Coventry return to Premier League and relegation looms for Leicester – Football Weekly podcast

22:37But I mean, they're looking in the best position. I'm off to Oxford-Rexham tonight, which feels like just a must-win game for both teams. And, you know, if Rexham win that and Hull drop points, then they'll put themselves in a decent position, albeit their fixtures are tricky between now and the end of the season. So tonight feels like a really big one for them. And then Derby are kind of the team that won't go away, really. a 1-0 win over Oxford on Saturday with Hull dropping points kind of keeps them in the conversation and they travel to Norwich who you know will feel like their defeat against Ipswich a couple of weeks ago kind of ended their slim hopes of a playoff push but they beat Bristol City away on Saturday so it's still very much you know that they haven't downed tools as of yet and have been so impressed since Philippe Clement took over so yeah Hull definitely the most likely but it wouldn't surprise me at all if either Wrexham or Derby go on a run and manage to leapfrog them

23:24George Elek:at the bottom of the championship Sheffield-Wayne's obviously down Leicester really look done don't they 41 points they've obviously had a points deduction 41 from 43 Oxford 44 from 43 and then a bit of a jump small jump Max a small jump okay George I'll be kind to you and you have a game in hand over Blackburn Blackburn have 49 from 44 West Brom 49 from 43 you know catching Charlton would be quite extraordinary 50 from 43 the Leicester story Sani is interesting because they've had this points deduction but even without that right They would be just one place above the relegation zone. Or no, they'd be in it on 47 points, forgive me.

23:57George Elek:How have they been so bad? Because their squad isn't that bad, is it? No, it isn't. And so then you've got to look at the, I guess, the culture really. And I don't think that comes back to this season. This is subsequent seasons, isn't it? You know, Premier League now dropping into League One is quite dire. We've seen process from the fans groups before about, you know, investment not put in the right place. recruitment has been has been bad you know every game now there seemingly every game there are videos by the fans of interactions with the players there was one at Sheffield Wednesday where um you know the youngsters got their hands out wanting a high five or a low five or side five and um everyone's got their cans on their ears walking past a few have stopped you know a few of the the ones who've been there a while maybe and it contrasts with you know big stars big teams you know making time for the kids because you know they're not big time charlies and i know that's kind of a kind of cheap dig but i think it is a bit symptomatic when you've got harry winks post-match the other day uh getting you know stick on the sidelines at portsmouth away deservedly so and he's telling the the fans to f off like that's not a good look and that's not ever justifiable regardless of where you kind of stand because the fans are the ones who pay you ages and all that you know post-match at Pompey fans are all telling not fit to wear the shirt it's awful I don't know how you come back from that really you know I saw them at Stoke a while ago and that was Gary Rowett's first game and he's kind of the right right man for this situation but it's just too many moving parts I feel like I think he's he's he's trying to do something here with players some of them just don't want to be there that's my kind of look from the outside in I definitely I mean I take what Tani's saying and I think I think there's a warning here around manager fit and the way that people think of managers well I would say and I said it at the time when he was a pointer it's not just after timing like I think Rowan was is a manager that I have a lot of respect for he managed my club he kept us up last season but he's just completely the wrong profile of manager for this squad of players like Max when you said you know this is a good squad like I would say that Leicester's squad in terms of actual talent is one of the best three squads of the whole division let alone shouldn't be down there like you look at you've got players like abdul fatah and jordan james stephi mavedidi harry winks you know even like patson dacca and jordan are you like these are guys who belong in a completely different stratosphere to the bottom to the bottom end of a of a championship table jordan james just won the championship young player of the season because he individually has had an amazing season he will be a premier league footballer or a top tier footballer very soon he's a brilliant player but if you've got a group of players who have a massive technical advantage to most of the opposition what are you doing appointing two managers and marty sifuentes and gary rauer who basically play a style of football that says yeah it's all about our possession shape we're not going to give you any freedom on the ball we're not going to have much of the ball we're going to look to defend and and score from set pieces it doesn't make sense especially when you consider that two seasons ago loads of these players were in a team that won the championship playing for enzo mareska whose style of football was like like a heavy possession aggressive possession impression high press like what made them think that these were the right decisions i can understand with roward the idea is like oh god we need a firefighter let's go and get someone who supposedly guarantees safety but you know you've got to look at squad fit and player profile fit and it doesn't surprise me at all that these players who you know know they're not going to be playing in league one next season are looking at this and thinking you know what i don't really fancy this like this isn't the way that we want to play and i'm not going to it's not conducive to getting us to win games of football?

