Shows
The SweeperCuracao & Haiti's World Cup heroics, Thun’s Swiss title tilt & Argentina’s invented championIn Part 1, Lee and Paul are joined by North and Central American football expert Jon Arnold to talk about the craziness in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying. Why did Curacao fly from Bermuda to Jamaica via London in the November window? Why has Haiti's French coach Sebastien Migne never set foot on the island? How did an uncelebrated last-gasp own goal save Suriname's World Cup hopes? And was it a cowardly move for Steve McClaren to resign as Jamaica coach with the play-offs coming up in March? In Part 2, the focus switches to three stories across...
2025-11-2552 min
Nerdy Up North PodcastSnoochie Boochies! Revisiting Jay and Silent Bob Strike BackTake a trip back to the View Askewniverse! In this video, I dive into Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), Kevin Smith’s hilarious, self-aware road-trip comedy starring Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Shannon Elizabeth, Will Ferrell, Chris Rock, Jason Lee, Eliza Dushku, Ali Larter, and so many more legends from the early 2000s.If you love Kevin Smith movies, ’90s/2000s comedies, or just want to relive some ridiculous Jay and Silent Bob moments, you’re in the right place.
2025-11-241h 18The SweeperCoquimbo Unido's treasured title, Mirassol's organic rise & the OFC Pro League soft launchIn Part 1, Lee and Paul are joined by Nathan Joyes, a South American football expert and the host of the Copa Club Podcast to talk about some sensational stories from the CONMEBOL nations this season. Why do Chile’s new champions Coquimbo Unido have a pirate theme? Which strategic decision helped Mirassol rise from the sixth tier to the brink of the Copa Libertadores? Is there something in the water in Argentina, where underdogs are sweeping up the trophies? And which other South American country deserves a special mention? In Part 2, the focus moves to el...
2025-11-1148 minThe SweeperLatvia: The Baltic League grand plan, vanishing champions & a final between friendsIn Part 1, Lee sits down with Virslīga President Maksims Krivunecs in Riga for an inside look at the Latvian football landscape. What is Latvia’s unique claim to fame within the 55 UEFA countries? Why have five of the country’s nine different champions since independence gone out of business? What does the average Virslīga footballer earn per month? And why is he in favour of setting up a Baltic League along with Lithuania and Estonia?In Part 2, Lee returns to the virtual studio to dissect Maksim’s grand plan for a Baltic League and tell Paul all...
2025-10-3149 minThe SweeperSweden’s Mjällby miracle, Lithuania’s warm welcome & Ireland’s marathon helicopterIn Part 1, Lee and Paul reflect on ultimate underdogs Mjällby becoming Swedish champions and the key figures behind their unlikely Allsvenskan triumph. How have sporting director Hasse Larsson and coach Anders Torstensson shown courage in the face of adversity? Why are Mjällby the best-ever team in Swedish history? And why is the village of Hällevik looking for a new postman? And from one first-time champion to another, Titas Teiten of Baltic Football News has the lowdown on new Lithuanian title-winners Kauno Žalgiris. Part 2 continues in Lithuania, where Lee has paid a visit to second-tier cham...
2025-10-2836 minThe SweeperCape Verde: World Cup qualification, the LinkedIn footballer & donkey deliveriesIn Part 1 of this special episode, Paul is joined by African football expert Ali Howorth live from the Cape Verdean capital of Praia to talk about the country’s historic World Cup qualification. What force of nature helped the islanders get the job done against Eswatini? What were the highlights of the after-party? What role has the Dutch city of Rotterdam played in Cape Verde’s success? And why might the Blue Sharks have more fans than expected at the World Cup? In Part 2, Lee and Paul hear from Cape Verde central defender Roberto Lopes, who explains the...
2025-10-2042 minThe SweeperOUR GREENLAND ASSIST, San Marino's "pizza bakers" & Paks' power-plant ultrasIn Part 1, Lee tells Paul about his travels to watch pod favourites Greenland and San Marino live during their respective trips to Austria over the international window. How did he impact the course of the Arctic island's match against Slovenia from the sidelines? What insights did he glean from inside the Greenland camp? Why is the legendary Austrian striker Toni Polster so bitter towards San Marino? And what question did Lee ask SM coach Roberto Cevoli at the press conference following his side's double-digit defeat? There's more groundhopping tales to tell in Part 2 – but this ti...
2025-10-1438 min
The SweeperSlovakia’s belated EURO triumph, Montserrat’s challenge to India & Crotone’s mafia infiltrationIn Part 1, Lee and Paul investigate why Slovakia have finally been recognised as EURO 1976 winners 49 years later – with the help of a UEFA insider, a Slovak football podcaster and people on the ground in the capital, Bratislava. How is the successor country of a no-longer existing nation like Czechoslovakia determined? What brought about the update on UEFA’s website on 12 September? And what do Slovaks make of the bizarre timing of this decision?In Part 2, the focus switches to the Italian lower leagues. There’s a mafia infiltration at Crotone at Foggia, as various criminal gangs target...
2025-09-3051 min
The SweeperAustria's football-sized sinkholes, Kosovo’s UEFA challenges & Bolivia's altitude masterclassIn this episode of The Sweeper Podcast, we cover the big stories from 2026 World Cup qualifying and the latest international football news from Europe and beyond: Part 1: EuropeAustria’s stadium sinkhole saga continues as Ralf Rangnick takes to an e-bikeRomania’s Mircea Lucescu becomes the second-oldest international coach everKosovo are unofficial world champions - but continue to face geopolitical challengesErling Haaland apologises mid-game as Norway beat Moldova by record 11-1 scoreSlovakia and Iceland upset the odds to record famous World Cup qualifying wins Part 2: Rest of the worldSuriname turn...
2025-09-1648 min
The SweeperKairat's Champions League heroics, Malta's European debutants & the 2026 OFC Pro League line-upIn Part 1, Lee and Paul are joined by travel YouTuber John McAllister to talk about his epic 5,000km overland journey from Wales to Kazakhstan to watch the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifier. There’s also a full round-up of the UEFA club competition action – including Kairat Almaty's Champions League heroics, Malta’s first-ever league phase participants, Universitatea Craiova’s naughty stadium announcer and the Basel-Freiburg airport derby. In Part 2, it’s off to the Pacific to put the new OFC Professional League under the microscope. There is a full breakdown of the newly announced eight-club line-up, the format...
2025-09-0254 min
The SweeperTiny Mjällby's fairytale season, Belgium’s barmy border club & chaos in the CaribbeanIn Part 1, Lee & Paul round up their favourite European football stories – which all have a geography theme. How is fishing village club Mjällby on the cusp of a shock first Swedish title? Why did fellow minnows Bruk-Bet Termalica have to cut down the corn fields around their stadium? Which two Lithuanian teams contested the ‘Centre of Europe’ derby at the weekend? And what Belgian club is based on Europe’s weirdest international border?In Part 2, it’s time for the rest of the world – starting with international debutants the Marshall Islands! Which historic feat was achieved by M...
2025-08-1957 min
The SweeperThe Øresund Bridge derby, haircut breaks in Nuuk & Colombia’s calendar footballerIn Part 1, Lee & Paul bring you the best stories from the UEFA club competitions. FC Copenhagen are preparing to cross the Øresund Bridge to Sweden in the Champions League, but what record will the tie break? Which Kazakh club located as far east as China could make it into Europe’s premier club tournament for the first time? Why did Welsh side Penybont have to splurge €3,300 on their trip to Lithuania? Is there a more Satnav-friendly international tie than Shelbourne v. Linfield? And what can we expect from the new UEFA Women’s Europa Cup? In Part...
