Sam Dalling

Wigan Athletic’s pre-season under head coach Gary Caldwell combines tactical instruction, fitness testing, sports science and GPS-tracked training loads. The club uses individualized maximum-aerobic-speed data to tailor running, while demanding sessions and team-based exercises assess players’ attitudes, resilience and willingness to support teammates. Caldwell, who returned in February to help avoid relegation, is building patiently toward a stronger League One campaign, with the benefits of the meticulous preparation expected to become clear by the end of the season.

Arsenal secure the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years after Manchester City drop points at Bournemouth, with the victory coming one match before the end of the season. The podcast examines Mikel Arteta’s management, Arsenal’s tactics and the club’s upcoming Champions League final. It also discusses predictions that Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City after a highly successful tenure, the final-day relegation battle, Southampton’s removal from the Championship playoffs and listener questions.

Southend United won their first domestic cup by defeating Wealdstone in an FA Trophy penalty shootout at Wembley. The victory capped a difficult period following relegation from the Football League, financial problems and years of instability, and highlighted the strong bond among manager Kevin Maher, his staff and players. Collin Andeng-Ndi’s two penalty saves proved decisive. Despite the triumph, the club faces uncertainty over ownership, recruitment and player contracts as it prepares for the next season.

Como 1907 has risen from Serie D to competing for Champions League qualification in only its second season back in Serie A. The transformation is led by coach Cesc Fàbregas, whose possession-based, high-pressing 4-2-3-1 system has produced one of Italy’s youngest, most productive and defensively strongest teams. The club combines experienced figures such as Raphaël Varane, Álvaro Morata and Sergi Roberto with promising young players recruited through Barend Verkerk’s data-led scouting operation. Under Indonesian owners Djarum Group, Como is also expanding its women’s and youth teams, hospitality, fashion and sports-technology businesses. Despite a €105.1m pre-tax loss and limited stadium capacity, the leadership is targeting profitability while seeking to preserve local identity and supporter affordability.

Wembley’s six-person ground team prepares and restores its 7,140-square-metre pitch around consecutive matches with exacting routines. Staff cut the ryegrass to 22mm, manage watering across differing light and wind conditions, monitor moisture and traction data, repair divots, aerate the surface and restore the pitch overnight. The article also highlights the team’s collaborative culture, use of recycled artificial turf, falcon patrols to deter pigeons and opportunities offered to young adults through the King’s Trust. The pitch is installed in removable strips and is expected to host an increasingly demanding schedule of football and events.

Football Weekly discusses Manchester City's late comeback against Southampton to reach the FA Cup final and Chelsea's 1-0 semi-final victory over Leeds United under interim manager Calum McFarlane, secured by an Enzo Fernández header. Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Newcastle United, featuring a goal from Eberechi Eze. Victories for Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Nottingham Forest left the relegation places unchanged with four matches remaining. The podcast also covers the Edinburgh derby, the National League's dramatic finale and listener questions.

Football Weekly discusses Bodø/Glimt’s historic 5–2 aggregate victory over Inter at San Siro and the implications for Inter and Serie A. The episode also covers Newcastle’s win over Qarabag, Atlético Madrid’s progress through Sørloth’s hat-trick, Bayer Leverkusen advancing, and Juventus facing elimination. Premier League discussion focuses on Benjamin Šeško’s late goal for Manchester United against Everton and the club’s summer recruitment, while the panel also covers the Championship promotion race, Snoop Dogg at Swansea, violence in Mexico raising World Cup concerns, and a controversial sprinkler incident involving King’s Lynn.

Arsenal is improving the matchday experience for disabled supporters through coordinated accessibility measures and a partnership with Game Day Vision, which helps fans travel to and from matches and find assistance when attending alone. Supporters describe the practical and emotional importance of these services, including volunteer companions, specialist radio commentary, British Sign Language integration, tactile pathways and hearing loops. Arsenal’s disability access team also shares ideas with other Premier League clubs, reflecting a wider effort to make football more inclusive while ensuring disabled fans can participate independently and comfortably.

Five years after Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham for £2m, the club has risen from the National League to the Championship and is now targeting a fourth successive promotion to the Premier League. The takeover has brought major investment, global attention, sponsors and tourism, while supporters and local businesses describe significant personal and economic benefits. Wrexham’s progress has also produced growing envy and criticism, alongside practical challenges involving facilities, staffing and squad integration. Manager Phil Parkinson is credited with turning substantial player investment into a competitive team despite a 2-0 defeat by Millwall.

The Football Weekly Extra podcast discusses Manchester City's 3–1 win over Newcastle, which secured a 5–1 aggregate victory and a Carabao Cup final against Arsenal. The panel considers whether Newcastle manager Eddie Howe should face pressure, previews key Premier League fixtures involving Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal and Sunderland, examines the relegation battle, and discusses Cristiano Ronaldo’s reported strike while answering listener questions.

