Football Between The Lines

Dan Cook, Gareth Flavell

Football Between The Lines. Another podcast about the beautiful game. Brought to you by Dan Cook of the infamous HLTCO twitter account, and Flav Batemen of The Fighting Cock podcast and James and Flav for Now... Football Between The Lines is a twice weekly podcast, blending well-rounded football opinion with emotional and somewhat reactionary punchiness.

The well rounded balanced opinion versus the emotional somewhat reactionary opinion. You don’t need another football podcast in your life, but you should listen to Football Between The Lines anyway.

Twice weekly reaction podcast to biggest talking points that week through the season - and if something big breaks, we’ll be all over it as well.

Dan is a renowned broadcaster, and the owner of one of football’s most well known twitter accounts, HLTCO. Stan Collymore still hates his guts.

Flav is known mostly for presenting the best Spurs podcast out there.... The Fighting Cock.

Football Between The Lines will be out every Tuesday and Friday… but make sure you subscribe and auto download so you don’t miss an episode!

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20 episodes
Updated Tuesday

Episodes20

Newest first

Tuesday · 58 min
Chelsea Change Course | The Downfall Of Fabrizo Romano | How Bad Will It Get For Newcastle?
Has the football world finally reached breaking point with Fabrizio Romano? Gareth and Dan explore why the transfer guru's influence is being questioned, from failed "Here We Go" calls to growing criticism over the relationship between journalists, agents and clubs. They also dive into Chelsea's shift away from their youth-first recruitment strategy, Newcastle's uncertain direction, why Victor Osimhen is effectively impossible for Premier League clubs to sign, and what FIFA's latest power grab says about the future of football. Plus, a look at UEFA's financial rules, why they're frustrating clubs like Aston Villa and Newcastle, and whether they're actually protecting the game in the long run. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 27 · 49 min
PSR Loopholes | UEFA Rules Unfair On Some | Fabrizio Romano Beef
The summer transfer window has exposed just how complicated football's financial rules have become. We break down why clubs like Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Newcastle are being forced into difficult decisions, why transfer fees seem to make less sense than ever, and whether the Premier League and UEFA have created a system that actually punishes ambition. We also get into Fabrizio Romano's public spat with Florian Plettenberg, Sunderland's kit copyright controversy, why pre-season results are almost meaningless, and answer plenty of your comments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 22 · 58 min
World Cup Review | Argentina In The Mud | Morgan Rogers Future
We look back on the World Cup after Spain lifted the trophy, discussing England's semi-final exit, Thomas Tuchel's tactical decisions, FIFA's growing influence, the expansion to 48 teams and whether international football is heading in the right direction. From there we turn our attention to the Premier League. Tottenham's huge spending has got rival fans talking, Chelsea continue to bend everyone's understanding of football finance, and we look at how a summer of managerial changes could reshape the title race. We also discuss Crystal Palace's rebuild, Nottingham Forest's ambitious appointment of Oliver Glasner, Brighton's transfer business and why this season feels more open than it has in years. As always, plenty of opinions, disagreements and a few rants along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
June 3 · 56 min
Andoni Iraola Takes Liverpool Job | Tommy Tuchel's World Cup Chances | Is the Arsenal Hatred Perfomative?
This week we dive into Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat, why so many rival fans seemed to enjoy it, and whether the reaction says more about modern football culture than Arsenal themselves. We also celebrate Crystal Palace’s European triumph, discuss the importance of coaching and club culture, and look at what makes managers like Oliver Glasner, Roberto De Zerbi and Andoni Iraola so influential. Plus, thoughts on Thomas Tuchel’s England squad, the future of Liverpool under Iraola, football loyalty, social media tribalism, and why togetherness still matters more than talent alon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 25 · 57 min
West Ham Go Down | Tottenham Stay Up | What Next For I What Next Andoni Iraola
We talk through the emotional aftermath of Tottenham surviving relegation, why the relief from players and fans felt so visceral, and how Roberto De Zerbi instantly changed the mood around the club. We also get into Oliver Glasner’s farewell at Palace, Andoni Iraola’s uncertain future at Bournemouth, Pep Guardiola’s legacy, the strange culture around modern managers, and why the Premier League continues to dominate football financially and culturally. Plus Palace’s European final nerves, West Ham’s collapse, and a genuinely worrying discussion about Prague nightlif Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 22 · 56 min
