Tales From The East Stand

Stephen Bradley, Glenn Cronin and Stephen McPhail are our special guests on the last ever episode of the podcast. 'The Holy Trinity' look back on the greatest season in the club's history (from 28 minutes), recorded last month in front of a crowd of well over a hundred people at the Four Provinces pub in Crumlin and/or Kimmage. Then, after a chat about Hamrun Spartans' brass band, it's a fond farewell from your hosts as we answer fans' questions and reflect on nine years of TFTES being on the air and all the incredible people Gary P and Prof met along the way. Merry Christmas and Keep On Hoopin'.

Stephen Bradley, Glenn Cronin and Stephen McPhail are our special guests on the last ever episode of the podcast. 'The Holy Trinity' look back on the greatest season in the club's history (from 28 minutes), recorded last month in front of a crowd of well over a hundred people at the Four Provinces pub in Crumlin and/or Kimmage. Then, after a chat about Hamrun Spartans' brass band, it's a fond farewell from your hosts as we answer fans' questions and reflect on nine years of TFTES being on the air and all the incredible people Gary P and Prof met along the way. Merry Christmas and Keep On Hoopin'.

Hooperman - We're Gonna Start A Fire (2010) by Gary Parsons & Karl Reilly

Billy Sullivan & The Super Hoops - Shamrock Rovers (2001) by Gary Parsons & Karl Reilly

[23/2/23 re-uploaded] There's Saturday's league opener in Sligo to review, Ronan Finn vs Leon Pohls vs Sean Hoare in the quiz and the "Members Only Corner" as Winston Meets The Gaffneys - the return of 70s player Robbie to the podcast along with his son Jason.

[30/10/19 re-uploaded] Hoops legends Mick Leech and Paddy Mulligan drop by to talk the six in a row, playing and scoring in FAI Cup finals, the summer of '67 in Boston, making their debuts for Ireland together and what they hope Rovers will do in Sunday's final. Continuing into the 1970s, Paddy also discusses his time at Chelsea and Panathinaikos and coming within a thrown bun of becoming Ireland manager while Mick recalls three replays in three days against Athlone, his winner in the League Cup final and he explains how he's definitely not a winger. The last 40 minutes of the show is our usual reviews and news ahead of the big day.

[15/4/19 re-uploaded] We talk the FAI fiasco and the Waterford game with 'LOI-Curious' and Martin Genockey interviews. Sean Feighery joins us to do the Ultras raffle draw for Gavin Bazunu's jersey and provide some tips on getting across the border on Friday.

[10/8/17 re-uploaded] We have interviews with James Doona, after his late winner against Cork, Robert Goggins, Tim Coakley from FAI Cup opponents Glenville and THE PRESIDENT.

[27/6/17 re-uploaded] We read out all your European stories and chat to John Byrne, Aaron Bolger and Brynjar Gunnarsson ahead of Iceland. There's also an interview with Nolan Devlin.

Our penultimate episode contains the longest and last ever TFTES Hotline with 15 people calling in - Bill Gleeson with Siobhán Keane, Adam Worth, Nick Clarke, Conor Kelly, James Lowe, Sean Condron and Jim Conroy...followed by Emma Wheatley, Niall Foley, Derek Fields, Ed Saul, Ethan Rooney, Pat Flynn and Harry Moore answer a load of questions, some about the show coming to an end. Before all that there's a Shakhtar review and the two remaining Euro experts, Breidablik fan Hafsteinn Arnason and Maltese journalist Gianluca Lia making their return.

Brian McKenna and John Byrne are back for the conclusion of our 2000s series and to relive an incredible few days between Athens and the Cup final at Lansdowne Road. Con Murphy narrates the first game in Tallaght in 2009, and there's interviews with Pico Lopes, our first double winning captain since 1987, and Andy Brassell, author of 'We Play On' ahead of next week's Conference League game against Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine. This show is dedicated to our good friend David King.

