Football Journeys Podcast

A wonderful chat with Fraser's former teammate Karleigh Osborne. A Brentford legend who, like so many, struggled with his mental health during a playing career that spanned 12 clubs and ended early (at the age of 31) owing to injury. His saviour came in an unlikely source when he became manager of the Brentford Women's team. The lessons he learned from his players, after two promotions, have helped him to become a wise and thoughtful man who is now doing tremendous work as a performance coach and mentor. This series we are partnering with University Campus of Football Business and have recorded episodes at their Media City studios in Salford and at their studio next to Wembley Stadium. This episode was recorded on Zoom out of necessity. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/ You can follow us on our social media @journeyspod on Instagram and Threads and we're still hanging around on X for a while! You might even find us on TikTok too!

Born in Germany to Congolese parents Hervé Pepe-Ngoma didn't speak English when he moved to Leicester aged 8 but one language he did know was football. He was picked up by Leicester City aged 9 and ended his scholarship as the Academy player of the year. But injury in his first year as a pro cost him dearly and he was released at the end of the season.  He has had some dark times with injuries and surgeries but he has found his second true love, whilst playing non league football, DJing. He now visits clubs up and down the country telling his story and encouraging young players to be more than just footballers. This series we are partnering with University Campus of Football Business and have recorded episodes at their Media City studios in Salford and at their studio next to Wembley Stadium.  For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/ You can follow us on our social media @journeyspod on Instagram and Threads and we're still hanging around on X for a while! You might even find us on TikTok too!

Born to a Bajan father who had represented Guyana at cricket it was no surprise that Keith Barker picked up a bat at a young age (he was playing under 13s cricket when he was 6!). But growing up in Manchester, and talented with his feet as well as his hands, his head was turned by football and he signed a scholarship, followed by a pro, with Blackburn Rovers (then an established Premier League side). He went on to play in Belgium with Cercle Brugge, for Rochdale and in Ireland with St Patrick's Athletic, before a stint at Northwich Victoria and his head turned back to cricket. More than 500 first class wickets and 5,000 runs later, he reflects on what both these great sports taught him. This series we are partnering with University Campus of Football Business and have recorded episodes at their Media City studios in Salford and at their studio next to Wembley Stadium. This episode was recorded on Zoom out of necessity. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/ You can follow us on our social media @journeyspod on Instagram and Threads and we're still hanging around on X for a while! You might even find us on TikTok too!

Shadab Itikhar, a lad from Preston, fell in love with the strategy of football as a child playing Football Manager. He has had a determination to coach - "I was made to manage" - and, since turning up at Wigan Athletic's training ground seeking a meeting with Roberto Martinez he has worked with the Spaniard (at Wigan and Belgium) and has managed himself in England, Scotland, Mongolia, Pakistan, Samoa and now in Bhutan with Thimpu City. His story is a remarkable one of a dream that he has been determined to make happen. This series we are partnering with University Campus of Football Business and have recorded episodes at their Media City studios in Salford and at their studio next to Wembley Stadium.  For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/ You can follow us on our social media @journeyspod on Instagram and Threads and we're still hanging around on X for a while! You might even find us on TikTok too!

Andy Morrison will be remembered by most football fans as an outstanding and incredibly tough football player but that doesn't begin to tell even a fraction of his story. Andy suffered trauma as a child and, for a time, alcohol and violence drowned out the noise and damage in his head. In 1999, under the tutelage of Joe Royle and Willie Donachie, he lifted the most important trophy in Manchester City's history, the 1999 Division 2 Play Off, but it was off the pitch where his real triumph was. His last drink was February 1999. He has done so much work on himself and so much to help others, he has worked with prisoners, coached as far afield and continues to inspire and support men, particularly those struggling with alcohol abuse. If you enjoyed this episode go and buy Andy's book The Good, the Mad and the Ugly. Copies still available online. This series we are partnering with University Campus of Football Business and have recorded episodes at their Media City studios in Salford and at their studio next to Wembley Stadium.  For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/ You can follow us on our social media @journeyspod on Instagram and Threads and we're still hanging around on X for a while! You might even find us on TikTok too!

A truly inspiring episode with 21 year old Sam Gough. Sam has had sight and hearing issues her entire life which have deteriorated leading to her now being almost completely blind. Sport has been her outlet and, alongside rowing and swimming, she has been hugely successful in blind football becoming only the second person ever born in Scotland to represent England at football. You can find Sam on Instagram here - https://www.instagram.com/samantha_gough6/ Or on TikTok here - https://www.tiktok.com/@samanthagough6 This is the whole episode, as a vodcast, of Series 3 Episode 5 of the Football Journeys podcast. We are so grateful, as always, to University Campus of Football Business for their support. This episode, however, was recorded at Outset Studios in London. Most of our episodes will be recorded at UCFB's Media City and Wembley studios. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/ You can follow us on our social media @journeyspod on Instagram and Threads and we're still hanging around on X for a while! You might even find us on TikTok too!

