EFL Extra: Christmas Special

0:04Hello, welcome and Merry Christmas from the Game Football Podcast from the Times and Sunday Times. And whether you're out doing last minute shopping, nursing, a hangover, or just having a walk to get away from it all, we are here with a Christmas special to add an extra dose of festive cheer. And what more could you want at Christmas other than me, Tom Clark, and the former football league legend, Gregor Robertson, bringing you our Football League Awards for 2025. Gregor, Merry Christmas, me old chum. I bet the listeners didn't see this one coming. Merry Christmas. Yeah, I could think of a few things I might want for Christmas ahead of you and me talking nonsense about the AFL.

0:43But let's do it anyway, Tom. They'll have seen the title of this show. Producer Neil will have been very subtle. He'll have done Christmas special. They'll be thinking, oh, they've wheeled out Samuel, Rudd, Northcroft. Maybe there's a stats quiz of the year from Hamza. Nope. It's just me and you buzzing off a brilliant and typically crazy year in the Championship League One and League Two. Now, listeners, the format for this, we're going calendar year. I've got to stipulate calendar year. So we're covering the second half of last season and the first half of this one, just because I thought it'd make it a bit more interesting.

1:17And we're going to do our team of the year, player of the year, manager of the year, and moment of the year for all three divisions. So let's get going. Let's start in the championship, Gregor. Let's have a little debate around our team of 2025. Who have you got in mind? It's obvious. I know it's obvious, but it has to be Coventry because not only were they transformed kind of not quite midway through last season but just before the turn of the year by Frank Lampard's arrival they've just turbocharged their way through the first half of this season so they've accrued 89 points and 85 goals in the calendar year and that's 17 points and 24 more goals than any other side so it's like it's pretty clear that they have been the team of 2025.

2:08The only question is, can they see it over the line in 2026? And look, there have been some many, many fantastic teams to watch in 2025. It might come as a surprise to some listeners that Millwall are second on that table of points in the calendar year. But Coventry have been the best. And we spoke at the end of last season about how unfortunate they were unlucky they were in the playoffs themselves to lose to Sunderland you know, the rest is history they've gone on to another level this season so in my mind, it's a no-brainer, it has to be Coventry City It does have to be Coventry City, I've got to agree with you, but I do have an honourable mention you've got Sheffield United in terms of our job, Gregor journalism, stories, drama Sheffield United in 2025 it might not have been great to be a Sheffield United fan in 2025, that playoff final heartbreak, then a a complete change in tactic and manager and approach.

3:08Wilder out, Ruben Sellers in, then Chris Wilder back again, and now they're trying to climb up the table. I think Sheffield United have got a case for an alternative team of the year for 2025. What do you reckon to that one? Yeah, for pure narrative, absolutely. I mean, a lot of people made light of Sheffield United's sort of achievement in reaching the championship playoff final last season, and obviously going toe-to-toe with Burnley and Leeds until basically the last half dozen games of the season. But when you pan out now and you kind of, with the benefit of hindsight, you see what Chris Wilder was having to deal with in the first half of the season, which is not in 2025, but it's context.

3:47He was still dealing with a club owned by Prince Abdullah, whose tenure at the club was absolutely wild. They were a bit of a basket case. Finally, a takeover was completed and you think, oh great, this is a new era. and it's turned out they're almost as crazy. They're like, you know, leading into artificial intelligence and thinking that they can break football. And he's still, you know, they gave him a bit of money in January, which he spent because they had a really light squad. And then they came within like, you know, 15 minutes of winning that playoff final. So yeah. And then obviously everything has happened since then while they're returning.

4:26So absolutely, they're up there. Yeah. I mean, I'm glad you mentioned them already because my award for the team is 2025, as much as Sheffield United get there on drama, I'm going to give it to Millwall. As you said, second in that table for the calendar year. They finished eighth last season, two points off the playoffs, heartbreaking missing out. Alex Neal arrived right at the end of December last year, so that fits this award category perfectly. This season, they've been brilliant, upsetting the established order again. They're in six at the moment, and that's having lost the last two games.