Football Weekly discusses sixth-tier Macclesfield FC's historic FA Cup victory over holders Crystal Palace, a remarkable achievement for a club that ceased to exist six years earlier. The episode also covers Manchester City's 10–0 win over Exeter City, Brighton's victory at Old Trafford, Aston Villa's win over Thomas Frank's side, other third-round results and listener questions.

Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell meticulously prepares his League One squad for an FA Cup third-round visit to Manchester City, drawing on his experience with Wigan and emphasizing courage, intensity and collective responsibility. Despite a bright start, Exeter trail 4-0 at half-time and eventually lose 10-1, although 19-year-old academy graduate George Birch scores a goal celebrated by the players and nearly 8,000 travelling supporters. Caldwell urges the team to study Manchester City’s relentless, effective approach rather than allow the defeat to define them. The tie is also financially significant, generating about £250,000 for Exeter amid support from the Exeter City Supporters’ Trust, which has loaned the club £600,000 since the previous summer.

Macclesfield FC prepare for a lucrative FA Cup third-round home tie against holders Crystal Palace after snow forced a change of training venue. The National League North club, rebuilt after Macclesfield Town collapsed in 2020, has risen three divisions in four seasons and expects around £400,000 in gate income, in addition to prize money. Demand for the 5,300 tickets far exceeded supply, with supporters queuing for hours in freezing conditions. Manager John Rooney and assistant Francis Jeffers are managing the squad’s preparations, while sponsor Duck and Cover supplied new outfits for the televised occasion. The match also carries emotional significance following the death of 21-year-old forward Ethan McLeod in a car accident.

Manchester United supporters at Burnley voiced frustration with the club’s direction, briefly displaying an anti-Sir Jim Ratcliffe banner and criticizing the continued managerial upheaval. Fans praised aspects of Ruben Amorim’s personality but accepted his dismissal over poor results, while songs supporting Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Michael Carrick and interim manager Darren Fletcher reflected the uncertainty over who will lead the team next. Supporters remain convinced that Manchester United’s global stature can still attract top managers, despite the club’s current instability.

Sean Ruiz, Wolverhampton Wanderers’ head of kit, explains the detailed preparation behind training and matchdays, from personalising more than 50 shirts a week to managing players’ individual preferences for sleeves, fit, boots and equipment. Ruiz and his team also handle laundry, opposition shirt exchanges, dressing-room layouts, sponsor rules and the substitutions board. After more than two decades with New York Red Bulls, Ruiz describes his relationships with Wolves players as familial, while the demanding matchday routine highlights the largely unseen service work that supports the team.

Football Weekly discusses Celtic’s worsening crisis after Wilfried Nancy became the first manager in the club’s history to lose his opening four matches, prompting questions about recruitment, leadership and direction following defeat by Dundee United. The panel also reviews Carabao Cup drama, including Lewis Miley’s stoppage-time goal for Newcastle United, Rayan Cherki’s impressive form for Manchester City and Chelsea’s victory over Cardiff. The episode previews key Premier League fixtures, discusses the Guardian’s Top 100 men’s players list, answers listener questions and remembers Macclesfield forward Ethan McLeod.

Garang Kuol became one of football’s most exciting young prospects after nearly scoring against Argentina in the 2022 World Cup round of 16, but his move from Central Coast Mariners to Newcastle United came before he was ready for sustained first-team football. Loans at Hearts and FC Volendam were disrupted by managerial changes, limited opportunities and injury, while further setbacks restricted his playing time at Newcastle. A strong run with Newcastle’s under-21s restored his confidence and produced nine goal involvements in 11 appearances. After transferring to Sparta Prague, Kuol is viewed by former coaches as a talented, highly driven player who may still reach his significant potential and potentially return to the Socceroos for the 2026 World Cup.

Tom Heaton discusses remaining committed to Manchester United despite making only 202 minutes of appearances since returning in 2021 and going 1,029 days without a competitive first-team game. The 39-year-old goalkeeper says he has no regrets about returning to the club, where he contributes through training, mentoring younger players and serving on Ruben Amorim’s leadership group. He reflects on lessons from the Sir Alex Ferguson era, his close relationship with his father, rejected opportunities to leave, and his growing preparation for a future in coaching or football management. Heaton also describes his enjoyable quasi-coaching role with England at Euro 2024 and his enduring ambition to play.

Football Weekly examines whether Chelsea should now be taken seriously after a 3-0 Champions League victory over Barcelona, highlighting Estêvão’s performance. The episode also covers Newcastle United’s defeat in Marseille, Manchester City’s 2-0 home loss to Bayer Leverkusen after extensive rotation, and Manchester United’s 1-0 defeat by Everton. Additional discussion includes Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s strong display, Cristiano Ronaldo avoiding a red card, and listener questions.