Episodes
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Episode 66 - Scott Murray
Matt talks to SCOTT MURRAY about football before the Premier League in his book THE TITLE. It's a detailed history of the first division from its inception and is illuminating in how much has changed and how much has stayed the same. The league format of every team plays each other home and away...
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Episode 65 - James Montague
The old joke goes that the best way to make a million from owning a football club is to start with ten million. That's clearly no longer the case but just what is attracting the super-rich to football - from Russian oligarchs to Saudi sheikhs, American businessmen to Chinese state officials?…
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Episode 64 - Richard T Kelly
We're back after a short summer break and we've got tons of titles and authors lined up for the coming weeks to take us into the busy autumn season. Starting with RICHARD T KELLY who's written about 2 titans of British football KEEGAN AND DALGLISH. How their playing and managing careers…
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Episode 63 - Nige Tassell
For the last episode before the summer holidays Matt talks to NIGE TASSELL who looks back to the Tour de France in 1989 which was won incredibly by a margin of just 8 seconds. Greg LeMond won on the final stage - which was again unusual as the last stage is normally just a procession. The man he...
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Episode 62 - Elliot Worsell
This week Matt explores the dark side of boxing with ELLIOT WORSELL in his excellent book DOG ROUNDS. Elliot is a boxing fan who's covered the sport as a journalist and writer but also worked closely with fighters as a promoter. But he has been troubled by the nature of the sport that pits 2…
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Episode 61 - Peter Cossins
As The Tour de France enters its final week, Matt looks back at the very first staging of the race with PETER COSSINS in his book BUTCHER BLACKSMITH ACROBAT SWEEP. Most people can tell you the race began as a result of a newspaper circulation war but Peter has found the infamous Dreyfuss affair…
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Episode 60 - Jeremy Whittle
The Tour de France is well underway and so Matt this week speaks to JEREMY WHITTLE about one of the iconic stages of the Tour - Mont Ventoux. Although it's not the tallest or steepest climb on the Tour, VENTOUX is the most iconic. This is primarily because of the death of Tom Simpson on its…
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Episode 59 - Sam Walker
A real treat this week as Matt meets SAM WALKER to talk about his groundbreaking book on what makes good teams great. Sam spent ten years looking at which were the best teams across all sports in all time. And then he looked at what made these teams stand out. It wasn't money or infrastructure.…
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Episode 58 - Andy McGrath
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Tom Simpson while competing in the Tour de France. A controversial rider and the circumstances of his death have passed into myth - in particular his (unlikely) final words and the fact that alcohol and amphetamines were found in his system.…
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Episode 57 - Malcolm Folley
In the latest episode Matt talks to MALCOLM FOLLEY (Mail on Sunday) as he explores the history and stories linked to arguably the most famous and certainly the most glamorous race in motorsport's calendar - the Monaco Grand Prix. In MONACO he looks at what makes this race stand out. Why, when you...
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Episode 56 - Graham McColl
This week Matt marks 50 years since the Lisbon Lions - when Celtic became the first British side to win the European Cup. That achievement is documented in GRAHAM MCCOLL's book A YEAR AND A DAY. We talk about this side that were, famously, all were born so close to Celtic Park, we hear how Jock...
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Episode 55 - Owen Slot
What turned team GB from the under-achievers of Atlanta 96 to the nation that punched above their weight at both London 2012 and Rio 2016? Was it as simple as just throwing lottery money at it? OWEN SLOT (The Times) says not in his excellent book THE TALENT LAB. Money has helped but there is so...
