TSFFS S3 EP19

On this week's show, our studio guest is Burscough chairman Jay Hawkes.

We talk about Burscough and the remarkable season they've embarked upon with Phil Stafford at the helm, as well as next week's game against his former club, AFC Liverpool, which has an extra edge to it.

We take a look at the FA Vase, the NWCFL and all the local clubs playing higher up the non-league ladder.

We look at violence on the pitch following the hospitalisation of a player from Midhurst and Easebourne Community, as well as the level of abuse players have to put up with at the lower levels. Is it time leagues introduced "Crowd Assessors"? We have referee assessors, so why not? Can leagues stretch to sending people out to assess crowds, particularly those that have developed a reputation for poor behaviour, and those that engage in tragedy chanting?

We take a close look at Bury FC and their manager, Anthony Johnson. His recent post-match interview gave great insight into the complexities of football management and made so much sense. He clearly wants supporters to understand, and doesn't apologise for having a little rant. But is he right? We think he is.

We continue with other controversial issues, such as Gateshead's delayed takeover and Morecambe's signing embargo.

And Dave Challinor is living proof that perseverance in management at non-league level truly can be a stepping stone to bigger things. He's landed the top job at sleeping giants Sheffield Wednesday.

We round off the show with a look at the Liverpool Premier League and Skelmersdale United, before giving out predictions for the week ahead, as well as our usual expert analysis.

All this and more.

TSFFS S3 E17

In the pre-show show, Frank revealed that he now identifies as grass…the green, green grass of ganja variety, as he's passively inhaled far too much for his own health. There's a subliminal message in his revelation.

AJ didn't help, as he turned up late with a new hair rinse more dangerous to the eye than looking directly at a solar eclipse. Studio guest Richard Brodie isn't sure if it's a good idea to have him in the dugout this weekend, but with the dark nights closing in, it was agreed that he might be a good substitute for floodlights should it get too dark at Edgehill!

We start the show with our usual round-up of non-league football in the North West. We also take a look at Marine's success in the FA Cup after beating Hartlepool 2-0. They will now face Bradford City at Valley Parade in the First Round Proper.

It's the funny season when chairmen get a little bit twitchy and managers lose their jobs. Normally, when this happens, it's down to results, but at Southport the narrative is a little bit different, as Mark Duffy's tenure came to an abrupt end following revelations that his X account had allegedly expressed support for far-right figure Tommy Robinson. The question is: can you ever be forgiven in these circumstances, and is this the end of the line for his career in football management?

We also take a look at illegal approaches, following alleged revelations that Darragh MacAnthony, the chairman of Peterborough United, approached Robbie Savage before he formally approached Dale Vince at Forest Green Rovers. We pose the question: is the seven-day notice of approach, particularly at our level, an antiquated ruling, given the fact that players and managers often tout themselves anyway?

We also touch on the subject of overseas sports investment brokers who try to set up billionaires with football clubs. It happened to Skelmersdale United once upon a time. Which clubs do you think would benefit from investment that could propel them into the big time? How about Bury for starters?

We finish the episode by looking at the Liverpool Premier League, Skelmersdale United's big win over City of Liverpool, and all the other results around the league. We continue with our usual predictions and expert analysis of the NWCFL.

And to give the show greater gravitas, we get a bird's-eye perspective from "The Gate Crasher, Richard Brodie" as he gives his thoughts as an ex-professional footballer turned manager.

All this and more.