420132 on aggregate. Two clear penalties not given. Andrew's conclusion: had Spurs won that match, the history of European football — and possibly his own life — would have been different. He notes that he has a son, and that he should have called him Jimmy. About the Guest Brian D. Bunk is a Senior Lecturer in History at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he teaches courses on world history, modern Europe, and the global history of soccer. He is the author of The Shortest History of Soccer: From Ancient Kicking Games to the World's Most Popular Sport (The Experiment, June 2026), Beyond the Field: How Soccer Built Community in the United States (University of Illinois Press, 2025), and From Football to Soccer: The Early History of the Beautiful Game in the United States (University of Illinois Press, 2021). He lives in Northampton, Massachusetts. References: •       The Shortest History of Soccer by Brian D. Bunk (The Experiment, June 2026). •       Beyond the Field: How Soccer Built Community in the United States by Brian D. Bunk (University of Illinois Press, 2025). •       Argentina vs England, FIFA World Cup quarter-final, Azteca Stadium, Mexico City, June 22, 1986 — the Hand of God game, referenced as Bunk's fantasy match. •       Tottenham Hotspur vs Benfica, European Cup semi-final, Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, April 1962 — Andrew's fantasy match. About Keen On America Nobody asks more awkward questions than the Anglo-American writer and filmmaker Andrew Keen. In Keen On America, Andrew brings his pointed Transatlantic wit to making sense of the United States — hosting daily interviews about the history and future of this now venerable Republic. With nearly 2,900 episodes since the show launched on TechCrunch in 2010, Keen On A...

This week on the Fozcast, Ben and Tom break down Ben's Second Watford contract he signed during the 2019/20 Premier League Season - what was he really earning…  Ben reveals exactly how his Watford contract was structured, from weekly wages and appearance fees to clean sheet bonuses, win bonuses, relegation clauses and the incentives on offer that can massively impact a player's earnings. The lads discuss how bonus schedules really work behind the scenes - why some players can miss out on payments, the pettiest contract clauses Ben has heard from other players in the dressing room and what happens when a footballer's contract expires and the money suddenly stops… If you've ever wondered how Premier League contracts actually work, you are going to love this episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dionisi To Watford? Ben & Joe return to discuss a huge week at Vicarage Road, with reports suggesting Watford are closing in on Alessio Dionisi as the club's new Head Coach on a two-year deal. The pair also debate the controversial decision to scrap the U21 setup and what it could mean for the club's player development pathway moving forward.

Why does it take a whole year to make a kids' book? What's it like to visit Richard Branson's private island? And who doesn't love a Nissan Micra? Answering all these questions is bestselling children's author Rachel Bright! She tells us how she went from losing hope after an early rejection to landing a three-book publishing deal, and enjoying huge success with The Lion Inside. We talk about talent, timing, and the third magic ingredient that got Rachel where she is today. We also discuss Rachel's time working as an air hostess for Virgin Atlantic, and what happened when she went to Necker Island. We find out how to wear hats, and in a podcast exclusive, Rachel shares her favourite verruca hack. As is tradition, we finish with Scummy Mummy Confessions - this time involving a basketball and an erect horse penis. Find out more about Rachel's brilliant books by following her on Instagram @rachelbrightbooks. Her latest titles, The Turtle Who Turned the Tide and The Messysaurus, are out now. We are on tour! See you soon, Tiverton, Watford, Manchester and Eastleigh! Then we're visiting all sorts of venues all over the country right up till 2027. Yes, INCLUDING NORWICH! Visit scummymummies.com for dates and tickets. WE HAVE A SHOP! Visit scummymummiesshop.com for our ace t-shirts, mugs, and sweatshirts. FREE UK DELIVERY! We're on Instagram and Facebook @scummymummies. If you like the podcast, please rate, review and subscribe. Thank you for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Massive love to Will for sitting down and doing this with me. I felt it was a must that we got one recorded after sadly losing the audio from the live podcast we did with Gareth Grover in Dunfermline. If you like this one go back and check out Ep7 with Dan Mumford, Ep12 with Steve Sears, Ep34 with Thomas Mitchener, Ep37 with Laurent Baranard, Ep46 with Gareth Grover & the last episode, Ep50 with Frank Carter - all the same scene with similar stories and shared bands! Think I've maybe kinda mastered this 00's Watford punk/metal scene thing...Thanks as always for checking out everyone, means the world to me it truly does and thanks again to Will - big love sir.Cheers x Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To mark the Hornet Heaven podcast's tenth birthday this summer, we're re-issuing one episode from each of the ten seasons since we began in 2016. The idea is to re-immerse listeners in how it has felt to be a Watford fan during the club's recent ups and downs. If you're feeling distant from the club at the moment, as many people are, some of these episodes will, hopefully, remind you how it feels to love Watford Football Club. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep. 770 - As OTAs roll on, Paul Calvisi and former Cardinals offensive lineman Earl Watford have plenty to talk about. Calvisi and Watford, who is filling in for the vacationing Ron Wolfley, take a look at Mike LaFleur's offense and the “illusion of complexity” that could be a problem for opposing defenders. The guys also discuss what Jeremiyah Love brings to the offense, Watford gives his take on the revamped offensive line and why the Cardinals could lean heavily on the run game this season and what Gardner Minshew brings to the quarterback room. Plus, the guys swap stories about Larry Fitzgerald ahead of his Hall of Fame induction.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Big Red Rage, Paul Calvisi & Earl Watford, filling in for Ron Wolfley, walk through the continuing Cardinals' OTAs under first year Head Coach Mike LaFleur. The two discuss Arizona's new look offense under LaFleur as the team gears up for preseason play. Watford gives his take on Jeremiyah Love's multifaceted fit with the Cardinals behind a revamped offensive line for the 2026 season. New QB Gardner Minshew has become a big discussion point in the month of May for his charisma and character in the new quarterback room. Lastly, a little Larry Fitzgerald conversation as the 'Summer of Larry' rolls on.