27:39Max Rushden:I was going to ask, I think it might be kind of a Spurs effect here in that these players are so good, brackets up to a point, that they do consider a relegation scrap in the championship to be way beneath them and they're just not putting in the effort. Also, I noticed that they've announced an end-of-season charity match to mark the 10th anniversary of their Premier League title win. And a lot of their fans seem to have said that that's a bit tone deaf to be announcing that. 5 ,000 to 1, it's called, which is probably the odds against them staying up at the moment as well. Just on Rowett, yeah, I don't disagree with George on his tactical and philosophical position as a manager.

28:28But I think in a situation we've got players who aren't motivated or seemingly don't really seem to have pride in the shirt. having an ex-player who's kind of been there, done it. And I know that's a bit reductionist. Maybe it's a bit beneath Guardian Football Weekly's highbrow thinking on this. But I do think there is something in that. I think there is something, especially when you need someone to connect with the fans, who can give you that impetus at least to attempt to, and then it's down to the players. I mean, and clearly it hasn't worked, obviously. He's only won once. But that was where I was thinking with this, like, yes okay supposed firefighter but knows what it's like to be successful in a leicester city shirt some of those players do as well a lot of them actually don't and have spent a lot of their career losing in most recent seasons at least and um you know there's a there's a there's a couple of things going around on social media like uh leicester had a new training complex this season and it's like huge it's incredible it's like you know because you know that's the sort of thing that's psr free right you can invest in that and it's an investment and all that and you know it It dwarfs Bromley Stadium, you know, not being the same division next season.

29:38But that goes to show you mismanagement, which is ultimately what it is, on and off the pitch leads to this situation. Some of those players shouldn't be there anymore, but then this whole situation is entirely of the making of the hierarchy above them have kind of sown all those seeds.

29:52George Elek:Do you give Oxford any hope, George? How are you feeling? Yes, not great. Pretty nervous ahead of tonight. I mean the thing is because Blackburn have played this extra game and because Blackburn play away at Sheffield United on Wednesday night it basically means that Oxford can go into Wrexham tonight knowing that a defeat will make it almost impossible not impossible because we can win our last two games of the season if Blackburn lose the both of theirs then we will overtake them but what I keep saying to Oxford fans who are telling me that it's over is that if we beat Wrexham tonight a game for which Oxford are favourites to win and then Blackburn don't beat Sheffield United tomorrow night then we go into a home game against Sheffield Wednesday knowing that a win will take us out the relegation zone going into final day so um it's it's not over but it's it's not looking great but tonight is it's huge it's the first time i've woken up on a on the day of a game which i'm going to feeling genuinely and genuinely quite sick because either i'm gonna go to bed such a funny feeling isn't it delirious or i'm gonna be crying yeah yeah it's so funny this thing that we do it's not good for us that pit of my scum there'll be so many listeners supporting so many teams feeling like that am i right in thinking that west broms points deduction has to be resolved before the end of this season is that right i think we'll we'll find that relatively soon it would be a bit of a strange situation if leicester are relegated tonight and then reprieved tomorrow um but but let's see is their punishment likely to be do we know what points people are speculating and what it might be george i think the the speculation and it's a purely speculation is kind of two or maybe three or three right with one suspended so therefore being two um i don't think it's make a big difference they're playing incredibly well under James Morrison I think there's probably an element here where the EFL just you know what they don't want to happen is for any relegated teams to feel harshly done by about you know when it's been implemented especially given that Leicester have had a points deduction implemented this season so I'd be really surprised if we don't get a resolution in some way sooner rather than later but I don't know anything Okay that'll do for part two part three we'll do Leagues 1 and League 2