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Episode 54 - Ian Herbert
The latest guest on the Sports Book Podcast is IAN HERBERT (The Independent) who is writing about one of the unsung managers in English football. Bob Paisley won 3 European Cups and had a greater win-rate in terms of trophies per season than even Sir Alex Ferguson. And yet he is overshadowed…
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Episode 53 - Brendan Gallagher
This week Matt speaks to BRENDAN GALLAGHER about his book celebrating the 100th staging of the Giro D'Italia CORSA ROSA. We look at how, like the Tour de France, this was a race started by a newspaper circulation war, the one and only woman to compete in the Giro, the rider who was paid NOT to…
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Episode 52 - Lizzie Armitstead
In the latest episode Matt talks to Olympic silver-medallist and world road race champion LIZZIE ARMITSTEAD (now Deignan) about her book STEADFAST. We begin with the 3 missed doping tests which almost derailed her chances of competing in the 2016 Olympics but also hear her thoughts on what needs…
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Episode 51 - Clyde Brolin
Episode 51 sees Matt talking to CLYDE BROLIN about his book IN THE ZONE. We all have heard athletes talking about getting in the zone - about how when they are, they don't seem to think at all about what they're doing, it almost feel as if someone else is doing it. Clyde has spoken to dozens of...
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Episode 50 - Declan Murphy
The podcast reaches its half-century (mini-cheer!) and does so in style with what will be one of the best sport books this year. It is CENTAUR and tells the extraordinary story of jockey DECLAN MURPHY who suffered an horrific accident when thrown from his horse at Haydock Park. A following horse...
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Episode 49 - Michael Calvin
One of a select few - MICHAEL CALVIN - is appearing on the podcast for a second time. His latest book is the final in a trilogy looking at the pressures in football. His first looked at scouting, then management and now it's the footballers themselves and in particular youth football - from...
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Episode 48 - Leroy Rosenior
Time for one more title before the Easter break and Matt talks to former West Ham, Fulham and Bristol City star LEROY ROSENIOR about his book IT'S ONLY BANTER. It takes as its starting point the idea that "banter" is something used to excuse ignorant views - and therefore anyone who takes offence...
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Episode 47 - Michael Hutchinson
Matt talks to MICHAEL HUTCHINSON about his excellent and very funny cycling history book RE:CYCLE - 200 YEARS ON 2 WHEELS. It covers how the invention of the bicycle had its origins in a volcanic eruption, why Coventry was one of the most important staging posts in the development of the cycle we...
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Episode 46 - Andrew Downie
Matt talks to ANDREW DOWNIE the author of DOCTOR SOCRATES. The Brazilian World Cup captain is well known for a number of things - not least being named after a Greek philosopher. The iconic picture of him wearing a headband in solidarity with the people of Mexico in the 86 World Cup dominates the...
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Episode 45 - Charlie Campbell
Matt speaks to CHARLIE CAMPBELL about the art of amateur cricket captaincy in his book HERDING CATS. While the elite players only have to worry about matters on the field of play, Charlie talks us through the myriad problems facing an amateur captain - from having deep pockets, a clean driving...
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Episode 44 - James Brown
It's a quiet time for new sport books but we have unearthed a real gem in the winter months. Founder of Loaded and former GQ editor JAMES BROWN has written a love letter to the game of five-a-side in ABOVE HEAD HEIGHT. He tells us about why this has such a hold on so many players right into their...
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Episode 43 - Alex Heminsley
The Sports Book Podcast is back for 2017. And we kick off with a great title from ALEX HEMINSLEY. She's written in the past about running in "Running Like A Girl" which ended with her taking part in several marathons around the world. She's now switched her attention to swimming - and in…
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Episode 42 - Johnny Herbert
The podcast is back with former F1 driver JOHNNY HERBERT who tells the story of how he came back from a devastating crash at Brands Hatch to become one of the biggest names in motorsport. In WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU.. he describes the crash, how the surgeons told him he would likely never walk again...
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Episode 41 - William Finnegan
In this episode Matt speaks to the author of the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2016. WILLIAM FINNEGAN has written about a life in surfing in BARBARIAN DAYS. It stretches from the 1950s in Hawaii when this was just a fringe pursuit, through the 60s and 70s as William goes in search of the...
