Sports stars appearing in the movie business is a crossover that has had decidedly mixed results. Think Ally McCoist in A Shot at Glory, Michael Jordan/LeBron James in the Space Jam duology, or Vinnie Jones in just about every hard man movie ever made.  But Italian Rafaelle Vallone was an exception, a guy who burnished his career as an international standard footballer with spells as a lawyer, a journalist and, ultimately, a Hollywood movie star. Host Roddy Cairns is joined by Kirsty McLeod to tell the story of football’s ultimate renaissance man. Based on an original article by James Jackson.

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Roy Hodgson may be known in England as “Uncle Roy”, a comforting figure who feels like part of the English game’s furniture, his mild manners and conservative tactics an apparent throwback to the good old days. But that image of Hodgson doesn’t even begin to tell the story of a man whose career was longer, wider, braver and stranger than almost all of his countrymen. On this episode of the Football Pink Podcast, host Roddy Cairns (@RoddyGCairns) is joined by Graham Hollingsworth (@GramH75) and Pete Spencer (@irishpete67) to look back at the longer and more interesting era of Hodgson’s career, when he was a trailblazing English maverick making a name for himself on foreign shores.

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When it comes to the FIFA World Cup, there are certain teams that we expect to be there. The European Aristocracy of Italy, Germany and France, the exciting and cultured South American behemoths of Argentina and Brazil. But every 4 years the World Cup also throws up some less expected participants, little known teams from far flung countries who add to the mystique of the game. Host Roddy Cairns (@RoddyGCairns) is joined by Jack Wills (Jack_Wills_95) and Liam Togher (@liamtogher88) to look back on World Cup 2010, which was graced by the secretive so-called hermit Kingdom of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea – or North Korea, to you and me.

Ipswich Town are the very definition of a provincial side, the East Anglian club being so far removed from the glitz and glamour of England’s capital that they are nicknamed the Tractor Boys. But there was a time not so long ago when they competed with the very best the continent had to offer. Host Roddy Cairns is joined by Graham Hollingsworth ) and James Bolam to look back on Ipswich under Bobby Robson – a tale of growth, grit, and European glory.

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East German international Lutz Eigendorf, known as the ‘Beckenbauer of the East’, was last seen on 5th March 1983 drinking at his local bar. Earlier that day his club, Braunschweig, had lost to Bochum. A few hours later, Eigendorf’s car was found wrapped round a tree and the midfielder had sustained injuries that would lead to his death in hospital a few days later. With his alcohol level apparently very high, the police labelled the crash a drink-related accident, but a number of suspicious circumstances point to an altogether more chilling possibility – that Eigendorf was murdered by the Stasi. Host Roddy Cairns (@RoddyGCairns) is joined by Pete Spencer (@irishpete67) to discuss Eigendorf’s life and death.

You can listen to this episode on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7pT9fiBlC4dh1YX0muYkyz?si=iPMdatmlSRqhsFJfFQ5GgA&dl_branch=1

You can listen to this episode on Apple here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-strange-life-and-death-of-lutz/id1472765035?i=1000534085858

In this week’s episode of the podcast, host Roddy Cairns is joined by Rodney McCain and Graham Hollingsworth to discuss the infamous ‘Crazy Gang.’ We start during the 1960s when the club was still playing non-league football, and follow them as they had their meteoric rise up the football pyramid. Their crowning glory, of course, came in the 1988 FA Cup final, where they defeated Liverpool, aka the Culture Club.

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In this week’s episode of the podcast, host Roddy Cairns is joined by James Bolam and Liam Togher to discuss the remarkable story of Javier Irureta and his talented Deportivo La Coruña side. This podcast follows their rise in the league, their turbulent march to the title and their assault on the Champions League, as well as their sad demise following Irureta’s stepping aside.

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The world of football was in collective mourning last week due to the sad passing of one of it’s greatest superstars, Diego Maradona. To honour the great man, host Roddy Cairns was joined by a number of our contributors, to talk through a number of the many highlights of a fantastic career.

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In this week’s episode of the podcast, host Roddy Cains is joined by Pete Spencer and Graham Hollingsworth to speak about the side who excelled in the former East German league (DDR Oberliga) and even made appearances in the UEFA Cup. While no longer one of the top German sides, the story of 1. FC Magdeburg is certainly a fascinating one!

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In this week’s episode of the Football Pink podcast, host Roddy Carins is joined by Kirsty McLeod to discuss Rose Reilly.  Born in Kilmarnock, she was voted player of the tournament in the 1984 World Cup, where her side were victorious in the final, beating West Germany 3-1. Unfortunately for Scots, she was wearing the colours of Italy, not her homeland.

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Whether it’s the passion of La Bombonera, the roar of Anfield, or the simplicity and spirit of Broadhurst Park, everyone has their own opinion on the best place to watch football.

In this week’s episode of the Podcast, host Roddy Cairns is joined by a number of our writers, to discuss what they believe to be the ‘greatest’ stadium.

Cotributors-  Rodney McCain, James Young, Liam Togher, David Nesbit, Graham Hollingsworth, Andrew Haines, James Bolam

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In this week’s episode of the podcast, host Roddy Cairns is joined by two Bristol natives, Michael Lee and James Bolam. They discuss both City and Rovers, and to determine whether a city the size of Bristol should have at least one established Premier League side, or if in fact they are doing just as well as could be expected.

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In this week’s episode of the podcast, host Roddy Cairns is joined by Liam Togher and Liam Baxter to discuss the competition that at times lacked a final, trophy or even a champion! While the Intertoto Cup may be gone, it certainly has not been forgotten.

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Bob Marley once described football as ‘a whole world. A whole universe to itself.’  In this week’s episode, host Roddy Cairns is joined by Matt Leslie, to take a look back at Marley’s relationship with the beautiful game.

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The 1992/93 season was a memorable European campaign for a few reasons; but none more so than the sheer, unadulterated drama which circulated around the eventual winners of Old Big Ears, Olympique de Marseille. In this week’s podcast, host Roddy Cairns s joined by Fintan O’Reilly and Jack Wills to look back at a team which captured the continent’s hearts – and then lost them again…

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Argentinian football local derbies are all important, with each major city hosting a long running clásico clash between two mortal enemies. If you ask an Argentinian what the most passionate derby of them all is, they’ll probably point you to a provincial city three hours northwest of the capital.

In this week’s pod, host Roddy Cairns is joined by James Bolam and Graham Hollingsworth to look at Rosario Central v Newell’s Old Boys – El Clásico Rosarino.

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In this week’s episode of the Podcast, host Roddy Cairns is joined by Andrew Haines and Thomas Duncan to recount the story of a national team who had no business even being on the plane to Euro 2004- Latvia, a tiny country where football lags behind ice hockey and basketball which managed to drag itself away onto the world stage after years of footballing embarrassment.

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In this week’s episode of the Podcast, host Roddy Cairns is joined by Liam Togher and Rodney McCain to look back at five months that saw  Steve McLaren’s cosmopolitan squad turn a season that looked like it was crashing towards disaster into one that will live forever in the history of the club.

Listen for free on Spotify here – https://open.spotify.com/episode/64Ps9nwAlGCyF1D87glJcc?si=GlPPCYP7SWi-RYbge-gcqQ

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In this week’s episode of the Podcast, host Roddy Cairns is joined by James Young and Matt Leslie to talk about Uzbekistan. They look at the side who have come ever so close to qualifying for a major tournament on a number of occasions. but each time have been incredibly unfortunate to miss out.

Listen for free on Spotify here- https://open.spotify.com/episode/0DfVnZWvKm8yci5xdtCB3N?si=mvDy3bfUSi-dHyTpHPDljQ

Listen for free on Apple Podcasts here- https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/uzbekistan-fifas-unluckiest-member/id1472765035?i=1000489080263

In this episode of The Football Pink Podcast, host Roddy Cairns and Kirsty McLeod look at a story of that was very nearly forgotten about entirely. They discuss the life and career of Walter Tull; a man who was not only a footballer, but also a soldier, a pioneer, and a true hero.

Listen for free on Spotify here- https://open.spotify.com/episode/4spVhjbetk7FiGEv1sqcJG?si=wD4cyuVARaGTtD91Dh5c4Q

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Florent Malouda is best known for his successful time at Chelsea, and his achievements for the French national team. But those heady heights are the very tip of the iceberg, which has its roots 5,000 miles away in tropical South America.

In this week’s episode of the Podcast, host Roddy Cairns is joined by Cameron Brooks and Thomas Duncan, to discuss a career that was sometimes bumpy, sometimes meteoric, but never dull.

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Listen for free on Apple Podcasts here- https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/walter-tull-the-forgotten-pioneer/id1472765035?i=1000488451326

This week’s episode of The Football Pink Podcast is an Alan Ball special. As an accompaniment to our new magazine issue, all about the great former Everton, Arsenal and England, we have a number of our regular contributors reflect on the Ball’s playing and managerial career, as well as his life in general. Joining host Roddy Cairns are Jack Wills, Pete Spencer, Ollie Goodwin, Ryan Saxton, Andrew Haines, James Young, David Nesbit, Dave Proudlove, Marco Jackon, Graham Hollingsworth and Rodney McCain.

Listen for free on Spotify here- https://open.spotify.com/episode/2qlIT1DEKd0H4ZAK3oQbKr?si=a-TOXnH1T7ihnIeZE2CXKw

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France ’98 was the tournament which made legends of both Zidane and Ronaldo. A month long jamboree of football and colour in the French sun. For England, it was a tournament that promised fo much, but ultimately left the fans with a sense of what could have been. In this week’s episode of The Football Pink Podcast, host Roddy Cairns is joined by England fans Graham Hollingsworth and James Bolam, to look back on their memories of that summer.

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Listen for free on Apple Podcasts here- https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/world-cup-memories-england-at-france-98/id1472765035?i=1000486366587

When people hear the name Johan Cruyff, they tend to picture the legendary Dutchman in the single broad red stripe of Ajax, the blue and red of Barcelona, or the striking oranje of the Netherlands. This week’s podcast sees host Roddy Carins joined by Andrew Haines and Neill Bo Finlayson to have a look back at the season Cruyff shockingly donned the colours of Feyenoord, as he went behind enemy lines.

Listen for free on Spotify here- https://open.spotify.com/episode/31Bz8PuFUEwyd0xsJObQSe?si=pVOaqpAhTEmLwPFBbqeEqg

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The first episode of The Football Pink’s newly relaunched podcast is here! In it, host Roddy Cairns is joined back Jack Wills and Liam Baxter to look at 2006, the year of Fabio Cannavaro. It was a year in which Cannavaro captained Italy to a World Cup triumph, won the Ballon d’Or and Fifa World Player of the year awards, completed a near-unbeaten season with Juventus, sealed a big money transfer to Real Madrid and earned one of football’s most evocative nicknames- ‘Il Muro di Berlino’

Listen for free on Spotify here- https://open.spotify.com/episode/3SDQZ3AS2InS0W612g1ocZ?si=vszT3uMJSm-ai1nLkablUg

Listen for free on Apple Podcasts here – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/il-muro-di-berlino-how-cannavaro-won-the-ballon-dor/id1472765035?i=1000484869454