4:58We mentioned them on a recent show, the game podcast EFL Extra jinx well in effect there. It would be great if they barged their way into the playoffs finally. They've flirted with it so many times. I think Alex Neal and Millwall is a perfect fit. So whilst I agree with you on Coventry, Millwall get my vote for the team of the year 2025. I would just say as well Greg, I've got another little honourable mention in there for Portsmouth because as I mentioned last season, they didn't sack their manager John Mucinio whilst everyone else in the bottom half did. They 21st this season struggling a little bit at the minute but they did get four points from their last two games so hopefully they can keep going and rise up the table because I think the job he's done there has been brilliant and I think it's a great thing to show that when you stick with a manager good things can come any others that you think were worth an honourable mention for you?

5:47Bristol City I mean they're fourth in the calendar year table they obviously made the playoffs last season and it was kind of completely derailed by sending off in the first leg against Sheffield United and then they were hammered I think it was 5-0 so it didn't end well but it was a great achievement it was an overachievement to get there and they lost to manager Liam Manning and Gerrard Schruber has you know they've fallen away a little bit of late but they are still well with a shout of challenging for the playoffs this season they've kind of changed the way they play a bit they're very much they're kind of counter-punching team now but you know I think for a long time they were trying to change the way that they ran the club in terms of by you know signing young players that are you know ripe for development and doing that in the championship means it's very very hard to compete you know everything needs to needs to come off for you to compete at the top end of the table but I think they're making incremental gains and Struber was a canny appointment obviously did really well at Barnsley in the past and been off to managing in the States and in Germany so you know I think they're one to watch in 2026, but they've had a really, really good 2025.

7:03Yeah, some excellent honourable mentions there. I think we've really covered lots of different narratives and stylistic points there, but congratulations, Coventry. You might not have won the championship title yet, but you are the game podcast team of 2025 for the championship. Coventry fans must be absolutely buzzing. What more could you want for Christmas? Gregor, let's do our player of 2025 in the championship. I've got a couple of suggestions. one of them's a little controversial so I'll let you go first I'm going to go for Hayden Hackney I think there are players that you could talk about who've had better numbers scored more goals chucked out more assists have been involved in teams that were either promoted or made the playoffs but I think actually he's probably the best English player outside the Premier League and so classy and like Borough did brilliantly to hold on to him in the summer they will do well to hold on to him in January I think their position in the league now and how much how well they've done since the change of manager since Elbert came in will possibly mean that they'll be able to see off any bids again this January and wait until the summer but I don't think unless Middlesbrough promoted in 2026 there's any chance of them staying at the club beyond that time because he's just supremely classy in terms of his passing, his vision, his chance creation.

8:36He chips in with a number of goals, but as I say, he's not someone who's kind of like, you can get too bogged down in the numbers with. It's actually, you just watch him and you appreciate how much he can make a team tick and control games of football in the championship. And I think he's capable of stepping up to have a similar impact in the Premier League. So I would go Hayden Hackney. Excellent shout. What about you? Excellent shout. And a much, much better shout than my first suggestion. I'm already going rogue. We're only just starting these awards. My suggestion is for a player who's not even in the championship anymore.

9:10Borgia signs Norwich, one of the players of last year. Look what's happened since he left. Look what has happened at Norwich since he's left. I think you can make a case that he's Norwich's best player this season. by not even being there. He's got five goals in 24 appearances for Porto. I know it's not the championship, but listen, the guy is absolute dynamite as he proved last season. As I say, he finished as one of the best players in the championship last campaign and Norwich have had a dreadful time without him. That's my slightly jokey question. My more serious suggestion is again, trying to fit with this idea of the calendar year.

9:47Matt Grimes made the move to Coventry in the January transfer window 2025. And look at what has happened to the team since he arrived. He's not the only reason for it, but he's such a clever signing. I remember when we talked about him making that move in that January window. He's been absolutely instrumental to everything Coventry and Frank Lampard are doing. So again, like even more under the radar, I'd say, than Hayden Hackney, who is one of the young superstars. Matt Grimes, an award, I'd say, for a good, solid professional in the championship. What do you reckon? it's a very good show yeah it's funny you're right when you talk about you think about some players or managers or teams who've only been in in that respective league for half of the season but sometimes there are going to be a few that crop up that were just so impactful and yeah he's one of them undoubtedly and then when you're talking about Grimes it's very hard to pick a Coventry player but I feel like you've got to try and do it because I think you could throw Victor Torp in there because of his numbers he racks up in terms of goals and assists I was looking at stats earlier he's top of so many metrics or at least top three always in the top three for so many different metrics yeah and then like even someone like from Mason Clark who's been transformed under Frank Lampard and Jack Rudoni so like they're a team they're almost like a team without a star but they've got lots of stars as well if you know what I mean.