Ep. 770 - As OTAs roll on, Paul Calvisi and former Cardinals offensive lineman Earl Watford have plenty to talk about. Calvisi and Watford, who is filling in for the vacationing Ron Wolfley, take a look at Mike LaFleur's offense and the “illusion of complexity” that could be a problem for opposing defenders. The guys also discuss what Jeremiyah Love brings to the offense, Watford gives his take on the revamped offensive line and why the Cardinals could lean heavily on the run game this season and what Gardner Minshew brings to the quarterback room. Plus, the guys swap stories about Larry Fitzgerald ahead of his Hall of Fame induction.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

João Pedro opens up on the pressure and sacrifices behind his journey from Brazil to the Premier League - revealing how his mum quitting her job to support his football dream made him realise at just 15 years old that he had no choice but to succeed.Whilst relaxing in Rio's Airbnb, Joao reveals how he was inspired by Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James, João explains why he became obsessed with doing extra work after moving to England and how switching from winger to striker completely changed his career - despite initially hating the move.He also tells Rio how Watford convinced him to move ahead of waiting for clubs like Barcelona, Liverpool and Manchester City and how Richarlison showed him that Premier League success was possible.João gives hilarious insight into training ground battles with Marc Cucurella, Moisés Caicedo and Reece James - while also backing James to become the best right-back in world football because of his mentality and leadership.There's fascinating tactical discussion too as João explains why movement is the strongest part of his game, how Cole Palmer's creativity has helped him become more dangerous in the box and why he now sees himself as a number nine in the mould of Harry Kane and Sergio Agüero. He also admits he completely underestimated Palmer when he first arrived - before eventually deciding the Chelsea star would comfortably start for the current Brazil team under Carlo Ancelotti.The conversation also gives brilliant insight into the pressure surrounding the Brazilian national team, Ancelotti's influence on the squad and why Neymar is still discussed “every single day” in Brazil ahead of what could be his final World Cup.Plus there are brilliant stories around Vinicius Jr's mentality, Casemiro's leadership and what it felt like walking into his first Brazil training camp alongside players he'd previously only seen on FIFA Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

fWotD Episode 3303: 2006 Football League Championship play-off final Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Thursday, 21 May 2026, is 2006 Football League Championship play-off final.The 2006 Football League Championship play-off final was an association football match which was played on 21 May 2006 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, between Leeds United and Watford. The match was to determine the third and final team to gain promotion from the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football, to the FA Premiership. Reading and Sheffield United, the top two teams of the 2005–06 Football League Championship season, gained automatic promotion to the Premiership, while the clubs placed from third to sixth place in the table took part in play-off semi-finals. Third-placed Watford defeated sixth-placed Crystal Palace in the first semi-final, while fifth-placed Leeds United beat fourth-placed Preston North End. The winners of these semi-finals competed for the final place for the 2006–07 season in the Premiership. Winning the final was estimated to be worth up to £40 million to the successful team.The final was refereed by Mike Dean and was watched by a crowd of 64,736. It was the last play-off final to be held at the Millennium Stadium, as the new Wembley Stadium was completed in time for the 2007 final. Watford won the match 3–0, with opening goalscorer Jay DeMerit named man of the match. Leeds goalkeeper Neil Sullivan scored an own goal to make the score 2–0 to Watford after 60 minutes, and the final goal was a penalty kick scored by Darius Henderson.The following season, Leeds's manager Kevin Blackwell was sacked in September, with the club second from bottom, and was replaced by Dennis Wise. The club went into administration the following May and were deducted ten points; they finished the season bottom of the league and they were relegated to the third tier of English football for the first time in the club's history. Watford struggled in the Premiership and were relegated back to the Championship after ending the season bottom of the league, ten points below safety.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:58 UTC on Thursday, 21 May 2026.For the full current version of the article, see 2006 Football League Championship play-off final on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Ayanda.

EP41: Watford Buzz Awards ... And... What did we learn from the Scott Duxbury interview? Hello and welcome to the Watford Buzz Podcast! The Home of your Watford FC chat, featuring journalist Tom Bodell (@TBBodell), analyst Jordan Wiemer (@JordanWeimer) and hosted by commentator and presenter Matt Mesiano (@MessyMesiano) We all have one thing in common, we're all huge Watford fans and we LOVE talking about the Hornets! On today's show, Matt, Tom and Jordan discussed:Scott Duxbury Interview responseWatford Departures and Contract RenewalsOur Season AwardsIf you want to get in touch you can do so really easily – just ping a message across on Twitter , BlueSky, OR send us an email to WatfordBuzzPodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How common is sibling estrangement? Does birth order really determine your destiny? And is there anything we can do to make our kids get along? Helping us to answer all these questions is the awesome author Catherine Carr. It's a big episode for Ellie, as she talks publicly for the first time about being estranged from her brother - why it's happened, and how she's learned to make peace with it. Catherine shares what she's learned about the subject in the course of writing her excellent book, Who's the Favourite? We also discuss whether the myths about elder and younger siblings are true, and the role gender plays in family dynamics. Plus, we ask Catherine whether there's anything parents can do to help their kids' relationships run smoothly. We finish of course with Scummy Mummy Confessions. This week: a sweaty incident, school admin stress, and Ellie's husband's peen. Catherine's book is out now. Her podcast is called Relatively, and do check out her episode on Woman's Hour. You can follow her on Instagram @tall.lady.carr. We are on tour! See you soon, Tiverton, Watford, Manchester and Eastleigh! Then we're visiting all sorts of venues all over the country right up till 2027. Yes, INCLUDING NORWICH! Visit scummymummies.com for dates and tickets. WE HAVE A SHOP! Visit scummymummiesshop.com for our ace t-shirts, mugs, and sweatshirts. FREE UK DELIVERY! We're on Instagram and Facebook @scummymummies. If you like the podcast, please rate, review and subscribe. Thank you for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aaron Paul & Jobi McAnuff reflect on the EFL ups and downs. Hear from Kieran McKenna after Ipswich sealed promotion back to the Premier League. Richie Wellens doesn't hold back after Leyton Orient just about survive in league One. Cambridge head coach Neil Harris joins the pod after earning League Two promotion. And Boreham Wood boss Luke Garrard swings by ahead of the National League play-off final with Rochdale. And messages and voicenotes always welcome on WhatsApp to 08000 289 369.01:45 Aaron opens the mailbag… 04:30 Kieran McKenna on Ipswich Town's promotion, 11:20 Hull gatecrash the play-offs, 14:05 Watford sack Ed Still, 15:45 Stevenage controversially win race for sixth, 18:10 Orient's Richie Wellens doesn't hold back, 22:25 Cambridge boss Neil Harris joins the pod, 35:05 Boreham Wood's Luke Garrard drops in.5 Live / BBC Sounds commentaries: Wed 2000 Bayern v PSG, Thu 2000 Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest. Sat 1500 Sunderland v Man Utd, Sat 1730 Man City v Brentford, Sun 1200 Celtic v Rangers, Sun 1400 Nottingham Forest v Newcastle United, Sun 1400 Burnley v Aston Villa on Sports Extra, Sun 1400 Crystal Palace v Everton on Sports Extra 2, Sun 1630 West Ham v Arsenal.