31:59business is booming but you know what really helped zero the accounting platform for small businesses i used to think spreadsheets were just part of it but real-time cash flow wow invoices that chase themselves even better books that automate that's a big one and i can keep track from my phone while i get the job done no spreadsheet in sight what a life do right by yourself and your business and search Xero for your free trial. Conditions apply.

32:38George Elek:Welcome to part three of the Guardian Football Weekly. We are live in New York on July the 16th at the Bowery Ballroom, theguardian.com slash footballweekly live. If you'd like some tickets, apparently they are selling fast. Martin writes, Max, Barry and gang, my friend Victor, to whom Barry steadfastly refused to wish a happy birthday earlier this year, were in such a rush to buy tickets to the live show in New York City in a flurry of undelivered texts and ticketmaster snafus. We ended up with four rather than our desired two tickets. We're now looking forward to implementing dynamic pricing on our remaining two tickets.

33:09George Elek:We'll be taking off for starting at$2 ,000 each. Hope you can advertise the availability in your upcoming million messages trying to sell out the Bowery Ballroom. There you go, Martin. it. Alexander says, Alex here from the Lower East Side, your go-to for pastrami, niches, or knishes. God, I really do not do myself any favors with the New York locals. New York City accents and attitudes. I'm thrilled to know you'll be in town this summer. I've already scooped up my tickets. Can't wait for you to be stateside. I've been listening for almost 20 years. While I've joined you on precisely zero of your lives milestones, you've been with me for mine.

33:41George Elek:Episodes of Football Weekly playing at my wedding, in the delivery room of my first son's birth, during my dad's funeral procession. No, I'm kidding. That's all rubbish. But I have been tuned in since Before Barry. Was there a Before Barry?

33:53Max Rushden:There is no Before Barry.

33:55George Elek:I was on the first episode. There we go. Anyway, he says, I'm delighted that you'll be here. Thrilled to help in any way I can. Blimey, Alex, I don't know what you're offering for that. But, you know, fluffers for the show. Anyway, do come along, everybody.

34:10Max Rushden:I'd say, Max, we might need buffers more than fluffers.

34:14George Elek:Yeah, okay. So, Lincoln champions of League One, 94 points. Cardiff up on 85 and confirmed Sani because Stockport didn't beat Exeter. And what we all want to see was the extra keeper, Jack Bycroft, scoring in the 96th minute in a 3-0 thriller. And it could be vital for Exeter and we'll get to that. But it was a brilliant moment, wasn't it? Yeah, I'm delighted you've started this with that because my wife hates sports. She hates football. but if I ask her what's my favorite thing in football she will say without hesitation goalkeeper's coming up for corners just just the sight of it's great and then the goalkeeper scoring from a corner the best thing ever the fact Exeter had like a somebody filming from a perfect angle and they put it on the socials really really soon afterwards it looks so good but the the best bit about Exeter's equalizer was the fact that moments earlier they'd won a corner it came in bycroft won the header the keeper pulled off an incredible save to tip it over the bar it goes for another corner and he scores from that corner yes he'd already had it before which was just absolutely because the first corner the first header's great and you think wow and then you see the second like get this guy out of corners every week you know this guy's incredible so yeah that that was a just amazing moment and yeah extra yeah we'll get to them And yet it did all mean that Cardiff were up.

35:38It's weird as well because the Touchdown reporter for ITV talking to the Cardiff players afterwards was like, did you see what happened? The goalkeeper scored. And we as fans would be like, what? We're promoted because the goalkeeper scored? And they'd be like, all right, great. Cheers. Good for him. No, come on. Buy into this more. So yeah, great for Cardiff. A wonderful way for it to happen for the neutral. And yeah, Brian Barry Murphy, he's completed the mission, right? which was coming to Cardiff, beleaguered with the players we've got, bringing a load of youth and get the job done. And he's done it.

