Playing Against Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney at 14 & Arsenal’s Title Charge

This episode is sponsored by Male Skin Studio, a male-focused skin specialist offering advanced medical-grade treatments. What’s the Crack? is sponsored by Warwick Road Bed Centre.Chris Lumsdon, Skip Boyd and Dylan McGeouch return for an episode packed with encounters against football legends, Premier League debates and more brilliant stories from their playing careers.Dylan recalls facing a full-strength Real Madrid team featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Kaká, Xabi Alonso, Karim Benzema and Ángel Di María. He reveals what it felt like to see Ronaldo standing opposite him in the tunnel—and how he and Adam Matthews attempted to stop him.Skip remembers playing against a 14-year-old Wayne Rooney in a reserve-team match and realising immediately that Everton had an extraordinary talent on their hands.The lads also discuss Arsenal’s title challenge, the Champions League draw and the latest Old Firm match before analysing Carlisle United’s recent performances and their position heading towards the play-offs.Skip continues the story of his career, from training alongside Newcastle’s first team and being hammered by Sir Bobby Robson after a chaotic trip to Marbella, to establishing himself at Port Vale and suffering the heartbreak of being left out at Wembley.The first edition of What’s the Crack? also features the lads’ most memorable career moments, the best players they ever faced and a debate about whether old-school dressing-room pranks helped build stronger teams.Also featuring:• Dylan McGeouch marking Cristiano Ronaldo• A 14-year-old Wayne Rooney destroying Newcastle’s reserves• Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge• The latest Champions League draw• Celtic and Rangers’ Old Firm battle• Carlisle United’s play-off preparations• Skip’s Newcastle United experience• Sir Bobby Robson’s Marbella team talk• Being left out of a Wembley final• The best players the lads ever faced• Lummy’s battle with Robert Prosinečki• Old-school dressing-room pranks• What’s the Crack?TIMESTAMPS00:00 The lads review their weekend matches04:17 Stories about Skip’s dad05:54 Welcome to Episode Five07:02 This episode’s sponsor: Male Skin Studio08:29 Carlisle United’s latest performances14:21 Should footballers celebrate other teams online?16:36 Are individual statistics making players selfish?21:29 Hayden Atkinson makes his senior debut26:34 Arsenal’s title challenge28:01 The Champions League draw30:25 Celtic and Rangers’ Old Firm battle34:38 Newcastle’s criticism and Pickford’s brilliant save35:56 West Brom’s managerial problems39:39 Skip’s Newcastle United career42:27 The unpredictable genius of Shola Ameobi43:23 A chaotic trip with Sir Bobby Robson44:34 Skip’s Port Vale debut46:36 Choosing Carlisle over League One offers49:00 Was Skip too nice as a footballer?49:39 The heartbreak of being left out at Wembley53:45 Introducing What’s the Crack?55:03 The lads’ most memorable career moments57:04 Winning at Wembley59:11 Beating Rangers in a cup final01:02:03 The teams and players they hated facing01:05:59 The best players the lads ever faced01:06:43 Facing a 14-year-old Wayne Rooney01:08:10 Dylan faces Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid01:10:30 Lummy’s battle with Robert Prosinečki01:13:40 Do old-school dressing-room pranks belong in football?01:16:50 Leaving Carlisle hospitality to meet your girlfriend01:18:06 The first What’s the Crack? comes to an end01:19:12 Thanks to Male Skin Studio01:19:23 Thanks to Warwick Road Bed Centre01:20:45 Final messagesSubscribe to 3 In The Middle for weekly episodes featuring former professionals Chris Lumsdon and Skip Boyd, current player Dylan McGeouch and special guests from across football.#3InTheMiddle #CristianoRonaldo #WayneRooney #Arsenal #CarlisleUnited #FootballPodcast