Steve and Dave Jolliffee realized that driving ranges lacked feedback. Golfers need feedback to improve, so they created a way to get feedback. Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector and storyteller. I’m Stephen’s sidekick and business partner, Dave Young. Before we get into today’s episode, a word from our sponsor, which is, but well, it’s us, but we’re highlighting ads we’ve written and produced for our clients. So here’s one of those. [Seaside Plumbing Ad] Dave Young: Welcome back to the Empire Builders Podcast. I’m Dave Young. I’m sitting here with Stephen Semple. Well, actually, I’m not sitting here with him. I see him. He’s on the screen. Stephen Semple: We’re virtually together. Virtually. Dave Young: This is an international podcast. Stephen Semple: It is, actually. It is actually very good. Dave Young: By the way, I know I think the He-Man episode has dropped. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Yeah. Dave Young: The artwork that Matt Burns or whoever did it for that one. Stephen Semple: Yes. Matthew did it. Dave Young: Yeah, that was great. He sent me that. Stephen Semple: Actually, the one that I really like was the one that he did for PT Barnum. I thought that that was fun, where you’re the guy hocking the tickets. Dave Young: I haven’t seen that either. He sent them all to me. For some reason, he sent that one to me. I should probably subscribe to this podcast and listen to it. Anywho, Steve. So, Stephen whispered in my ear the topic that we’re going to cover today, and it’s actually one that I sent him. Stephen Semple: You actually whispered in my ear. Dave Young: Yeah, I did. I kind of did. I was surprised that you were ready to do it. And it’s the story of Rose Blumpkin and Nebraska Furniture Mart. She’s one of my local heroes back in my home state in Nebraska. Stephen Semple: Sorry, that’s not the one we’re going to be talking about. Dave Young: Oh, sure. Stephen Semple: You sent me another idea. That one, I’m going to do, but I don’t have all the research on it. Dave Young: Okay. So we have to start all over. Stephen Semple: No, or we could just keep going with this, Topgolf. Dave Young: Oh, right. Yeah. Stephen Semple: You also sent me… You want to just keep going with this? Dave Young: So now people know that we’re going to talk about Rose Blumkin at some point. Stephen Semple: Yes. Yeah, sure. Dave Young: That’s a cool story. You just want to make me look as scatterbrained as I really am. So, Topgolf. Stephen Semple: Authenticity. We’re just going for authenticity here. Dave Young: Yeah. So, Topgolf. I just thought we were talking about this other thing that I sent you. So yeah, I’d love to talk about Topgolf. So both of these businesses, since we’re not talking about Rose Blumpkins, I’ve been to each of them one time. Stephen Semple: Okay. Dave Young: My experience level is X equals one. Sample equals one size. Stephen Semple: Okay. Dave Young: But I saw the story about Topgolf or it was a video, wasn’t it? Stephen Semple: It was a video that you sent me. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It was super interesting and so much so that I ended up, as soon as it was done that night I had some time. I did a bunch of research, wrote it up and said, “We’re going to cover it,” because it’s a very interesting story. Dave Young: To me, if you want the TLDR version of it, the guys that started Topgolf thought they were in the golf business. Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: No, they weren’t. Stephen Semple: No, they weren’t. Dave Young: They had no idea what business they were in. Stephen Semple: And this is the reason why I wanted to talk about this. So this is an idea, Dave, that you suggested to me. And when I looked into the history, there’s a couple of twists in this that I thought were super interesting that every business could learn from. And yeah, the story of this is that they didn’t really understand what business they were in. And when they found out what business they were in, they became super successful. And then the company that bought them lost sight of what business they were in and failed. It’s this crazy thing. So before we get into that, I want to hear about your experience at Topgolf because you went there and you’re not a golfer. Dave Young: No, I’m trying to think of who we went… It was a work thing I think. Stephen Semple: Perfect. Dave Young: And that’s typical, right? It was a bunch of us from work. It was actually a super hot day here in Austin, but they have giant fans blowing on you. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Dave Young: They’re the kind of business where, I don’t know. There’s lots going on and they’re pulling money out of your pocket all different directions. Right? Stephen Semple: At their heart, they’re a driving range. And it was started. The first Topgolf was built in Watford, England in 2000 by two brothers, Steve and Dave Jolffi. And these guys were golfers, tinkers, problem solvers, but they were not backed by big money. They were not from the golf industry and they were not tech guys. They were just two guys went to a driving range and saw a problem. Dave Young: Yeah. They’re like, “I don’t know where my ball went.” Right? Stephen Semple: Right. Start off with the problem of golf lacks feedback. So when you go to the driving range, you’re practicing, yet you don’t know how far the ball went, how straight it went, nothing, no feedback. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: So over the course of three years, they played around and figured out how to embed a chip inside the golf ball. Remember, this is pre 2000, pre iPhone, pre all of that. The whole idea of something being able to track the speed of something really new, right? Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: You got to remember that. So the goal was to track every shot. The other thing they needed to figure out was targets that could take impact and speed and a system that translate this and the scores and make it durable enough to do it outdoors. So, 2000, Watford, England, it was ahead of its time. It was kind of cool and no one cared. Dave Young: Sure. Stephen Semple: Traditional golfers didn’t see the point. Non-golfers were not drawn in. It was not quite a sport. It was not quite entertainment. It stood for nothing. Being different does not equate into being desired. Being cool doesn’t equate into being desired. So they had to ask themselves this question. Why is this not catching on? So here’s what they did. They reimagined the entire environment and experience. They created covered base, so the weather didn’t matter. They put in lounge style seating, driving range. You can kind of all sit together. Dave Young: You could go with your friends. Yeah. Stephen Semple: Make it social. They put food and drink in. So people stayed longer. They put music in energy. It now became fun. Suddenly, it was a place to hang out. It was a night out. People came in groups. Non-golfers like Dave Young came. Dave Young: That’s right. And so you think about a driving range and it’s like going fishing. That’s interesting. It’s solitary. It’s, I’m going to go hit a bucket of balls. And usually what that means is I’m not necessarily working on my game, I’m just going to get inside my own head and process and think. And if you just do that on a park bench, people think you’re stalking. It reminds me of Thomas Edison. He used to walk down to the end of a pier near his office and sit on a bench with a fishing pole and he never had a hook on it. He would just sit there with a fishing pole and people would leave him alone because he’s fishing. Stephen Semple: Because he’s fishing. That’s interesting. Dave Young: Versus if you go stand on the end of a pier without a fishing pole and you’re standing there for hours, people will start to wonder what you’re thinking about, what’s your plan there. So driving range versus going with a bunch of friends to a “driving range,” two different things. Stephen Semple: Well, and here’s the other thing is a non-golfer doesn’t want to go out on a golf course because that’s hit the ball six inches, hit the ball. But to a driving range, sure, because it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t go anywhere you sit down, the next person hits. Dave Young: Yeah. It’s just a new version of putt-putt, right? Stephen Semple: Exactly. So this created this environment where you didn’t really need to know how to swing the club to have a good time. It turned a driving range into a social outing. It became entertainment, not sport. So enter Eric Anderson from West River Group, private equity company. Eric came across this idea and thought it was perfect for the US market. They invested a bunch of money in the company, took it to a new level with high-end restaurants and bars. And then in 2005, they opened a location in Texas. And it was a crazy hit. When it opened, there was hours long lineup. It was nuts. By 2010, it was a cultural phenomena. It was a hit with millennials. And this is a big deal because in 2010, golf is in a decline and it’s not attracting a younger audience. So suddenly, you’ve got this driving range, which is attracting all these people and it’s attracting millennials. In an October of 2020, during the pandemic, Callaway who had been actually an early investor in this, Callaway announces they’re purchasing the remaining 86% for $2 billion. Dave Young: And so here’s the thing, Callaway’s in the golf business. Stephen Semple: Hold that thought. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: Hold that thought. Hold that thought. Yeah. No, seriously, hold it because yes, you’re right. Callaway’s in the golf business and Callaway’s looking at this and going, oh my God- Dave Young: Here’s the future of golf. Stephen Semple: … the group that we’re trying to attract. Here’s the future of golf. Not only did they buy Topgolf, they rebranded Callaway to Topgolf Callaway. And initially, there was a bump in sales of Callaway stuff because they had to also supply the clubs and the balls to these venues. And they were expanding the venues like- Dave Young: Why would they have any other clubs? Stephen Semple: Right. And they were expanding the venues like crazy. And they launched new products like quantum drivers and Chrome tour balls, things that were fun, right? Fun. Because they would put those fun things into the driving range, into the Topgolf driving range, and people would love it. So they thought this would be a fun thing to take to a golf course. Dave Young: But? Stephen Semple: Here’s the core problem. Dave Young: Stay tuned. We’re going to wrap up this story and tell you how to apply this lesson to your business right after this. [Using Stories To Sell] Dave Young: Let’s pick up our story where we left off and trust me you haven’t missed a thing. Stephen Semple: Here’s the core problem. Callaway’s in the sports business and this was an entertainment venue. Dave Young: That’s right. That’s right. Just because I went to Topgolf once doesn’t mean I ever went back to a driving range. I used to golf. I used to golf. Stephen Semple: Right. Dave Young: And a driving range was always… It was a good introverted experience, but I wasn’t any good at golf. And I bowled for a while too, and I quit both sports the same year because my average was the same in both. Stephen Semple: So the bowling average was pretty good. Dave Young: You think about that, right? Low hundreds in both sports is no good. Stephen Semple: So the interesting thing, because again, initially, the numbers looked good, they launched all this stuff. It looked great, but beneath the surface, the synergy was actually a financial illusion because the core problem is Topgolf was an entertainment business. Topgolf was a restaurant and a bar with a driving range attached. Topgolf was not a driving range with a bar attached. Dave Young: I wouldn’t even- Stephen Semple: Millennials who came out… Yeah. The people who came out and swung a club, it did not convert into people going to the golf course and buying Callaway equipment. Dave Young: I think it’s a stretch calling it a driving range. I think it’s- Stephen Semple: Fair enough. Dave Young: It’s an electronic game that you use golf clubs and golf balls to try to score and win and play. Stephen Semple: Fair enough. Dave Young: I don’t think anybody… Well, maybe people- Stephen Semple: Would I’ve not been to one. I only saw pictures of it. Dave Young: Maybe people that go to Topgolf will go to a driving range to practice. I don’t know. I don’t know. The problem Callaway had was they weren’t converting people into actually going to a golf course. Stephen Semple: Correct. Dave Young: And buying golf clubs. Stephen Semple: Right, because they saw the business wrong. And what ended up happening, the business started actually declining because even the changes that they started making to the facility was through the eyes of a golfer and this being a sport, not this being entertainment. Now what ended up happening is when it all spun apart, Callaway ended up offloading the business to Leonard Green and Partners for basically a billion dollars. So they lost it. Dave Young: They lost a bit of dough. Stephen Semple: Well, they lost a billion on the purchase. And in addition, they had invested a ton of money in building these things out. This was a huge loss for Callaway. Dave Young: And so the thing that they misread was thinking that this was the future of golf and we’re going to sell a lot of clubs because of this. We’re going to sell a lot of clubs, all the things that we manufacture for the golf world. And I think of the golf world, and I think of almost like a white shoe law firm. I don’t think the people that spend big, big money playing golf or spending big, big money on Topgolf or vice versa. Stephen Semple: Well, there may be- Dave Young: If you’re a scratch golfer, you could go to Topgolf and clean up on your friends. Stephen Semple: Well, what I’m going to say is people who are already golfing would go to Topgolf because it’s fun. People who aren’t golfers who go to Topgolf are not going to suddenly become golfers. And that’s what Callaway thought was going to happen. All golfers will go to Topgolf, but not all Topgolf people will become golfers. And what I find that’s so interesting about this- Dave Young: Golf was the entry point for Topgolf, but Topgolf turns out is not the entry point for golf. Stephen Semple: Great. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: So the thing I find that’s really interesting about this, Steve and Dave, the founders, initially failed and became successful when they changed how they looked at the business and said, “This is an entertainment business. This is not a golf business.” Then Callaway buys it thinking it’s a golf business, not an entertainment business, and the whole thing spun apart. And I sit there and I go, “This is where understanding a history of a company is so important.” If Callaway had asked Dave and Steve one question, “What was the insight you had that made this successful?” And they said, “This is not about golf, this is about entertainment.” And if they’d listened to it, the outcome of this would have been really different. The DNA of the business was that lesson that was then ignored by the acquirers. Dave Young: It was Margarita’s and hot wings. Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: It was hanging with your friends. It was a different version of a pool hall. It was a different version of a bowling alley or- Stephen Semple: It’s a different version of David Busters. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: Yes. It’s a different version of all those things. That is the environment in which they were operating. Dave Young: And I think if you take it just even at a slightly deeper level, it’s an extroverted golf experience. Stephen Semple: Yes. Yes. Dave Young: There are many, many golfers who golf to get away from everyone. Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: Right? There are some that golf to be with their buddies or for business purposes or whatever. But I know so many people that will golf by themselves early in the morning. You couldn’t drag them into a Topgolf because just loud rock and roll and- Stephen Semple: Here’s where you could drag them into a Topgolf if you said, “Hey, let’s do a corporate retreat. Let’s do a team building thing. Let’s do something.” Because your choice is this. You can go to a restaurant, you can go to a bar or you can go to this thing where you do something together as a group of people. And frankly, that ended up being a lot of the Topgolf business was that exactly. Dave Young: Oh, sure. It might’ve been Julie’s work. I don’t think it was Wizard Academy. We thought about doing a Christmas party at Topgolf and then we just decided that’s too much money on stuff that none of us really like anyway. But it’s an outing. Stephen Semple: Right. But it’s an outing and it’s say you had an office where half the people were golfers and half weren’t. It was a way better outing than going to a golf course because everyone would now have fun. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: So here’s the lesson. I want to leave our listeners with a lesson here because here’s what I think it is. If your business is struggling a little bit, sometimes you have to really understand what is your business. Jewelers who sell engagement rings are not in the diamond business. They’re in the connection, love, commitment business. If you are in the marriage business, you’re in the commitment business, you’re in the love business, you’re not in the sparkly diamond business. And to me, this was the most interesting example of looking at it going… And one could say, “Well, sports entertainment, kind of the same.” No, they aren’t. They live in different places in the human mind and are thought about differently. And when you’re considering doing something are in completely different worlds and you need to understand the business you’re in. Because that was the only thing that changed. The only thing that changed was that discovery that made them successful and the loss of that discovery that blew them apart was that one thing. Dave Young: And I think they’re still doing well, right? Stephen Semple: Oh, they’re actually doing well because the private equity company that bought them, guess what they knew? Dave Young: Entertainment. Stephen Semple: Like bought it from Callaway. What freaking business they were in. Dave Young: The two guys that invented it, right? A casino group would have been a better purchaser than Callaway. Stephen Semple: Well, yes. And if you actually take a look at- Dave Young: Callaway never should have bought it because they didn’t- Stephen Semple: Callaway should never bought it. And the company that bought it actually has a lot of entertainment businesses. So it’s going to do great. Dave Young: So the two guys that founded it, how much that Callaway money they walk away with? Stephen Semple: I was never able to figure out how much of the Callaway money that they walked away with other than they did very, very well and went on to invest in some other businesses. Dave Young: They’re doing fine. They’re doing fine. Stephen Semple: They’re doing fine. Dave Young: They’re living a good life. Stephen Semple: Rumors have it because I wasn’t able to find exact numbers, but rumor has it that… Because remember, they got two payouts. Payout number one was a private equity company bought them. I was never able to find out for how much. They still had ownership in the Callaway. Rumor has it that they walked away with a billion, something like that. Dave Young: I’d split a billion with you, Stephen. Stephen Semple: Yeah, there you go. That there’s some walking around cash. Yep. Dave Young: All right. I got an idea for us. All right. Are you in? Just say if you’re in, because this is a new business idea. Stephen Semple: Okay. There we go. Dave Young: Top bowling. You throw a bowling ball as far as you can and try to hit a target. Stephen Semple: Yeah. You know what? The targets would have to be really close. Dave Young: Yeah. There’s margaritas, there’s hot wings, burritos. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Alcohol and throwing bowling balls. I don’t know if should go together. Dave Young: I’m just saying. Live targets. Wait, that’s not a good idea. Well, next time you’re in Austin, maybe you and I should pop on over to Topgolf and have some hot wings. Stephen Semple: Done. Let’s do it. Dave Young: All right. Stephen Semple: Let’s do it. Awesome. Dave Young: Thanks for telling the story at Topgolf. I look forward to hearing what I have to say about Nebraska Furniture Mark at some point. Stephen Semple: All right. Awesome. Dave Young: Thanks, Stephen. Stephen Semple: Thanks, David. Dave Young: Thanks for listening to the podcast. Please share us. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app and leave us a big, fat, juicy five-star rating and review at Apple Podcasts. And if you’d like to schedule your own 90-minute Empire Building session, you can do it at empirebuildingprogram.com.

