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BBC Radio 5 Live
The latest news, insight, analysis and big name guests from the Premier League and the Football League, plus Scottish, International and European football. Join us! Get in touch with us @5liveSport on social media and remember to leave us your ratings and reviews.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 19, 2025 • 29min
INTRODUCING - Iconic: The Rise of the Women in Red
On the day Wales name their 23-player squad for this summers Euros, Football Daily brings you the first episode of a brand new series – ‘Iconic: The Rise of the Women in Red’, with Wales' most capped player Jess Fishlock. After a 50-year ban on women playing football, Wales don’t have an official team until a pivotal meeting with the FAW in the early 1990’s. But even then, the players face playing in handed down, oversized men’s kit and being led by part-time. Subscribe to the series on BBC Sounds now for more episodes – www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m0023mz7.

Jun 18, 2025 • 1h 14min
That Season When . . . Blackburn won the League
Sir Kenny Dalglish, Chris Sutton and Alan Shearer are among the guests as Kelly Cates looks back on Blackburn's famous title win in 1995. Midfielder Mark Atkins explains how the club was rejuvenated by owner Jack Walker's investment, while Rob Coar, then club chairman, gives the view from the boardroom. And is it fair to say the club bought the title? Football finance expert Kieran Maguire goes through the figures.[This is re-versioned episode from the Football Daily’s archive. It was first published on the 26th March 2025]

Jun 16, 2025 • 52min
That Season When . . . Chelsea became “The Special” Club with José Mourinho
In June 2004, José Mourinho made headlines around the world by claiming ‘I think I’m a special one’ at his unveiling as Chelsea manager. Just under a year later, he lifted the Premier League trophy for the first time, delivering Chelsea their first league title in 50 years.Robert Huth was part of the Chelsea defence that conceded only 15 goals in the league that season – and he joins Mark Chapman, Chris Sutton and Rory Smith 20 years later to reflect on an incredible achievement. They look back on Jose Mourinho’s management style – what was it like to be coached by him?Can he be credited with bringing the 4-3-3 to English football? Hear from midfielder Claude Makélélé on his role within the team and from Sir Alex Ferguson on his rivalry with José Mourinho.[This is re-versioned episode from the Football Daily’s archive. It was first published on the 26th April 2025]They also discuss what nearly became a domestic treble for Mourinho in his first year in English football, and remember one of the Premier League’s most memorable seasons.

Jun 15, 2025 • 30min
Mark Chapman Meets . . . J.J. Watt
NFL legend and Burnley co-owner J.J. Watt chats to Mark Chapman. They discuss everything from bench pressing with the Burnley players to the uncertainty of the NFL draft. Watt opens up on why he decided to invest in Burnley – and why once he did so, he was determined to win over the fans, just when he did after moving to Houston as an American footballer. They also discuss goalkeeper James Trafford, the difference between sports that do and do not have relegation and the contrasting schedule between the NFL and the EFL.[First TX on the Football Daily - 19.03.2025]

Jun 14, 2025 • 44min
How To Win The Champions League: Real Madrid
Real Madrid are the most successful team in the history of the Champions League/European Cup with 15 titles. But how have they achieved this? Steve Crossman and Guillem Balague explore Real's relationship with the competition, looking at their early dominance in the late 1950s, through to their six triumphs since 2014. We hear from former players Clarence Seedorf and Sami Khedira on what makes Real Madrid so special. And former coach Paul Clement joins the pod to give us insight into Carlo Ancelotti and their "La Decima" win in 2014 against Atletico Madrid. To watch the TV documentary, it is available on BBC iPlayer: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m00276py/how-to-win-the-champions-league[this is re-versioned episode from the Football Daily’s archive. It was first published on the 18th January 2025]

Jun 13, 2025 • 24min
Best of The Commentators' View 2024/25 - Part One
The best bits as John Murray, Ian Dennis & Ali Bruce-Ball talk football, travel & language.WhatsApp voicenotes to 08000 289 369
Emails to TCV@bbc.co.ukGlossary so far:
2-0 is a dangerous score,
After you Claude,
All-Premier League affair,
Aplomb,
Brace,
Brandished,
Breaking the deadlock,
Bundled over the line,
Champions elect / champions apparent,
Clinical finish,
Commentator’s curse,
Coupon buster,
Cultured/Educated left foot,
Denied by the woodwork,
Draught excluder,
Elimination line,
Fellow countryman,
Foot race,
Formerly of this parish,
Fox in the box,
Free hit,
Goalmouth scramble,
Good touch for a big man,
Honeymoon Period,
In and around,
In the shop window,
Keeping ball under their spell,
Languishing,
Loitering with intent,
Marching orders,
Nestle in the bottom corner,
Numbered derbies,
Nutmeg,
Opposite number,
Park the bus,
PK for penalty-kick,
Postage stamp,
Put their laces through it,
Rasping shot,
Red wine not white wine,
Relegation six-pointer,
Rooted at the bottom,
Roy of the Rovers stuff,
Sending the goalkeeper the wrong way,
Sleeping giants,
Slide rule pass,
Small matter of,
Spiders web,
Stayed hit,
Steepling,
Stinging the palms,
Stonewall penalty,
Straight off the training ground,
Stramash,
Throw their cap on it,
Thruppenny bit head / 50p head,
Put it in the mixer,
Towering header,
Turning into a basketball match,
Turning into a cricket score,
Walking a disciplinary tightrope,
Wand of a left foot,
We’ve got a cup tie on our hands,
Where the owl sleeps,
Winger in their pocket,
Wrap foot around it,
Your De Bruynes, your Gundogans etc.

Jun 12, 2025 • 22min
Euro Leagues: The Greatest Champions League XI
We’re delving into the Football Daily archives for this episode as Steve Crossman, Guillem Balagué, Raphael Honigstein & Kristof Terreur argue, debate and (eventually) pick the Euro Leagues’ ultimate Champions League XI before the Champions League Final between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain back in 2020. Iker Casillas or Edwin van der Sar, Robert Lewandowski or Diego Milito – who makes it into the coveted starting line-up?

Jun 8, 2025 • 51min
The American Dream: How & why American owners continue to infiltrate British football
Kelly Cates is joined by The i Paper's chief football writer Daniel Storey, Sports economist Victor A. Matheson & football finance expert Kieran Maguire, as they delve into the rising number of American owners across British football. It's 20 years since the Glazer family’s highly-controversial and highly-leveraged takeover of Manchester United. Throughout those two decades, the Glazers have been the prime target of fan protests with “Glazers out” still ringing around Old Trafford. So over the course of this episode you’ll hear why US investors are obsessed with British football, and how real are the concerns that US owners could collude to “Americanise” the traditions of English football from the removal of promotion and relegation to moving matches overseas and relocating clubs to other cities.

Jun 6, 2025 • 23min
Postecoglou sacked by Spurs
A 1-0 win over Manchester United in Bilbao brought Spurs a first major trophy for 17 years, but that wasn’t enough for ‘Big Ange’ to keep his place in the dugout. James Gregg is joined by BBC Sport’s Senior Football Correspondent Sami Mokbel, 5 Live’s Senior Football Reporter Ian Dennis, former Spurs midfielder Michael Brown & Flav from the ‘Fighting Cock Podcast’ as they react to Postecoglou’s roller coaster of a tenure, and who’s in the running as a possible replacement?

Jun 6, 2025 • 59min
The Commentators’ View: England in Barcelona & John in Neighbours
John Murray, Ian Dennis & Ali Bruce-Ball talk football, travel & language. They look ahead to Andorra v England with John & Ian in Barcelona for the match. John gets celebrity spotted. The guys have their say on the dazzling new Premier League ball. Will the biscuit vs cookie debate reach a conclusion? Plus more Glossary chat and Ali gets a guard of honour in Clash of the Commentators.WhatsApp voicenotes to 08000 289 369
Emails to TCV@bbc.co.uk
Live show tickets: crossedwires.live/fringe 01:00 John & Ian in Barcelona for Andorra v England
04:35 Interviewing Ivan Toney & Trevoh Chalobah
08:25 How much do the media mingle?
11:30 Biscuit/cookie gate
14:00 Champions League Final reflections
17:35 John gets celebrity spotted…
20:55 New ball for Premier League revealed
24:35 Reminder of the BIG NEWS
31:40 Ali gets Clash of the Commentators guard of honour
41:45 Great Glossary of Football Commentary
53:50 Season finale musical masterpieceBBC Sounds / 5 Live commentaries:
Sat 1700 Andorra v England in World Cup Qualifying,
Tue 1945 England v Senegal in Friendly.Glossary so far:
2-0 is a dangerous score,
After you Claude,
All-Premier League affair,
Aplomb,
Brace,
Brandished,
Breaking the deadlock,
Bundled over the line,
Champions elect / champions apparent,
Clinical finish,
Commentator’s curse,
Coupon buster,
Cultured/Educated left foot,
Denied by the woodwork,
Draught excluder,
Elimination line,
Fellow countryman,
Foot race,
Formerly of this parish,
Fox in the box,
Free hit,
Goalmouth scramble,
Good touch for a big man,
Honeymoon Period,
In and around,
In the shop window,
Keeping ball under their spell,
Languishing,
Loitering with intent,
Marching orders,
Nestle in the bottom corner,
Numbered derbies,
Nutmeg,
Opposite number,
Park the bus,
PK for penalty-kick,
Postage stamp,
Put their laces through it,
Rasping shot,
Red wine not white wine,
Relegation six-pointer,
Rooted at the bottom,
Roy of the Rovers stuff,
Sending the goalkeeper the wrong way,
Sleeping giants,
Slide rule pass,
Small matter of,
Spiders web,
Stayed hit,
Steepling,
Stinging the palms,
Stonewall penalty,
Straight off the training ground,
Stramash,
Throw their cap on it,
Thruppenny bit head / 50p head,
Put it in the mixer,
Towering header,
Turning into a basketball match,
Turning into a cricket score,
Walking a disciplinary tightrope,
Wand of a left foot,
We’ve got a cup tie on our hands,
Where the owl sleeps,
Winger in their pocket,
Wrap foot around it,
Your De Bruynes, your Gundogans etc.