2025-08-0556 minThe SweeperThe Øresund Bridge derby, haircut breaks in Nuuk & Colombia’s calendar footballerIn Part 1, Lee & Paul bring you the best stories from the UEFA club competitions. FC Copenhagen are preparing to cross the Øresund Bridge to Sweden in the Champions League, but what record will the tie break? Which Kazakh club located as far east as China could make it into Europe’s premier club tournament for the first time? Why did Welsh side Penybont have to splurge €3,300 on their trip to Lithuania? Is there a more Satnav-friendly international tie than Shelbourne v. Linfield? And what can we expect from the new UEFA Women’s Europa Cup? In Part...
2025-08-0556 min
The SweeperSummer break & thank-you note!Hello everyone,As you will have heard on previous episodes, there will be no regular pod this time around as we take our first (short) break from podding since we started The Sweeper in February 2023. But never fear, we'll be back before you know it, with the next fortnightly episode planned in the next slot on Wednesday 6 August.In the meantime, a big thank-you from the two of us. We love every second of making this pod and without you, our listeners, who tune in to every episode, send us stories, give us...
2025-07-2205 min
The SweeperThe birth of Rayo Vaticano, Tromsø’s 'Midnight Match' & China’s AI-robot tournamentIn Part 1, Lee and Paul bring you the best stories from the European continent. How could YOU get involved with the first proper club in the world's smallest country? Why do Tromsø, the world's northernmost professional team, play one Eliteserien match per season at midnight? Which Guinness World Record do the Bosnia & Herzegovina Women's Premier League champions SFK 2000 hold? And how did the Cold War delay a European tie between Northern Ireland's Glenavon and Germany's Aue by 65 years? In Part 2, the stories are from the rest of the world. In China, a tournament between AI r...
2025-07-0851 min
The SweeperGreenland’s CONCACAF rejection, Samsunspor’s smurf ultras & Cazorla’s hometown heroicsIn Part 1, Lee and Paul are joined by Nick Miller of The New York Times & The Athletic to discuss Greenland and the long road to international football. Why was the world’s largest island rejected by CONCACAF? How do you go about setting up an international football team? What unusual ploy did Kosovo put into action to aid their bid for UEFA membership? And why is Kiribati among the hardest places on earth to play the beautiful game?In Part 2, it’s back to the club game with stories about the European club competition qualification rounds and...
2025-06-2457 min
The SweeperOceania’s champion dentist, Uzbekistan’s curse breakers & Venezuelan border sh*thouseryThis episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click below to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live club and international football from around the world: www.tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper Part 1 is all about the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States. Will the players of New Zealand outfit Auckland City get time off for the tournament? Why have LAFC replaced Club Leon at the last minute? How on earth did Red Bull Salzburg qualify? Why are the Seattle Sounders players protesting about the competition? And what should you know about Wy...
2025-06-101h 00
The SweeperCroatia’s motorway delivery, Sweden’s fishing village leaders & Al Hilal’s Mauritanian titleWelcome to our first-ever video podcast! Let's be honest with you: we're not entirely sure how well this will work first time round. It seems that Spotify is the only podcast platform that allows video podcast uploads. So if you prefer to use Apple Podcasts or another platform but you want to watch it, please head on over to our YouTube channel and subscribe to us there! Finally, let us know what you think about the new format in the comments! Part 1 is largely dedicated to some epic title races across the European continent. What...
2025-05-2751 min
The SweeperRiots and donkeys in Belgium, Arctic Circle ticket trades & Northern Ireland’s burger kingsThis episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click below to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live club and international football from around the world: www.tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper In Part 1, Lee tells Paul all about his travels and experiences in Bruges and Brussels. What did he witness first-hand outside a train station in the capital that shocked him to his core? Which Belgian football stadium is a contender for Europe’s ugliest stadium? How did fourth-tier Crossing Schaerbeek bring their championship trophy onto the pitch at full-time? And which unlikely part...
2025-05-1355 min
The SweeperAvellino's Pope curse, Russia’s fake Zorya Luhansk & Singapore’s Lady Gaga headacheBulgarian club Ludogorets are the starting point in a Europe-focused Part 1. But what continental record have they equalled? And how might the Crazy Forest gang’s story have turned out so differently? Next up is the Vatican. But what is the link between Serie C club Avellino and the Pope? And why have the Swiss Guard withdrawn from the league in the world’s smallest state. Then it’s over to the world’s largest country: Russia. Why are spin-offs of Ukrainian clubs from occupied territories springing up? And will UEFA allow it to happen? Part 2 is...
2025-04-2956 min
The SweeperHoly water in Benin, Greece’s season ticket dog & Ecuador’s indigenous trailblazersThis episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click below to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live club and international football from around the world: www.tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeperEurope and Africa are the focal points in a fan culture-themed Part 1. How did an American tourist on a hop-on, hop-off boat cruise in London get adopted by Southend’s away fans? What did supporters of Loto Popo in Benin spray on the away team bus during their recent match with Bani Gansé? Are WSG Tirol of Austria the worst-supported top-flight club in Europ...
2025-04-1555 min
The SweeperFootballs in international waters, an Alpine groundhop adventure & Uzbek World Cup dreamsIn Paul’s absence, Producer Tom joins Lee to talk about their five-a-side football match on the German-Swiss border and their Alpine groundhopping challenge to watch live games in three countries in the space of seven hours – using only public transport! Join Lee and Tom to find out how they almost lost a football in international waters, why they might face repercussions from the ‘Groundhop Police’, whether they were mugged by young children in a micro-state and what happened when they dared to ask a sausage seller for a plate. That is followed by a round-up...
2025-04-0154 min
The SweeperThe trillion-dollar Saudi team, Bosnia’s Serbian champions & Bulgaria's memorable minute's silenceThis episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click below to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live club and international football from around the world: www.tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper In Part 1, the award-winning football journalist and author James Montague joins us in the studio to tell us about Neom Sports Club, the trillion-dollar team in Saudi Arabia’s second division, and their futuristic home city that will have flying cars and robots. But why do the richest club in the world play in the Saudi lower leagues? What do they want to a...
2025-03-181h 01
The SweeperJapan’s ultimate bench-warmer, Andorra’s YouTube resurrection & Iceland’s volcano-hit teamThis episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click here to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live football from around the world, including the San Marino league and cup: www.tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper Send us an email to sweeperpod@gmail.com with some information about yourself and your preferences if you want us to handpick you a new football team to support. In Part 1, it’s all about Asia. Shandong Taishan have withdrawn from the AFC Champions League due to the "serious physical discomfort" of their players. But i...
2025-03-0449 min
The SweeperRomania's reality TV race, Australia's motorway trophy & the Marshall Islands' vanishing kitThis episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click here to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live football around the world: www.tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper Send us an email to sweeperpod@gmail.com with some information about yourself and your preferences if you want us to handpick you a new football team to support. Some brilliant stories from Europe and Asia await you in Part 1. A Romanian coach has temporarily left his league-leading side to join a televised race across Asia. But what other football personalities have take...