Joe and Caity are back to break down a tough end to the season as Watford FC fall to a heavy 4-0 defeat at home against newly crowned champions Coventry City on the final day of the 2025/26 campaign. But that's not all as during the recording, news breaks live on air that head coach Ed Still has left the club and you can hear Joe and Caity's immediate reaction as it unfolds. They dive into what went wrong at Vicarage Road, reflect on the Hornets' overall season, and discuss what this result, and managerial change, means heading into the summer. Was this just a bad day at the office, or a sign of deeper issues? Let us know your thoughts in the comments, where does Watford go from here? Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow The Voices of the Vic for more Watford content throughout the off-season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to another episode of the Sky Blues Extra Podcast. Dean and Wardy with you for this one as the Sky Blues signed off in style with a 4-0 win over Watford on the final day of the season. The lads look back at the performance, they talk about Doug King's recent appearance on a podcast and talk through those scenes on bank holiday Monday as THE CHAMPIONS took to the streets to celebrate with the Sky Blue Army!This podcast is sponsored by the Sky Blue Tavern. Let's all sing together... Don't forget to follow us on all of our social channels, just search 'SkyBluesExtra'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EP40: Ed on the block but Still no meaningful change? Hello and welcome to the Watford Buzz Podcast! The Home of your Watford FC chat, featuring journalist Tom Bodell (@TBBodell), analyst Jordan Wiemer (@JordanWeimer) and hosted by commentator and presenter Matt Mesiano (@MessyMesiano) We all have one thing in common, we're all huge Watford fans and we LOVE talking about the Hornets! On today's show, Matt, Tom and Jordan discussed:The departure of Ed StillWhere Watford go from hereWe answer your questionsIf you want to get in touch you can do so really easily – just ping a message across on Twitter , BlueSky, OR send us an email to WatfordBuzzPodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to It Was What It Was, the football history podcast. In this week's episode, co-hosts Jonthan Wilson and Rob Draper are joined by Sports Journalist and author Jonathan Northcroft to take a look 10 years on from that extraordinary and famous Premier League win! They frame the story around key pivot points, including the Valentine's Day defeat at Arsenal and the self-belief it sparked, plus Ranieri's unexpected decision to still grant the squad a holiday. Northcroft traces the longer build-up through the 2013 Watford play-off heartbreak, Nigel Pearson's cross-department reset, the 2014 Championship-winning platform (and the later FFP breach), and the club's smart recruitment and early data use that delivered players like Kanté, Mahrez and Okazaki. They cover Pearson's departure after off-field incidents, the scepticism around Ranieri's appointment, his “dilly ding” media touch, rivals' crises, standout wins over Liverpool and Manchester City, Spurs' chase, and the city's all-in celebrations as the miracle became real.06:35 Origins of the Build10:39 FFP and the Promotion Debate11:35 Recruitment and Data Edge17:36 Kante and Mahrez Backstories22:22 Pearson Great Escape and Exit26:10 Ranieri Arrives Against the Odds27:46 Dilly Ding and Pizza Psychology35:24 Chelsea Chaos Unravels41:42 Big Clubs in Crisis45:02 Vardy Volley and City Statement47:37 Leicester Media Frenzy53:30 Spurs Pressure and Title Night59:19 Leicester Celebrates as One01:04:30 Bonkers Finale Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luke Edwards is joined by Issy Pollard, Cambridge United's Beatrice Rogers and Rugby Borough's assistant manager Sian Osmond. The Champions League semi finals see Arsenal hold the advantage over Lyon, while Bayern and Barcelona are level. In the WSL the Seagulls poop on City's title charge, can Chelsea and Arsenal overtake them? United pressure and Leicester woes. WSL 2 madness as it's a three way title fight, it's hello to Burnley as they win the National League North. Their is reaction to Watford securing the title in the South with reaction from manager Renee Hector, Dave and Mark from the Watford Womens Supporters Club and despite party pooping we hear from Helen Bleazard, Bournemouth manager after their first season at the South level. Is putting in WSL development teams lower down the pyramid a good idea? And it's hotting up in the SWFL. Produced by www.leoaudioproductions.co.uk in partnership with Her Game Too Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ryan Dilks and Justin Peach discuss the weekend's games in the Championship.Automatic promotion is still up for grabs!The play-off race goes down to the wire!Can Oxford bounce back after relegation?Watford are set to part ways with Ed Still!It's the Second Tier.Sign up to our Patreon here for ad-free episodes, bonus content and access to the Discord for $4 a month.You can also join our brand new YouTube Membership here!Watch this episode on YouTube here!Follow us on X, Instagram and email us secondtierpod@gmail.com.**Please rate and review us on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It means a lot and makes it easy for other people to find us. Thank you!**Second Tier is the UK's No.1 podcast dedicated to the EFL Championship. Subscribe for new podcasts every Thursday, Friday and Sunday throughout the football season. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sky Sports duo Simeon Gholam and Gary Weaver take a look ahead at Gameweek 45 of the Sky Bet Championship season.Running order… Leicester vs Millwall, West Brom vs Ipswich, Charlton vs Hull, Middlesbrough vs Watford, Coventry vs Wrexham-•You can watch the EFL action live on Sky Sports. If you're not already a Sky customer, you can stream Sky Sports on your terms with a NOW membership. Sign up to NOW here: www.nowtv.com/membership/watch-sky-sports?DCMP=ilc_skysports_podcastlink•Listen to every episode of Essential EFL here: www.skysports.com/podcasts/36578/11933949/essential-efl-a-sky-sports-efl-podcast•You can listen to Essential EFL on your smart speaker by asking it to "play Essential EFL".•For all the latest EFL news, head to www.skysports.com/football•For advertising opportunities email: skysportspodcasts@sky.uk

