Everyone else has been banging on about Liverpool all day, so we open ROUTE ONE with a good look at Man City courtesy of @ghostgoal. Then we've got @SebSB on Bayern dropping points. And we've got all the usuals as well. Have a listen here: pod.fo/e/34ff9a

After three months of FM17 and over 30,000 words of content, Everton are on the brink of the Champions League group stages. There's just the small matter of CSKA Moscow in the play-offs... trackrecordmedia.org/2025/11/07/f...

And finally from us this week, Episode 21 of the FM Classic Series in which Everton meet CSKA Moscow in the Champions League play-off and we all try not to think about Pierluigi Collina.... trackrecordmedia.org/2025/11/07/f...

Our in-house Blue Chris Smith is starting to worry that David Moyes might not be making the best of this Everton squad. Or the five sub rule.... trackrecordmedia.org/2025/11/06/m...

Plus, in a flurry of creative output from us that is in no way down to a technical issue logjam, we have the wonderful @dannykellywords.bsky.social digging into the art of the creative nadir inspired, naturally, by Spurs and it has this awesome opening par. trackrecordmedia.org/2025/11/07/s...

Plus, in a flurry of creative output from us that is in no way down to a technical issue logjam, we have the wonderful @dannykellywords digging into the art of the creative nadir which is inspired, naturally, by Spurs and has this awesome opening par. trackrecordmedia.org/2025/11/07/s...

The final ROUTE ONE of the week is here, looking ahead to the big one with Sky Sports News rising star Lola Katz Roberts, looking at Coventry with Simon from @thatcovpod.bsky.social and looking at Luka Vuskovic with @sebsb.bsky.social Listen now: pod.fo/e/34d938

Even I thought this was one of mine!

The new ROUTE ONE is here and asking questions like, "Why are Newcastle so inconsistent?" and "Blimey? Why are Norwich so bad?" and, "Same question but Girona?" Listen now with @georgecaulkin.bsky.social , @adrianjclarke.bsky.social and Feargal Brennan pod.fo/e/34ca3d

Very chuffed that @podonthetyne.bsky.social has been nominated for club podcast of the year alongside some truly brilliant shows. Huge thanks to the FSA for this honour & to our lovely listeners for their amazing support for our independent pod. #NUFC ❤️ thefsa.org.uk/news/fsa-awa...

Apropos of absolutely nothing, but I came upon this while researching something else. Bolton boss Colin Todd drags two players with him to the press conference after a 5-0 defeat. Astonishingly, he was still Bolton boss for two more years after this.

Football Manager 2026 is no longer alpha or beta, it's out there on the market and so it's time for our Big Proper Review. Is it a bin fire? Is it a classic? Let's find out... trackrecordmedia.org/2025/11/05/f...

Liverpool are back and that means we've got @knoxharrington.bsky.social opening up ROUTE ONE today. But I also have PSG questions, so we've got @tomwfootball.bsky.social too. And what is going on with Stoke? They look unbeatable, Producer Si! Listen here: pod.fo/e/34bc6e

Ok, it's done. It's out. No 'beta version' excuses allowed now. Here's the review of the full release version of Football Manager 2026. trackrecordmedia.org/2025/11/05/f...

I don’t see how you can intentionally play the ball with your hand by diving in and turning your back to a powerful shot, but equally I have no idea if that makes any difference anymore because I’ve seen them given. The Handball law is banjaxed.

And now, 38 minutes late and with a compromised study door, I shall review FM26 without any sort of Alpha/Beta excuses. I am eschewing my usual 'start unemployed, see where it goes' style for a Liverpool-on-the-eve-of-the-season start. I would hope this means I win a bit.

Due to door-related issues, today's ROUTE ONE is presented by Lola Katz Roberts as a result, listeners may notice that it sounds significantly better than usual. Join her and @mattjfootball.bsky.social (Everton) and @sebsb.bsky.social (BMG) right here: pod.fo/e/34ac64

I'd love to be stuck inside. There's a lovely sofa, all my books are there, the computers are there, the emergency brandy is there. It's a luxury panic room. The cat's probably having a fucking amazing time right now.

Today's episode of Route One will be delayed slightly because the door handle to my study has disengaged and my attempt to barge it down failed. Microphone is on other side along with elderly cat. A handyman has been summoned, but he's racing against her bladder now.

Also out today: Europa Universalis 5 from @PdxInteractive If you think Civilization 6 is too "quick and lightweight," try EU. It's like taking an Open University degree in medieval history in slow motion. www.paradoxinteractive.com/games/europa...

I have also carefully scheduled my day to ensure that I am free at 4pm to <properly> review FM26, a game I haven't spent too much time on so far on account of not really liking it very much. I am hopeful that the recent updates have done their magic.

The second season of the FM Classic Everton series has begun. Some of last year's heroes are leaving, but are they being replaced by new heroes? Probably not, no. trackrecordmedia.org/2025/11/03/f...

Gary O'Neil for Wolves and Russell Martin for Southampton? Has everyone lost their minds? We've got a full round-up of the weekend action on ROUTE ONE today, but, yeah, mostly it's @stevemadeley78.bsky.social and George Rees-Julian talking Wolves and Southampton. pod.fo/e/349aae

The new episode of FM Classic is live, the new season has begun and the rats are leaving the ship. Look after yourself, Gerard. I guess that's what you're best at... trackrecordmedia.org/2025/11/03/f...