11:17There's no one outstanding player really but I would say of them all I would think although he's not been quite as impactful and he's had a few injuries he's not been quite as impactful in terms of goals and assists Jack Rudoni is someone as well who I think is very much capable of stepping up to play in the Premier League and making a good impact there too so I would maybe go for Rudoni. Some great shouts in there. Let's move on to our manager of the year. I don't know whether I've got a definitive one that stands out so why don't I run through my three suggestions and then you can maybe bring some of your wisdom and insight I've got three down here I've already mentioned Alex Neal and Millwall and the job he's done there I think he's worth a shout also mentioned Sheffield United I think Chris Wilder deserves a bit of praise for all the drama that he's brought the championship in 2025 and the one that I kind of struck out again trying to fit this theme of the calendar year Mark Robbins was appointed on January 1st at Stoke City again linking it to Coventry Mark Robbins the impossible job at Stoke.

12:16We talked about it so often. They finished 18th last season and despite a pretty bad run they've been on lately, they still had a great start to the season and they're up near the top half. So they were the three that I was mulling over. What do you reckon? Yeah, I mean, we're just avoiding Lampard here too, aren't we? Let's be really honest about it. I'm avoiding Lampard. I'm avoiding Lampard because I'm trying to be the hipster alternative here. You know, that's the role I've got to play in this duo. You go straight down the middle, the obvious choice, the listeners vote, the listeners, everyone going, Greg is so clever isn't he Tom doesn't really know what he's talking about just trying to add a bit of diversity listeners that's all I'm doing No we do have to do that look Greg it is Lampard let's be honest his impact's been extraordinary the test is now that they're the team to knock off their perch we saw you know how he he can be quite emotional and we saw the weekend there with after the final whistle against Southampton there was a bit of a melee and he was kind of giving a bit back to the crowd and Absolutely fair enough.

13:14In my perspective, he was saying that, you know, how come fans are allowed to give me, call me all sorts for most of the second half and I can't give a bit back. Absolutely right. But his test is now. His impact, his effect on the club in 2025 has been extraordinary. Now the real test begins almost. It's like, can you be the team that everyone's trying to knock off their perch and see it through? so he wins 2025 hands down but 2026 is going to be fascinating I'll also say John Eustace because Derby looked dead and buried it took a while to make an impact when he arrived last season but he certainly did that and although they're the 12th in the league just now they're only actually 4 points adrift of Millwall and Sixth so I think they're going to be in with a shout this season I think he's proven time and time again how effective he is as a manager at this level and you know it was also a big news story when he abandoned Blackburn Rovers who were competing for the playoffs last season to go down to Derby County and a lot of people give him a lot of stick he kind of brushed that off and did his job last season and he's making he's slowly making improvements this season and I think they will be in and around the playoffs so it's been a very positive 2025 for John Eustace as well Excellent let's finish with our moment of the year in the championship and just to bring Coventry fans back down to earth I'm sorry Coventry fans you're having a great time of it in this awards ceremony so far Greg is trying to give every single award to Coventry managers, players, and the team itself.

15:08But one of the moments of the season, and it does involve a team no longer in the championship, that Dan Ballard header for Sunderland in the playoff semifinal against Coventry, breaking Coventry hearts, but summing up the craziness of the championship playoffs and the noise in the Stadium of Light that we're now loving in the Premier League as well. That's one of my moments. Limbs. The definition of... Pure limbs. Pure limbs. pure limbs and I would say as well Josh Windass's goal for Sheffield Wednesday against Derby not a lot of joy for Sheffield Wednesday fans in 2025 they're hoping for brighter things next year but this amazing long range strike has got to be up there in one of the moments of the year there are my two suggestions Gregor got any that beat it?

15:51I think these will throughout the leagues will be playoff heavy because the playoffs are so unique and so kind of laden with drama and that Ballard moment undoubtedly was like one for the ages it was just it was epic wasn't it the detonation and noise as we said and the scenes were just remarkable I'd also say probably perhaps because I was there for the final is Tommy Watson's winner against Jeffers United partly because of you know just the nature of it it was like you know I think it was the 91st minute just what that single strike meant and then also just the story about Tommy Watson himself the fact that he was he'd already signed for Brighton he was someone who came through the academy and the club had been trying to get to sign a new contract for quite some time his refusal garnered some boos and a bit of stick even when he was getting on and off the team coach earlier in the season he was not a fan's favourite shall we say but it was seen that he tried to force through that move and he did it and then what better parting gift it was just an amazing story to cap a pretty remarkable final in the playoff final so that was a great moment there are also just games that stand out to me I just remember watching Leeds win against Sheffield United in February when they were properly wobbling like you know Meli was like throwing in goals and yeah I think he scored a goal in fact in that one, it was a bit unlucky but he scooped it in and Leeds were just you know Leeds are so compelling in the championship and just because of the kind of frenzied nature of their desire to get out of the division and what that kind of effect it has.