It's our big FAI Cup final show as three-time author and former Cork City player Neal Horgan talks his time with the club and looks ahead to Sunday at Lansdowne Road. Then Robert Goggins and Eoghan Rice, with no less than 10 books between them - including ones about Walkinstown and murder - have plenty of stories of tell in what is the last ever League of Ireland segment of this long-running series. We begin with Greek football expert Alec McQuarrie who has the lowdown on tonight's opponents AEK Athens and recap the league and European games from the last couple of weeks as the Hoops chase a first double in 38 years.

4 games, 3 authors, 2 Rovers podcasts and 1 point still needed. We talk Prague, Kerry, Shels and Pat's during our hiatus as well as Pico making it to the World Cup. Things get super spooky wooky ahead of Halloween with Rovers fan and horror writer Seán O'Connor, and then emotional as Bartley Ramsay and Gary Ferry remember Ollie Horgan and Mark Farren through their own Finn Harps and Derry City books. Slovenian football journalist Jakob Batic returns to warn us that Celje are much better this time around.

We reveal our announcement on the future of TFTES before enjoying the win over Bohs and looking ahead to Prague on Thursday, with the help of Sparta podcaster Michael Durčák. In Memoriam: My Dad Part 2 features Conor Leeson, Kieran Glennon, the Wilkes brothers, Trevor Dunne and Hannah Dunne.

Jason Gaffney fills in for Gar this week to review the Cork and Waterford away games, and give his thoughts on writing for Hoops Scene, the Japan 1975 tour, attendance figures, Matt Healy and Dublin Derbies this season. Alan Campbell, a former teammate of Jason's dad Robbie in the early 80s, guest stars on a new edition of the TFTES Hotline with topics for our 10 callers ranging from Europe, birthdays and injuries to best pints, podcasts and Irish TV series.

Ed McGinty was the hero as Rovers won their FAI Cup quarter-final in Drogheda on penalties. But what about teams and cup competitions that no longer exist? Because that's the theme of our author series this week - purely a coincidence that Rovers travel to Turner's Cross on Friday - featuring Philip O'Rourke's 'Forgotten Clubs in Great Britain and Ireland', and Simon Turner's book called 'Tinpot', with Jim Conroy pitching in with his own memories from Rovers' games against Cork Celtic and Cork Hibs back in the day, and in defunct Irish tournaments like the Shield and Texaco Cup.

We've got thoughts on the Pat Scully show, the Santa Clara and Drogheda wins and the European draw with Prof's birthday in Prague ahead of Friday's Cup quarter-final. And in an international week where Pico looks set to become the only Irish representation at next year's World Cup, relive the infamous 1982 campaign with Paul Little's 'Shattered Dreams, Sliding Doors', before another author, Barry Flynn joins us to talk 'The Little Book of Irish Football',

It's our 2006 season special, with then-manager Pat Scully making a guest appearance in the Four Provinces in front of a live audience. Pat remembers assembling a young team from scratch to take Rovers up from the First Division at the first attempt, training at Stanaway Park up the road in Crumlin, the importance of the opening day win over Dundalk, his speech in Cobh after winning the title, Cup final suits and the Arsenal influence, getting a Bohs and Sunderland B team manager sacked, the Waterford bus story and more, Rovers fans in his taxi over the years and more.

Our fourth author in a row is Brian MacConville with his children's book 'Hoopbee and the Hoops' and his experience in the Azores to see a famous Rovers result in Europe. We remember the great Tommy Hamilton and look ahead to a huge night in Tallaght on Thursday.

We talk getting through to the next round of Europe and the Cup. Miguel L. Pereira, with his book 'Bring Me That Horizon: A Journey to the Soul of Portuguese Football', and Larne marketing officer Christopher Liddle give their expertise on Conference League play-off opponents Santa Clara. Plus: the first of a two-part 'In Memoriam: My Dad' with five sons paying tribute to their late fathers - Nathan Johnston, Ryan McDyer, Peter Keane, Niall Keenan and Mick McCarthy.

