

The Hard Truth - Inside the Football Industry with Darragh MacAnthony
Darragh MacAnthony
Having bought a professional football club Peterborough United aged 29 and been in the game for nearly 15 years Darragh shares his opinions on all things football as well as business discussion in this weekly podcast.
Brutally honest, direct opinion and insight of what happens behind the scenes, not in the public eye in the frantically busy and ever-changing world of football.
Hence the name of the podcast being “The Hard Truth”
Brutally honest, direct opinion and insight of what happens behind the scenes, not in the public eye in the frantically busy and ever-changing world of football.
Hence the name of the podcast being “The Hard Truth”
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 10, 2021 • 53min
EP44: Darren Moore, Marcus Evans, FAI, and More...!
Peterborough United Chairman Darragh MacAnthony and Bradford City supporter Philip Ideson give insight on the "Hard Truths" behind the football industry via this weekly podcast 🎙️⚽🏢
On this week's episode...
- Watching live sport
- Manager merry-go-round
- Marcus Evans selling up
- £3.5M losses for Posh
- Rangers & Stevie G
- Advice for the FAI
- Chairman in the dugout
- and much more...
Follow Darragh at @DMAC102
Follow Phil at @pideson
Send any questions you want to be answered to the guys via email: contact@hardtruthfootball.com
We’re always grateful for feedback so feel free to post a review via your podcast provider and also follow us via our other media platforms to comment on and also share our content.
Twitter @hardtruthpod
Facebook at /hardtruthpod
Instagram at @hardtruthpod

Mar 3, 2021 • 53min
EP43: [Business Podcast] Bouncing Back from ROCK BOTTOM
The Hard Truth Business Community launches this week, and to celebrate, we are sharing Episode 1 of The Hard Truth Business Podcast, the weekly podcast for members of the community.
In Episode 1, Darragh MacAnthony and Philip Ideson discuss how you can bounce back from rock bottom in your business or your career, and share stories and lessons learned from their own entrepreneurial journeys.
For more information on how to join The Hard Truth Business Community, go to https://hardtruthbusiness.com.

Feb 24, 2021 • 48min
EP42: The Roadmap
Peterborough United Chairman Darragh MacAnthony and Bradford City supporter Philip Ideson give insight on the "Hard Truths" behind the football industry via this weekly podcast 🎙️⚽🏢
On this week's episode...
- League tables
- Bradford's play-off push?
- COVID keepers
- Making friends and influencing people
- Thierry Henry / Jonathan Woodgate
- EFL government loan
- Reopening roadmap
- Offering new contracts
- Ivan Toney
- Ryan Lowe
- Subbing the sub
- and much more...
Follow Darragh at @DMAC102
Follow Phil at @pideson
Send any questions you want to be answered to the guys via email: contact@hardtruthfootball.com
We’re always grateful for feedback so feel free to post a review via your podcast provider and also follow us via our other media platforms to comment on and also share our content.
Twitter @hardtruthpod
Facebook at /hardtruthpod
Instagram at @hardtruthpod

Feb 17, 2021 • 1h 26min
EP41: Salary Cap, Ryan Sparks Interview, and Much More!
Peterborough United Chairman Darragh MacAnthony and co-host Philip Ideson are joined by Bradford City CEO Ryan Sparks to give insights on the "Hard Truths" behind the football industry via this weekly podcast 🎙️⚽🏢
On this week's episode...
- Jürgen Klopp
- Up and coming Managers
- Taking a knee
- Bradford City CEO Ryan Sparks
- First 80 days in office
- Removal of the salary cap
- Fixture pile-up
- 4G pitches
- Recruitment policy
- Placing players on furlough
- Communicating with fans
- Season plans
- and much more...
Follow Darragh at @DMAC102
Follow Phil at @pideson
Send any questions you want to be answered to the guys via email: contact@hardtruthfootball.com
We’re always grateful for feedback so feel free to post a review via your podcast provider and also follow us via our other media platforms to comment on and also share our content.
Twitter @hardtruthpod
Facebook at /hardtruthpod
Instagram at @hardtruthpod

Feb 10, 2021 • 41min
EP40: A Deep Dive into the Finances of an EFL Club (Part 2)
Peterborough United Chairman Darragh MacAnthony and Bradford City supporter Philip Ideson give insight on the "Hard Truths" behind the football industry via this weekly podcast 🎙️⚽🏢
On this week's episode...
- GOAT's
- FSG & The End of an Era at Liverpool?
- Transparency in reporting club financials
- Appropriate debt loads
- Sources of finance for football clubs
- Investment tradeoffs
- Valuing a football club
- 2021/22 season tickets
- Ground ownership
- Using a Director of Football
- and much more...
Follow Darragh at @DMAC102
Follow Phil at @pideson
Send any questions you want to be answered to the guys via email: contact@hardtruthfootball.com
We’re always grateful for feedback so feel free to post a review via your podcast provider and also follow us via our other media platforms to comment on and also share our content.
Twitter @hardtruthpod
Facebook at /hardtruthpod
Instagram at @hardtruthpod

Feb 3, 2021 • 49min
EP39: The January Transfer Window
Peterborough United Chairman Darragh MacAnthony and Bradford City supporter Philip Ideson give insight on the "Hard Truths" behind the football industry via this weekly podcast 🎙️⚽🏢
On this week's episode...
- Recovering from a poor performance
- (Lack of) transfer window dealings
- An abundance of number 10s
- Jose has a point to prove
- Player fines
- Players catching COVID
- Messi's contract
- Marcus Maddison's career
- Undisclosed fees
- and much more...
Follow Darragh at @DMAC102
Follow Phil at @pideson
Send any questions you want to be answered to the guys via email: contact@hardtruthfootball.com
We’re always grateful for feedback so feel free to post a review via your podcast provider and also follow us via our other media platforms to comment on and also share our content.
Twitter @hardtruthpod
Facebook at /hardtruthpod
Instagram at @hardtruthpod

Jan 27, 2021 • 56min
EP38: The Good, Bad & Ugly of Agents, Billion Dollar Leeds, Lampard, and More!
Peterborough United Chairman Darragh MacAnthony and Bradford City supporter Philip Ideson give insight on the "Hard Truths" behind the football industry via this weekly podcast 🎙️⚽🏢
On this week's episode...
- A bad week for Liverpool
- Newcastle heading for relegation?
- Frank Lampard not good enough
- Mick McCarthy back
- What makes a good (and bad) agent
- Leeds 49ers
- Pitch angst
- Scouting Australian football
- L1/L2 TV exposure
- Jim Gannon sacking
- The Birmingham City situation
- and much more...
Follow Darragh at @DMAC102
Follow Phil at @pideson
Send any questions you want to be answered to the guys via email: contact@hardtruthfootball.com
We’re always grateful for feedback so feel free to post a review via your podcast provider and also follow us via our other media platforms to comment on and also share our content.
Twitter @hardtruthpod
Facebook at /hardtruthpod
Instagram at @hardtruthpod

Jan 20, 2021 • 57min
EP37: Back Up Keepers, Goal Celebrations, Becoming a Scout, and Much More!
Peterborough United Chairman Darragh MacAnthony and Bradford City supporter Philip Ideson give insight on the "Hard Truths" behind the football industry via this weekly podcast 🎙️⚽🏢
On this week's episode...
- Man City for the title?
- Siriki Dembele transfer request update
- Bradford City's transfer business
- Goal celebrations and virtue signaling
- Wayne Rooney
- Max Watters from Free to £1M in 3 months
- Wigan's struggles to find a buyer
- The cost of sacking a manager
- and much more...
Follow Darragh at @DMAC102
Follow Phil at @pideson
Send any questions you want to be answered to the guys via email: contact@hardtruthfootball.com
We’re always grateful for feedback so feel free to post a review via your podcast provider and also follow us via our other media platforms to comment on and also share our content,
Twitter @hardtruthpod
Facebook at /hardtruthpod
Instagram at @hardtruthpod

Jan 13, 2021 • 55min
EP36: Accrington, Burnley, Sheffield Wednesday, and More!
Peterborough United Chairman Darragh MacAnthony and Bradford City supporter Philip Ideson give insight on the "Hard Truths" behind the football industry via this weekly podcast 🎙️⚽🏢
On this week's episode...
- Refereeing performances
- Can Accrington maintain their run into the playoffs?
- Is the FA Cup being devalued?
- Why do most transfer window deals get done close to the deadline.
- The financing behind Burnley's purchase
- The US political situation
- Sheffield Wednesday hiring and firing Tony Pulis
- VAR
- and much more...
Follow Darragh at @DMAC102
Follow Phil at @pideson
Send any questions you want to be answered to the guys via email: contact@hardtruthfootball.com
We’re always grateful for feedback so feel free to post a review via your podcast provider and also follow us via our other media platforms to comment on and also share our content,
Twitter @hardtruthpod
Facebook at /hardtruthpod
Instagram at @hardtruthpod

Jan 6, 2021 • 51min
EP35: Transfer Requests, Circuit Breakers, and much more
Peterborough United Chairman Darragh MacAnthony and Bradford City supporter Philip Ideson give insight on the "Hard Truths" behind the football industry via this weekly podcast 🎙️⚽🏢
On this week's episode...
- Responding to a transfer request
- Lockdowns and circuit breakers
- Preparing for the January transfer window
- The economics of selling a 13-year-old.
- Jack Byrne
- Promotion and relegation in the MLS
- and much more...
Follow Darragh at @DMAC102
Follow Phil at @pideson
Send any questions you want to be answered to the guys via email: contact@hardtruthfootball.com
We’re always grateful for feedback so feel free to post a review via your podcast provider and also follow us via our other media platforms to comment on and also share our content,
Twitter @hardtruthpod
Facebook at /hardtruthpod
Instagram at @hardtruthpod