17:37And, you know, we spent all last season talking about Daniel Farke, sort of almost bemoaning the club's emotional state. And then I just remember that game, they scored, Firpo equalised in the 72nd and then Tanaka, winner in the 88th, and Pirro in a third in the 90th. And it was just like, just absolute bedlam. and you know those moments just there's so much at stake you know even even though there were still a few months of the season to go it was like that wasn't it last season when they were going toe-to-toe with Burnley and Sheffield United and you know there was so much at stake and when those teams met they were just epic games so you know sometimes just a game stands out too and that was one for me that was just like oof Leeds in the Championship is just box office Pure bedlam as you say there'll be a bit more bedlam in the second half of the show when we do our awards for League 1 and League 2.

18:29You go get yourself an eggnog. We'll be back just after this.

18:45Hello and welcome back to this very special Christmas episode of The Game football podcast from The Times and Sunday Times. These are our Football League awards for 2025 with me, Tom Clark, and the football league legend, Grego Robertson. Grego, we had a right good laugh talking about the championship in the past year, in the first half of the show. Let's get stuck straight in to League One with our team of 2025. Who are you going to pick? Stockport County. I don't want to lean on the league table in the calendar year all the time, but... But you're going to. You're going to anyway. I'm going to in this case.

19:18You're going to pick the obvious choice. It's all right. It's okay. I'll come in with a weird one in a minute. You go for the obvious one. Don't worry. Go for it. I've got it in this case because, well, they do top at 85 points in the calendar year. And just they were so unlucky in the playoffs as well. And it's like there's no bigger guarantee in English football than Dave Chaloner making the top six of a league. And they're on track to do it again. So whatever league Stockport are in, they're going to compete. And last season, they were just such an efficient team. they were so effective no stars really obviously they lost Louis Barry Louis Barry was their one star but that was in 2024 so we're not going to dwell on that they lost him in January and they still managed to go toe-to-toe to push Birmingham and Wrexham a long, long way and then as I said they were so unlucky against Leighton-Orient in the playoffs but they just dusted themselves off and they've you know it's not been it's not been like plain sale in the season but they're going to have wobbles they're going to have little drops but they're undoubtedly going to be up there again and they are just over the calendar year they're the best team in League One Yeah, I should just say Stockport definitely great contenders for the team of the year I hope they have a terrible boxing day because I'm going to be there at Edgley Park to watch Lincoln against Stockport so I hope you've just put the Gregor Robertson jinx on them as you often seem to do on this show My first mention I've got to say for terms of drama and this is kind of I'd say the Sheffield United Award for Drama and Narrative League team of the season.

20:58I would say Wickham. Great team last season. One of the best I saw last season, largely under Matt Bloomfield with Richard Kone leading the line. This season, they've already changed manager, brought in a new manager. So they've got that factor as well. They're up to ninth in the table. I think they're one of the better sides in the league. I'm sure they'll be up there in 2026. But my actual nomination goes to Stevenage. Fourteenth last season. They are fourth this season with a game in hand on some of the teams above them. They're so solid, so defiant. They go against a lot of the trends that we talk about last season at the top of League One.

21:33It's a brilliant thing to see. So Stevenage in my nomination. Let's move on to talk about our player of League One. Gregor, I've got two very kind of straight down the line, good professionals to talk about for my League One player of this for the year. And it's Wickham again. Jack Grimmer, big goals, big late goals for them in recent weeks. He's just a player that I've seen play a couple of times against Lincoln. I always think he's a player I would love to have in Lincoln's team. I think any team in League One would love to have him. He's played more than 200 times for Wickham. He's 31 now. And as I say, he's scored some brilliant late goals recently for them.

