It Was What It Was : The Football History Podcast

Rob and Jonathan begin a two-part series on football fanzines with Daniel Gray, editor of Nutmeg, host of the When Saturday Comes podcast and author of the new book Fanzine: The Story of Football's Alternative Press. They each share how they got started: Rob with QPR's A Kick Up the Arse, Jonathan with Sunderland's A Love Supreme and Daniel with Middlesbrough's Fly Me to the Moon. They explore how DIY, punk-influenced magazines gave a voice to supporters who were demonised in the 1980s. They look at how national titles like When Saturday Comes and Off the Ball, the Football Supporters' Association and London's Sports Pages bookshop built a sense of unity among fans. There are tales of lawsuits, angry chairmen, Brian Clough storming into a newsagent and Jonathan's run-in with the police at Southend. Finally, they reflect on how fanzines launched countless writing careers, including their own.01:59 What Is a Fanzine? 04:04 Our First Fanzines 11:01 Giving Demonised Fans a Voice 12:57 A Million Copies Sold 16:47 Terrace Talk Begins in York 19:22 Police, Bans and Free Speech 22:53 Bradford and The City Gent 25:51 Foreshadowing Hillsborough 29:12 When Saturday Comes 32:10 Early Pioneers: The Shamrock and Foul 41:19 National Fanzines Unite Fans 43:04 Sports Pages 45:52 Arrested at Southend 48:23 Lawsuits and Angry Chairmen 50:54 A Launchpad for Writers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper conclude their series on Arsène Wenger’s arrival in English football by focusing on his first full season at Arsenal (1997-98), when early doubts, draws, and a UEFA Cup exit gave way to a transformative run to the league and FA Cup double. They discuss how Wenger blended George Graham’s defensive core with signings like Petit and Overmars, and how his pioneering approach to nutrition, recovery, psychology, and scouting created a decisive late-season fitness edge—highlighted by the 1-0 win at Old Trafford that ignited a near-flawless finish. The episode relives the title-clinching 4-0 over Everton capped by Tony Adams’ iconic goal, reflects on Gary Neville’s view of the ’98 side as Arsenal’s toughest, and argues Wenger’s broader legacy in accelerating sports science, data, recruitment, and acceptance of foreign managers in the Premier League.00:00 Wenger’s Defining Year00:25 Setting the 97-98 Focus02:14 New Signings Take Shape03:28 Sizing Up the Rivals05:48 Pints and Culture Clash07:04 Sports Science Revolution08:34 Psychology and Red to Blue12:17 Scouting and Club Foundations15:55 France Ascendant and Clairefontaine19:28 Family Life and Early Stumbles24:42 Neville on the 98 Arsenal26:48 Bergkamp Magic and the Unbeaten Run28:11 Relentless Run In30:08 Old Trafford Turning Point34:36 Title Clincher Everton35:29 Adams and Bould Magic38:40 Wenger Emotion Legacy40:55 Cup Final Newcastle45:05 World Cup Echoes46:12 Changing English Football51:27 Foreign Manager Boom55:08 Wrap Up and Thanks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper continue their Arsène Wenger series by tracing how David Dein first bonded with Wenger—via an improvised London dinner party and charades—before maintaining contact through Monaco, Antibes meetings, and mailed Arsenal VHS tapes and faxes. They cover Wenger’s post-Monaco move to Nagoya Grampus Eight, early struggles and a key interpreter change, then a turnaround to major success, which Wenger credits for reshaping his coaching and lifestyle ideas. The episode explains how Arsenal’s board eventually traveled to Japan in 1996 to recruit him amid post-Rioch chaos, public skepticism (“Arsène Who?”), and a club culture marked by drinking and addiction revelations. They discuss early dietary and training changes, Wenger retaining the famed back line, and his first signings—Vieira, Garde, and Anelka—plus the November 1996 rumour storm and Arsenal’s strong finish that set up the 1997-98 squad.00:00 Charades With Wenger00:34 Podcast Setup And Mystery Match02:40 Arsenal As Gentlemen