Advertise on podcast: The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered

The Beautiful Game takes a deep dive into Manchester City’s Premier League financial case, the independent commission ruling, City’s appeal, possible sporting sanctions and the potentially enormous compensation claims that could follow. Chris Horwedel walks through the case from its origins, including the financial-reporting allegations, manager and player compensation issues, UEFA compliance, Premier League spending rules and City’s cooperation with investigators. The episode explains what the commission actually found, what City disputes and why the appeal means the final outcome remains unresolved. The show then compares City’s situation with major historical punishments involving Everton, Nottingham Forest, Chelsea, Tottenham, Juventus, Derby County, Portsmouth and others, examining how points deductions, fines, relegation, transfer restrictions and European bans have previously been used. A major section explores potential compensation claims from clubs including Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham, building an aggressive stress scenario that could approach £1.8 billion including illustrative interest, while explaining why there is no fixed legal maximum and why every claimant would still need to prove specific financial harm. Finally, Chris considers what a fair punishment could look like if the central findings survive appeal, why deterrence matters for the Premier League’s credibility and how sanctions must be severe enough that breaking financial rules cannot simply become an acceptable cost of doing business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when you help a club win the first trophy in its women’s team history—and 22 days later, you’re asked to manage the teammates you just celebrated with? In this episode of The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered, Chris Horwedel is joined by Jillian Leiper, player-manager of Alloa Athletic Women, for an in-depth conversation about making that extraordinary transition, building a team culture and developing the next generation of players in Scottish women’s football. Leiper explains how she went from helping Alloa make history as a player to being appointed player-manager less than a month later. She discusses the unique challenge of leading former teammates, balancing coaching responsibilities while still playing and learning how to trust her assistants once she steps onto the pitch. The conversation also explores her coaching background, including nine seasons in the Hearts women and girls pathway and time coaching full-time in Connecticut. Leiper shares her philosophy on developing young players, why resilience and maturity matter alongside talent and why pushing prospects into senior football too quickly can do more harm than good. Leiper also breaks down the identity she wants Alloa to build: high standards, purposeful possession, disciplined defending and a culture where players can enjoy football while continuing to improve. She discusses the club’s growing girls pathway, investment in the women’s program, the importance of player care and the need for greater visibility across the Scottish women’s game. The episode closes with Leiper reflecting on how she measures success beyond the league table, the difficult people-management decisions that coaching courses cannot prepare you for and the unlikely path that took her from kicking a bottle around a school playground to leading Alloa Athletic Women. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luton Town Ladies head coach Dan Bolesta and defender Ruby Heselden join The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered for an in-depth conversation about Luton Town, women’s football, player development, coaching and the realities of competing in the English football pyramid. Chris Horwedel talks with Bolesta about his journey from grassroots and community coaching with MK Dons to taking charge of Luton Town Ladies, the footballing identity he wants to build and why creating the right culture and environment is as important as tactics. Heselden discusses her own development through MK Dons, Northampton Town, West Bromwich Albion and Sporting Khalsa, the challenge of moving from girls’ football into the senior women’s game and why Luton felt like the right next step. She also explains her preferred role as a left-sided centre-back, the importance of regular minutes and how different clubs have shaped her development. The conversation also examines Luton’s start to the season, their breakthrough win over Saltdean United, competing against higher-level opposition and what life in Tier 4 women’s football actually looks like for players balancing training, matches and jobs away from football. Dan and Ruby also discuss the wider future of the women’s game, including funding, facilities, medical and coaching resources, player pathways and the FA’s planned restructuring of the Women’s National League system. They explore the potential impact of WSL academy teams entering Tier 3, opportunities for teenage players to gain senior experience and the challenges independent women’s clubs could face. The episode closes with a look at the growing relationship between Luton Town Ladies and Luton Town FC, what could make the club a destination for ambitious young players and how both Dan and Ruby define success as they try to establish a clear identity and continue pushing the club forward. It’s a wide-ranging conversation about Luton Town Ladies, women’s football development, grassroots coaching, the English women’s football pyramid and what it takes to build a successful team beyond the professional game. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