22:06My other nomination is Stevenage again. Carl Piergiani. I saw him again this season. He's one of those players that as a fan, you go to games and go, I've seen you play everywhere. I swear I've seen you before. and every single time he looks so assured so calm and yet also not necessarily that amazing in any way shape or form and I mean that in the most respectful way I can he's 33 now he's played 170 times for Steven Hidge he's played all over the place he's played in Australia as well I think and he just looks so solid so experienced and he kind of those two players kind of sum up the football league for me particularly at this level so I wanted to give a shout out to two players who aren't necessarily superstars won't necessarily grab the headlines but they're my two players the year for Lee what about you first player I'll go with is Davis Keeler Dunn at Barnsley and like he's just so consistent in terms of his output and goals well 13 in the back end the second half of last season and he's already on 11 this season and he's playing for a Barnsley team that aren't that haven't like pulled up any trees have been really inconsistent he's I think he's one of the best one of the best players in the division he's been around a bit came you know came from Manfield and but the step up has been been no problem for him whatsoever you know very physical player but real kind of killer instinct in front of the goal so I think Keilor Dunn has been one of the best players another I know it's I'm leaning on a stoppour again but I think whatever team he played for I would pick him it's Oliver Norwood I just love watching him play like I know he's he's you know advancing in years now he's someone who's played almost his entire career in the in the championship won several promotions to the Premier League, played in the Premier League with Sheffield United, this was a move that kind of, I don't know, it felt like a really good fit because although he's getting on, he's still kind of, he still oozes class and he can still control a game and he's still got an absolutely outstanding Seppi's delivery, he's still kind of racking up great numbers in terms of assists and chance creation and things like if you look at if you look at up to stats accurate long balls he plays for a team that he can he's a bit like a quarterback really so I think I think he's someone who's still playing brilliant football so they would probably be my two players there's loads of them I mean Lewis Lewis Wings still like banging in absolute wonder strikes the master of the wonder strike in the division and there's been plenty of them in 2025 Yeah, League One it's the place to be I've been telling you for ages Manager of 2025 Gregor I feel like we might have a similar suggestion for this one but I'll let you go first and see Well, I'm going to go for Gary Boyer Yep I think it's got to be it's got to be Yeah It's got to be what a job that guy has done in 2025 When he took over at Burton Albion they were absolutely dead and buried like it seemed that way already and you know they'd had a takeover they'd signed 22 players in the in the previous summer so that was in the summer of 2024 and it had just been a disaster and it took a little while for him to make an impact but he certainly did that and I think it was one of the jobs of the season last season to keep Burton Albion in the league it would be an extraordinary job in any season just keeping Burton Albion in League 1 is no mean feat but to do it after the start they had was extraordinary so I mean if you look at the table over the calendar year they're 11th that's an incredible job and look they're lower than that in the league this season they're going to be in the conversation for relegation but I think with Gary Boyer at the helm there's a good chance of them staying up and we've got the best out of so many players Webster in particular has been brilliant for them he's someone who came came under Mark Robinson was injured at the start of the season and you know when he got back in the team the manager changed and he basically was just about to change and he's been so impactful he's been like real kind of box-to-box midfielder goal scorer and just like talisman for them so I would say that Gary Boyer's job is very very hard to surpass Absolutely couldn't agree with you more let's finish with our moments of the year for League One I've got a couple of quick suggestions as you mentioned in the first half of the show the playoffs are always in our favourite moments Stockport against Leighton Orient second leg what an absolutely crackers bonkers game that was a couple of the missed chances in that game probably still haunting some of the Stockport players Barnsley's raised Cleary with an amazing goal from his own half this season has got to be in there but Gregor I'm going to go more self-indulgent than any listener will have managed with their food consumption on Christmas Day with my moment of 2025.

27:14And that happened on Saturday when I decided to go to watch Lincoln against Cardiff on my own, despite not being very well, despite not having done any of my Christmas shopping. I went to watch us take on the league leaders and we won 2-1 Michael Scabala masterclass. I hugged a load of strangers that I'd never met before because my dad wasn't there. I had a bloody great time and that is what football is all about. They say it's the hope that kills you. sometimes it's the hope that gets you in the ground I'm telling you what an absolutely crackers day it was I absolutely loved it that is my moment of the year and you can't tell me otherwise but go on give it a go anyway Can we lean into like a League One team in the FA Cup because I just one of the great moments of the season last season for me was was Jamie Donnelly's goal for Orient against City Jamie Donnelly and Orient Orient again another team have been you know had a brilliant season if you look at in fact at the league table they were second over the calendar year despite a massive overall in the summer so that's a kind of that's a side one for me but I think actually for drama and kind of blocks off his view I'm probably going to have to go with Nathan Jones falling onto his knees in the playoff semi-final against Wickham before the final whistle had even blown like he's just it was just absolutely like gobsmacking you know we know we know Nathan Jones as a character.