2025-02-1853 min
The SweeperFerencváros' ultras in disguise, HamKam 2’s AI coach & Burkina Faso’s bus-funded leadersThis episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click here to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live football around the world: www.tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper Part 1 is all about the final round of Europa League and Champions League action. How have Brest made the play-offs with an inexperienced coach and a shoestring budget? What does Fenerbahce boss José Mourinho have against the Danish town of Herning? Does Ryan Kent love his pet crocodiles more than his own family? How did the Ferencváros ultras disguise themselves for the visit of AZ Alkm...
2025-02-0548 min
The SweeperAscension Island’s tortoise troubles, Omonia’s fan-paid groceries & Lazio’s live-in falconerThere’s an island theme in Part 1. Starting with the return of football to Ascension Island, an isolated outpost in the Atlantic Ocean. It will be the second-most remote place to host football in the world – but what is the first?! Next up is Malta, where the only team in the pyramid from the neighbouring island of Gozo has made a 100% start to the season and the top flight has adopted a Latin American-style format. Our final stop in this segment is Cyprus, where Omonia Nicosia are preparing to face their breakaway rivals Omonia 29M. Part...
2025-01-2255 min
The SweeperBalzers’ Internet fame, the world’s newest league & The Strongest’s Chocolate PartyThis episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click here to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live football around the world: www.tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper The Sweeper is back for the first episode of 2025 to round up all the world football headlines from over the Christmas and New Year period. Starting in Europe, where Balzers of Liechtenstein have gone from 1,000 to 400,000 Instagram followers almost overnight – but how have they achieved their stratospheric growth? In Portugal, Nacional’s Madeiran mist has wrought havoc yet again and Oliveirense have used milk to mark the goal...
2025-01-0850 min
The SweeperVíkingur’s 13-month season, Vitória’s crazy Kazakh away day & a Career We Go quizPart 1 is all about the drama of the 2024/25 UEFA Conference League. Bosnia & Herzegovina, Iceland and Ireland have their first-ever representatives in a European knockout stage, Portugal’s Vitoria de Guimaraes set a new continental away day record, Omonia’s "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" coach is sacked & the reserves of English giants Chelsea run riot. To help us review the action, we have a panel of experts from across Europe: Andy Brassell from On The Continent in the UK, Hinrik Wöhler from Vísir in Iceland & Massimo Solari of Corriere del Ticino in Switzerland. In Part 2, Lee and Pau...
2024-12-2550 min
The SweeperANNOUNCEMENT: LIVE UEFA CONFERENCE LEAGUE PODCAST ON THURSDAY 19 DECEMBERHello everyone!
Lee and Paul have some news: We're going to be hosting a live stream watch-along during the UEFA Conference League Matchday 6 action on the evening of Thursday 19 December. We will go live on social media shortly before kick-off in the matches, which will all start simultaneously at 20:00 GMT / 21:00 CET, and will be joined by guests throughout the evening. You can watch the live stream on Twitter, Bluesky, Instagram and Facebook by following us at @sweeperpod. For more details, check out the short audio announcement. We look forward to bringing you coverage from our favourite club...
2024-12-1603 min
The SweeperGeorgia’s bodyguard cup winners, Danish snowball fights & a smuggled skull in ParaguayThis episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click here to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live football around the world: www.tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper Gift a Patreon subscription for Christmas: www.patreon.com/SweeperPod/gift Part 1 is all about the biggest domestic cup shocks and upsets across the globe, starting with Spaeri. But does their association with a government entity make it less of a fairytale triumph for the fast-rising second-tier Georgians? The focus then turns to other lower-league cup triumphs in 2024, including Senegal, where the fi...
2024-12-1146 min
The SweeperA SAN MARINO PROMOTION, Hispaniola at the Gold Cup & Coupe de France controversyThis episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click here to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live football around the world: www.tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper There was only ever going to be one starting point for our international coverage in Part 1: San Marino’s historic promotion to UEFA Nations League C! But how do we think they will fare and who do we want to see them face? Up next is the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, the home of Haiti & Dominican Republic – both of whom have qualified for the 2025 Gold Cup. But which other examples of s...
2024-11-2747 min
The SweeperBalkan groundhopping, River Plate’s potent paint & Como’s war on MonzaIn Part 1 of this bonus Patreon episode, which we have released in the absence of a fresh podcast on this occasion, the Sweeper team are joined by Tom Middler and Simon Clark – Lee's co-hosts on his other podcast, 'The Other Bundesliga' – to talk about their groundhopping trip to Slovenia & Croatia. Which UEFA Conference League match did they watch? Who plays in Slovenia's 'metal derby'? And why is there a garden shed in Croatia's largest stadium? Join us to find out! The theme in Part 2 is sh*thousery and the dark arts. What bizarre measure did Rive...
2024-11-1345 min
The SweeperMontenegro’s mass collapse, Sweden’s perfect runners-up & Auckland’s A-League debutThis episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click here to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live football around the world: tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper Click here to buy the November issue of World Soccer: https://shop.kelsey.co.uk/single-issue/world-soccer-magazine In Part 1, the focus is on the club game in the continent The Sweeper calls home: Europe. Why did the entire Njegoš team simultaneously collapse in the Montenegrin third division? And was there any truth to the plutonium poisoning allegations? How did Ängelholms in the fourth tier...
2024-10-3044 min
The SweeperBhutanese monk ultras, a golden era for micro-states & the Southgate of the SolomonsThis episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click here to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live football around the world: tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper In Part 1, we take a look at one of the world’s most remote footballing outposts with Faraway Football blogger Matthew Eide, who has just returned from a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Bhutan courtesy of football kit designers Icarus. Which footballing figure flew the plane that transported him from Kathmandu to Paro? How did a 10-goal thriller have more drama after the final whistle than in the game its...
2024-10-1642 min
The SweeperSwitalian adventures, Welsh routes into Europe & the Vatican on tourIn Part 1, Lee reflects on his trip to watch high-flying Lugano take on Winterthur in the Swiss Super League. What’s the story behind their collaboration with MLS outfit Chicago Fire? What else has been behind the club’s rise to domestic cup winners and title challengers? And could Switzerland have its first national champion from the Italian-speaking region since 1949? We also hear from YouTuber and friend of the pod TheTimTraveller about Campione d’Italia (the exclave on the other side of Lake Lugano) and their eighth-division football team. Next up, it’s Paul’s turn to tel...
2024-10-0246 min
The SweeperTurks & Caicos' 14-year-old goalie, Bolivia's altitude advantage & Argentina's gun-wielding chairmanThis episode is brought to you in collaboration with FIFA+. Click here to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live football around the world: tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper Part 1 covers the best international window for underdogs in living memory, with San Marino’s first-ever competitive triumph, Anguilla’s first victory since 2010 & American Samoa’s first win since 2015 among the highlights. There’s also a mention for the Turks & Caicos Islands’ 14 year-old goalie, a rare competitive away win for altitude specialists Bolivia & a presidential helicopter disruption at Guyana vs. Suriname. There’s a special anno...
2024-09-1836 min
The SweeperBONUS POD: SAN MARINO WIN A FOOTBALL MATCH!!!Would you believe it?! San Marino, the worst team in the world by FIFA ranking (210), have ended the longest winless run in international football history (140 games dating back to April 2004) and won a competitive match for the first time in their history! The 'Titani' beat Liechtenstein 1-0 in the UEFA Nations League.Along with other content creators, friends & listeners, Sweeper duo Lee Wingate & Paul Watson were live in Serravalle to witness this monumental moment and talk about it afterwards in a special one-off bonus pod in a local bar after the final whistle. We hope you enjoy...
2024-09-0617 min
The SweeperEurope for Larne & TNS, Papua NG's breakaway league & Comoros’ wizard-loving bossPart 1 is devoted to the final round of UEFA club competition qualifying & the upcoming league phase in the three tournaments. We look at the Larne, TNS, RFS & Slovan Bratislava underdog success stories, amazing social media posts involving the Smurfs and Mr. Bean, the changed format of the three club competitions and the computerised draw, plus the best European groundhops you could make to take in the league phase action.In Part 2, we divide our time between domestic club football and the international game. A broken goal is met with the suggestion of blowtorch repair in the Icelandic...
2024-09-0446 min
The SweeperNoah’s unique European run, Djibouti’s power plant club & St. Kitts' three-legged finalPart 1 is devoted to the UEFA club competition qualifying rounds. There’s penalty pandemonium in Poland and theNetherlands, an amazing achievement for Armenians Noah and a trio of clubs on the verge of becoming the first representatives from Andorra, Northern Ireland & Wales to reach a continental group. There’s also a word for the biggest and shortest European away days of the summer, football’s huge carbon footprint and two clubs with close links to the political leaders of their countries: Puskás Akadémia of Hungary & Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih of Ukraine.In Part 2, we turn our atte...
2024-08-2146 min
The SweeperA Tongan World Cup dream, Greenland’s Disko Island & Olympic sprinter-footballersIn Part 1, we bring you all the top stories from around the football world: Maikeli Lomu, an American with Tongan heritage, has sold his pottery studio in Utah and relocated to his ancestral homeland in pursuit of a World Cup dream. The 2024 edition of the Greenlandic Football Championship – the shortest season in world football at one week – is taking place on Disko Island off the west coast. And the FA Cup preliminary rounds are serving up some great stories, including the earliest goals in the history of the world’s oldest club competition. Then in Part 2...
2024-08-0744 min
The SweeperA message to The Sweeper listenersCo-host of The Sweeper Lee Wingate has a message for listeners of the show about the change of podcast frequency from weekly to fortnightly, which many of you will have heard us announce on the last episode.
If you want podcasts in the in-between weeks too, plus a whole host of other bonus world football content, then join our Patreon community now over at patreon.com/SweeperPod.
2024-07-3104 min
The SweeperA victorious Faroese village, 27th time lucky for La Fiorita & North Korea’s ‘Pariah Derby’In Part 1, we round up all the latest highlights from the UEFA club competition qualifying rounds. We talk about two villages of under 1,000 people in the Faroes & San Marino that claimed big European wins, the Slovenian keeper that went on a René Higuita-style dribble against Connah’s Quay Nomads of Wales and FC Copenhagen’s upcoming trip to face ‘pub team’ Bruno’s Magpies at a stadium overlooking the African coastline. That is followed in Part 2 by an announcement about a change to the podcast, which will return to its previously fortnightly rhythm. We then round off t...
2024-07-2438 min
The SweeperPub team's European win, a mystery island coaching job & a Sweeper-sponsored teamPart 1 is dedicated to the best part of the European football calendar: the UEFA club competition qualifying rounds. We chat about the Gibraltarian pub team that claimed a win in the Conference League, the victorious Polish and Romanian teams in the Europa League and the part-timers from the Faroe Islands excelling in the Champions League. In Part 2, we bring you a random mix of stories from across the football world: Paul has been offered a coaching job on a mystery island in the South Pacific, Thimphu City of Bhutan have come up with a great...
2024-07-1736 min
The SweeperRooftop viewings in Vanuatu, Zivzivadze’s house-turned-hotel & an Eritrean on the movePart 1 is dedicated to the overachieving underdogs at the continental competitions taking place this summer: Canada at the Copa América, Vanuatu at the OFC Nations Cup and Georgia at the EUROs. Meanwhile, in Part 2, there is a rare move to a European club for an Eritrean player and an ex-Gibraltar international is jailed for drug dealing. Join us for Part 3 at patreon.com/SweeperPod as we round up some headlines from the home nations and bring you some spectacular transfer fails too.RUNNING ORDER:Intro - 00:00Canada at the Copa América - 00:59Vanuatu at the OFC Nations Cup...
2024-07-1033 min
The SweeperThe UEFA qualifier quiz, the Marshall Islands’ debut & a delayed Cold War friendlyWith the UEFA club competition qualifying rounds getting under way this week, it’s time for a full Sweeper preview of the action in Part 1 – in the form of a trivia quiz, of course! Join us and play along in our three rounds – Multiple Choice, Odd One Out & The Right Order – as we look ahead to the Champions, Europa & Conference League qualifiers: the debutants, the second-tier teams, the geographical extremes, the funny back stories and much more besides. And there’s plenty at stake, with Lee and Paul competing for a coveted prize. We’re off to the Pa...
2024-07-0334 min
The SweeperOFC Nations Cup chaos, Saint Helena rescue missions & Malaga’s 5am airport welcomePart 1 kicks off with some stories from around the footballworld. Why were the Solomon Islands locked out of their dressing room at the OFC Nations Cup? How come New Caledonia dramatically pulled out of the tournament? What are the most remote football tournaments in the world in terms of the distance to the closest inhabited land? And which footballer has recently established himself on the over-45s tennis circuit in South America? We’re back to Europe for Part 2. Which Spanish fallen giant recently gained a dramatic promotion and celebrated with their supporters at the ter...
2024-06-2638 min
The SweeperKilts and concerts at EURO 2024, a university upset in Japan & an Icelandic village dreamThe European Championships are in full swing not only on the pitch but off it too. In Part 1, we pick out three themes from the opening stages of the tournament in Germany that have made us laugh: food wars, culture craziness & online polls/searches. Tune in to find out which country at EURO 2024 has the best national dish, who is empirically speaking the sexiest of the 24 head coaches, why Niklas Füllkrug has the best ‘Personal life’ section on Wikipedia and why Ralf Rangnick has taken the Austria squad to a Rod Stewart concert in Berlin. The...
2024-06-1937 min
Nerdy Up North PodcastNerdy Up North Podcast - Reviews Terminator 2 - Judgment DayWelcome to The Nerdy Podcast ran by Northern Nerds!! We doing a bit of a special random midday episode of the Nerdy Up North Podcast. We have decided to reward Lee after months of abuse and he has put the graft in. We will be talking about a movie that he has been trying to get us to review since he started helping out with everything we have done. It is considered one of the greatest sci/fi - action movies of all time, we are talking about Terminator 2 - Judgment Day. So nerds remember to come with us...
2024-06-181h 23
The SweeperThe EURO 2024 coffee dealer, San Marino’s water slide away day & North Korea’s secret scoreEURO 2024 is just around the corner and we have put the tournament under the spotlight in typically Sweeper style in Part 1. How did Austria’s Maximilian Entrup go from a third-tier amateur/PE teacher to a place at EURO 2024 in the space of a year? Does Georgia’s Budu Zivzivadze harbour any regrets about choosing football over chess? Who is the only player at the tournament currently on the books of a third-tier European club? And where does Latvia’s 0-0 draw with Germany in 2004 rank among the all-time biggest EURO shocks? Part 2 is dedicated to the...
2024-06-1243 minThe SweeperGreenland’s CONCACAF bid, crutch fights in Africa & a 41-goal swing in HungaryGreenland tops the agenda in Part 1 following the news of their CONCACAF application and their friendly against Turkmenistan – the Arctic island's first game against a senior men’s national team since 2013. But what are their odds of making it into the governing body of North and Central America & the Caribbean? Where will they play their home games? And how did they engineer a friendly against the national team of one of the world’s most repressive countries?
In Part 2, we look at some more headlines from across the football world. Why are the Afghanistan women’s national team in exile in Austr...
2024-06-0538 min
The SweeperQuirky football stadia, the Corsica Cup & the Turkmen team that always winsPart 1 contains an international round-up of European minnows inside and outside of UEFA. In which version of football has Gibraltar become a European champion? Why has Corsica recently hosted their counterparts from Sardinia, Sicily & St. Martin? Will we watch San Marino vs. Slovakia from the top of a water slide? And which football stadium straddles an EU/non-EU border?Up next in Part 2 are a series of records and achievements from across the football world. What remarkable feat did Attack Energy Herat accomplish en route to winning the Afghan Super League? Why did a goalkeeper recently take three penalties in...
2024-05-2937 min
The SweeperCampsites in Luxembourg, proposals in Albania & free sausages in FinlandPart 1 brings you a full round-up of all the news from the Benelux countries. What controversial actions recently earned a Dutch referee a lifelong ban from football? Why are two storied Belgian clubs facing an existential threat? And what strange series of events could lead to European football being played on a Luxembourgish campsite this summer?Next up in Part 2 is a round-up of all the action from the rest of Europe. How have Sturm Graz finally managed to dethrone Red Bull Salzburg and does it mark a turning point for Austrian football? How did a marriage...
2024-05-2244 min
The SweeperAn expedition in Kyrgyzstan, Romania’s twin identity saga & Sweden’s toilet goalPart 1 of the latest Sweeper sees Lee & Paul profile three clubs from around the football world: Italians Como, Australia’s Central Coast Mariners & Petrocub of Moldova. Join us to find out where Italy’s richest club might be playing their Serie A home games next term, why the Central Coast Mariners have flown 100,000km in economy class this season and how a Ghanaian takeover has propelled Petrocub to Super Liga success.In Part 2, the team swap the serious journalism for a selection of silly stories. Why did a Dinamo Bucharest player refuse to show the club his driv...
2024-05-1535 min
The SweeperSpain’s tiniest football town, North Sea pizza planes & a Dutch double invasionIs this the best-ever Sweeper line-up? In Part 1, Lee & Paul discuss stories from the lower tiers in Spain, Germany & the Netherlands. How has a team from a Spanish villageof 100 people gained promotion? What are the smallest European settlements with a football team? Why did a German footballer hire a plane for a derby on a neighbouring island? And how can the longest journey in Dutch football be between two towns that are 4km apart? Part 2 contains more stories from across the European continent. What mistake did a Dutch stadium announcer recently make to cause a p...
2024-05-0831 min
The SweeperThe Valletta funeral parade, Al Ahly’s unique feat & dark arts in ChechnyaHaving just visited Malta and witnessed an historic weekend of football, Lee tells Paul all about the key events in Europe’s only island micro-state in Part 1. Who came out on top in the title-decider between Ħamrun Spartans & Floriana? Why do Valletta hold a funeral parade through the streets when they win the league? How has the island reacted to the capital club’s first relegation? And what is it like to accidentally get caught up in a bus parade? Part 2 is dedicated to three big stories on three different continents: Africa, Europe & South America. Two teams think they have won t...
2024-05-0137 min
The SweeperAlgerian airport anger, a 560km voyage to Mauritius & a Transylvanian cup runPart 1 is all about Africa, where a kit controversy has escalated into a geopolitical dispute between Algeria & Morocco ahead of the CAF Confederations Cup semi-final between USM Alger & RS Berkane. Elsewhere on the continent, Rising FC from Rodrigues Island in the Indian Ocean have made the long voyage to mainland Mauritius to take part in the cup, winning their last-32 tie!It's back to Europe - or at least, UEFA - in Part 2 as Paul & Lee discuss the 'Isolation Derby' between SKA Khabarovsk & Yenisay Krasnoyarsk in the Russian second division and look at some of the lower-league clubs on track...
2024-04-2435 min
The SweeperThe fabulous Fenix Trophy, Nordic nonsense & Liechtenstein’s quirky cupThe latest Sweeper starts off in windy Wales with our visit to the game between Llantwit Major & Enfield Town in the Fenix Trophy and a wider look at the tournament regarded as the Champions League of non league. Then we're off to Scandinavia for some goalkeeper heroics, cupsets & geographical extremes, before finishing Part 1 in little Liechtenstein, where FC Vaduz will likely set a world record next month.With Bayer Leverkusen having claimed the first league title in their 120-year history, Part 2 is dedicated to seven other European clubs gunning for their first-ever title and the longest ongoing...
2024-04-1740 min
The SweeperCopa Chile charm, Peruvian player names & a transfer to TanzaniaThis episode of The Sweeper begins with a focus on South American domestic cup competitions. We hear about the Juan Fernández Islands – 670km off the coast of Chile – taking part in the Copa Chile as a special invitee and the unusual journey opponents Santiago Wanderers must take to reach them. Up next is Ecuador’s non-existent cup competition and the story of a team called Bonita Banana ('Beautiful Banana'), followed by some terrible pitches and hideously named players in Peru.With Sudan’s Al-Hilal set to join the Tanzanian Premier League to escape the confl...
2024-04-1035 min
The SweeperNorth Korean no-show, Georgian jubilation & glorious groundhoppingFirst up on this episode of The Sweeper, we delve deeper into North Korea’s mysterious cancellation of their World Cup qualifier against Japan and look back at memorable moments in the hermit kingdom’s football history. Then we’re off to Georgia to hear about the nation’s maiden qualification for a major tournament, before we chat through Austria's Rangnick resurgence as they shape up to be EURO 2024 dark horses.After the break it’s time to show some love for groundhoppers and to hear some amazing stories from our patrons in pursuit of the joy...
2024-04-0340 min
The SweeperSan Marino’s 20 years of hurt, Austria’s six-second goal & Burrito Brava joyFresh from his trip to San Marino, Paul reflects on the attempt by FIFA’s lowest ranked country to break a 20-year winless streak against Saint Kitts & Nevis, before Lee rounds up the other international news - from the Basque Country's draw with Uruguay to the 'End of the Alphabet Derby - and Producer Tom chips in with a live report as Austria break an all-time record.After the break, we hop on over to the USA to hear about New York City vs. Toronto at Yankee Stadium - there are few fixtures that co...
2024-03-2734 min
The SweeperThe 'Virgin Derby', Basque aspirations & a record return in RomaniaThis episode of The Sweeper begins by looking at the Virgin Derby between the British Virgin Islands and U.S. Virgin Islands in 2026 World Cup qualification. Meanwhile, a non-FIFA team, the Basque Country face Uruguay and may harbour UEFA aspirations. The Danish Superligaen strikes a huge blow to the European Super League, which might now be forced to rebrand, a Romanian coach returns to the same club for a 10th spell int the dugout and we play a Sweeper version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?RUNNING ORDER
2024-03-2043 min
The SweeperThe American (Samoan) Dream, a Scilly showdown & Swedish kayak smugglersThe latest episode of The Sweeper kicks off with a tour of Oceania and the incredible story of two French journalists with an American (Samoan) Dream, before moving on to Pacific neighbours Micronesia & Nauru and their new coaches. David Johnson & Charlie Pomroy, who both partly credit the pod for their appointments, have sent us voice notes from their respective islands.Sticking with the island theme but moving back over to Europe, Part 2 starts in the Scilly Isles: the British archipelago is famed for having the smallest league in the world, but rarely is the...
2024-03-1341 min
The SweeperTifos & ultras in Prague, Croatian VAR controversy & Argentina's park derbyOn this episode of The Sweeper, we discuss our trip to Prague along with Patreon competition winner Joe McTaggart to watch the derby between Slavia and Sparta in the Czech Cup and enjoy a 24-hour whirlwind of Ultra-brewed beer, pyro and tifos. VAR controversies have rocked Croatia, where the head of referees Bruno Maric has resigned, derbies both real and mock have excited Argentina and there’s a strange case in Mongolia of a club who changed identity halfway through the season.To hear the bonus segment of this podcast about a derby in Lithuania dubbed ‘El Logistico’ and take a trip...
2024-03-0641 min
The SweeperDating app dismissals, CONIFA anthem anxiety & a Sunday service with the QueenThe Premier League and the rest of Europe’s top five divisions totally dominate the football headlines, but have you ever wondered what other interesting news and stories the rest of European football and world football have to offer? If so, The Sweeper is the football podcast for you!On this episode, Turkish footballer Emirhan Delibaş is sacked by his club Beşiktaş for his profile on the dating app Bumble and Irishman Dylan Connolly receives a Facebook invitation to play in the OFC Champions League preliminary round in Tonga, where he meets the Queen...
2024-02-2833 min
The SweeperSan Marino setbacks, the new FIFA Series & a Football Manager nerd in IcelandWe kick off the podcast by announcing the news that we have moved to a shorter weekly format with a longer third segment available to patrons only. Then we’re straight to the familiar backdrop of San Marino and lowest ranked national football team in the world’s loss of two goalkeepers in two days. We then analyse San Marino’s chances of breaking their 20-year winless run in 2024 – as they have a double-header against St. Kitts and Nevis and Nations League clashes with Liechtenstein and Gibraltar on the horizon – before turning our attentions to the new FIFA Series tournament...
2024-02-2130 min
The SweeperHigh-speed car chases, Anguillan adventures & a German giant in declinePart 1 of this Sweeper podcast kicks off with an alternative look at the transfer window and Arturo Vidal’s dramatic helicopter & horseback unveiling at Colo Colo, before moving onto some of the best, worst & oddest transfer announcements in history. Continuing the transfer theme, we hear about a strange signing by Vilaverdense in Portugal's second tier and then go to Italy for the bizarre story of a young player who stole a team-mate’s car and got caught up in a high-speed police chase! We then finish off with some memorable soundbites and antics from players past & present – including, of course...
2024-02-0752 min
The SweeperBonus Pod Sample: Pharoahs fall, Einstein inspires & Maidstone magicThis is the opening segment of our latest bonus podcast, which we make for our Patreon community in the weeks without regular episodes & are now giving you the chance to listen to for a limited time only. If you want to hear the rest of the episode, become a patron at patreon.com/sweeperpod. Enjoy the show!
Episode description
The latest Sweeper bonus podcast begins with AFCON and a look at Ivory Coast’s remarkable renaissance thanks to a penalty shootout victory over Senegal. Speaking of spot-kicks, we also round up Egypt’s exit at the...
2024-02-0125 min
The SweeperDerby day in Madeira, AFCON’s unlikely heroes and a crisis in CambodiaThe opening segment of this Sweeper episode is all about our first trip of 2024 - to the Portuguese island of Madeira, where we took in the derby between local teams Marítimo and Nacional. We also delve a little bit deeper into the unique football culture on the island with the help of some supporters and try to answer the big question that has been on our minds since the end of last season in Portugal's Primeira Liga: why are there no island clubs in the top flight for the first time since 1984/85?Part 2 is all about t...
2024-01-2448 min
The SweeperAzeri cakes & coaches, football’s final frontier in the Pacific & the Livonian LeagueThe first Sweeper episode of 2024 kicks off with some Azerbaijan anecdotes in Part 1. We discuss Adrian Mutu’s harsh sacking and some tasty treats from Turan Tovuz. From Mutu we switch to another ex-Premier League player in Pascal Chimbonda and his antics in charge of ninth-tier English side Skelmersdale. Finally, we talk about the Vatican City where registration is open for the league season in the world’s smallest country - but not just anyone can take part.In Part 2 we go remote and delve into the story of Nauru’s newly launched Football Association trying to bring...
2024-01-1051 min
The SweeperRobinhood’s Caribbean double, Pontypridd’s 141-point deduction & a Herculean effort against AjaxThe final Sweeper episode of 2023 starts off with a look at continental competitions across the world in Part 1. We talk about the CONCACAF Champions Cup with its incredible away trips and interesting array of clubs – from Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami to Robinhood of Suriname, who have won a Caribbean double this year – and the AFC Champions League, where Ventforet Kofu of Japan have sensationally become the first second-division club to ever reach the knockout stages.Part 2 kicks off with a chat about Welsh club Pontypridd United’s unprecedented 141-point deduction and the heaviest punishments in football history...
2023-12-2652 min
The SweeperThe Belgian Cup arcade claw draw, Turkmenistan’s debutant champions & the Botafogo bottle job in BrazilDownload Momento: acmomento.onelink.me/ckkf/SweeperPodOnce we found out that the draw for the Belgian Cup quarter-finals was conducted using a former footballer and an arcade claw machine, there was nowhere else we were going to start this episode. But domestic cup competitions across Europe have produced plenty of other notable stories over the past fortnight too, including another Bundesliga scalp for third-tier Saarbrücken in the DFB-Pokal, Copa del Rey elimination at the hands of fourth-division sides for Almería and Cadíz, and some unlikely Coupe de France victories for Caribbean clubs. And the...
2023-12-1351 min
The SweeperThe magic of the Coupe de France, Colo Colo’s trip to Easter Island & Spain's Mascot OlympicsWith overseas territories from all over the world taking part, the Coupe de France is one of the world’s most intriguing domestic football competitions. But who funds it? How do they decide who plays home and away? And could an overseas side play in a UEFA competition if they won the tournament. In Part 1, co-hosts Lee Wingate and Paul Watson answer all the key questions about the French Cup and reflect on their recent journey to the sleepy rural town of Saint-Mesmin to watch sixth-tier Saint-Méziéry play host to Tahitian cup winners AS Pirae in the seve...
2023-11-2953 min
The SweeperFrantic season finales in Scandinavia, the Te Runga Games in Kiribati & the sad story of Raphael DwamenaThe Nordic nations served up tension, drama and excitement in abundance at the weekend as several titles were decided by the narrowest of margins. The Swedish men’s and women’s titles came down to goal difference, as did a bonkers goal-laden battle for promotion in the Norwegian third tier. That got co-hosts Lee Wingate and Paul Watson racking their brains about the closest title races in history in Part 1, with England, Azerbaijan and Austria all getting a mention. As do Sexy Pants, who have unfortunately been relegated in Finland!There is a venture outside of Europe in P...
2023-11-1551 min
The SweeperThe KÍ Klaksvík miracle with Daniel Storey, our visit to the Czech team that lost 9-5 & a perfect season in TongaKÍ Klaksvík have been the European football story of the season since they became the first club from the Faroe Islands to reach the group stages of a UEFA competition. But they didn’t stop there and have since followed up a draw at home to 2021 Ligue 1 winners Lille with a famous victory over Olimpija Ljubljana. Daniel Storey, the chief football writer at the i and a regular panelist on The Totally Football Show, was in the Faroes to witness the historic moment and joins us in Part 1 to tell us about his trip and reflect on the KÍ Klaks...
2023-11-0152 min
The SweeperA GOAL FOR SAN MARINO, Thailand’s trip to McDonald's & a YMCA-inspired fairytale in NorwayWith another week packed full of international action in Europe, Asia and beyond, plus a selection of splendid club football stories and some superb listener emails, co-hosts Lee Wingate and Paul Watson once again had plenty of niche football talking points to dig their teeth into on the latest episode of the Sweeper Podcast. And that was before San Marino sent Football Twitter into meltdown by scoring their first competitive goal in more than two years against 18th-ranked Denmark, forcing the pod team to do an emergency 'The world's worst team just scored a goal!' segment to insert...
2023-10-1856 min
The SweeperAn alternative World Cup for FIFA's worst 32 nations, Mozart bashing the Red Bulls with a violin & the enclave derby in Spanish North AfricaThe Sweeper crew have been going viral on social media recently. Paul Watson proposed a World Cup for the 32 worst-ranked countries in the world on Twitter – and it turns out a lot of people want to see it! Paul explains in Part 1 how it might work and who might win it, before the discussion turns to Pakistan and which countries might be the first to be eliminated from 2026 World Cup qualifying.In Part 2, fellow host Lee Wingate talks about his recent travels across Austria – first as the pitchside English-language stadium announcer mere metres away from Jürgen Klopp at the LASK...
2023-10-0447 min
The SweeperThe Antarctic micronation with a football team, island time in the Coupe de France & the Costa Rican mascot raceSweeper co-hosts Lee Wingate & Paul Watson have (quite literally) gone to the ends of the earth for this episode, Part 1 of which kicks off with a trip to Antarctica - where a Belgian-backed micronation has launched its own football team to mark its 15th anniversary - and continues with a look at the representative from St. Pierre & Miquelon that travelled 4,000km to the French mainland to play a cup tie.The unique away day theme continues in Part 2 as we look at quirky geographical features that some fans have to navigate to get to away games: there's...
2023-09-2041 min
The SweeperThe Indonesian team travelling in a tank, the offside rule loophole discovered in Sweden & the Austrian club president handing out cashIt's time for another episode of The Sweeper with co-hosts Lee Wingate & Paul Watson, who has penned the first chapter of his sequel to the hit book 'Up Pohnpei' - all about his adventures in Micronesian football. We talk all about it in Part 1 of this episode, before discussing the Indonesian team travelling in a tank and the Slovenian club president scoring goals in a desperate situation.Part 2 starts off with a couple of stories from Sweden: lower-league Torns IF have discovered a loophole in the offside rule, while AIK supporters are telling police where to hit...
2023-09-0649 min
The SweeperThe Greenlandic Football Championship, Raków's remarkable rise & the Latvian refs breathalysed by policeLocated at the intersection of Europe and North America, Greenland boasts the unique selling point of having the shortest season in world football - at one week long. The first part of the latest episode of 'The Sweeper' sees presenter Lee Wingate talk all about the 2023 Greenlandic Football Championship with co-host Paul Watson, who reflects on his own journey to Nuuk seven summers ago.Part 2 kicks off with a shout-out for KÍ Klaksvík & Zrinjski Mostar, the first-ever clubs from the Faroe Islands and Bosnia & Herzegovina to reach a European group phase. We talk about the KÍ pla...
2023-08-2343 min
The SweeperFairytale summer for the Faroes, father v. son battles in the Champions League & a reindeer hunt in GreenlandWho needs the European group stages? It's clearly all about the qualifying rounds - and with a major milestone for the Faroe Islands, notable results for Andorra and Malta, and a number of other captivating storylines across the continent, there's plenty for co-hosts Lee Wingate & Paul Watson to get stuck into on this episode of The Sweeper.In Part 1, Lee & Paul start off by talking (once again) about team of the moment KÍ Klaksvík and another headline from the Nordic nations: the Icelandic youngster whose hat-trick knocked his father out of the Champions League. Then there's a...
2023-08-0944 min
The SweeperMicronesia's first-ever futsal tournament, KÍ Klaksvík's Champions League heroics & the contested fate of two Crimean clubsThe Sweeper crew have been to Liechtenstein and San Marino in recent months – but the 26,000km round-trip to Micronesia was by far our biggest off-the-beaten-track football adventure. Having now overcome the jetlag, Paul has the full story on the Pacific nation’s first-ever futsal tournament and its newly assembled Football Association.Part 1 sees us reflect on Paul’s past in Micronesia as the world's youngest international football coach, the Twitter DM from Kenny that changed everything, the tournament format, the lost suitcase of futsal shoes, Kosrae’s controversial path to the final, Yap’s victory, the trophy flown in f...
2023-07-2648 min
The SweeperThe Island Games in Guernsey, Arctic Circle dominance in Norway & the European qualifying roundsYou might think there's not much going on in the football world at the height of summer - but there are in fact plenty of talking points to be explored by Sweeper co-hosts Lee Wingate & Paul Watson, who is recording the pod ahead of his mammoth 60-hour, 13,229km journey from London to Micronesia to watch the nation's first-ever futsal tournament.Part 1 is dedicated to our very favourite part of the European football calendar: the qualifying rounds for the UEFA club competitions. We discuss the biggest away days, the first-time participants, the clubs from outside the top flight...
2023-07-1241 min
The SweeperSan Marino fail to win 130th game in a row, Ildefons Lima sets all-time records & the Children's Hospice win the Vatican trebleThe club season might be over in 42 UEFA countries, but co-hosts Lee Wingate and Paul Watson have plenty of stand-out international headlines to work their way through on the latest episode of The Sweeper, which was edited by Tom Middler.The first segment of the pod is dedicated to Lee's trip to see San Marino, who extended their unwanted world-record winless run to 130 games against Kazakhstan in Parma - despite giving a pretty impressive account of themselves in the first half.The next segment covers the other major talking points from the international period, including...
2023-06-2845 min
The SweeperBalotelli's haircut twin spoils promotion party, Mongolian player cycles to Old Trafford & Ruch Chorzów complete the ultimate comebackLee Wingate and Paul Watson return with some more tales of football off the beaten track, including some live experiences on opposite sides of the globe, a quirky football geography segment and some of their favourite other stories from across the European continent.Lee kicks off the first segment with the remarkable story of Austrian club GAK, whose meteoric rise from the eighth to the first tier in the space of a decade was ruined in the last second by Mario Balotelli's haircut twin, before Paul previews his trip to Micronesia to watch the nation's first futsal tournament and discusses...
2023-06-1446 min
The SweeperCups & cults in Liechtenstein, mistimed bus parades in Luxembourg & colossal away days in KazakhstanPod duo Lee Wingate and Paul Watson are back with another carefully curated batch of weird and wonderful stories from across the football world, with Tom Middler returning to the virtual studio to produce the episode. Lee reflects on his trip to Liechtenstein’s Cup Final - where FC Vaduz unsurprisingly win a world-record 49th domestic cup - and his subsequent 50km hike through the hills to see all seven football stadiums in the micro-state in the space of 24 hours.Promotions and relegations are on the agenda next: there is a premature pitch invasion or tw...
2023-05-3149 min
The SweeperMatch-fixing scandal rocks Belarus, cycling toddler invades pitch in Finland & 49-year-old goalie keeps clean sheet in FaroesCo-hosts Lee Wingate & Paul Watson return to the virtual studio on their opposite sides of the Channel for another audio journey around the world of football in the space of 45 minutes, with extended Sweeper family member Tom Middler returning as producer.The football season may be winding down but that means it’s cup final time across the continent. Lee is preparing to travel to see the showpiece event in Liechtenstein between Balzers & Vaduz and hike to every stadium in the country the following day.The domestic cup round-up does not stop there, as...
2023-05-1746 min
The SweeperFormer pub team win trophy in Gibraltar, Spanish side lose every game for 11 years & Viktor Orbán-back clubs make waves outside HungaryWith the majority of the European seasons nearing a conclusion and the 12 summer leagues now up and running, there is plenty for hosts Lee Wingate & Paul Watson to sink their teeth into on the latest edition of The Sweeper.Having revealed his tentative plans to become a sporting director at a sixth-division Italian club, Paul is reminded of his claim that he could beat Man Utd defender Axel Tuanzebe's Guinness World Record for clearing a Hungry Hippos board in 17.36 seconds & is challenged by Lee to a quiz about unlikely world records held by football players....
2023-05-0346 min
The SweeperCroatian coach makes players train at 1am, Welsh team releases dinosaur kit design & Chinese boy breaks ball-juggling world recordHosts Lee Wingate & Paul Watson return to the virtual studio for another episode of The Sweeper - the show that goes further and wider than any other football podcast out there.Beer is the recurring theme in the opening segment, where Paul tells the story of the Polish referees that allegedly got drunk on a flight to Greece & Lee laughs at the Croatian coach who made his players train at 1 in the morning after getting home from an away game.We then have a brief chat with Louis Jones from our sponsor Surprise Shirts, before...
2023-04-1943 min
The SweeperAlderney's 103-year wait goes on, a university student represents Gibraltar & Northern Irish village club Loughgall pursue promotionThe Sweeper crew return to review and reflect upon the standout stories from across the 55 UEFA countries & beyond in late March and early April.Paul looks back on his memorable trips to Alderney and San Marino, who are on some of the longest winless streaks in world football, while Lee waxes lyrical about Kazakhstan and shares two notable stories from Gibraltar.There's an excellent April Fool's Day joke by the Norwegian FA, a look at the wacky world of Welsh football, some contenders for the worst club of the season in Italy and St. Kitts...
2023-04-0544 min
The SweeperSnowball sh*thousery in Norway, strange sideline antics in Italy & a deep dive into GibraltarIn the latest instalment of The Sweeper, studio sidekicks Lee Wingate and Paul Watson cast the net far and wide to round up all the niche global football action in the first half of March.Paul reflects on his time as the world's youngest international manager (sort of) and the dormant plans to bring his remote adventure to the big screen, while Lee tries to get to grips with Europe's most bizarre league format in Moldova.There's a comical touchline moment in Serie B, a historical hiding in Holland, an amazing accomplishment for Violette of...
2023-03-1545 min
The SweeperSheriff break ground for Moldova, managerial mayhem at Sion & a scandal in SomaliaHosts Lee Wingate and Paul Watson round up all the quirky, random and bizarre news and stories from across the 55 UEFA countries and beyond in the second half of February.Unperturbed by the foiled coup in their country, Sheriff Tiraspol become the first Moldovan club to reach the last 16 of a European competition, while Lech Poznań end a 32-year wait for Poland, Belgian clubs enjoy some penalty shootout success and there is a truly horrendous own goal in Denmark.Sion are in the spotlight after their 56th manager of the century is placed on gardening l...
2023-03-0240 min
The SweeperKazu Miura playing in Portugal aged 55, prisoners attend game in Romania & a furniture supplier intervenes in BelgiumMore of the European football stories you won't hear elsewhere from the first half of February - but this time there's a twist: The Sweeper goes global for the first time.Hosts Lee and Paul Watson discuss their most memorable football experiences in Enfield and Győr respectively, before switching the focus to the tragic earthquake in Türkiye and its impact on the Süper Lig.Japan legend Kazu Miura rocks up at second-tier Oliveirense in Portugal aged 55 - but is he the oldest professional player currently active in Europe? Meanwhile, prisoners are allowed out...
2023-02-1645 min
The SweeperMaccabi Netanya end Israeli trophy drought, a Maltese club president wants to play & the meteoric rise of Cosmos in San MarinoAfter 18 months in the podcast wilderness, The Sweeper is back - with the new-look team of Lee Wingate and Paul Watson getting their teeth stuck straight into the quirkiest stories European football has to offer.The first Solomon Islander to ever sign a professional contract in Europe pens a deal in Bosnia, while a club president in Malta contemplates resignation in order to register himself as a player.Cosmos go from bottom last season to top of the pile this term in San Marino - but what's been their secret? Meanwhile, Swift Hesperange of Luxembourg...
2023-02-0140 min
The SweeperThe Sweeper: Matt Walker's Europe United - October 2021Lee talks to Matt Walker about five more of the countries on his spectacular continental football journey. This time Lithuania, Latvia, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Azerbaijan are up for discussion; including stories of a taxi ride with a former international, some Kim Jong-Un masks on show in Ireland, and a serious chat about whether the Baltic leagues might fold. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2021-10-1431 min
The SweeperThe Sweeper - July 2021The Sweeper is back after a short EURO break! Lee & Tom talk about the tournament just gone, before pushing the boundaries of UEFA's leagues with a virtual visit to Greenland where we spoke to FA boss Finn Meinel, as well as prominent coach Tekle Ghebrelul. We then called in Richard D Pike (@RichDPike89) to discuss the brand new UEFA Europa Conference League, how it all works, and how it could affect European football going forward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2021-07-231h 19
The SweeperThe Sweeper Bonus Episode - Matt Walker's Europe United - June 2021The next monthly dose of our series with Matt Walker, who talks to Lee Wingate about his mission to watch a football match in all 55 UEFA countries within one season.On the agenda this time are countries 6-10: Finland, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Russia & Belarus.For more on Matt’s travels, check out his book “EUROPE UNITED”, which is OUT NOW! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2021-06-2432 min
The SweeperThe Sweeper - June 2021The Sweeper podcast returns with another monthly dose of drama from Europe's 55 most lovable leagues! This month we have an abundance of late season stories with heroes and villains, surprise squad inclusions, and of course our main features; the astounding EURO triumphs of Denmark & Greece, and the Bulgarian champions who just keep on winning! Hosted by Lee Wingate & Tom Middler, featuring interviews with George Tsitsonis, Sebastian Stanbury and Metodi Shumanov. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2021-06-031h 07
The SweeperThe Sweeper Bonus Episode - Matt Walker's Europe United - May 2021Tales from Georgia, the Faroe Islands, Norway, Sweden and Iceland...Matt Walker, the man who saw a game in every one of Europe's 55 top leagues in one single season, speaks to The Sweeper with some extraordinary stories from 5 of those 55 nations. For more, read his book "EUROPE UNITED" which is OUT NOW! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2021-05-1928 min
The SweeperThe Sweeper - May 2021In the first episode of The Sweeper, Tom and Lee round up alternative stories from across the continent, starting with a look at how seven years of conflict have shaped the football landscape in Ukraine. They also call in the local experts to explore some regional Super League projects that might be more appealing to fans than the European Super League ever was, and chat about everything that caught the eye in the last month of European football.(Recorded May 1st) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2021-05-041h 07