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Playmaker

Tortoise Media

The Playmaker from Tortoise - one story every day to make sense of the beautiful game. 


Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture.


If you want more slow and considered journalism, you can become a member of Tortoise and get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join us at events in our newsroom, in person and online. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/friend and use the code Chloe50 for membership for just £50 per year.

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  • 20 episodes
  • Avg 6 min
  • English

Episodes 20

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  • S1 · E190
    May 20, 2022 · 7 min

    Ep 190: End of season review - part two

    Chloe Beresford and Andrew Butler continue to reflect on the 2021/2022 season. In this final episode of the Playmaker they discuss club ownership, diversity in football and the overall state of English football.

  • S1 · E189
    May 19, 2022 · 7 min

    Ep 189: End of season review - part one

    Chloe Beresford and Andrew Butler reflect on the 2021/2022 season. In part one they discuss the return of fans to stadiums after Covid restrictions, preparations for the Qatar World Cup and the state of the women's game.

  • S1 · E188
    May 18, 2022 · 6 min

    Ep 188: A day of great importance

    17-year-old Jake Daniels has become the first male footballer in the UK to come out as gay in 32 years. So how has the journey to get here taken so long?

  • S1 · E187
    May 17, 2022 · 5 min

    Ep 187: Milan’s glory days return

    Seven years ago, neither of Milan’s clubs made the top four in Italian football. Now, they’re vying for the Serie A title. How have the good times returned to the city?

  • S1 · E186
    May 16, 2022 · 5 min

    Ep 186: The Ewood Express

    Yasir Sufi is the award-winning integration and development manager at Blackburn Rovers. His work is making a huge difference to a town where racial disparities have been a problem for decades. How has he done it?

  • S1 · E184
    May 12, 2022 · 5 min

    Ep 184: The King of Angel City

    Angel City FC sold out its first ever match in the US National Women’s Soccer League. But it aims to be more than just a success on the pitch, thanks to its star-studded backers like tennis veteran Billie-Jean King.

  • S1 · E183
    May 11, 2022 · 5 min

    Ep 183: The Iñaki Williams method

    Athletic Bilbao forward Iñaki Williams has set the standard for playing time in Spain, having played more consecutive matches than any other player in history. What’s his secret?

  • S1 · E182
    May 10, 2022 · 6 min

    Ep 182: The fall of the penalty king

    Jorginho was Chelsea’s star penalty taker. But recently he hasn’t been able to convert. What happened to the penalty king?

  • S1 · E181
    May 9, 2022 · 5 min

    Ep 181: Moustapha Cisse’s extraordinary season

    Football is awash with stories that describe one player’s improbable rise through the ranks to sporting fame. But none quite come close to Moustapha Cisse’s rise.

  • S1 · E180
    May 6, 2022 · 7 min

    Ep 180: The return of Bury FC

    Bury FC have been bought out of administration three years after their league expulsion. But the hard work in starting again has more hurdles than you might think.

  • S1 · E179
    May 5, 2022 · 5 min

    Ep 179: The Misunderstanding of Paul Pogba

    Reports suggest that Paul Pogba will leave Manchester United this summer. He’s often been an unpopular figure at Old Trafford, but has he really been as much of a failure as people say?

  • S1 · E178
    May 4, 2022 · 6 min

    Ep 178: Newcastle’s Mission Possible

    Newcastle looked doomed to almost certain relegation when Eddie Howe took over in November. But in the end they achieved safety with games to spare. How has he done it?

  • S1 · E177
    May 3, 2022 · 9 min

    Ep 177: Football’s crypto bros

    The worlds of football, cryptocurrencies and their associated industries have collided more this season than ever before. What can we expect in the future from these fledgling businesses?

  • S1 · E175
    Apr 27, 2022 · 5 min

    Ep 175: England’s El Clasico

    Manchester City and Liverpool have been dominating the Premier League for the last few years. Is this fixture becoming England’s El Clasico?

  • S1 · E174
    Apr 27, 2022 · 6 min

    Ep 174: Oldham’s long road back

    Unpopular owner Abdullah Lemsagam has seen his club Oldham relegated out of the football league for the first time in their history. Can they find their way back?

  • S1 · E173
    Apr 26, 2022 · 5 min

    Ep 173: Manchester United’s open heart surgery

    Erik Ten Hag will be the Manchester United manager from next season. But if the team needs “open heart surgery,” will he be given the space he needs to complete the job?

  • S1 · E172
    Apr 25, 2022 · 5 min

    Ep 172: Karren Brady kicking down doors

    Karren Brady has paved the way for women in leadership roles in football. But 30 years after she took over at Birmingham City, why are there still only a small percentage of women in roles like hers?

Showing 1–20 of 20 episodes