YouTube content creator Tom Kelsey (TomFM) joins The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered for an in-depth conversation about Football Manager, FM26, Lincoln City, YouTube, and the world behind one of football gaming’s most recognizable channels. Chris Horwedel sits down with Tom to trace the relationship between real-world football and Football Manager that has shaped his life and career. The conversation explores his connection to Lincoln City, the club’s rise through the English football pyramid, and what being involved with the hometown team brings to the way he experiences the sport. Tom also takes Chris inside the growth of TomFM, from discovering Football Manager and creating his earliest YouTube videos to building a successful career around storytelling, long-term saves, experiments and the unpredictability that makes FM such a compelling game. They discuss the realities of becoming a full-time Football Manager YouTuber, creating content for a large online audience, the FM creator landscape, the relationship between Football Manager and real football, FM25, FM26, the MoreTomFM channel, and competing internationally through the FIFAe World Cup featuring Football Manager. It’s a wide-ranging conversation about football fandom, content creation, gaming, and what comes next for Tom Kelsey and TomFM. Follow TomFMYouTube: TomFM More TomFM: MoreTomFM X / Twitter: @TheRealTomFM Instagram: @TheRealTomFM Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2026 summer transfer window reshaped world football, with record spending, blockbuster moves, surprising bargains and high-risk deals across Europe, Major League Soccer and the English football pyramid. In this episode of The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered, Chris Horwedel looks beyond transfer fees and reputation to identify the moves that could have the biggest impact on the coming season. The focus is on tactical fit, production, value, squad needs, and how individual signings could influence title races, promotion battles and the balance of power across major leagues. The episode also explores several transfers carrying significant downside, examining the combination of price, expectations, role, age and underlying performance that can turn an exciting signing into an expensive mistake. From Premier League giants and Champions League contenders to MLS, the Championship and clubs farther down the English pyramid, this is a wide-ranging look at the most fascinating business of the 2026 transfer window — and the deals that could define the season ahead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Todd Smith, author of Relegated: One American’s Pints and Pies Journey from the Top to the Bottom of the English Football World, joins Chris Horwedel on The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered for a conversation about the culture, communities and people that make English football unlike anything else in sports. Smith explains how a lifelong connection to soccer eventually became an ambitious journey through the British football pyramid, taking him beyond the Premier League and into clubs and towns where promotion, relegation and matchday traditions are woven deeply into everyday life. The conversation explores the inspiration behind Relegated, the experience of traveling through English, Scottish and Welsh football as “Todd from America,” and what he discovered about fandom when he stopped watching from a distance and began experiencing the game alongside the people who live it every week. Todd also discusses his life as a writer, the unlikely road that brought the book together, and why the promotion-and-relegation system creates a relationship between clubs and supporters that can be difficult for American sports fans to fully appreciate until they experience it themselves. It’s a conversation about football, travel, storytelling, community, and why some of the sport’s most meaningful stories exist far away from its biggest stadiums. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former Manchester United midfielder and Premier League champion Luke Chadwick joins The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered for a deeply personal conversation about Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson, Roy Keane, Cambridge United, mental health, the Football Fun Factory, and his autobiography, Not Just a Pretty Face: The Luke Chadwick Story. Chadwick retraces a football journey that took him from a small village in Cambridgeshire to Manchester United, where he broke into one of the greatest teams in English football history. Luke explains how a Manchester United scout discovered him playing against an Essex Schools side featuring John Terry and Bobby Zamora, what it was like leaving home at 16, and why his loan spell with Royal Antwerp became such an important part of his development. He also shares revealing stories about Roy Keane, including the demanding standards Keane enforced in training and the surprisingly thoughtful way the United captain looked after young players away from the pitch. The conversation also explores the painful media attention Chadwick received over his appearance as a young Manchester United player, the anxiety and loss of confidence it caused, and why he now speaks so openly about mental health, vulnerability and the importance of asking for help. Luke then reflects on fulfilling a childhood dream by playing for Cambridge United, scoring at the Abbey Stadium, facing Manchester United in the FA Cup, and writing Not Just a Pretty Face with Matthew Mann. He also discusses his work with the Football Fun Factory, why fun should come before player development in youth football, and his role mentoring professional players, including England and Bayern Munich star Georgia Stanway. It’s a candid look at Manchester United, professional football, confidence, identity, youth development and rediscovering the joy of the game through the remarkable career and life of Luke Chadwick. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered, Chris Horwedel sits down with Tom Cliffe, lifelong Northampton Town FC supporter, elected supporter representative on the club’s Board of Directors, chairman of the Fan Advisory Board and longtime matchday volunteer at Sixfields Stadium, for an in-depth conversation about the past, present and future of the Cobblers. Tom shares how his relationship with Northampton Town began as a five-year-old attending matches with his father at the old County Ground and grew into a lifelong commitment that now spans generations of his family. He explains how an ordinary supporter eventually became an elected club director and what he learned after seeing how decisions involving transfers, wages, managers, infrastructure and long-term planning are actually made behind the scenes. The conversation explores one of the biggest challenges in modern lower-league football: balancing the ambitions of supporters with the financial realities facing EFL clubs. Tom discusses escalating player wages, transfer fees, owner investment, Northampton Town’s recent financial losses, ticket-price decisions and why protecting the club’s long-term sustainability sometimes requires choices supporters may not immediately embrace. Chris and Tom also examine Northampton’s difficult relegation season, the appointment of Chris Hogg, the club’s rebuilding process in League Two and what success could look like as a new squad attempts to restore confidence and compete near the top of the division. With potential new investment surrounding Northampton Town, Tom discusses what he can about the process while respecting his confidentiality obligations, why future investment could be important and why supporter representation and community involvement must remain central regardless of who ultimately controls the club. The episode also takes a deep look at the role of Northampton Town’s Fan Advisory Board, how supporter feedback influences decisions involving ticketing, matchday programs, accessibility and stadium improvements, and why fan representation needs to include everyone from lifelong season-ticket holders to international Cobblers supporters. Away from football, Tom tells the story of Track, the social enterprise he founded to help autistic and neurodivergent people move into employment. After seeing how traditional education and recruitment systems created unnecessary barriers, Track has helped more than 200 people find work while providing autism training to organizations ranging from major global companies to local employers. That work also connects directly to Northampton Town. Tom discusses the club’s efforts to improve disability and autism accessibility, including sensory information, accessibility passports, supporter consultation and the creation of a Disability Supporters Association. The conversation closes with what it truly means to be a Northampton Town supporter, the club’s remarkable rise from the Fourth Division to England’s top flight during the 1960s, the unforgettable League Cup victory over Liverpool at Anfield and the resilience that has defined generations of Cobblers fans. It’s a wide-ranging discussion about Northampton Town FC, supporter representation, EFL finances, football ownership and investment, League Two, fan culture, autism inclusion, accessibility and why a football club can become an inseparable part of its community and supporters’ lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered, Chris Horwedel is joined by Bernard Vere of Clapton Community FC to tell the remarkable story of one of English football’s most distinctive supporter-owned clubs. Clapton Community FC was founded in 2018 after supporters of Clapton FC became increasingly frustrated with how their club was being run. After attempts to gain a meaningful voice and two separate home-match boycotts, supporters decided to create something of their own: a football club built around one member, one vote, democratic decision-making, affordability and community ownership. Bernard explains how CCFC operates without traditional ownership or a conventional board structure, instead using member-led committees to run virtually every part of the club. He discusses the advantages and challenges of running a football club democratically, how more than 1,500 members across 30 countries can participate and why the club remains almost entirely volunteer-run. The conversation explores CCFC’s commitment to making football accessible through its pay-what-you-can admission system, equal support for its men’s and women’s teams and an explicitly inclusive philosophy built around opposing racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and fascism. Bernard also explains the club’s approach to accountability, restorative justice and its response to the FA’s restrictions on trans players in women’s football. Chris and Bernard dive into the story behind Clapton’s famous Spanish Republic-inspired away shirt, which became an international symbol of anti-fascism and sold tens of thousands of copies around the world. Its unexpected success helped CCFC secure the