Pastor Steve Maile joins us to discuss his recent arrest while street preaching in Watford. The 66-year-old New Zealand-born pastor, who has been engaged in evangelism for 45 years and was mentored by Reinhard Bonnke, recounts the incident and reflects on his background, his conversion in Auckland in 1979, and his longstanding practice of public gospel ministry. He also addresses freedom of expression and the importance of active Christian witness in public spaces. Steve Maile is an Apostolic Evangelist and Pastor with over 45 years experience ministering the Gospel and equipping believers. Whether it has been through large evangelistic missions, conferences, street outreaches, or one-to-one, Steve's infectious passion for the Lord has enabled him to win many thousands to Christ in over fifty nations. He is a gifted singer and communicator whose infectious passion for Christ reaches people from all walks of life, with accompanying signs and wonders.  He became a Christian in Auckland, New Zealand in 1979 and was trained for the ministry by his pastor, Dr Kevin Dyson - a prestigious Bible teacher and author. Shortly after his training, Steve left a promising career as a head Chef to become a full time minister, preaching the Gospel worldwide, including ministering in Africa with Reinhard Bonnke from Christ for All Nation. Connect with Steve... FACEBOOK                  https://www.facebook.com/steve.maile.3/                                      https://www.facebook.com/EvangelistSteveMaile/

