Football's Greatest: Could It Be Magic?

This week's episode focusses on European nights: the teams, the players, the fights and the freezing cold nights away from home. The lads discuss why they loved playing in Europe and reflect on some of the players they lined up against including Zidane, Messi, Del Piero, Seedorf and R9: What was it like to have Messi running directly at you? Which midfielder would snarl, 'Don't touch me'? And which were their favourite places to play? They recall the infamous away match at Galatasaray, the trip to Russia that left one United player covered in bites from bed bugs and remember the disappointments against Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund and Jose Mourinho's Porto. There's also take a detour as they discuss the trip to Brazil in 2000 and how two players went on an unsanctioned hang-gliding trip over Rio. The gaffer was not pleased... Email: ⁠footballsgreatest@foldingpocket.co.uk⁠ Follow Football's Greatest and join in the debate: | YouTube: ⁠www.youtube.com/@footballsgreatestpod⁠Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/footballsgreatestpod⁠X/Twitter: ⁠www.twitter.com/ftblsgreatest⁠TikTok: ⁠www.tiktok.com/@footballsgreatestpod⁠Facebook: ⁠www.facebook.com/footballsgreatestpod⁠ Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. Cover artwork by Stanley Chow: ⁠http://www.stanleychow.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Nicky and Paul are taking you back to 1995-96: the season of Cantona's return, grey kits, Keegan's rant and, of course, "You'll never win anything with kids". Nicky and Paul recall their reactions when they heard Hughes, Ince and Kanchelskis had been sold and how they felt after getting well beaten at Aston Villa on the opening day. They discuss Eric Cantona's comeback against Liverpool and how he got different treatment from Sir Alex, how they whittled down Newcastle's 12-point lead and they remember the manager's furious reaction at Southampton and why he ordered them to change their shirts at half-time. Elsewhere, Nicky reveals how a bet with Kevin Keegan at Newcastle ended with a load of 2ps on the manager's desk, he and Paul discuss how they felt battling one another for a place in the team during their United careers and who was singing their own song on the way back from Middlesbrough after the league was won? Email: ⁠footballsgreatest@foldingpocket.co.uk⁠ Follow Football's Greatest and join in the debate: YouTube: ⁠www.youtube.com/@footballsgreatestpod⁠Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/footballsgreatestpod⁠X/Twitter: ⁠www.twitter.com/ftblsgreatest⁠TikTok: ⁠www.tiktok.com/@footballsgreatestpod⁠Facebook: ⁠www.facebook.com/footballsgreatestpod⁠ Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. Cover artwork by Stanley Chow: ⁠http://www.stanleychow.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Paul and Nicky take us back to their early days as young kids trying to make it at Manchester United. They discuss whether they like the ‘Class of 92’ tag, how hard it was to make it as a young pro and what they thought of their team-mates: which player is like Benjamin Button? Who was discovered by the dad of a famous actor? And who did they consider to be the best player among them? Nicky reveals how he almost signed for another club and how an alternative career came to an abrupt end, they recall the tough love they received from youth coach Eric Harrison and the initiations they had to do in front of the first team. Email: footballsgreatest@foldingpocket.co.uk Follow Football's Greatest and join in the debate: YouTube: www.youtube.com/@footballsgreatestpod Instagram: www.instagram.com/footballsgreatestpodX/Twitter: www.twitter.com/ftblsgreatestTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@footballsgreatestpodFacebook: www.facebook.com/footballsgreatestpod Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. Cover artwork by Stanley Chow: http://www.stanleychow.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Battles. Clashes. Red cards. Respect. This week Nicky and Paul are talking about rivalries. They look back on their biggest games against Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Leeds and Chelsea, take us inside the tunnels at Anfield, Highbury and Elland Road and recall what it was like to play against the likes of Steven Gerrard, Patrick Vieira, David Batty and Dennis Wise. Which was the biggest rivalry of their careers? Which rival midfielder used to do the weirdest things on the pitch? And which was the one club they felt Sir Alex Ferguson really disliked? Along the way, they discuss whether they got on with their club rivals when on England duty, recall how Nicky had to protect Gary Neville from an angry Feyenoord front man, Paul reveals just how big a secret his return from retirement against Manchester City was and they discuss whether they would ever have joined a rival. Email: ⁠footballsgreatest@foldingpocket.co.uk ⁠Follow Football's Greatest and join in the debate: YouTube: ⁠www.youtube.com/@footballsgreatestpod⁠ Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/footballsgreatestpod⁠ X/Twitter: ⁠www.twitter.com/ftblsgreatest⁠ TikTok: ⁠www.tiktok.com/@footballsgreatestpod⁠ Facebook: ⁠www.facebook.com/footballsgreatestpod⁠ Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. Cover artwork by Stanley Chow: ⁠http://www.stanleychow.