Jun 18, 2021 · 1 hr 15 min
TS
Sports
The Second Pint Podcast
Sean Melia
This podcast was formerly on The Imperfect Game feed.
If you're interested in the history of European soccer clubs you've come to the right place.
Sean Melia and Both Long pick a club and learn as much as they can about it.
The first season was all about small English clubs.
The second season, coming January 2021, will bring the boys to Italian clubs.
- 20 episodes
- Updated Jun 18, 2021
Episodes20
- TSJun 9, 2021 · 1 hr 37 min
History of the Euros: 1980
The 1980 Euros were not well remembered. The game's were low scoring and not well attended, but we find some silver linings in the clouds. The event expanded in 1980, which helps set the table for future tournaments and the growth of the event. Both Long goes deep on cleats and the tournament ball. We also discuss the insane mascot, the best game, the golden boot winner, and who might have helped their legacy with strong performances.
- TSMay 31, 2021 · 1 hr 3 min
History of the Euros: 1960-1976
In their latest project, Sean and Both dive into the European Championship. This episode is the first in a series looking back at past tournaments: The winners, losers, disappointments, legacies, rising stars, boots, uniforms, and more! In the first episode of this series, the guys look at the first five Euros from 1960-1976. The event was in its infancy with just four teams qualifying for the finals. The quick tournament grew over time, but these first five set the table for what would become the second biggest international soccer tournament in the world.
- TSMar 19, 2021 · 1 hr 1 min
Season 2 Episode 10: F.C. Crotone Calcio
Crotone is one of only 14 teams from Southern Italy to qualify for Serie A. It took almost 100 years to do it, but in 2016, the club with a 10,000 seat stadium and a tiny budget found their way to the top league of Italian football. Crotone is a small city in the southern most region of Italy. The city is poor and trying to find a way to create jobs for its citizens. The football team might not have any big stars, but it’s full of stories and is a ray of light for its fans.
- TSMar 12, 2021 · 1 hr 14 min
Season 2 Episode 9: Lazio
We finally head to Rome for a visit to Lazio! Found in 1900, the club has plenty of great stories and characters. We go way back to discuss heroes like Silvio Piola, who is the all-time leading scorer in Italian top league calcio. The 1974 Scudetto winning squad was a team of individuals that met an incredible amount of tragedy in the following years punctuated by the death of a player and the manager. Giorgio Chinaglia might be one of the most fascinating player's we have learned about during this entire project, a man that fought with everyone, including is NY Cosmos teammate, Pele!
- TSFeb 26, 2021 · 1 hr 1 min
Season 2 Episode 8: Parma Calcio 1913
This week we head to Parma and learn about a club that has had a number of rebirths in its history. Most notably, the club crawled out of the depths of Serie D this decade, which is an astounding accomplishment. To be a fan of Parma is to be tortured, but they also have European glory to remember and wish for again.
- TSFeb 19, 2021 · 1 hr 10 min
Season 2 Episode 7: AC Milan
AC Milan is one of the greatest clubs in world club football. They have collected trophies throughout much of their history while also experiencing heartbreak on the field, too. While some stars like Ronaldo and Beckham have donned the red and black, the club’s biggest heroes are ones that played at the San Siro for decades like Paolo Maldini and his father Cesare. It’s incredible that the San Siro is home to both AC and Inter Milan, there probably aren’t two more successful tenants in any stadium in the world. Recently, the club has struggled to find success after Silvio Berlusconi stepped away from the club but there are rays of hope poking through the clouds.
- TSFeb 12, 2021 · 1 hr 18 min
Season 2 Episode 6: ACF Fiorentina
Florence is a cultural center, not just for Italy but for the world. For all it’s importance, Florence is also a relatively small city and Fiorentina is its only soccer club. The club has experienced a few rebirths over its history. One by force of hand by a new owner in 1980 and another through bankruptcy in 2002, which led to the their crest becoming the most expensive logo in European football. Their trophy case is anything but bare, and they found the most success in the 1950s and 60s. There is no shortage of history, great characters, and cameos through the years at Fiorentina.
- TSFeb 5, 2021 · 1 hr 1 min
Season 2 Episode 5: Cagliari Calcio
Cagliari is a club based on the island of Sardinia, one of the healthiest places in all the world. The club was founded in 1920 and reached great heights in 1970 when it won it’s first and only scudetto. It remains the only club from one of the Italian islands to win Serie A. The club seems to be a siren song for many, as managers and players would leave only to return. We hope you enjoy listening to stories about Gigi Riva and the history of Cagliari Calcio.