28:38I interviewed him recently and he spoke about this. It's like heart on a sleeve. He doesn't, he said it's not, you know, none of it's fake, none of it's for like, for show, none of it's for the camera. It's just him being him. And, you know, I believe him, but he is, he is box office. And that was, you know, of all the moments, we've seen him here off down the touchline. We've seen him standing on the hoardings, punching the air and, you know, banging his chest in front of the crowd and celebrating wildly. But this was just, I did something different. dropping to his knees and like pointing to God and you know he's obviously a born again Christian and you know the final was not even blown and it was I think what was it 1-0?

29:18so like it was it was pretty remarkable that was some moment yeah good drama but you didn't see the portion of chips and beans I had at half time at Lincoln Cardiff so that's all I'm going to say great half time chips and a 2-1 win against the league leaders you cannot beat that I don't care how dramatic Nathan Jones is let's move into League 2 and finish with our awards in the fourth team of the year for 2025, Gregor. I can't believe we're even going to consider anyone other than Walsall. Are we? Well, yeah, we are. Are we? We have to say the first half of 2025 was absolutely stinking. Stinking, but it's narrative.

29:58This is what it's all about. It's narrative because, Gregor, they're going to end this year. They could end this year, but they're currently top again. it's happening again you cannot get any better than that they've done it again they're top of League 2 they've done it last season they had a stinking heartbreaking end to last season they were the team everyone was wishing would get out of the playoffs and they didn't quite manage it and then they've come back again League 2 they're currently top joint on 40 points with Swindon it's amazing go on tell me another team that give you better drama than Walsall I mean Swindon are the team that top the table and points oh he's bringing out his table again listeners, I think you'll find if you check the table, Tom.

30:39Grow up at Christmas. Have a laugh for God's sake. There's a fair amount of narrative there too. I mean, when Ian Holloway took charge, they looked dead and buried and they went on an extraordinary run to pull clear a relegation. And then we said it time and time again, it's about are the players going to buy in fully to Ian Holloway? And they have done it again and they're joined on points with Walsall at the moment. So like at the top of the table and they've kicked on brilliantly you know Drunin's banging the goals in it's been an extraordinary 2025 for Swindon Town so yeah like I'm not doubting the narrative but there's a great narrative at Swindon as well because they look dead it wasn't a case of like oh we're you know we're cruising cruising at the top of the table we're going to win the league and then we fell away and lost in the playoff final they looked like they were falling out of the football league altogether and at the end of the year they look like they're going into League One yeah yeah fair enough alright pumping logic into it boring anyway let's talk about our player of the year for 2025 Bromley's Michael Cheek for me what about you?

31:47it's got to be Cheek like great we're agreeing fantastic we agree we agree because Cheek Cheek is Cheek was a brilliant story last season it was his it was his first in the Football League I think he's 34 I may be wrong but I'm pretty sure he's you know I'm pretty sure he's getting close to 35. Yeah, 34, correct. He got 13 goals in the second half of last season. He's already got nine goals this season. It's just a crying shame that he never made it to the Football League before, before he's mid-30s. Because he is like a batter and ram or a striker and when he gets a sniff of goal, he makes no mistake.

32:26He's been absolutely brilliant. And there were sniffs, there was a chance of him moving on in the summer. Bromley I don't know by hook or by crook managed to keep hold of him and again he might end up in League 1 because Bromley are flying this season yeah in third at the moment wouldn't that be a wonderful story to see Michael Cheek strutting his stuff in League 1 Gregor your manager of 2025 I wonder if we're agreeing on this one as well I'm going to go for and this is one example of a manager who's no longer there but I'm going Graham Alexander because Bradford City have just been one of the you know the greatest underachievers in the Football League for so long turn of the century in the Premier League I played against them in the Championship in League 1, in League 2 they'd been back in League 2 for 6 years Stuart McCall and Phil Parkinson are the two managers in that time who really got a tune out of them but I feel like it's just a great fit, I feel like for him to really harness the kind of power of that club and get them 20 odd thousand fans packed in every single week and also kind of play the football that he wants to play he's someone who I've interviewed a couple of times over the years and he's unapologetic about his football always being effective and that kind of fits in with the zeitgeist now he's sort of I feel like he could take them on again obviously they're doing really well this season I feel like he could take them into the championship and I'd love to see Bradford back in the championship and you know who knows what would happen then there'd be a team that would be right a club that would be right for investment I think Graham Alexander could have his best years ahead I mean that does fall into the Borgia signs category because he's no longer in League 2 so he's cheating a little bit I'm just saying just for argument's sake my nomination it was a great achievement you're quite right much more solid than my slightly stupid Borgia signs suggestion my vote for manager of the year in League 2 goes to Ian Holloway finished 2024 talking about ghosts, Gregor.

