If you’re a football fan, you tend to want to immerse yourself in the sport as often as you can. This is always easy to do, thanks to the fact that we live in the era of 24-hour rolling news.
One of the other best creations in recent times is that of the podcast, allowing people to listen to others chat away about inane nonsense whenever they fancy. There are few subjects as inane at the minutiae of football, which is why football podcasts have become some of the most popular that you can download.
Whether you want ones that zero-in on a specific club or take a more broad view, the options are endless.
The Anfield Wrap
Yes, The Anfield Wrap is a Liverpool Football Club-centric podcast, of that there is no doubt. Yet it is also the podcast that put a serious face on fan media, becoming a global business that is based in the heart of the city in which the club plays its games. There are daft shows that have nothing to do with football like AFQ, as well as more in-depth conversations with supporters around how they began supporting the club they love in the first place, such as the What Football Means to Me show. You can sign up to be part of a subscription service or just listen to the free shows every week.
Whether you’re a Liverpool fan or simply want to know how the fanbase feels about any given issue, The Anfield Wrap is one of the best places that you can turn to when it comes to all things Red. The company releases both podcasts and videos, so whatever it is that you’re into you’re sure to find something that you like.
If you’re not a Liverpool supporter then fear not: The Friday Show is a look at the weekend’s football that takes a more broad view of everything, usually featuring supporters of other clubs both in the studio and via calls that make it an appointment listen.
The Rest is Football
Gary Lineker is a name that is known to both football lovers and people that can’t stand football but read The Daily Mail, on account of just how often he tends to be in the news.
A couple of years ago, he decided to get into the podcast business, creating a group of podcasts that fall under the banner of The Rest is…. There is The Rest is Entertainment, for example, with Richard Osman and Marina Hyde, which looks at any entertainment news. Then there is The Rest is Politics, with Alister Campbell and Rory Stewart, looking at politics. The Rest is History looks at…well, you get the idea.
The Rest is Football is hosted by Lineker alongside Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, taking a look at the football stories from the week as well as discussing things from the history of the three players.
As you might expect with the former players involved, it is a good laugh that often turns to fellow players to get the scoop on what’s been happening. It is often irreverent and daft, but you will also learn plenty and have a laugh yourself along the way. If you’re not really a football fan, it is a good place to start when looking to learn how people have got into the sport in the first place.
Guardian Football Weekly
Should you be looking for a football podcast that is well-rounded and offers insight into what’s been happening in the sport, then you need look no further than the Guardian Football Weekly podcast. It looks at all of the major topics happening in football, which usually includes the ones that others look to avoid if at all possible.
It doesn’t take itself overly seriously, which is crucial when you’re discussing something that is as ultimately quite daft as football is, but promises to delve into the topics that football supporters are most keen to hear someone discuss in-depth and fully.
Whether you want to hear a former player like John Barnes discussing racism in the game, or you would like to hear a discussion around how to tackle the discrimination that members of the LGBTQ+ community suffer through football, this is the podcast for you.
Often presented by Max Rushden, it usually involves other journalists such as Barry Glendenning getting involved to offer their opinions on all of the biggest football stories that have hit the news. It is definitely taking a broader view than something like The Anfield Wrap, but in a way that is just as entertaining.