- TSJan 29, 2021 · 1 hr 6 min
Season 2 Ep. 4: U.C. Sampdoria
Born from two Genoese clubs - Sampierdarenese and Andrea Doria - Sampdoria was formed in 1946. The name, crest, uniform, and club colors depict the combination of two clubs. We dive into the history of the club, the heroes and villains, highs and lows. However, the cameos are certainly a highlight, including the son of Muammar Gaddafi who had a cup of coffee in European football. The club reached the highs of European football in the late 80s and early 90, culminating in a 1992 Champions League final appearance against Barcelona at Wembley Stadium.
- TSJan 22, 2021 · 52 min
Season 2 Ep. 3: U.S. Sassoulo Calcio
Sassoulo is the only club in Italy that has been in every division, from Serie A to Serie D. It started as an amateur club and remained that way for the first 50 years of it’s existence. They didn’t climb out of Serie D for good until 1998. The tiny club is also one of six clubs to play in Serie A that isn’t from a provincial capitol city. In short, this club is the little engine that could. It’s a remarkable story. Join Both and me as we discuss the history of the club.
- TSJan 15, 2021 · 1 hr 33 min
Season 2 Ep. 2: S.S.C. Napoli
Many would say the city of Naples is the black sheep of Italian cities. Their soccer club has had an amazing history. When Maradona arrived in the mid-80s the club became the center of the soccer universe, and their success matched the attention they garnered. Their fans are rampant and their club has been resurrected in the last decade after a tough stretch. Both and I cover the history of the club: their heroes, villains,The stadium DJ, the high-points, low-points, trophies, close-calls, and the most impressive cameo appearances by the stars of the sport. A quick note about the timing of this episode. We recorded it before Maradona passed away in late November. Both and I took 10 minutes to discuss his passing. You can find it at the end of the episode.
- TSJan 8, 2021 · 1 hr 18 min
Season 2 Ep. 1: Juventus F.C.
The club everyone loves to hate. Join us as we dive into the history of Juventus. The Old Lady has quite a story to tell. We discuss the nearly 100 year Angelli ownership, the trophies, the gold stars, the scandals, the heroes, the villains, the club cameos by players and managers, the close calls, and what could have beens. If you're going to start in Italy, it makes sense to start with Juventus.
- TSDec 1, 2020 · 1 hr 13 min
Hero and Villain: West Ham United
Original Date: April 1, 2020 West Ham United had three players on the pitch for the 1966 World Cup Final. Those three players were responsible for all four goals. Bobby Moore captained that team and his 16 years at West Ham United earned him legend status. He's described as a "National Treasure" and "Imperial Defender" on a statue outside of Wembley where he won three different trophies in three successive years. The man was a force and the topic of our hero portion of this episode. On the villain end of things, Both outlines the role that ownership has played in the last decade at West Ham: a new stadium, poor results, and pissed off fans. Two adult entertainment moguls, David Gold and David Sullivan, have not covered themselves in glory as local owners. On the cusp of relegation, these two men are villains at West Ham.
- TSDec 1, 2020 · 1 hr 24 min
Hero and Villain: Leicester City
Leicester City has plenty of heroes, especially in the recent history of the club following their miraculous Premier League title in 2016. A quiet French midfielder, whose experience matches the development of the club during the 2010s was Both's choice as a hero. Sean's choice for an lCFC villain was a 35-year-old hothead that was sacked by the club for punching a teammate. He sued Leicester City for 2.3 million pounds while the club was circling the financial drain and heading for administration.
- TSDec 1, 2020 · 1 hr 4 min
Hero and Villain: Crystal Palace
We had to push ourselves this week to track down a worthy hero and villain for Crystal Palace F.C. The little brother of London football clubs has a villain just south of it along the English coast. It all started with some dolphins, a penalty kick, a cup of coffee, and some spare change in 1976. The bad blood has existed ever since between Crystal Palace and Brighton. The Eagles have existed in a world of "what ifs." Their trophy case is rather empty, but a young manage, Steve Coppell r in the 1980s pushed them to the brink of FA Cup glory along with their highest final in top flight football. The Eagles did win a trophy in 1991 and were founding members of the Premier League in 1992. Their manager at the time was the reason, and he's the hero in this week's episode. Follow Sean at StayHomeHusband on Instagram and BostonHomer on Twitter Follow Both at Bothylong on IG BothyLong on Twitter
- TSDec 1, 2020 · 1 hr 12 min
Hero and Villain: Everton F.C.