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s episode two of Football’s Greatest Eras with Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes and this week they’re talking about the man who had a transformative effect on their lives - Sir Alex Ferguson. Nicky and Paul tell us what it was like to be managed, motivated, developed and - yes - rollicked by the great man. They also bring up a ton of memories such as: Which of them was once surprised to find Fergie waiting for them in the headmaster’s office when they were late for school? Who thought he was being sold after rowing with the manager after a game? Which player did Sir Alex watch constantly at a dinner before later signing him for United? They chat about what set Sir Alex apart as a manager, recall some of his most inspirational team talks, remember how shocked Cristiano Ronaldo and other foreign players were by the hairdryer, and discuss the desire to keep on winning that saw him move on club legends like David Beckham, Paul Ince, Jaap Stam and Roy Keane.  🫖 Thanks to our pals at Lancashire Tea - tea the way it should be. Lancashire Tea is available in both original and decaf. Find it in supermarkets or online. Email: footballsgreatest@foldingpocket.co.uk Follow Football's Greatest and join in the debate: YouTube: www.youtube.com/@footballsgreatestpodInstagram: www.instagram.com/footballsgreatestpodX/Twitter: www.twitter.com/ftblsgreatestTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@footballsgreatestpodFacebook: www.facebook.com/footballsgreatestpod Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. Cover artwork by Stanley Chow: http://www.stanleychow.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes are here to take you inside one of the most dominant periods of English football. You can expect stories about the trophies, the rivalries, the hairdryer and their team-mates throughout the series as they get candid about their time at Manchester United. Welcome to Football's Greatest Eras and where else to start but with the crowning glory for that team - the 1999 Champions League Final win over Bayern Munich. Nicky and Paul take us from their flight out to Barcelona on Concorde to the celebrations in Manchester after. They discuss their contrasting emotions as Paul was suspended from the biggest game of his career and what they thought of Sir Alex Ferguson's starting eleven. We go down into the bowels of the Nou Camp as Nicky explains how he felt stood in the tunnel, separated from the Bayern players by a cage. Then, we're into the match itself, from the terrible start of losing a goal early - and who got the blame for that - to the manager's half-time team talk and, finally, to the unforgettable ending. Along the way, they also recall when Mick Hucknall trained with them (and whether he could play), why Nicky thought he might be on his way out of the club that summer, and which United player was the first to leave the party after the final? Email: footballsgreatest@foldingpocket.co.uk Follow Football's Greatest and join in the debate: YouTube: www.youtube.com/@footballsgreatestpod Instagram: www.instagram.com/footballsgreatestpod X/Twitter: www.twitter.com/ftblsgreatest TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@footballsgreatestpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/footballsgreatestpod Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. Cover artwork by Stanley Chow: http://www.stanleychow.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Football's Greatest Eras is a new podcast with Manchester United legends Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes. The pair - two Manchester lads themselves - were part of one of the most successful teams ever seen in English football, working under arguably the greatest manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson. Nicky and Paul take you deep inside the United dressing room during this period of dominance. From Ferguson’s team talks to tea cups against the wall; Roy Keane’s leadership to training ground bust-ups; from the rivalries with Liverpool, Newcastle and Arsenal to the European nights in Barcelona, Milan and Madrid; this series will take you under the hood of a great time with raw, compelling and hilarious storytelling. As well as the games and the goals that you know, you'll also get stories you've never heard before: which of them nearly signed for Real Madrid? Which midfielder would hiss, "Don't touch me" during a game? And who upset Fergie by turning up with Miss World before a big game in Europe? This is one of football's greatest eras as told by two of those who were there. Email: footballsgreatest@foldingpocket.co.uk Follow Football's Greatest and join in the debate: YouTube: www.youtube.com/@footballsgreatestpod Instagram: www.instagram.com/footballsgreatestpod Twitter: www.twitter.com/ftblsgreatest TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@footballsgreatestpod Facebook: www.facebook.com/footballsgreatestpod Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. Cover artwork by Stanley Chow: http://www.stanleychow.