Tuchel's Mental England Squad | Romero Ditches Spurs | Relegation Day Looms
We talk through the bizarre culture around England squad announcements, why everything gets leaked before a ball is kicked, and whether Thomas Tuchel’s strange selections might actually make sense tactically. We also get into Romero deciding not to attend Spurs’ final game of the season, the anger and confusion around that decision, the chaos left behind after Daniel Levy’s departure, and the horrible feeling surrounding Everton on the final day. Plus Arsenal winning the league, Villa winning Europe, Southampton’s spying scandal, referee conspiracies, and why football increasingly feels driven by narratives rather than the game itself Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 18 · 1 hr 3 min
Alonso to Chelsea | What Do Liverpool Do Next | Tottenham Have It In Their Hands.
This episode we're talking about everything football has become and everything it still gets right. Adam Wharton’s mum becomes an away-end icon, Manchester City can’t fill their end in an FA Cup final, Liverpool fans turn on Arne Slot, and we wonder whether modern football has lost something along the way. There’s Alonso to Chelsea, Scottish football madness, old terrace stories, kids falling in love with the game for the first time, and Spurs somehow stumbling towards safety. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 15 · 50 min
Should Southampton Be Booted? | Why No One Cares About The FA Cup Final | Jamie Vardy's Story
We get into Southampton’s bizarre spying row, the possible fallout for the play-offs and whether one bloke filming behind a tree is worth a £100m risk. There’s also VAR chaos in Scotland, footballers and loyalty, Jamie Vardy’s ridiculous story, the FA Cup final, European scheduling, and the weird sadness of realising your old man might not want to go to the football forever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 11 · 54 min
VAR Has Decided The Title Race | Who Is Going Down? | Villa's Influence On The League
We’re back to talk chaos in the National League, West Ham nearly giving Spurs a favour, the VAR call that may have changed everything, and the strange emotional gymnastics of needing Arsenal to win but still feeling sick when they do. There’s also a row about celebrating in the wrong end, local fans versus global fans, Palace’s European push, Iraola rumours, Ismaila Sarr being ridiculous, and why trying to work out relegation and European permutations is basically impossible after a few pints. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 8 · 50 min
Palace And Villa Make It | Is Europe Damaging The Premier League? | Who's Going Down?
Palace are one game from a European final, Forest get absolutely pumped by Villa, and somehow the Premier League has created a scenario where teams might actually benefit from losing football matches. Completely normal stuff. We get into the madness of European qualification, whether English clubs are now too powerful for the Europa and Conference League, why Chelsea still look like institutional chaos, and whether Michael Carrick should genuinely get the Manchester United job full time. There’s also relegation maths, Glasner chat, anti-Arsenal agendas, playoff football, awful hangovers, and a very important discussion about accents, intros, and the correct amount of lager a human body can realistically process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 5 · 1 hr 4 min
Arsenal's To Lose | There's Something Wrong at Villa | Forest Celebration Police
We’re back after a bit of a break and there’s a lot to get through. We talk Spurs finally turning up away at Villa and what’s changed under De Zerbi, while Palace fans start dreaming about a European final after a ridiculous semi first leg. There’s also a proper look at the title race, why City don’t feel quite the same, and whether Arsenal have basically got it done. We get into Villa’s weird vibe, Forest fans celebrating early, and why football always finds a way to humble you. There’s chat about relegation nerves, what it actually feels like when it matters, and why those moments hit different. Plus loads of tangents. World Cup apathy, ownership and money in football, Championship chat, Hearts chasing history, and somehow a story involving a goal celebration and zero dignity. Standard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
April 27 · 58 min
City's Empty Seats | Tottenham Are ACL FC | National League Chaos Is Still Undefeated
We start with Spurs winning a game but somehow still end up asking what’s actually going on, after yet another serious injury adds to a worrying pattern. From there it spirals into a wider chat about football itself. Playing to the whistle, diving, VAR, and whether the game is slowly losing what made it great in the first place. We get into Wembley fatigue, ticket prices, games abroad, and why it feels like fans are being stretched more than ever. There’s also chaos from the lower leagues, European competitions, and some genuinely mad moments that remind you why you fell in love with football in the first place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