34:32Everyone laughing at him. Everyone thinking, oh, Holloway's at it again. Talking nonsense. He can't cut it in management. But as you've already said, Swindon just behind Walsall in the table, gunning for promotion, proving that he's still got it. It's a lovely thing to see. And as I say, as much as some of the things he comes out with sometimes do sound like a joke and a bit of a parody of himself, he's clearly still got it as a manager. Let's finish with our moment of the year in League Two. I'm going to go first, Gregor, because I think mine is slightly a bit more off the wall, but I watched it again the other day and it still brings me so much, so much joy.

35:06It's Accrington 3, Tranmere 3 from the end of last season. I don't know if you remember this. I remember us talking about it on the show. We got so good at talking about it too, didn't we? It will never not make me happy, I think. If I'm ever down and really struggling, just send me a link to Accrington 3, Tranmere 3. And I'm telling you listeners, if you've still not seen this, I cannot talk about how much joy it has in it. Accrington, local rivals as well, for people who don't know. Accrington, 3-0 up, cruising. All the players, if you watch the celebrations, the players are mugging it. They've scored at the Tranmere end as well.

35:41The Tranmere away fans, all three of Accrington's goals go in front of the Tranmere away fans. They're mugging it off. They're going, yeah, we're loving it. 3-0 up. And then three absolute worldies from Tranmere in the 78th minute, the 87th minute, And the 90th minute plus 11 minutes of stoppage time. Two of the goals from Omari Patrick. The final one, the ball is cleared. And you can tell even from watching the highlights, it's hoofed back in, it drops to him. And you can just see that glorious moment for a footballer who thinks, I'm going to punt this right into the top corner. And he does. And you talked about limbs in the Stadium of Light.

36:20It might not be as big a ground and there might have only been a couple of hundred Tranmere fans. It went absolutely mental. and the highlights are so great because the cameraman doesn't know where he's going and he ends up settling on a Tranmere player who's running in front of the away fans and runs into one of the Tranmere fans. They both bundle themselves into the goal. It is the definition of joyous football league action for everyone other than Accrington fans, I should say. Sorry, Accrington fans for bringing it up. But it was just so, so joyous. Do you know what? After we finish recording this show, I'm going to go and watch it again.

36:55It is that good. So that is my moment of 2025. And I think you're going to have to do very, very hard to top it. Well, I don't know if I'll top it, but I think I can match it. And that's Bradford again. It's Sarcevic, 96th minute winner against Fleetwood on the final day to seal automatic promotion after just stumbling and stuttering towards the finishing line, as so many teams at the top end of the lead two did last season. And they were limping away. and they were going to fall into the playoffs. There was so much, so many different outcomes possible in the final day last season. And when it was the scruffiest goal in the world as well, it was an absolute shocker, but they did not care.

37:42And the scenes, the scenes were incredible. Absolute limbs at Valley Parade as well. So like, I can match you for joy and I can match you for limbs. And actually there were more people there today there were like 20 ,000 there and Sarsovic again another promotion on his CV but it was just you know as we bang on about all the time the kind of the joy and the jeopardy at the end of the season in the EFL in terms of all the different permutations and who can do what and who can't you know making the automatics or having you know falling into the playoffs or how many teams can can make the playoffs on the final day that was the other kind of thing that was so dramatic on the final day in the lead two last season.

38:26But to score a goal in the 96th minute, that confirms your promotion. There's not much better in football than that. Yeah, absolutely. A load of joy on this episode, this very special episode of the EFL Extra show. We'll leave it there. Gregor Robertson, thank you very much for joining me. Thank you too for listening. We hope you've enjoyed this very special Christmas show of the game podcast. We'll be back with one more episode in 2025. We'll see you then. Thank you.