36:12For a long time, we were thinking they'd win the league. And Skabala, Lincoln have just blitzed that. But yeah, fair play. Well done. I suspect they might need a bit of improvement in the squad depth. But as we've seen with the teams that are beleaguered in the championship, that a well-run club with a solid 11 can do very well. So congratulations to Cardiff. Well done. Well done, BBM. He's kind of, you know, I was on the fence a little bit from his last kind of managerial first team role, which was, you know, watched a lot of him at Rochdale and that didn't particularly end well. You know, fair play to him.

36:49George Elek:The playoff situation then, George, Bolton, Bradford and Stockport look pretty much there. And then in Stevenage have 68 points, Plymouth 66, Luton 65, Huddersfield 64. So who do you think might nick that last one? I mean, Plymouth have gone on this amazing run, right? Luton have picked up a bit, I guess, as well. Yeah, I mean, they won't thank me for saying it, but I'm not confirming Bradford's spot in the top six quite yet, just because tonight they host Plymouth Argyle. And if Argyle win that game, Bradford's next game after that is against Bolton, and they travel to Exeter on final day who could well be needing something from that in order to stay up.

37:32Obviously, if Bradford beat Argyle tonight, it's done. They're in the top six and that's sorted. But if they do get beaten this evening, then it's going to be very, very nervous for them. Stevenage will be incredibly frustrated that they conceded as late as they did against Lincoln. They were so good that day. Alex Revelle's doing an absolutely phenomenal job. Lincoln are clearly the underdog story in League One this season, but for Revelle to have them have Stevenage as consistent as they are, so good defensively, and they've got a game against Barnsley this evening that if they can win that, it'll put them in a pretty commanding position too.

38:03Luton will feel incredibly frustrated that they weren't able to. They came back from 2-0 down against Mansfield to draw 2-1, but had loads of chance in the last half an hour and couldn't quite get over the line. And then what about Huddersfield, who in their last three games have been leading in injury time? They conceded a goal to make it 3-1 in 90 plus 11 against a 10-man Bolton on the weekend. Prior to that, they conceded a 95th minute equaliser and then prior to that it was another 90 plus 11 also to pick three or so in their last three games not fair and if they hadn't considered any of those goals they'd be sick so um you've got to feel for Huddersfield Town fans any fans of theirs that leave the game early and don't check the results will probably think they're in the playoffs um so it's it's really tight i think Stevenage are so solid um that i think they will get over the line but as i say it wouldn't surprise me at all that if Argyle beat Bradford tonight and that's a big if and a big ask then it may be two spots available not just one.

39:01George Elek:Bottom of it then Northampton are down, Port Vale aren't down but are basically down. They'd have to win all their games and Wimbledon lose their remaining two. Rotherham are down despite being above Port Vale because they've played more games and then you have the Bund fight. Exeter at that point means they're on 48, Wimbledon on 50, Leónoria in 51, Burton and Peterborough 52. Are there any surprises down there, Sani? I mean, posh. It's nice to see them struggle, but... Well, can we just mention on Rotherham? So Lee Clark, when he was appointed, we were at an EFL pod and I held my tongue on the fact that he steered a club, my team, Bury, with a side designed to try and get into the championship to their worst ever finish and was sacked.

39:42But one of the things at the time is bemoaning was not having real men in the side. But in his defence here at Rotherham, you know he said he'd come from south sudan or i think well sudan he'd come from the sudanese league to rotherham he's come out and said that they've got players calling in sick like he said they had a player call in sick they made him come in and then ended up training he's got players who genuinely don't want to be there and are not playing for the shirt whatsoever to the point where they're not even turning up it's like an incredible situation you know he even said that the previous manager matt hamshaw who you might recall uh formerly assistant is a is a rotherham fan as well, was doing like Rotherham themed quizzes in lockdown over Zoom and stuff.