Original Date: April 23, 2020 on The Imperfect Game Podcast There were too many heroes to only choose one for this podcast, so Both built a team of Everton Avengers, led by 1980s manager Howard Kendall BUT not 1930s superstar Dixie Dean. Howard Kendall lead Everton to numerous trophies, including the Cup Winners Cup and the greatest night in Goodison Park history when they defeated Bayern Munich in the semi-final. On the flip side, Martin Atkinson, a referee not afraid to flash a card, draws a lot of ire from Everton fans for an incredible amount of bad calls and indiscretions. His name came up a lot in Sean's search for an Everton villain. However, when an 18 year-old generational talent asks for a transfer and then enjoys incredible success at Manchester United, only to return when his tank was empty at age 32 and then leave a second time for D.C. United, you have to make him the club's villain. Wayne Rooney grew up an Everton fan, signed with them at age 9, scored boatloads of goals in the junior ranks, and then left just as Everton were coming on hard times. Follow Sean at StayHomeHusband on Instagram and BostonHomer on Twitter Follow Both at Bothylong on IG BothyLong on Twitter
- TSDec 1, 2020 · 1 hr 8 min
Hero and Villain: Sheffield Wednesday
Ownership in English football can prove to be quite the siren song for certain people. Some are seduced by it and win trophies, others drive clubs into the ground, call the fans nasty names, and take no responsibility. Dave Allen at Sheffield Wednesday was the latter, he took over the Owls in 2000 and the teams have not seen the light of the Premier League. His four years set the tone for two decades of despair. Cult heroes in football come along more often than we think, but Sheffield Wednesday has a special place in their heart for David Hirst, the uber-talented, goal scoring, champagne swigging legend striker. He was a big part of Wednesday's best stretch of football in two generations when he played, winning a League Cup, finishing third England's top flight, and qualifying for Europe. Follow Sean at StayHomeHusband on Instagram and BostonHomer on Twitter Follow Both at Bothylong on IG BothyLong on Twitter
- TSDec 1, 2020 · 1 hr 10 min
Hero and Villain: Blackburn Rovers
Original Date: May 21, 2020 on The Imperfect Game Podcast The fiercest rivalries in sports all include fans waiting outside locker rooms with carving knives, right? How about fans refusing to have their child born in a hospital in the rival city? Or former players being protected in jail by their ravenous fans? Welcome to the East Lancashire Derby between Blackburn and Burnley. Two cities that despise each other and have no problem showing it. On the hero side of things, Alan Shearer is the greatest striker to play in England's Premier League. His goal scoring record is nearly untouchable, and his stint with Blackburn in the early and mid-90s will never be forgotten. He delivered the first top flight trophy to the club in 81 years. Visit The Imperfect Game Links: East Lancashire derby: Welcome to hell - Independent.co.uk More Than A Game: Blackburn vs. Burnley - FourFourTwo Baying for Claret: Blackburn and Burnley's Bitter Local Rivalry - Vice.com The sporting read: Blackburn-Burnley rivalry — enmity that runs deeper than simple geography - TheNational.ae Videos: Alan Shearer talks about chicken & beans Le Pod | Matt Le Tissier discusses a young Alan Shearer Alan Shearer Hat-Trick - Southampton vs Arsenal (1988) Alan Shearer interviewed after Blackburn were crowned Premier League champions
- TSDec 1, 2020 · 1 hr 16 min
Hero and Villain: Southampton
There's nothing like geographical hate among cities. Southampton and Portsmouth view themselves on two ends of the spectrum; however, they both label those spectrums differently. Southhampton sees Portsmouth as a loathsome place with fishermen who enjoy fish... and they might enjoy them a little bit too much. Portsmouth is a tough, fighting Navy town, and they think Southhampton is made up of yuppies enjoying their yachts and big ships. It's led to a long, hateful rivalry between two soccer clubs, but it's hard to find on pitch hatred that mirrors the hatred between the citizens of each city. . . Matthew Le Tissier, nicknamed "Le God", was a graceful midfielder who spent 16 years with the Saints scoring jaw-dropping goals on the regular and leaving defenders in his wake with his dazzling ball-handling. Some say he was lazy, unwilling to chase back on defense and survive a full-90 minutes on the field. He battled relegation over the course of the 1990s and never succumbed to its gravitational pull, keeping the team in the Premier League on his own some seasons. Follow Sean at StayHomeHusband on Instagram and BostonHomer on Twitter Follow Both at Bothylong on IG BothyLong on Twitter Links: COPA 90 Spotlight // BBC Saints v Pompey Rivalry "Le Pod" Podcast with Le Tissier and Rickie Lambert Le Tissier Goal of the Year 1995 against Blackburn Le Tissier's Greatest Goals