"Farewell to Princess landing stage, River Mersey, fare-thee-well, I am bound for California, A place I know right well" So sang the Pogues in the Leaving of Liverpool and those words could have been a blueprint for Peter Moore's life. The proud Scouser who ventured to the US, via Wrexham, to live the American Dream. He would later return to Merseyside to become CEO of his beloved Liverpool FC in 2017 but not before stints with Reebok, Sega, Microsoft and EA Sports, appearing on stage with Bill Gates, appearing as a character in South Park and getting a Grand Theft Auto tattoo. It's been one hell of a ride and it was so enjoyable having Peter talk us through it with such good humour. This series we are partnering with University Campus of Football Business and have recorded episodes at their Media City studios in Salford and at their studio next to Wembley Stadium.For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/ You can follow us on our social media @journeyspod on Instagram and Threads and we're still hanging around on X for a while! You might even find us on TikTok too!

Born with achondroplasia, one of the best known forms of dwarfism, Krysten Coombs never saw anyone that looked like him growing up in Totnes in the South West of England. Sport was his passion and was the thing that helped him to change his big challenge into his superpower. Football is a passion, and he has played with the Dwarf Sports Association and is a passionate fan of Plymouth Argyle, but it was racquet sports, and most particularly badminton, where he has excelled culminating in a magical final in the Paris 2024 Paralympics. Krysten is so open and speaks about some of the key challenges that face people with dwarfism. We talk about language, Game of Thrones, panto, social media, rooming with your main rival and the joy of sport. It's a truly beautiful episode. This series we are partnering with University Campus of Football Business and have recorded episodes at their Media City studios in Salford and at their studio next to Wembley Stadium For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/ You can follow us on our social media @journeyspod on Instagram and Threads and we're still hanging around on X for a while! You might even find us on TikTok too!

In the early 1980s Allan Cockram made two appearances for Tottenham Hotspur in a midfield featuring Hoddle, Ardiles and Perryman but it's not his football achievements, notable as they are, that make Allan a special man, it is his work after his playing career. Running the Brentford Penguins, the club's Down's Syndrome team, has brought him deserved acclaim, and a Grierson Award for the documentary Mighty Penguins, but he doesn't stop there a women's over 40s walking football team and a men's over 55s walking team, are just a couple of examples of how he brings joy and love and uses football as a vehicle for something so much more meaningful. This episode is so special, just listen and enjoy. This series we are partnering with University Campus of Football Business and have recorded episodes at their Media City studios in Salford and at their studio next to Wembley Stadium For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/ You follow us on our social media @journeyspod on Instagram and Threads and we're still hanging around on X for a while! You might even find us on TikTok too!

It might be cheating a bit to start off with our very own, Fraser Franks, but he's had one hell of a year and there's a lot to discuss. He talks about open heart surgery but we then go on to discuss some of the incredible positive experiences he has had in the last year and there are also some hints about the guests that will follow, starting next week. This episode was recorded at the Anfield Wrap's studio in Liverpool, as we had been due to meet a future guest there but he was poorly. This series we are partnering with University Campus of Football Business and have recorded episodes at their Media City studios in Salford and at their studio next to Wembley Stadium For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/ You follow us on our social media @journeyspod on Instagram and Threads and we're still hanging around on X for a while! You might even find us on TikTok too!

This is just a quick word from us, with a couple of clips, to say that we are back with Series Three! Fraser is well and truly recovered from open heart surgery and we are so excited for you to hear the stories of some of our guests. We launch next week, on 11th December, and we'll have a couple of episodes pre-Christmas with much more to come in January. You can still keep up to date on our social media @journeyspod on Instagram and Threads and we're still hanging around on X for a while! You might even find us on TikTok too! We are so grateful to University Campus of Football Business who we are partnering with for this series. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/

This Bonus Episode is also a bit of an announcement. Fraser is preparing to have open heart surgery and, unsurprisingly, that means he'll be out of action for a little while. In this episode he talks to Matt about his condition and the operation. We will most definitely be back but it makes sense, to take a bit of pressure off the recovery, for us to have a rest from the pod. Keep up to date on our social media @journeyspod on Twitter, Instagram and Threads and also on Fraser's @fraserfranks and there will be updates to come. We are so grateful to University Campus of Football Business who we are partnering with for this and future episodes. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/

The campaigner. Troy Townsend's football journey is a remarkable one. From his own dreams of playing as a young boy, supporting his sons with those same aspirations, tragically losing his eldest boy Kurtis and, later, his tireless campaigning for equality. This is an emotional episode and we were so grateful to Troy for sharing with us. We are so grateful, as always, to University Campus of Football Business for their support. This episode was recorded at the University's media facilities at Wembley and the production crew, led by Sam Smith, have edited the episode and our trailer. Special thanks to Sam Smith for this edit. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/