No Rovers goals to talk about in Kosovo or Galway but you'll get a live report from Gerry Matthews in Pristina, and hear from Barry McCarthy (O'Neill family, Templeogue United donations) and Seamus Leavy (History of Longford Town book) before Graham Merrigan (Shamrock Rovers DAO) talks his new role and the 336th episode of 'What's The Story? Podcast'. Rookie numbers.

This week's special guest host is a club legend, four-in-a-row and FAI Cup winning captain Ronan Finn, who is in his second season at UCD to pursue a Master's Degree in Sports Management. Finner helps review a boring St Joseph's game, which his daughter enjoyed at least, and a big win over Derry in Tallaght on Sunday that put Rovers 10 points clear. We look ahead to Thursday's tie with Kosovo Football expert Eljon, and potentially a trip to Portugal where Ronan made his European debut with Sporting Fingal in 2010, and also nearly cost Rovers the title that season. We reminisce about Belgrade and White Hart Lane, his League of Ireland debut for the college in 2005 and scoring against the Hoops as a teenager. Ronan talks his long wait for a first European goal, Pico taking the armband and equalling his European appearance record, Rory Gaffney's greatness, Burkey's fitness, the gaffer's half-time team talks and "the turn" when results haven't yet come. We discuss his relationship with Stephen Bradley and the senior leadership group within the squad, winning the Cup and lifting the league trophy with young Josh, and making the move from centre-mid to right-wing back, all the way up to his last goal for Rovers against Bohs in front of the south stand and the difficult decision to leave the club. There's also a chat about the dip in crowds this summer, extending the league season, doing punditry for our Conference League Phase games on TV last season, his ambitions in football after he retires, and, of course, fishing.

A bonus episode with Con Murphy reading a piece on Kosovan football during the Yugoslav war, James Moor talking about his book 'Grobar', in which he spent the 2011/12 season following FK Partizan home and away, including Rovers' famous night in Belgrade, and a re-airing of our Mick Kearin interview from 2021, after Jim Conroy pays tribute to 'Tiger', his favourite player growing up.

This week's guest co-hosts are the Staffords, Ciarán and his dad Ben to talk a club record away win in Gibraltar, which we all barstooled at the Irishtown House, favourite European memories together, the Pride of Ringsend and more. Tommy Tormey files his live report from The Rock, there's Conor Foley on Glenmalure Rovers' new season, and on the 20th anniversary of when the members took ownership of the club for the first time, examiner Neil Hughes and former player Keith Doyle take us back to the drama of the 2005 season and the High Court.

Gary P's last show for a few weeks is a packed one, with the Wexford tonking in the Cup to talk about, and three interviews. Dan Griffin from Gibraltar has all you need to know on Thursday's European opponents St Joseph's, we hear from Head of Girls Academy, Tommy Carberry before the return of both Harry Moore and Alan Mannus, as 'Harry meets Big Al' for an in depth chat on life after Rovers, working with Larne, Leon's departure and the highlights from his hugely successful spells as Hoops No.1.

We have two Honohans and two authors for our FAI Cup preview show, with journalist Sean Ryan and former referee Liam Gavin talking their books, 'The Official Book of the FAI Cup', and 'My Little Wooden Whistle: 100 years of FAI Cup referees and other stories'.

We talk the Cork, Bohs, Waterford and Sligo games in recent weeks and there's a new TFTES Hotline where 10 callers tackle our questions on exams, hat-tricks, Europe, derbies and merch.

It's the 4th of July, so instead of three match reports we have three American themed interviews. Former Rovers midfielder Jamie Duffy, born in Texas, raised in Tallaght and living in Hollywood, talks the 2006 First Division win, a life-threatening illness, his boy band and appearance on X-Factor. Then, another remarkable story in Cincinnati, Orlando and Nashville where Dylan Connolly, another Dubliner and Rovers supporter, was Ireland's only representative at the Club World Cup in the States this summer with Auckland City. Dylan tells us about life in New Zealand and swapping the Leinster Senior League for games with Bayern Munich, Benfica and Boca Juniors on the world stage. The last segment is Brendan Crowley from 'Sports Books Reviews', a Limerick native who gives his personal take on the sports books he's read and written about in his newsletter all the way from his new home in the U.S. capitol, Washington D.C.