Old Spotted Dog, London’s oldest continuously used senior football ground, bringing supporters back to a stadium they once believed they might never call home again. They also discuss the separate charitable trust that operates the Old Spotted Dog for community benefit, CCFC’s rapid rise through the English football pyramid, crowds exceeding 2,000, the club’s first appearance in the FA Cup, and the difficult question of how far a supporter-run amateur club can climb without compromising the principles that made it special. Bernard also shares his perspective as an art historian on football, politics and visual culture, explains why politics has always been inseparable from the sport and discusses what traditional football clubs can learn from CCFC’s alternative model. It’s an in-depth conversation about fan ownership, affordable football, football culture, community, politics and what it actually means for supporters to say a football club belongs to them. Find out more about Clapton Community FC at https://www.claptoncfc.co.uk/ Here's the picture Bernard references in the show of the overgrown ground. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered, Chris Horwedel sits down with Louis Jones, founder of Surprise Shirts, to explore how a teenage football-shirt obsession became a seven-figure global business. Louis shares how he launched Surprise Shirts at 16. He explains how the company grew from Twitter DMs, Depop and a dining-room table into a mystery football shirt business carrying more than 11,000 authentic jerseys. The conversation covers building the company alongside his father, scaling a family business and using technology to match supporters with the perfect surprise shirt. Chris and Louis unpack what makes mystery football shirt boxes so addictive, how Surprise Shirts verifies authenticity and why its model offers fans an alternative to counterfeit football kits. Louis also explains how one shirt can introduce a supporter to a club on the other side of the world. The discussion turns to football shirt culture and collecting, including the greatest kits ever made, the best shirts from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, iconic sponsor combinations, overrated classics and Louis’s ultimate Coventry City grail. He also reflects on Coventry City’s return to the Premier League, the club’s controversial new home kit, widening financial gaps across English football and the future of EFL clubs. Finally, Chris and Louis assess England’s 2026 World Cup campaign under Thomas Tuchel, the roles of Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, and which World Cup jerseys could become future collectors’ items. Whether you collect soccer jerseys, love football kit design, follow Coventry City or want the inside story of a fast-growing football business, this episode offers a fascinating look at the shirts, clubs and communities connecting the global game. Follow Surprise Shirts: Website: https://surpriseshirts.co.uk Instagram: @surprise_shirts — https://instagram.com/surprise_shirts X: @SurpriseShirts — https://x.com/SurpriseShirts TikTok: @SurpriseShirts — https://tiktok.com/@surpriseshirts Facebook: Surprise Football Shirts — https://facebook.com/SurpriseFootballShirts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered, Chris Horwedel sits down with Cardiff Met Football Club general manager Nick Vanderpump for an in-depth conversation about the club’s evolution, its place within Welsh football and its ambition to become the leading destination for dual-career footballers. Vanderpump begins by discussing his lifelong connection to football, his academic background in sports science and sports psychology, and the lessons he learned working with wounded, injured and sick military veterans through Help for Heroes. He also reflects on his time with Bath Rugby and explains why the opportunity to help shape Cardiff Met convinced him to move into football management. The conversation explores what a general manager actually does at a semi-professional club, from player registrations, transportation and commercial planning to matchday safety, ticketing and supporter experience. Vanderpump explains how his role allows Cardiff Met’s players and coaches to concentrate on their work on the pitch while he manages the many operational demands behind the scenes. A major focus is Cardiff Met’s transition from a traditional university team into a contracted semi-professional football club. Vanderpump discusses how the club can continue improving without losing the student pathway that makes it unique. He outlines Cardiff Met’s dual-career model, which allows talented players to pursue higher education while competing at a high level and potentially progressing into professional football. Chris and Nick also examine the financial realities of operating the club, including university investment, commercial partnerships, the creation of an experienced new board and Cardiff Met’s five-year development plan. Vanderpump explains the value the football program provides through student recruitment, brand exposure and practical opportunities in coaching, performance analysis, sports media, strength and conditioning, and club management. On the pitch, the discussion covers the men’s difficult previous season, the expansion of the Cymru Premier, the move toward Friday night matches, Cardiff Met’s ambition to return to European competition and the academy’s qualification for the UEFA Youth League. The women’s program receives extensive attention following its promotion back to the Adran Premier. Vanderpump shares the story behind Earn the Right, the