40:24He mentioned, you know, that the previous manager got sacked because these players didn't play for him and he loved the club. And it's incredible that a club that, you know, traditionally are yo-yoing between the championship and League One, seem to have amassed a set of players who literally won't turn up to play, which is just incredibly frustrating, whoever you are as manager. And it's Rotherham's centenary celebrations this summer. You know, they've got a charity game they're going to be doing and all sorts. uh and some of those players they're bringing back you know would be thinking what the hell's going on here you know you've got the great new york new york stadium and all that uh and the

40:57George Elek:interleague too which is which is a mess you'd never conceive of a footballer taking a sickie like like of course it probably happens it's just the image of it just you know putting on a voice and going i feel a bit unwell i can't i'll work from home today it just sort of has got a funny image isn't it it's probably a hr minefield isn't it you know if you are actually poorly but you know that no one will believe you and you drag yourself in but yeah interesting um so then how do you see it sadly then of the i mean extra have a lot to do right still they they do and but you you feel like the momentum and also the fact that goal difference is 10 better than wimbledon and it's a two-point gap there that feels important you know wimbledon i think you know are everyone's second team in their heart somewhere right given their history and they're doing so well to be where they are competing, given they had so many seasons before relegation and were just battling to stay up.

41:55And you're like, come on, get relegated, have some positivity. And it's really hard because they're welcoming new investment potentially in the future because there's only so far a fan-owned model can take you, but an Exeter in that similar sort of situation. So it's very tough. I feel like Leighton Orient, given the players they've got and Richie Wellens as manager. They've been so entertaining over the years. I feel like they should kind of stay up, especially where they were last season. How things kind of came awry. Unstuck for them, but yeah, no one's guaranteed a place in this division, but I can't call it.

42:29George Elek:Top of League 2 then. Bromley are up. 84 points from 44. MK Dons, 82 from 44. The Mighty U, 78 from 43. Salford, 77 from 44. Knox County, 76. Swindon, 75. We've got Grimsby tonight. George, we should start with Bromley and how big an achievement this is for them to get over the line and get promoted. Yeah, it's extraordinary. An amazing achievement for a club to come up in the way they did. You know, they came up through the National League playoffs. We're used to teams that come up through the National League who then get straight towards the top end of League 2 being, you know, effectively maximising the looser spending rules that used to exist in the National League.

43:06But with Bromley, that's not necessarily the case. They're just, in Andy Woodman, they've got a manager who has a very clear style of play, which is pretty attritional, but very very effective very good from set pieces very direct and they recruit to play that system you know they were written off by some as being you know possible relegation candidates before the season started but Andy Woodman has always been steadfast in telling the fans and telling the players that this was a season where he he wanted to get promoted and they've achieved that amazing achievement by him it's going to be interesting to see how they get on in League One next season I always think teams that are punching above their weight but doing so playing that more kind of direct style it's normally easier to do so because you are doing something that requires less kind of innate ability and is more focused on physical ability and being well drilled and in woodman they've got a manager who clearly is very adept at doing that so it wouldn't surprise me at all if they surprise a few people next season too and now it's just a title race because they'll want to win the league but they've got a really tough game against Salford uh coming up um ahead of the weekend and you know Cambridge hosts Grimmersby where obviously if you win that tonight then you'll be in this title race as well and MK Dons hosting Tranmere on Saturday should be an opportunity for them to win promotion and it wouldn't surprise me at all if if MK Dons do go on and win the league.

