Eight of the best football podcasts to listen to right now

Modern football, with its internecine squabbles over Super Leagues, arguments over club ownership and the enduring skepticism about VAR, can become a chore for fans to follow, but there is an antidote.

Reminding You Why You Love Football from MUNDIAL considers all the things that make the game great - cult heroes, classic kits, long-range thunderbolts, non-league peculiarities and much more.

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Andy Dawson and Sam Delaney started Top Flight Time Machine as a football podcast looking back on each Premier League season, but it's morphed into a podcast about life and other stuff. They do a weekly deep dive into Roy of the Rovers, which, for our money, is some of the funniest football content out there.

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A comedy podcast about sport, hosted by comedians Elis James, Mike Bubbins and academic Steff Garrero, The Socially Distant Sports Bar is great fun if you're after something different to listen to. The trio's award-winning podcast was launched in early 2020 and they have taken the show on tour around the UK, gleefully examining the intertwining topics of sport and pop culture with plenty of special guests.

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This is one for Manchester United fans. The Stretford Paddock is an independent podcast with a massive following, boasting an amazing one million followers on YouTube alone.

If you're a seasoned Red Devil or new to the goings on at Old Trafford, the Stretford Paddock covers all bases, with transfer window analysis, tactical breakdowns and exclusive interviews.

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It's very possible that there is nothing funnier than Bob Mortimer coming up with imaginary football scenarios based on real footballers - that's Athletico Mince in a nutshell.

Mortimer spins his yarns in the company of Andy Dawson and there is no preparing you for the surreal hilarity of the comedian's inventions, which include Geordie Heat (a police squad comprised of Sting, Denise Welch and Eddie Howe), the British Managers Lunch Club, headed up by Sam Allardyce, and regular appearances from Peter Beardsley.

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A comedy series that goes behind the scenes of the most popular fictional sport radio station in the country, Totalsport FM, created by producer of MUNDIAL's GIANT, Yayo Popoola.

Starring Lolly Adefope and Fergus Craig, Dial F for Football features cameos from some of the biggest names in British comedy, including Alan Davies, James Acaster, Lucy Beaumont and more.

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If you're not fed up of Gary Neville yet, then sink your teeth into Stick to Football where he, Gill Scott, Ian Wright, Wayne Rooney, Jamie Carracgher, and of course, Roy Keane, chew the fat and take the mickey out of each other. Big names don't always make for the best audio content, but the chemistry between whichever of these ex-pros shows up each week is genuine and tangible. It makes for great watching on YouTube as well as it's brilliantly produced with actual TV cameras. Come for the football, stay for Wrighty and Keano's bromance.

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It's over now but the back catalogue of QKWHS is a must. Hosted by The Last Leg's Josh Widdicombe, it's a look back at 90s football with some brilliant guests that embody the spirit of that special liminal era.

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You've probably heard of this multi-award winning podcast (it's been around pretty much since podcasts began!), or if not, the newspaper it comes from. TheGuardian's Football Weekly is one of the big boys in the world of football podcasts and for good reason. Host Max Rushden is funny, kind and informative and his round table of rotating guests never disappoint either. If you like the football news cycle, not many do it better than Football Weekly.

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