There's six points on the road against Shelbourne and Drogheda to talk about, with the help of journalist Barry Landy to cover Drogheda's European expulsion. Plus: Duffer's meltdown, the demise of Soccerway.com and the Club World Cup, and the greatest voice note of all time by Eoghan Rice.

Two shows this week. Here we've got some reaction to the European draw, and a double author feature ahead of Dalymount Park - although neither man has been to a derby in decades. Paul Howard recalls the smell of Milltown, and writing two of his books, "Gaffers", about Mick McCarthy and Roy Keane, and "The Rodfather", on Roddy Collins and his time at both Dublin clubs, while Donal Cullen tells us about following Bohemians from Canada, and the five new Irish football books he's just released on Bohs, Shels and the first three League of Ireland seasons.

It's part two of our 2000s series. Brian McKenna and John Byrne, who was part of the takeover of the club by the fans and media officer for five years, talk 2004 and 2005, with stadium skullduggery, unpaid wages, examinership and the High Court, survival, Roddy's reign, relegation heartbreak and a new dawn under Pat Scully.

Barry Murphy fills in for Gar this week where the only goal in Tallaght he got to commentate on was the Walking Football. Baz gives his mid-season report and talks all sorts of topics such as signing for Roddy in 2005 and cheques starting to bounce, a friendly win at Sunderland in 2007 under Pat Scully, Josh Honohan, Don Patricio, and all our potential European opponents in the Conference League draw with the help of Shane Kavanagh and Ryan McDyer.

We have Aaron McEneff's late winner in Derry and Irish managers winning league titles across the continent to talk about. No, not Robbie Keane - our author series continues with Sue O'Connell and 'The Man Who Saved Barcelona FC': The Extraordinary Life of Patrick O'Connell', the Dubliner who led Real Betis, in search of their first European trophy on Wednesday night, to their only La Liga in 1935.

We've got IKEA, haircuts, tonks and three wins out of three to talk about (first hour) before the conclusion of our Goodbye Goodison series with Robert Goggins, Robbie Gaffney, and Rovers and Everton fans Paul Clayton, Anto Matthews & Craig Mahon (Members Corner) and Dean O'Reilly.

No match reports in this one as we've got the Juz-Line, Christine Allen's women's team update and a double author feature, starting with Cian Manning's "I Love Me County: Waterford Sporting Stories", ahead of Friday's trip to the RSC. Then, for our Goodbye Goodison series, you'll hear from Steve Zocek on his book 'Goodison Memories: Looking Back Before Looking Forward', before another Everton fan, Ben Winstanley (A View From The Bullens) talks Sunday's emotional farewell to the famous ground. PS: all recorded before Tuesday's news. PPS: Happy Birthday Shannon~!

We're back to winning ways against Sligo, with Greener's 100th LEAGUE goal and a new TFTES Hotline. Paul Hayes, Nathan Johnston, Eric Brennan, Tony Grant, Damian Brennan, Greg Donaghy, Darren Gillen, Tommy Tormey and Dan Fulham are our nine callers with topics ranging from strike partnerships, 90s bands and Asian holidays to bad driving habits.

We talk the 2-2's, the Pope and Gar's phone battery dying along with everything else happening at the club.

We see how long we can go without talking about the games as two former Hoops are interviewed - Santry era winger Brian Byrne, and first, Karl Sheppard, a league winner at both Rovers and Cork, who meet at Turner's Cross on Friday.

A short, special episode this week, with Bobby Best: In Memoriam. Eight good friends of Bobby - Giggsy Hand, Mark Butler, Mark Turner, Mick Byrne, George Kelly, Robert Goggins, Jim Conroy and Mick McCarthy share their memories of the great man.