April 23 · 50 min
Who Is To Blame At Chelsea? | Fabulous Frank Lampard | World Cup Songs
We start with the chaos at Chelsea after Liam Rosenior’s exit and ask who is really to blame. We get into the financial mess, the ownership model, the sporting directors, the long contracts, and why none of it seems to point towards an actual football vision. Then we drift into social media misery, World Cup songs, shark chat, Arsenal podcasters, and the usual nonsense from the questions. A proper wander, but a good one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
April 20 · 55 min
Advantage Man City & World Class Cherki | Tottenham Staying Up | Leicester Going Down
Dan’s back from Florence and feeling human again, so naturally we get into European away days, football getting in the way of drinking, and why Spurs are absolutely definitely probably staying up. We also chat Arsenal and City, Cherki being outrageously good, Moyes quietly doing a brilliant job, Chelsea being a mess, and somehow end up discussing prison cellmates, Deep Blue Sea and why talking about curtain linings during a late Spurs collapse should be a criminal offence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
April 13 · 51 min
Arsenal wobble | City surge | Spurs sink deeper
We get into a mad weekend of football, from Spurs losing again at Sunderland and edging closer to relegation, to Arsenal wobbling under pressure and Man City suddenly looking like Man City again. There’s chat about Romero’s injury, the psychology of title races, why booing your own team helps no one, plus Chelsea’s mess, Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup ban drama, listener questions, and decent chunk on sharks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
April 10 · 51 min
Alls Forgiven For Glasner? | Why VAR Isn't Going Anywhere | Purring PSG
We start with Palace battering Fiorentina and somehow end up in a full blown existential chat about football. Glasner’s leaving, VAR’s ruining everything, PSG remind us what the game can be, and we question why clubs keep voting to keep something nobody seems to like. There’s also hypocrisy, sharks, and a genuinely tricky conversation about what fans do when they disagree with their club. Standard really. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
April 6 · 58 min
Chelsea Players Showing Disrespect | De Zerbi to Save Tottenham | Away Days In The Championship
Dan’s back from Lake Garda and we somehow go from holidays and football burnout to Chelsea players chatting too freely on international duty, Spurs handing Roberto De Zerbi the keys, and whether fans really care about the morals of the game when results start rolling in. We also get stuck into football’s goodies and baddies, relegation nerves, away days in the Championship, childhood football trauma, and a completely necessary amount of shark chat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
March 27 · 46 min
Salah Finally Leaving Liverpool | Rodri Twerking For Real Madrid | Selling Players Is A Super Power
Dan's playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5CsykjycxHhDfWAbSfxNXZ?si=d5btK_oJSGO1idRV0DqzDg&pi=k852UlC2SW2ps We veered all over the place on this one. We got into the fuss around Mo Salah and whether anyone outside Liverpool really cares, talked through Rodri flirting with Real Madrid, had a laugh about Wales crashing out, and somehow ended up deep in sharks, herons, cockerels and funeral songs. Proper international break behaviour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
March 24 · 1 hr
What If Arteta Wins Nothing? | Should Spurs Gamble On Tudor? | The Premier Leagued Sack Race
We start with the most unexpected question possible: what song would we want played at our funeral? From there it spirals nicely into Tottenham’s latest collapse, Palace’s European push, the sack race, Dougie Freedman, bizarre betting stories, bird fights, sharks, giraffes and the general emotional instability that football seems to create in all of us. Basically, another very normal episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
March 19 · 46 min
Champions League Round Up | Being Humbled By Relegation | Chelsea Meme FC
This week we spiral through football tattoos, cursed fan behaviour and the strange clarity that comes with a proper relegation scrap. We chat Spurs showing signs of life, the fan-planned coach welcome before Sunday, Chelsea becoming meme FC under Rossini, and why getting knocked out of the Champions League somehow felt fine. There’s also Palace in Europe, dodgy away-end etiquette, Roy Keane in Saipan, and the usual drift into complete nonsense. Fear, dread, humility and a lot of very stupid chat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices