Nessun Dorma Retro Football Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Nessun Dorma Book Club - Falling For Manchester City: The End of the Main Road Era and the Turbulent 1990s Oct 02, 2026

Show notes

It is new book season out there so the ND Book Club returns for a few weeks to highlight some new footballing tomes that are now hitting the shelves.

First up Marc Higginson joins Martyn to talk about account of Manchester City in the 1990s. Chaotic, humiliating, entertaining and culturally resonant, this is a well-written and personal account of a decade that would test any football fan. The guys discuss boardroom instability, some missed opportunities, the cult draw of Kinkladze, the cultural behemoth of Oasis and, in light of recent events, how the more recent past compares within the support and the watching neutral, many of whom moved from fondness to bitterness.

You can find the book here and in all the usual places.

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Season 1987/88 Episode 8 - English Football's Aesthetic Peak? Sep 25, 2026

Show notes

Sir Tom Finney described the 5-0 demolition of Nottingham Forest "one of the finest exhibitions of football" he had ever seen in his life and one that "will never be bettered".

After only their second barren season in twelve years, Liverpool roared back to the top of English football with a style and elan that has arguably never been bettered. Aidan Williams joins Martyn to revisit a blistering campaign in a strange 21-team division as well as discussing Gazza's big breakout season, Fergie's first challenge, a controversial managerial change at White Hart Lane and a Chelsea relegation with accompanying rioting.

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Season 1987/88 Episode 7 - The European Roundup Sep 18, 2026

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It was a bonus season for works' teams as Philips and Bayer both got to revel in the reflected glory of PSV and Leverkusen in European competition. There was also the fairytale in Mechelen, some ridiculous comebacks in the UEFA Cup and Graeme Souness up to his old tricks.

Martyn and 80s&90sFootball's Michael Hamlen run us through perhaps the last of this collection of chaotic seasons in European competition before Serie A restore some order soon.

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The Sport Draft - 1986 Sep 14, 2026

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After a long wait, Mike, Mac and Gary return to do battle as Martyn is the ultimate judge of their sporting knowledge and strength of argument in choosing the strongest line up from the sporting year of 1986. Sportsman, Sportswoman, Team, Single Achievement, Surprise and Minute of Action are the categories. Will Maradonna be picked first? Will Gary educate us with some obscure story? And will someone please think of Fatima Whitbread?

Let us know who you think should have won!

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Season 1987/88 Episode 6 - When The Crazy Gang Beat The Culture Club Sep 11, 2026

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If the 1980's was a high peak for FA Cup Finals then 1988's version arguably made the most impact. Communications Director for AFC Wimbledon now and loyal fan when the biggest waves were emanating from SW19, Marc Jones joins us to retrace the steps of a famous cup run, to argue that the 'fairytale' tag is a little unfair, how the club fostered that dressing room spirit and overcame the loss of their leader in the summer of 1987 and go on and make history.

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Nessun Dorma Book Club - If I Hadn't Seen Such Riches Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

The book club is back at the same time, by sheer coincidence, as European football. Martyn's guest this time is Dan Williamson, whose previous works have focused on South American football but this time is a lot closer to home. It is 35 years since Manchester United won the European Cup Winner's Cup in Rotterdam and the two discuss the run, its significance, the importance of the beaten finalist in mythology and why it was such a false dawn for English football in Europe in the 1990s.

Dan's book can be found here https://amzn.eu/d/05GCyRX2

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Season 1987/88 Episode 5 - Sacchi's Milan Sep 04, 2026

Show notes

Not for the first time, Milan was the city powering change in the game of football.

Did season 1987/88 see the birth of the finest club side of all time? Martyn and Dominic Hougham discuss how the shoe salesman assembled and moulded a legendary team, how the Scudetto was won - and lost - and how the impact of this season on the modern game is still being felt now.

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Season 1987/88 Episode 4 - Celtic's Centenary Double Aug 28, 2026

Show notes

On the eve of the 1987/88 Scottish season, few pundits gave Celtic any hope of having a successful year for their 100th birthday. Four of their best players had disappeared for bigger leagues and they had called upon an old hero to take the reins after getting two clubs relegated the year before. But Billy McNeill would draw upon the emotional resonance of the season, along with some clever signings, to bring their rivals down a peg or two and claim a sensational double

Lawrence Donegan and Martyn relive a fascinating season in Scottish football with some highs on the pitch and some disgraceful lows on the terracing.

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Season 1987/88 Episode 3 - The Football League Centenary Aug 21, 2026

Show notes

During 1987/88, the world's oldest football competition would officially turn 100. Suffering insecurity in a post-Heysel world, the Football League pulled out all of the stops to remind everyone of their prestige. A game between the champions of England and one of Europe's big names to show UEFA how well fans could behave (but not one against the champions of Scotland because they feared that they wouldn't), a convoluted mini-tournament that high profile managers could barely turn up for but before all of that the best of the Football League would take on the best of the entire world at Wembley.

Could the main man be persuaded to join them? How many would turn up to boo? Mike talks us through a fascinating and telling bit of football history.

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Season 1987/88 Episode 2 - Luton's High Peak Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

George Graham's Arsenal seemed set to retain their League Cup under a beautiful spring Wembley sky as an interesting final reached the final ten minutes following the familiar script of the underdog going ahead, failing to get a second and getting reeled back in before the end. What happened next defied all narrative norms and created the high point for Luton Town's enjoyable stay at the top flight.

Luton fan and former radio presenter Steve Moore is with us to talk about the impact of Ray Harford, the potential of an unlikely Wembley treble and how important it is to make the most of your time in the sun.

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