There's a recap of the home wins over Waterford and Cork, Pico's fatherhood and Greener's 100 Club, and the Members Corner with Rovers website and internet pioneers Paul Thomas and Gerry Matthews, and a cameo from Forkie on the SRFC Ultras forum (2018 replay). Christine Allen reports on the women's team, including another Ruesha Littlejohn free kick.

We got the Galway trip from the perspective of two different buses, and an inevitable 14th consecutive win out west, and a new edition of the TFTES Hotline with Jimmy Maguire, Dunster, Aidan O'Reilly, Dean Creevey, Eoghan Rice, Macdara, The Gent and The Hogg.

We talk the Shels and Sligo games, Rory, Roddy and Ian Harte. There's an interview with St Pat's fan 'Dodge' as Rovers look for their first league win of the season on Friday night.

We've got one of the worst games of all time against Derry and one of the most interesting editions of the Members Corner ever with Lighting Designer Steven Douglas joining us in the Lair. Steven has toured with the Killers, Hozier and The Corrs for many years and worked with a number of famous performers all over the world.

It's the beginning of the 2000s series with Brian McKenna and Tony O'Dowd, who was a goalkeeper at the club for the five seasons covered in another special show recorded at the Four Provinces Pub. From Santry to Bertie turning the sod to Odra and a dry cleaners' bill, we've got it all in this deep dive into Hoops history.

We talk the win in Drogheda with Ed McGinty's injury-time penalty save, and, in an international week there's another double author feature with "Shades of Green" by Chris Lee, and "Lansdowne Road", co-written by Gerrard Siggins. The 30th anniversary of the Lansdowne Road Riot passed by recently, so Ger, along with four Rovers fans - Bill Gleeson, Phelim Warren, Graham Merrigan and Con Murphy - recall the events of that day against England.

We talk our first league win of the season against St Pat's, and although we're a week late for International Women's Day and World Book Day, Hannah Dunne interviews Rovers players Melissa O'Kane and Fiona Owens ahead of the women's team's first home game in Tallaght on Saturday, and there's a double author feature with two Rovers fans who have written non-football books. With Friday's trip to top of the table Drogheda, Dr Thomas Tormey, who has been Historian in Residence with Louth Library Service since 2021, tells us about "War and Peace in the Wee County", his year-long 90s series with Juz on the podcast, ranking our best ever European results and more. First, Karl catches up with his old primary school classmate Aaron Rogan, author of "Punters", a book about the rise of Paddy Power and the online gambling industry.

We've a lot to catch up on but the first hour and a half relates to tonight's game against Shelbourne at Tolka Park, with some chit chat about recent podcasts, the LIST OF HATRED, starting XI and predictions and an interview with League of Ireland legend Mark Rutherford, who played for both clubs. There's penalty shootout heartbreak in our Conference League knockout tie with Molde, a Dublin Derby loss at Lansdowne Road and then a home game against Cork that was rained off. Our other interview is the curious case of the Scandinavian Hoops, a Rovers supporters' club based in Norway.

It's the fifth and final part of our 1990s series with Justin Mason and Tommy Tormey. We relive the 1998/99 season, with a guest appearance from Jim Conroy about being in Turkey in the summer of '98. We talk the FAI Super Cup, Jason Sherlock's helicopter, the hole in the net at Oriel Park and more, before a new era under Damien Richardson in Santry begins. On the topic of programme notes...Con Murphy reads a sample from Rico.

There's a preview of the Molde tie with Norwegian sports reporter Vegard Flemmen Vaagbø, a round up of all the news since Christmas and a Chelsea, theatre, quiz and car themed TFTES Hotline, with Gary O'Neill among the 10 callers.

It's our first podcast in two months and we've got Stephen Jones' review of our Civic Theatre Show, and a double author feature. Eamonn Donohue (Cabra Cadabra, 2015) becomes our first novelist to be interviewed, and we round off our look back at Stamford Bridge with Nik Yeomans, whose new book is called Blue is the Colour: The Complete History of the Chelsea Shirt.