student-produced documentary chronicling the team’s season, and explains how Cardiff Met supports injured players physically and psychologically. The episode also addresses attendance growth, planned matchday improvements, Cardiff Met’s 1957 identity, the overall health of Welsh domestic football and why developing players who move into the professional game should be viewed as a program success. The interview closes with a wider conversation about Wales, the expanded World Cup and Spain’s championship before Vanderpump defines Cardiff Met’s long-term goal: becoming internationally recognized as the home of dual-career football. Watch Earn the Right: A Cardiff Met WFC Documentary on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From making her senior debut for Wrexham at just 16 years old to beginning a new chapter as a player-coach, Chloe Ankers is building one of the most fascinating young careers in Welsh women’s football. On Episode 4 of The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered, Chris Horwedel sits down with the new Wrexham Foresters goalkeeper and coach for an in-depth conversation about her football journey, the evolution of Wrexham AFC Women and her ambitions on both sides of the touchline. Chloe reflects on her memorable Wrexham debut against Cardiff Met, where she kept a clean sheet in a historic 3–0 victory, and discusses the patience required to develop behind experienced goalkeepers. She also takes listeners inside Wrexham’s run to the 2025 Hong Kong Soccer Sevens final, where she recorded four clean sheets and was named the Women’s Player of the Tournament. The conversation explores how goalkeeping is changing, including the importance of playing with the ball at your feet, aggressive sweeping, positioning and decision-making. Chloe also explains why she became interested in coaching at such a young age, the influence of Del Morgan and whether her long-term future lies in goalkeeper coaching, broader first-team coaching or continuing to combine both roles. Chris and Chloe also discuss her decision to temporarily step away from playing, what brought her back, and why the opportunity to join newly promoted Wrexham Foresters as a player-coach was the right next step. Plus, Chloe shares her perspective on the growth of the Adran Premier, Wrexham’s ambition to become fully professional, the importance of The Rock as a permanent home for Wrexham AFC Women and the challenges players face while balancing football with university, work and life away from the pitch. How far can Chloe Ankers go as a player and coach—and what could the future hold for Welsh women’s football? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered, Chris Horwedel talks with Jack Worswick of Last Word on Sports about one of the wildest collapses in modern English football: Leicester City’s fall from Premier League champions to League One. Jack explains his background as a Leicester supporter and writer, and how difficult it has become to cover the club analytically while also having an emotional connection to it. The conversation frames Leicester’s journey through the impossible 2015-16 Premier League title, the FA Cup win, European nights, and a Champions League quarterfinal run — followed by relegations, financial problems, supporter frustration, and a toxic atmosphere around the club. Chris and Jack dig into how Leicester’s miracle success changed expectations and pushed the club into a different transfer market. Jack points to the summer of 2021 as a major turning point, when Leicester stopped selling one key player per year and instead spent heavily on players like Patson Daka, Boubakary Soumaré, Jannik Vestergaard, and Ryan Bertrand. Those moves failed to deliver the next step, and without Champions League revenue, the financial damage began to stack up. The episode also breaks down Leicester’s recruitment issues, including overpaying for the wrong profiles, failing to sell players at the right time, losing players for free, and carrying Premier League-level wages into the Championship and now League One. Harry Winks, Wout Faes, Jannik Vestergaard, Oliver Skipp, Jordan Ayew, and others come up as examples of the kinds of squad-building decisions that have frustrated fans. A major focus is Leicester’s relegation to League One. Jack says the 6-point deduction hurt, but supporters see the bigger issue as years of mismanagement, poor recruitment, coaching instability, a fractured squad, and players who lacked the fight needed for a Championship survival battle. The disconnect between fans, players, and ownership is described as one of the biggest changes from the title-winning era. Chris and Jack also discuss the managerial picture, including the failed Steve Cooper appointment, Gary Rowett’s short spell, instability around Marti Cifuentes, and the arrival of Russell Martin. Martin is viewed as ambitious but divisive, with questions about whether his possession-heavy style can work in League One’s more physical, set-piece-driven environment. Looking ahead, Jack says Leicester’s priorities are clear: trim the wage bill, move on players who do not want to be there, bring in proven League One performers, find a reliable striker, and rebuild trust with supporters. He says anything short of winning League One would feel like a disappointment, given the size of the club and the danger of staying down. The episode also looks at key players and prospects, including Harry Souttar as a possible Wrexham target, Abdul Fatawu’s likely departure, Jeremy Monga’s move to Manchester City, Ben Nelson’s future, and academy names like Louis Page, Sammy Braybrooke, Jake Evans, Badia