Jonny Drury and Lewis Cox return with the latest episode of the Baggies Broadcast - in association with Sandwell College. It is one of those late night on the road podcasts as Lewis and Jonny toast survival - pending the PSR points issue. They talk James Morrison and explain why the club now have to give him the job on a full time basis. They also discuss the Watford win, the turnaround and survival, the PSR points issue and why fans need to be informed.

On this week's episode of That Peter Crouch Podcast, Pete, Chris, and Sids are joined by former Watford, Wrexham, Man Utd and England goalkeeper turned YouTube trailblazer Ben Foster — and it's safe to say this one is packed with absolute chaos.Fozzy lifts the lid on life inside some of football's biggest dressing rooms, from the relentless intensity of Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United to the pressure of making one mistake at the very top level. He opens up about the moments that shaped his career, including refusing to play in an FA Cup final, getting battered 6–0… and somehow still finding a way to laugh about it.We also dive deep into the story behind the GoPro — the idea that changed football content forever — including the backlash, dressing room reactions, and the fines he received from clubs for showing too much.There's also incredible insight into Wrexham's rise under Ryan Reynolds & Rob Mac, including promotion celebrations, behind-the-scenes stories, and one of the most iconic penalty saves in recent football history.Plus, we get into goalkeeper psychology, “parched” players, dressing room politics, and what really separates those who make it at the very top… from those who don't.And there's this week's Chaos Card, and a slightly chaotic solo finish from Crouchy himself to top it all off.Chumbawamba00:00 - Intro, holidays & random chat02:15 - Crouchy's old VHS tapes & ball boy story04:30 - Fear of what's recorded on old tapes06:40 - Introducing Ben Foster10:30 - Podcasting as a footballer & inspiration13:30 - “Parched” players & dressing room stories15:00 - England camps & squad dynamics18:30 - Refusing to play in FA Cup final20:30 - Kepa situation & goalkeeper decisions21:30 - Origin of the GoPro idea24:50 - Players reacting to the camera25:50 - Hiding bad performances from YouTube27:00 - Getting fined for GoPro content28:30 - Social media evolution in football29:30 - Retirement & Wrexham return31:00 - Ryan Reynolds & Wrexham behind the scenes32:30 - Vegas promotion party stories33:30 - Iconic Notts County penalty save34:30 - Penalty mind games explained35:30 - Career highlights & cup final win36:30 - Obafemi Martins madness38:00 - Crazy football contracts & wages39:30 - Man United move story41:00 - First day at Man United & Sir Alex42:30 - Training intensity at United44:00 - Fear of making mistakes at top level45:30 - Dressing room mentality & leadership47:00 - Players who can't handle pressure48:30 - Big club mentality explained50:00 - Confidence vs hiding on the pitch56:00 - Career reflections & mindset01:00:00 - Football culture changes over time01:04:00 - Foster segment ends01:06:00 - Absolute shambles of a remote record! 01:08:30 - Chaos Card segment01:12:30 - Connection issues & wrap-up01:14:00 - Crouchy's solo predictionsFor more Peter Crouch: Twitter - https://twitter.com/petercrouch Therapy Crouch - https://www.youtube.com/@thetherapycrouch For more Chris Stark Twitter - https://twitter.com/Chris_StarkInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisstark/For more Steve Sidwell Twitter - https://twitter.com/sjsidwell Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/stevesidwell14 #PeterCrouch #ThatPeterCrouchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris & Joe analyse the win over Watford as Albion (almost) confirm their Championship status for another year.They also talk about the goalkeeper situation and ask if Max O'Leary should be our number one going forward.For more from Albion Analysis, follow us on X (@AlbionAnalysis). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to It Was What It Was the football history podcast. In today's episode, co-hosts Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper bring this Graham Taylor series to a close with the Oslo qualifier that defined his reign: a chaotic, tactically muddled 2–0 loss to Norway at the peak of their ‘golden age', captured in painful detail by The Impossible Job. Unpacking Taylor's mounting stress, tabloid caricature and “no‑win” selection calls—especially the dilemma of persisting with an undercooked Paul Gascoigne—before explaining how the back-three plan collapsed, England's structure unravelled, and Norway's alertness (including a quick free kick) punished them. The episode breaks down England's chaotic structure, Norway's tactical calm under Egil “Drillo” Olsen, and Taylor's famous touchline outbursts, before tracing the fallout: “Norse Manure” headlines, concerns the players had stopped responding, and a demoralising US tour. England briefly revive by beating Poland, but lose in Rotterdam and, despite winning 7–1 in San Marino after conceding almost instantly, miss out as the Netherlands win in Poland. They assess Taylor's broader legacy, his misfortune with timing and player form, and his later rehabilitation at Watford.01:51 Norway's Golden Generation04:51 Tabloid Mockery Era06:11 Psychology and Pressure08:18 The Gaza Fitness Dilemma18:30 Paranoia and Tactical Switch22:50 System Collapse in Oslo25:57 Quick Free Kick Nightmare29:41 Norway Strike Again30:32 Tabloid Backlash32:07 Tactics And Trust35:18 Bigger Picture Failings42:56 USA Tour Fallout43:49 Last Chance Qualifiers45:36 San Marino Shock48:28 Reassessing the Taylor Legacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simeon Gholam is joined by five different EFL players for five minutes apiece, as he speaks to Derby's Ben Brereton Diaz, Portsmouth's Terry Devlin, Preston's Jamal Lewis, Watford's Imran Louza and Stoke's Steven Nzonzi.-•You can watch the EFL action live on Sky Sports. If you're not already a Sky customer, you can stream Sky Sports on your terms with a NOW membership. Sign up to NOW here: www.nowtv.com/membership/watch-sky-sports?DCMP=ilc_skysports_podcastlink•Listen to every episode of Essential EFL here: www.skysports.com/podcasts/36578/11933949/essential-efl-a-sky-sports-efl-podcast•You can listen to Essential EFL on your smart speaker by asking it to "play Essential EFL".•For all the latest EFL news, head to www.skysports.com/football•For advertising opportunities email: skysportspodcasts@sky.uk

EP39: Blunt against the Blades + your questions Hello and welcome to the Watford Buzz Podcast! The Home of your Watford FC chat, featuring journalist Tom Bodell (@TBBodell), analyst Jordan Wiemer (@JordanWeimer) and hosted by commentator and presenter Matt Mesiano (@MessyMesiano) We all have one thing in common, we're all huge Watford fans and we LOVE talking about the Hornets! On today's show, Matt, Tom and Jordan discussed:We briefly discuss the 2-0 defeat in the penultimate home fixture against Sheffield United.We answer your questionsIf you want to get in touch you can do so really easily – just ping a message across on Twitter , BlueSky, OR send us an email to WatfordBuzzPodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mike and Joe are back to break down another frustrating week for Watford, as the Hornets fell to a 2-0 defeat against Sheffield United. A brace from Patrick Bamford was enough to seal the result, with Watford once again struggling to put in a convincing performance. The lads dive into what's going wrong, the ongoing poor form, and where things need to improve quickly if Watford are to turn things around. Looking ahead, attention now shifts to Tuesday's crucial clash against West Brom, who have lost just 2 of their last 11 games and are in a strong position as the relegation battle heats up. With Watford fighting for survival, every point matters can they respond when it counts? Get involved in the comments and let us know your thoughts on Watford's current form and what needs to change! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nick reacts to the Blades 0-2 away win over Watford. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Voices of the Vic Joe, Cam & Mike take a deep dive into Watford's disappointing performance against Oxford, breaking down exactly what went wrong on the day. From defensive lapses to missed opportunities, they analyse the key moments that defined the match and highlight the recurring issues that have been creeping into Watford's game. The discussion then zooms out to reflect on what's been a tough run of form over the past few weeks, asking the big questions about consistency, mentality, and where things are going wrong. Is this just a rough patch, or are there deeper problems that could keep affecting performances? Joe and Cam share their thoughts on why these struggles might continue and what needs to change to turn things around. As always, get involved in the comments and let us know your thoughts on Watford's recent form. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow The Voices of the Vic for more Watford FC discussion! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