The Officer. In celebration of former guest David Clarke being awarded an OBE in the King's Birthday Honours List we had a Clarkie back on for a quick chat to discuss the honour but also his appointment this year as Chief Executive Officer of Paralympics GB. We are so grateful to University Campus of Football Business who we are partnering with for this and future episodes. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/

The Paralympian. This is the third episode we've badged the Paralympian and, like David Clarke and Jack Rutter before him, we could have given this episode with Martin Sinclair so many different titles. He talks about the "challenge" of his Cerebral Palsy, the tragic experiences that impacted his life but, more than that, the fun and adventure he has had in spite of the challenges. He and his brother Scott are the only brothers to have competed at the same Olympics and Paralympics, at London 2012, and this is just one of a number of uplifting and brilliant stories from this lovely and inspirational man. More information about Martin's new venture, the Disability Football Collective, is on the company's website here - https://www.disabilityfc.org/ We are so grateful, as always, to University Campus of Football Business for their support. This episode was recorded at the University's media facilities at Wembley and the production crew, led by Sam Smith, have edited the episode and our trailer. Special thanks to Liam McDonagh for this edit. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/

This is a very personal breakout episode presented by Matt Himsworth about hearing loss and football. Matt speaks to former Watford Women FC player Emma Beckett about her hearing loss caused by a car accident at the age of 19 and he speaks to Claire Stancliffe and Ceara Toal, two members of the England Deaf Women's football team who are raising funds for the team to travel to Malaysia for the 2023 Deaf Women's World Cup. To help the team with fundraising you can do so here: https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/fundraising/england-deaf-womens-football-squad or here: https://gofund.me/403b112d You can learn more on the team's social media pages (supported by GB Deaf Football) at the links below: Twitter - https://twitter.com/GB_DeafFootball Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gbdeaffootball/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TeamGBDF

The actor. We could have titled this episode so many things but it seems fitting to call Peter, or Mitch, the actor given that his accomplishment, in not even appearing in his school play, to having a regular part in Hollyoaks, sums up the character of the man. Like many Irish lads with footballing talent Mitch came to England as a young boy to follow his dream, securing a professional contract with Leeds United in the process. But in one moment, with a teammate driving erratically, his life changed forever. A car crash resulted in a broken back and the end of his football career. The road to recovery was far from smooth but what he has achieved has been remarkable. From representing Ireland in a Wheelchair Basketball European Championships to appearing in comedy series, Hollyoaks and Coronation Street, the good humour and determination of Mitch stands him out but, most of all, he is a husband and daddy.  An extraordinary young man. We are so grateful to University Campus of Football Business who we are partnering with for this and future episodes. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/

The trailblazer. If your boss calls you a trailblazer, why argue? When that boss is Les Ferdinand, it is all the more complimentary. Manisha Tailor earns that tag and then some. As a little girl growing up in a South Asian family in the 1980s opportunities to explore her talent and passion for football were limited. A combination of extraordinary desire, hard work, family love and also those tough challenges that life sometimes puts in our way has seen Manisha do incredible things in football since quitting her job as a primary school head teacher. Ten years on and she is the Assistant Head of Coaching at QPR but she doesn't ever rest. She is feverishly trying to pave the way for others to follow and she is a true football polymath and inspiration. We are so grateful to University Campus of Football Business who we are partnering with for this and future episodes. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/

The analyst. As a lad growing up in Merseyside John McGuigan was obsessed with football. Though a decent player, he knew he'd never grace Anfield, and so he set off on his journey to work in coaching and analyst. His passion and work ethic saw him work for Manchester City and his beloved Liverpool as well as a short stint with the Ghana national team. He know works in Lincoln, Nebraska for the big players in football analysis Hudl. For anyone who is interested in the world of football analysis and particularly anyone who wants to work in the game, this is a must listen. We are so grateful to University Campus of Football Business who we are partnering with for this and future episodes. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/

The Paralympian. Yep, another one, and what a special lad. Jack Rutter, a Man United mad kid from Gloucester, was at Birmingham City's Academy, close to signing his first pro deal and preparing to play in the Semi Final of the FA Youth Cup, when he was punched at a night club. He fell and hit his head on the curb and suffered serious injuries which looked like they might kill him. With the support of doctors and the strength of his devoted mother Jack came through it but the neurological injuries he suffered ended his dream of playing professional football. He suffered in those early days but the journey he went through since has been sensational. Qualifying to play for England and Team GB's Cerebral Palsy teams he has represented his country at European and World Championships and the Paralympics and he is simply a beacon of positivity. We are so grateful to University Campus of Football Business who we are partnering with for this and future episodes. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/