Gary O'Neil for Wolves and Russell Martin for Southampton? Has everyone lost their minds? We've got a full round-up of the weekend action on ROUTE ONE today, but, yeah, mostly it's @stevemadeley78.bsky.social and George Rees-Julian talking Wolves and Southampton. pod.fo/e/349aae

That's the best 45 minutes of football I've seen from West Ham in a long time. Not a high bar, admittedly. Staggering stuff. Never mind the score. I'm pretty sure I even saw them successfully defend a corner at one point.

Watching the tape of Brighton - Leeds because I thought I might write about Leeds and why they're not really catching light, but Brighton's repeated build up from the centre backs is so soothing I might set the whole thing to an ambient soundscape and sell it as relaxation aid

I can’t even figure out what Tottenham are <trying> to do, but whatever it is, it’s not working. They’re such an odd team right now, I can’t read them at all. They were smart at Everton, they’re just flat and meh here.

Arne Slot has said today that he doesn't think he needs to adapt his tactics. Which is pretty much the opposite of what I wrote here this morning. Eight years away from football writing, but the hex is still strong... trackrecordmedia.org/2025/10/31/s...

Friday edition of ROUTE ONE is here. Got a full Premier League preview (Bournemouth to beat Man City?) we've taken a look at Villarreal with Feargal Brennan and we've checked in with @barcajim3.bsky.social of @rgcceltic.bsky.social too. Listen now and have a lovely w/end. pod.fo/e/3482c0

Arne Slot has said today that he doesn't think he needs to adapt his tactics. Which is pretty much the opposite of what I wrote here this morning. Eight years away from football writing, but the hex is still strong... trackrecordmedia.org/2025/10/31/s...

Talk of sacking Slot is daft, but if he's going to turn this around he needs to reverse his tactical tweaks and get back to basics... trackrecordmedia.org/2025/10/31/s...

And remember that the ad-free writing is merely a honey trap for the podcast, so if you like the FM story, do give the podcast a click. Even if you don't listen. Though you should listen. It's not terrible.

We've also got Chris from the Writer's Room on time wasting. He's an Everton season ticket holder (in real life, not FM17) and he is not happy about time wasting. trackrecordmedia.org/2025/10/30/m...

Lots of good stuff on Track Record today. And we've also got the new episode of the FM Classic Everton story. A weirdly successful first season has done nothing to quell the desire of the best players to leave. But I have a shopping list... trackrecordmedia.org/2025/10/30/f...

This is a lovely story, good luck to him

Want all the most interesting football stories in just ten minutes? Of course you do. We've got Lola Katz Roberts on Liverpool's unravelling season, we've got @sebsb.bsky.social on a historic Bayern campaign and Chris Jack on Rangers winning again. Listen here: pod.fo/e/3476de

You spoke. We listened. You threw things. We ducked. The second series of the FM Classic Everton story begins here. And may God have mercy on all of you. trackrecordmedia.org/2025/10/30/f...

Want all the most interesting football stories in just ten minutes? Of course you do. We've got Lola Katz Roberts on Liverpool's unravelling season, we've got @sebsb.bsky.social on a historic Bayern campaign and Chris Jack on Rangers winning again. Listen here: pod.fo/e/3476de

Over on Track Record today our own @cdsmith789 goes thermonuclear on time-wasting. And rightly so. He also knackers my argument for a 60min stop clock solution too... trackrecordmedia.org/2025/10/30/m...

And we've got a new episode of ROUTE ONE, your chirpy, ten minute, expert-led romp around some of the most interesting stories in football today. Today's show features @stevemadeley78.bsky.social , @adrianjclarke.bsky.social and @tomwfootball.bsky.social and it's right here: pod.fo/e/3469da

We've got the splendid @dannykellywords back on Track Record today, ruminating on two clubs with very different owners... trackrecordmedia.org/2025/10/29/t...

I just watched the tape of the Wolves game and they're in a lot of trouble, aren't they @stevemadeley78.bsky.social? Millwall aren't though, they're flying, says @adrianjclarke.bsky.social And how good is Europe's 4th highest scorer Joaquín Panichelli @tomwfootball.bsky.social? pod.fo/e/3469da

We did 18 episodes of an Everton FM Classic over on Track Record and we're undecided on how to continue. Onwards to the past (FM17) or time to embrace the future? (FM26). Have a read and let us know what you think we should do... trackrecordmedia.org/2025/10/27/f...

One of the team got asked on to Hawksbee and Jacobs yesterday. Did a great job of explaining the name of the podcast...

Route One had its best day of the month yesterday, which is interesting 'cos we went with Celtic, Sunderland and Bayern. Is it better when it ignores the Arsenal/Liverpool/Man Utd noise? What do you think? pod.fo/e/345ee0

I'm not a huge fan of Monopoly either. We're taking shadowy foreign money from Big Catan over here.

Let's try that again with the correct tags, shall we? Brendan Rodgers walks, but who's really to blame? We ask @barcajim3.bsky.social host of @rgcceltic.bsky.social Who's Bayern's new wonderkid Lenny Karl, @sebsb.bsky.social ? And how are Sunderland doing this Michael Graham? pod.fo/e/345ee0

Brendan Rodgers walks, but who's really to blame? We ask @RGCCeltic host Jim Burke. Who's Bayern's new wonderkid Lenny Karl? @SebSB And how are Sunderland doing this @Capt_Fishpaste? Here's another packed ROUTE ONE pod.fo/e/345ee0