EP38: How do Watford stop their repetitive end of season cycle? Hello and welcome to the Watford Buzz Podcast! The Home of your Watford FC chat, featuring journalist Tom Bodell (@TBBodell), analyst Jordan Wiemer (@JordanWeimer) and hosted by commentator and presenter Matt Mesiano (@MessyMesiano) We all have one thing in common, we're all huge Watford fans and we LOVE talking about the Hornets! On today's show, Matt, Tom and Jordan discussed:Another slump for the end of the seasonHow can Watford change?What needs to happen next season?If you want to get in touch you can do so really easily – just ping a message across on Twitter , BlueSky, OR send us an email to WatfordBuzzPodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kṛṣṇa likes it when we care about other peoples' consciousness and we take steps to help them. He says so in the Bhagavad-gītā; He says, "One who preaches the Bhagavad-gītā to others is the most dear to Me." And when we do it, we achieve a kind of realization that's not available when we just keep it to ourselves. There is a way in which, when we give mercy to others, we get a superior kind of realization that happens when we vicariously experience, again and again, souls reawakening by coming in contact with the Holy Name in written form, or by hearing the hari-nāma, or coming in contact with devotees. In previous yugas, when yajña was the means to please the Lord, it's mentioned that brāhmaṇas used to test their mantras. In fact, they would sacrifice an animal and then bring it back to life with the mantras; that way, they would know the efficacy of their mantras, and then it would give them superior faith in the mantras to be able to do the yajñas properly. In a similar way, when we go and give the mantras to other people—like down in Watford—people are wandering aimlessly down there for various reasons, their souls under the various modes of material nature. But when we take the trouble to go there and we meet them, and we give them the mahā-mantra and so forth—we test our own mantra. When we see it—see its potency and its effect on other people—then we get a superior realization of how powerful it is, rather than staying in an insular state. That's powerful too, but it's more powerful when we give it to others because then we see the effect. Isn't it the most valuable and enlivening of all perspectives to be in the hari-nāma saṅkīrtana and to watch people's reactions to it as they're walking by? I mean, I want front-row seats there! Any busy street in the world and just notice the effect that the Holy Name has—not just on people, but animals too—and watch the effect when they get touched by the mantra. Some people start dancing, some people run away as best they can, and some people pretend like it's not even happening. Even if it's a rip-roaring kīrtana, that can be the most fascinating of all because, you know they're in there, and you know they hear it, and still they try to ignore it. Then it gives us a perspective of our sojourn in the material world. Kṛṣṇa has been speaking to us this whole time, and He's always there within every atom, but we're ignoring Him. We can become circumspect and think about what is our sojourn. That all happens by outreach, by preaching to other people. Plus, as it's mentioned in the song about Lord Nityānanda, how He's a broker; He's selling the Holy Name. He started in a marketplace. This is MLM, in case you ever wanted to join multi-level marketing—you're already in it! This was the precursor to Amway, and Lord Nityānanda started that. It's mentioned by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura that you bring people to Lord Nityānanda and sign them up for the product, and you get your commission. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says—he said, "We'll all take the commission; we'll all take some." They pay the price with their faith—it's their śraddhā. ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://vaisesikadasayatra.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025 https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025

Join us as we look back at the 1-1 draw at Watford and ahead to Saturday's home game with Preston North End, hearing from Nathan Jones.Thanks to our sponsors PSF Steel Ltd for making this show possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EP37: No Easter Treats for Hornets over Bank Holiday Hello and welcome to the Watford Buzz Podcast! The Home of your Watford FC chat, featuring journalist Tom Bodell (@TBBodell), analyst Jordan Wiemer (@JordanWeimer) and hosted by commentator and presenter Matt Mesiano (@MessyMesiano) We all have one thing in common, we're all huge Watford fans and we LOVE talking about the Hornets! On today's show, Matt, Tom and Jordan discussed:Bad Friday at Loftus RoadImrân Louza's return to formGood Georgian; bad GeorgianNestory Irankunda's duel with Will MannionAmin Nabizada's two sub outingsIf you want to get in touch you can do so really easily – just ping a message across on Twitter , BlueSky, OR send us an email to WatfordBuzzPodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dean Holdsworth joins us this week, taking us inside the madness of the Crazy Gang and the sheer brilliance (and chaos) of eccentric owner Sam Hammam, who once famously “kidnapped” him to get a deal over the line. Starting out at Watford alongside his brother David, Dean recalls their early days winding up the formidable youth team boss Tom Walley. But after struggling to break into the first team, his journey took an unexpected turn  including the bizarre moment he ended up in another club's team photo… without ever signing for them. Fast forward to the peak Crazy Gang years, and Holdsworth was flying, going toe-to-toe with the likes of Shearer, Ian Wright and Teddy Sheringham in the race for the Golden Boot. Add in stories of chaotic pre-seasons, a team bus being burned down, a terrifying knife incident at Goodison Park, and plenty of classic Vinnie Jones antics, and Holdsworth brings to life what it truly meant to be part of Wimbledon's most infamous era. After it all, he reflects on his time at Bolton and his later role as chief executive, where he helped save the club from the brink of administration, only for things to turn sour in dramatic fashion. This show is sponsored by Talksport Bet Get £40 in FREE BETS at http://talksportbet.com/utc when you bet £10 18+ gambleaware.org T&Cs apply

Join us as we look back at the loss against Bristol City and ahead to the Easter Monday game at Watford, hearing from Nathan Jones and Matty GoddenThanks to our sponsors PSF Steel Ltd for making this show possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zoe McGrady is joined by Matt Piper as they review City's 0-0 draw with Watford - hearing from Gary Rowett and Caleb Okoli.

Post match analysis with Matty Fryatt and reaction from Foxes boss Gary Rowett.

Hear from Gary Rowett & Luke Thomas ahead of the trip to Vicarage Road.

Leicester City travel to Watford in search of 3pts to possibly lift themselves out of the relegation mire. Can City spark into life or will they be further from safety by 5pm on Saturday?

Ryan Dilks and Justin Peach look back on the midweek action in the Championship.Southampton make it 13 games unbeaten against Norwich!Watford keep their play-off hopes alive with a win over Wrexham!Who has been manager of the season?And is Sheffield Wednesday's takeover at risk of collapse?It's the Second Tier.Sign up to our Patreon here for ad-free episodes, bonus content and access to the Discord for $4 a month.You can also join our brand new YouTube Membership here!Watch this episode on YouTube here!Follow us on X, Instagram and email us secondtierpod@gmail.com.**Please rate and review us on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. It means a lot and makes it easy for other people to find us. Thank you!** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aaron Paul, Jobi McAnuff & Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson discuss the top stories from the EFL. Is it advantage Ipswich in the automatic promotion race? Is relegation a realistic prospect for Leicester? Hear from Kieran McKenna, Gary Rowett, Neil Harris and Cambridge director of football Mark Bonner joins the pod LIVE with the League Two promotion race tightening up. Messages and voicenotes always welcome on WhatsApp to 08000 289 369.01:45 Best EFL ‘Juniors', 03:25 Watford beat Wrexham as both chase play-offs, 05:55 Who is in play-off contention? 07:25 Cov and Boro drop points – advantage Ipswich? 10:10 Kieran McKenna on the pressure of the run-in, 11:10 Ipswich-Millwall preview, 13:15 Jobi goes for proper pie and mash, 15:10 Leicester in real relegation danger, 23:40 West Brom spa day does the trick, 28:35 Rotherham sack Hamshaw, 30:35 Mark Bonner joins the pod LIVE, 40:25 72PLUS 72MINUS.5 Live / BBC Sounds commentaries: Wed 1745 Barcelona v Newcastle, Wed 1900 Chelsea v Brighton in WSL on Sports Extra, Wed 2000 Liverpool v Galatasaray, Thu 2000 Aston Villa v Lille, Sat 1200 Man City v Spurs in WSL on Sports Extra, Sat 1500 Fulham v Burnley, Sat 1730 Everton v Chelsea, Sun 1415 Spurs v Nottingham Forest, Sun 1415 Aston Villa v West Ham on Sports Extra, Sun 1630 League Cup Final - Arsenal v Man City.