44:23George Elek:Yeah they've got Tranmere home Fleaward away so they're nice and winnable we drew up Bromley on Thursday had a couple of amazing chances in the first half but you know they really came at us in the second there was a goal mile scramble at injury time that had me basically vomiting with terror as it was happening. Is our old pal Ryan Loft still at Cambridge? No. Where did Lofty go? I think he went to Crawley, I think. I'm not sure. They've got 15 ,000 strikers. Yeah, he is. He's at Crawley, yes. I've only alone, though. So he can always come back for next season. Yeah. And actually, Shane Lavery, who is way too good for League Two, he's got really bad hamstrings and he got injured in that game at Bromley, Northern Ireland International.

45:03George Elek:and so that is a bit of a blow but we've got Grimsby home tonight Barrow at home at the weekend the best home record in the division don't say it out loud Max don't come on boys just head on and at the bottom like it is normally the bottom of League 2 it's two sides are just done and it's kind of done but it is extraordinary Harrogate won 1-0 against Colchester with a 90 plus 9 winner brilliantly scrappy League 2 goal and it means the bottom of League 2 looks like this Harrogate have 36 points Barrow 36 Newport 37 Tramir have a game in hand on everyone else 37 and Crawley 38 and just this pressure because it is hard to get out of the National League which we'll get to in a second it is just huge for these five teams yeah and it's crushing as well um if you're if you're a Tramir player waking up every morning I mean they've only won two games this calendar year they're on an absolutely horrendous run and the weight of that, I don't know how much that must play on you because Tramme have had such battles to stay in the division and then they were relegated out and that was incredible to get back in.

46:13And yeah, George said earlier that football goes in cycles. I think Tramme will go down, by the way. I think they've got quite no momentum and again, a bit of a toxic sort of situation. But it's really upsetting, it's disappointing because again, like a fan-owned club and the Pallioses who saved the club from the brink, Mark Pallios, ex-chief exec of the FA, and Nicola Pallios. But then they've come in for a lot of criticism as well because there's only so far they can take the club and bringing in other investment hasn't worked, other plans to kind of modernize, haven't come together. Christian Fuchs, the curious appointment at Newport County.

46:50You only need to get a couple of wins, right? You say that and then teams pull out wins out of nowhere. and then Barrow was it was an incredible performance at home to Oldham Athletic and if you caught this one because Oldham winning 1-0 and then Barrow equalized on 82 took the lead on 83 Oldham then equalized on 88 and then Barrow score a winner in the 91st minute and you think that's just crazy but then they go on to lose the next game at Walsall so it's a snakes and ladders it could be anyway I think I think Tramia will go down and Crawley Town I don't know if we mentioned at Colleen Kazim Richards, who, again, with my Barry hat on the Coca-Cola kid.

47:30If you recall, once upon a time, you could win a footballer for your team if you got the right ring pull or something. A Brighton fan won it, and he bought Barry's CKR, Colleen Kazim Richards. He went on for the career he had. He's the manager of Crawley Town and is trying to do something there. And we always want to see young players that we know kind of have some success, don't we?

47:54George Elek:but yeah it could be anyone could be anyone um yeah god it's a long time since friday nights at prenton park with you know john aldridge and chris malkin scoring buckets of goals for tram there um to the national league then you might have seen york city players waiting for the rochdale game to finish at the weekend 98 minutes york are promoted it's one all between braintree and rochdale 99th minute rochdale score a winner means it's a showdown on the last game of the season. Rochdale at home to York. And it is just absolutely extraordinary. And you know, such a case for more than one team needs to get automatic promotion.