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Episode 40 - Ross Brawn and Gabriele Marcotti
Here we are on episode 40! Matt talks to the most successful technical director in F1, ROSS BRAWN. He's worked with Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, and many others. His book TOTAL COMPETITION explores strategy and whether we can really learn anything from some Chinese general who died…
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Episode 39 - Nick Littlehales and Mark Chapman
In the latest episode Matt talks sleep and parenting in sport. NICK LITTLEHALES has worked with Manchester United, Team Sky and the British Olympic team amongst many others helping them to recover and showing where they're going wrong in sleep. He's an elite sport sleep coach sought out by CEOs…
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Episode 38 - Maurice Hamilton and John McAvoy
In this latest episode Matt talks to MAURICE HAMILTON about his latest book on F1 legend JAMES HUNT. From his rivalry and close friendship with Niki Lauda, to his champagne lifestyle but also a never-before published revelation of his fear of getting in an F1 car. We also hear from armed robber...
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Episode 37 - Paul O'Connell and Howard Webb
This week Matt talks to 2 figures in sport who've released autobiographies. First PAUL O'CONNELL former Ireland and Munster captain talks about how he has no memory at all of around 17 minutes of his international debut including when he scored a try! He also talks candidly in THE BATTLE about…
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Episode 36 - Jonathan Northcroft and Daniel Gray
In the latest podcast Matt talks to JONATHAN NORTHCROFT about his book charting the amazing underdog story of Leicester City winning the Premier League in FEARLESS. We also look at what we can celebrate about modern football with DANIEL GRAY in his book SATURDAY 3PM - which lists 50 delights of…
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Episode 35 - Jonathan Trott
Matt speaks to JONATHAN TROTT about his autobiography UNGUARDED. Often an uncomfortable read, it charts his rise to the England team, scoring a century on his test debut to help win the Ashes, but then his leaving of the Ashes tour in 2013 because of a "stress-related illness". When he then...
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Episode 34 - Jon Smith and Damian Hughes
There's no let-up in the number of sport books coming out in the build-up to Christmas and Matt talks to 2 writers behind 2 fascinating titles in this week's episode. First JON SMITH who you may know as a football agent who represented the England football team, Maradona and was instrumental in…
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Episode 33 - Ian Hawkey and Richard Gillis
Matt's back with another episode sooner than expected as more titles are released ahead of the autumn rush. First up, we hear from IAN HAWKEY (Sunday Times) who has written the definitive biography of the greatest footballer ever - Alfredo Di Stefano. From leading Real Madrid to 5 European Cups…
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Episode 32 - Jonathan Wilson and Amit Katwala
The Sports Book Podcast is back after the summer break. In this week's episode we're talking Argentinian football and neuroscience. First we hear from JONATHAN WILSON (Inverting the Pyramid) who has written an excellent and comprehensive history of Argentinian football in ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES...
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Episode 31 - David Goldblatt
One more podcast before the summer break gives us a chance to speak to just one author. It's DAVID GOLDBLATT who won the William Hill Sports Book Of The Year last year for Games Of Our Lives. His latest title deals with the Olympics - it's called THE GAMES. We hear how the founder of the modern...
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Episode 30 - Anna Kessel and Julian Walker
It's episode 30 of the podcast that loves Sport Books. 2 authors to hear from this week. ANNA KESSEL (Guardian, Observer) talks about EAT SWEAT PLAY - a call to arms for women to reclaim sport - Anna has written a great book about sport for women who don't like sport - or rather have been told…
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Episode 29 - Simon Barnes and Chris Boardman
The episodes are coming thick and fast as we gear up for summer and Matt talks to 2 more writers for this week's podcast. First up is SIMON BARNES - surely one of the best sports writers around. His columns in The Times were unmissable. In LOSING IT he looks over his sporting career in which he...
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Episode 28 - Adrian Tempany
Matt's back with another Sports Book Podcast - and this week's title is one of the best sport books we've featured. It's AND THE SUN SHINES NOW by ADRIAN TEMPANY. Adrian survived the crush in the Leppings Lane end of Hillsborough where 96 football fans died in 1989. He writes about how that...
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Episode 27 - Henry Winter
Just in time before the start of the Euros, we have one writer this week and its Chief Football Writer with the Times, HENRY WINTER and his book on the England team FIFTY YEARS OF HURT - THE STORY OF ENGLAND FOOTBALL AND WHY WE NEVER STOP BELIEVING. Henry goes in search of the answers to why...