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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. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Diego Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ shirt has sold for over £7million – and in the process has made former England midfielder Steve Hodge incredibly rich. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jorginho was Chelsea’s star penalty taker. But recently he hasn’t been able to convert. What happened to the penalty king? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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. 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.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.