48:30George Elek:Because York City have 107 points, and Rochdale have 105 points. And yet, it is not a guarantee that they'll both go up. So Rochdale are at home, they need to win. A draw is good enough for York, obviously, because they have 107 points. But they also have a goal difference of plus 73, which is mad, but not that it's relevant i don't know how much you talk about this on on the top 20 george but you know the efl will never vote for more teams to go up from the national league will they they just never will do it it's you know you don't vote for what's not good for you but but actually it feels quite short term is because if it's easier to get up from the national league it's not such a big deal to be relegated to the national league yeah i would agree i think it's it's pretty obvious and also the fact that whenever we see national league teams come up out of um the national league no nationally promoted team has ever been relegated straight back to from where it's come which shows you that you know the top half or the top eight of the of the national league is is comfortably mid-table in league two or maybe even better and barnet are the latest team who still have a chance of getting into the playoffs this season and you look at oldham who only just lost their chance they're the two promoter teams you look at how bromley have got on like even teams who who do end up returning relatively soon afterwards they're sutton united for example recently or they have a couple of seasons where they do okay so from a you know from a fairness perspective it obviously makes sense i mean there are other nuances and you know there are people who feel very strongly against this um too it's worth pointing out um but this is going to be incredible i mean this is a proper you know playoff final within a league season um with rochdale needing a win uh they're the hosts you're going into it knowing that they're basically one nil up before the game starts because a draw means that they will will win automatic promotion two teams who play relentlessly attacking football you know you mentioned the points tallies there but even if you look at the goals scored 113 goals scored by York in 45 games, 87 goals scored by Rochdale in 45 games the way that this is set up with Rochdale basically needing to attack from the very first whistle in order to get a win I mean it feels like this isn't going to be one of those cagey player finals, this could be a really really attacking end to end fair with whoever's behind needing to get a goal to win promotion, it's going to be sensational, I'm looking forward to it on Saturday afternoon Yeah, that's a bit harsh on Carlisle and Boreham Wood, who've got 92 and 87 points, respectively.

50:45George Elek:And they're not, you know, they're just sneaking into the playoffs, aren't they? But also, but there's a wider issue to this, which is the fact that, you know, because only two teams come up, it means you get this glut of teams at the top end. And it means that, you know, we talk about the Premier League being a huge disparity between the top end and the bottom end, and the Championship too, to be fair. But the National League's crazy where you've got the top team, York, on 107 points, Truro on 31 points at the bottom. It's fast. Rob says, do you think he'll finally score buckets? He is referring to Timo Werner, who scored his first goal in MLS yesterday for the San Jose earthquakes.

51:20George Elek:Let the floodgates open. A 4-1 win against Los Angeles there. So well done, Timo. Alistair emailed in to say on the subject of John Bruin's Arsenal analogy, He was saying about a last-day shootout in Scottish football where Rangers and Celtic were going at it, who could score the most. He missed the killer fact. The injury-time winner scored for Rangers was scored by Mikel Arteta. And I was there, he says. Yeah, they beat down Vermin 6-1 to win the title. They were 5-1 up as the match entered the last few minutes. Celtic were 4-0 up at Rugby Park. And then Arteta scored a penalty, and that settled the nerves.

51:57George Elek:I think, so, you know, it wasn't quite as decisive. but good to see Mikhail has form here. He knows how it's done.

52:04Max Rushden:Max, the only reason I've hung around to this bit is because you highlighted a Barney-Ronnie error in your introduction.

52:13George Elek:So have at it, please. Alex Hatch, the subject matter, huge error made in today's episode. Hi all, I'm just writing to point out a huge error made in today's episode. At four minutes 40, Barney-Ronnie states that his train driver announces the following over the PA system. On your left, you'll see the Etihad Stadium. I'd just like to point out that on arrival to Manchester Piccadilly, this is not possible. If you are arriving into Piccadilly from the orientation east, where the Etihad is visible, the Etihad will always be on the right of the train. I sincerely hope you can correct the error at a later date.

52:48George Elek:Regards, Alex. Are you happy with that correction and Rone suitably admonished? Or were you hoping for a little bit more?

52:57Max Rushden:No, that's fine. just any time he's wrong is a little win for us all. See also Jonathan Wilson.

53:05George Elek:Well, absolutely. All right, that'll do for today. Thanks, everybody. Thank you, Baz. Thank you. Cheers, George. Thanks, Max. Thank you, Sani. Cheers, thank you. Football Weekly is produced by Taya Papula. Our executive producer is Joel Grove and we'll be back on Thursday.

53:26This is The Guardian.

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