Club05:09 Dinner Party First Impression10:29 Arsene For Arsenal Premonition11:35 Dein Keeps In Touch15:05 Bayern Offer And Sacking17:05 Japan Move And Early Struggles20:23 Interpreter Switch Turning Point23:27 Nagoya Success And Lessons25:18 Secret Japan Courtship26:20 Rioch Sacked Chaos28:05 Arsene Who Backlash33:09 Dressing Room Crisis36:31 Broccoli Diet Revolution41:42 Vieira Proves Them Wrong43:32 Rumors Tabloid Mob48:12 Anelka Arrival Momentum51:22 Cool Britannia Parallels55:05 Wrap Up Next Episode Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper continue their Arsène Wenger series by tracing his leap from youth coaching at Strasbourg to assistant work under Jean-Marc Guillet at Cannes, where his scouting and relentless workload stood out, before taking his first major job at Nancy with Aldo Platini as director. They discuss Wenger’s early innovations—psychologists, stretching, diet, massage and “invisible training”—and his severity, detail-obsession and frugality, alongside the loneliness and intensity he describes after defeats. Despite Nancy’s limited means and eventual relegation, Wenger earned the Monaco job in 1987, where the glamorous setting contrasted with his ascetic focus. With signings like Glenn Hoddle and Mark Hateley, he introduced advanced recovery and professionalism, won Ligue 1 in 1988, and later built teams featuring Claude Puel, while developing talents such as George Weah, Lilian Thuram and Emmanuel Petit, amid disillusionment about French football’s corruption.00:00 Hoddle Meets Modern Training00:47 Wenger Series Returns01:37 Cannes Assistant Breakthrough02:50 Motorway Scouting Story04:08 Workaholic Coaching Routine05:27 First Team Taste of Power06:37 Nancy Job and Platini Link08:03 Invisible Training Revolution12:21 Youth Development and Frugality15:09 Severity and Dark Obsession19:49 Monaco Move and Glamour23:23 Royals and Monaco Memories25:46 Why Hoddle and Hateley Fit26:54 Hateley Meets Wenger27:46 Hoddle Hijacked From PSG30:17 Training Revolution In Monaco33:28 Beer Smoking And Culture Clash34:46 Tactics And Touchline Temper38:00 Monaco Glory And Marseille Shadow43:17 Annie And Private Life44:48 Weah Thuram Petit Talent Spotting49:03 Highbury Encounter With Dein52:31 Next Episode And Wrap Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper begin a four-part series marking 30 years since Arsène Wenger’s arrival at Arsenal, framing him—alongside David Dein—as a key catalyst for the Premier League’s shift toward foreign managers, multicultural squads, and modern nutrition and sports science. They trace Wenger’s roots in rural, war-scarred Alsace on the French-German border: his parents’ hard-working life, his father’s forced Nazi conscription, the Catholic village culture, and Wenger’s intense, self-aware obsession with football. The episode explores how he learned the game through unsupervised street football and bistro conversations, a serious illness at 14, and his desire to escape village life. Wenger’s breakthrough came at 19 after being spotted in a heavy defeat and joining Mutzig, leading to university studies in Strasbourg, a stint learning English in Cambridge, a squad role in Strasbourg’s 1979 title win, and an early move into coaching—already using a psychiatrist with youth players.00:00 Wenger Obsession Intro01:23 Why Wenger Changed England03:41 Alsace War Shadow07:30 Village Roots and Work Ethic10:49 French Football Culture Explained16:18 Street Football and Brother Guy18:59 Faith Philosophy and Le Professor24:32 Illness Growth and Escape27:19 Bistro Lessons La Croix d'Or28:53 Wine and Bistro Roots29:37 Bar Talk and Escape30:09 Football Dreams in Dittlingen33:00 Mutzig Breakthrough34:13 Max Hild Mentor36:44 Dancing and Philosophy39:55 University and Class Divide42:10 Strasbourg Squad Years43:29 Cambridge English Leap46:47 Coaching Begins at Strasbourg47:31 Total Football Influences50:11 Holistic Coaching Mindset51:30 Wrap Up and Next Episode Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.