Luko, and Lorenz Hutchinson. Jack stresses that Leicester’s young players could be vital both on the pitch and as future transfer assets. Chris and Jack also touch on the 2026 World Cup, including England’s win over Mexico, the controversy around FIFA reversing Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension, and how strange it feels for Leicester fans to watch the World Cup while preparing for life in League One. The episode closes by asking whether Leicester is now a cautionary tale for ambitious clubs outside the Premier League’s biggest financial powers. Jack argues that Leicester’s aggressive push toward the Champions League, failed spending, and financial pressure show how thin the margin is for clubs trying to break into the elite. Ultimately, the conversation captures Leicester City’s rise, collapse, and uncertain rebuild — and why this League One season could define the club’s future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered, Chris Horwedel sits down with Warshan Hussin of Soccer Without Borders for a powerful conversation about soccer, refugee identity, community, trauma, belonging, and the life-changing impact of the beautiful game. Warshan shares his journey from Iraq to the United States after his family was forced to flee when his father was kidnapped and tortured by Al-Qaeda. After spending several years in Syria, Warshan arrived in Baltimore as a young refugee trying to learn a new language, adapt to a new school system, and understand where he fit in. He explains how Soccer Without Borders became much more than a soccer program — it became a family, a safe place, and the first space where he felt like he could breathe, connect, and simply be a kid again. The conversation explores how Soccer Without Borders uses soccer as a tool for mentorship, education, emotional support, and community-building for immigrant and refugee youth. Warshan talks about the challenges newcomer families face, from navigating school and bills to building a life in a country where parents and children are often learning the system at the same time. He also explains how SWB coaches provided the kind of support, guidance, and cultural understanding that helped keep him and many others on the right path. Warshan reflects on becoming a team captain, high school standout, Maryland Player of the Week, college player at Stevenson, coach, staff member, and eventually a member of the Soccer Without Borders Board of Directors. He opens up about the injury that ended his playing path, the difficult period that followed, and how returning to Soccer Without Borders as a coach helped him rediscover purpose by mentoring kids who reminded him of himself. Chris and Warshan also discuss racism, discrimination, the immigrant experience in America, the power of representation in coaching, and what it means for former participants to return and lead the next generation. Warshan explains why alumni coaches can read the room differently, build trust quickly, and help newcomer youth believe that they can dream beyond survival. The episode also touches on the World Cup, Iraq’s emotional return to the tournament, the meaning of national anthems, Kylian Mbappé’s historic scoring pace, and why soccer carries such deep cultural importance for nations and communities around the world. Warshan closes by sharing what Soccer Without Borders needs most: support, awareness, volunteers, donations, and people willing to recognize the humanity and potential of every young person who walks through the door. For more information, check out the Soccer Without Borders website at: https://www.soccerwithoutborders.org/ And if you're interested, consider making a donation: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/soccerwithoutborders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered, Chris Horwedel is joined by The New Saints chairman Mike Harris for a wide-ranging conversation about one of the most successful and debated clubs in Welsh football. The interview centers on TNS’s rise from domestic powerhouse to European regular, beginning with Harris’ documentary, The New Saints: The Road to Europe — The Mike Harris Story, and how it captures both the club’s ambitions and Harris’ personal role in building the project. Chris and Mike discuss the origins of TNS, Harris’ background as an entrepreneur, the sale of Total Network Solutions to BT, and the mindset that has driven him to professionalize a club operating inside the Cymru Premier. The conversation also explores what makes TNS so dominant, from financial investment and recruitment to structure, standards, staff, and the day-to-day professionalism behind the scenes. Harris is asked about Craig Harrison’s success as manager, the club’s player profile, the challenges of recruiting to the Cymru Premier, and how TNS keeps pushing itself domestically while chasing bigger nights in Europe. Chris and Mike also dig into the club’s historic Conference League run, Park Hall’s long-term stadium ambitions, UEFA Category 4 requirements, and whether the club can become a regular league-phase European side. The interview goes deeper into the bigger identity questions around TNS: whether they are the best club in Wales, whether they would ever consider entering the English pyramid, and how the club balances its Oswestry and Llansantffraid roots. The episode closes with a look at the future of Welsh domestic football, TNS’s role in raising standards, the club’s attendance challenges, Mike Harris’ wider football ambitions, and what his legacy at the club may ultimately look like. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.