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Great matches. Magic moments. Wonderful memories. In the latest compilation of some of the best bits from Football’s Greatest with Jeff Stelling, our guests remember some of the biggest games from their careers. James Milner talks about Liverpool’s epic comeback to beat Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final second leg in 2019. He reveals Jurgen Klopp’s inspirational words before the game, and how the Reds were able to subdue Lionel Messi and company to reach the final. Joleon Lescott relives the amazing last few minutes of the 2012 season as Manchester City overturned a 1-2 deficit to beat QPR and snatch the Premier League title from rivals Manchester United. Sir Geoff Hurst talks us through his hat-trick that enabled England to lift the World Cup in 1966. He explains why he didn’t like his celebration for his first goal and what was going through his mind as he hit the shot for his third that launched him into sporting legend. Glenn Hoddle remembers the night Tottenham overcame Johan Cruyff’s Feyenoord at White Hart Lane, his amazement that Cruyff was trying to man mark him and why that game was so special to him. Coming soon - Football’s Greatest: Eras with Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes. Join the pair as they take you inside one of the most dominant periods ever seen in the Premier League. Expect tales about Sir Alex Ferguson, Eric Cantona and David Beckham, the rivalries and the inside track on some of the biggest games and players from the 90s and 00s. Follow Football's Greatest and join in the debate: YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@footballsgreatestpod Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/footballsgreatestpod Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ftblsgreatest TikTok: http://www.tiktok.com/@footballsgreatestpod Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/footballsgreatestpod Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Big moves that don’t happen. Being left out of a match day squad. Hearing you’re not good enough.  Football is full of regrets and in this latest compilation episode of Football’s Greatest with Jeff Stelling, we hear some of our guests’ biggest ones from their careers. Former Australia keeper Mark Schwarzer explains how a move to Arsenal fell apart in 2010 and why it left him frustrated and upset with the Fulham manager Mark Hughes and the club’s owner. Brighton midfielder James Milner recalls how it felt to be subbed off by Fabio Capello after just 25 minutes of his first ever game at the World Cup in South Africa, how he managed to work his way back into the manager’s plans and his disappointment after the controversial defeat to Germany.  Jeff’s old Soccer Saturday pal Phil Thompson remembers how he discovered he wouldn’t be captaining England at the 1982 World Cup and why it left him so distraught. Matt Le Tissier talks about when he was left out of the 1998 World Cup squad by Glenn Hoddle, why Paul Gascoigne’s omission later left him hurting even more and how powerless he felt as England exited the tournament after losing to Argentina in a penalty shoot-out. Coming soon - Football’s Greatest: Eras with Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes. Join the pair as they take you inside one of the most dominant periods ever seen in the Premier League. Expect tales about Sir Alex Ferguson, Eric Cantona and David Beckham, the rivalries and the inside track on some of the biggest games and players from the 90s and 00s. Follow Football's Greatest and join in the debate: YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@footballsgreatestpod Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/footballsgreatestpod Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ftblsgreatest TikTok: http://www.tiktok.com/@footballsgreatestpod Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/footballsgreatestpod Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s best bits is all about some of the Premier League legends who have been discussed over the course of the Football’s Greatest series. Paul Merson recalls what it was like to play with Ian Wright, what made him such a great goalscorer and how he could also handle himself, including in the players lounge after. Joleon Lescott talks about what made Wayne Rooney such a tough opponent on the pitch, how his strength compared to Didier Drogba's and why he thinks Sir Alex Ferguson was able to get the best out of Rooney. Michael Ballack explains why he thinks Jurgen Klinsmann opted to join Tottenham in the mid-90s at the peak of his career, why the move was such a success and the impact it had in Germany. Matthew Le Tissier remembers how Stuart Pearce used to terrify him as a young player, and even made renowned Saints hard man Jimmy Case think twice about taking on the man the fans nicknamed ‘Psycho’.  COMING SOON - Football’s Greatest: Eras with Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes. Join the pair as they take you inside one of the most dominant periods ever seen in the Premier League. Expect tales about Sir Alex Ferguson, Eric Cantona and David Beckham, the rivalries and the inside track on some of the biggest games and players from the 90s and 00s. Follow Football's Greatest and join in the debate: YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@footballsgreatestpod Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/footballsgreatestpod Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ftblsgreatest TikTok: http://www.tiktok.com/@footballsgreatestpod Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/footballsgreatestpod Football's Greatest is a Folding Pocket production with BBC Studios. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices