TSFFS S2 EP30, FEATURING ANDY BARLOW
From The Speaking Frankly Football Show by Frank Hughes & AJ Vergette
February 20, 2026 · 4h 1m · Season 2 · Episode 30
About this episode
The episode features an interview with Andy Barlow, discussing local football scenes and controversies in the sport.
TSFFS S2 EP30 Join us as we welcome Andy Barlow, the manager of Skelmersdale United, to this exciting episode! This week, we're diving into lively discussions with our guest panellist, Andy Barlow, whose stellar non-league football career makes him the perfect voice to discuss local football scenes. We kick things off with the NWCFL, the Macron Cup, and spotlight some of the league's biggest movers and shakers, lighting up the competition. Next, we venture into the National League and Northern Premier League, highlighting stories from Bootle, Clitheroe, Prescot, Marine, Southport, and more. But it's not all about praise—controversy takes centre stage. We explore the disrespect shown by Chelsea players towards young supporters and delve into the ongoing saga at Brickfield Rangers, where referees are being asked not to officiate due to threats and abuse from a manager targeting U18 officials. The blanket ban on refereeing at Rangers at all levels remains in force. We also reveal the well-kept secret of Dave Kitson's surprising self-outing as the "Secret Football Manager." A former player who penned revealing articles for The Guardian and authored books exposing the darker side of…
People in this episode
Hosts: Frank Hughes, AJ Vergette
Guest: Andy Barlow
Topics covered
- local football
- non-league football
- referee controversies
- football management
- youth football
- football career journeys
Keywords
- Skelmersdale United
- NWCFL
- Macron Cup
- referees
- Chelsea
- Dave Kitson
- youth football
- football management
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Skelmersdale United, Chelsea, Brickfield Rangers, The Guardian
Places: Manchester City, Bootle, Clitheroe, Prescot, Marine, Southport
More episodes of The Speaking Frankly Football Show
- TSFFS S2 EP41, QUIZ OF THE WEEK · May 7, 2026 · 3h 53m
- TSFFS S2 EP40 · April 30, 2026 · 2h 7m
- TSFFS S2 EP39 · April 24, 2026 · 2h 51m
- TSFFS S2 EP38, FEATURING STEVE SCOTT, LITHERLAND REMYCA MANAGER · April 17, 2026 · 3h 3m
- TSFFS S2 EP37 · April 10, 2026 · 2h 27m
- TSFFS S2 EP36, FEATURING PETER CARTLEDGE · April 3, 2026 · 3h 3m
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Speaking Frankly Football Show podcast page.