Pro Revolution Soccer
A football podcast that explores the connections between soccer and politics, hosted by Juliet Jacques and Tom Williams, with theme music by Matt Huxley and production by Oliver Kealey. The show is supported by the Lipman-Miliband Trust and offers bonus episodes to Patreon subscribers. It also maintains a presence on BlueSky at prorevsoccer.bsky.social.
Episodes
Discipline and Punish- the rules Man City have broken
Tom is joined by senior lecturer in sports business and politics at the University Campus of Football Business, Doctor David Webber, to discuss the spending rules that Manchester City have brazenly flouted, plus Juliet Jacques returns to give us her take on the whole sordid tale.
Man City- how should socialists think about this?
Sam Kelly- host of the Red Medicine podcast and socialist City fan- joins to try to make sense of the news and formulate a response through a left lens.
You can find Sam's stuff here: https://www.instagram.com/medicine_red/
Here: https://redmedicine.substack.com
And here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/red-medicine/id1587752889
SHAM- A brief history of cheating in football.
For no particular reason, Toms James and Williams discussed some of football’s most infamous cases of cheating, gamesmanship and shithousery. Parts of this were used in episodes of our Every Move You Make series during the World Cup, but here it is in all its glory. Brighton’s Poogate saga, Maradona’s fake penis and Carlos Bilardo’s gynaecological misconduct.
Tom W will be back next week for a p
3-0 Ireland, but did Israel still win?
Barrister, Riverway to the Sea co-director and Irish guy Franck Magennis gives his analysis of the Ireland-Israel Nations League saga.
Pop, politics and football
Tom and Juliet are joined by the Guardian journalist and friend of the show Tom Davies, along with a debuting special guest- renowned Melody Maker, NME and Guardian music journalist, author of Fear of Music and creator of the notorious Mr Agreeable character, David Stubbs. Together they discuss Andy Burnham's favourite albums and why he's more convincing as a music lover and football than his pred
Like a phoenix from the flames- saving Rochdale and starting FC United
Today’s episode focuses on two genuinely community-centred clubs, one old, one new:
Guy Courtney talks about how Rochdale survived and whether EFL clubs can truly be sustainable.
George Baker discusses ripping it up and starting again with FC United, and how he feels about Manchester United now.
Game State- David Goldblatt on FIFA and Infantino, the past and the future
The godfather of Pro Revolution Soccer David Goldblatt returns for about FIFA, Infantino, UEFA, Saudi Arabia and China's interest in football, climate and football, and the future of the global game.
Tom's materialist analysis of the Infantino saga for Tribune is here:
https://tribunemag.co.uk/2026/09/infantinos-plan-is-dead-his-vision-for-fifa-will-remain
Disasterclass- football’s comms cock-ups with James Schneider
A heady mix of genuine expert insight from James and two football fans sitting around taking the piss. Faragegate, Spygate, the much more serious but equally poorly-handled Suarez racism row, plus the sadly successful PR of the various sportswashing projects.
Deadline day special- Harry Redknapp, football's commodity fetish, and giant dildos
Academic Tom Woodbury joins to discuss the deadline day phenomenon, why fans are so hung up on signing players, and the time he and Tom saw their mates playing keepy-uppy outside a stadium with a substantial sex toy.
Jon Mackenzie on the Spectre of Pep
The erudite, eloquent, the perspicacious Jon Mackenzie joins to discuss his brilliant new book about the rise and fall of Pep Guardiola, The Spectre of Pep. From What is Juego de Posición to Hegelian dialectics at a million miles an hour- what more could you ask for?
Liverpool and Bezos- how worried should we be?
A consortium including Amazon’s billionaire founder Jeff Bezos has bought 40% of Liverpool Football Club. We asked Neil Atkinson- host of the Anfield Wrap podcast and author of Klopp, the Revolution of a Club and Culture about the ramifications of the deal, as well as the identity of his club and the city of Liverpool.
You can order Neil’s book here (not on Amazon): https://www.waterstones.com/b
Premier League season preview/can Infantino survive?
Friend of the show Morgan Ofori returns to discuss whether Johnny Baby is knackered, why UEFA are not the good guys and why, as an Arsenal fan, he’s “scared of everyone”.
All Morgan's excellent Guardian stuff is here:
https://www.theguardian.com/profile/morgan-ofori
Infantino's days of infamy and EFL season preview
Juliet joins Tom to discuss two weeks in which it seemed two decades happened with regard to Gianni Infantino and FIFA and try to apply a materialist analysis to it all. There's also a quick preview of the new Football League season.
Every Move You Make- wrapping up the 2026 World Cup
After 103 matches played by 48 teams in 16 different cities, over 40 days, Juliet joins Tom at the end of Pro Revolution Soccer World Cup project to discuss the action, the mix and sometimes clash of footballing cultures, and, of course, the politics of the tournament (Tom is now going for a long lie-down).
Every Move You Make- World Cup final preview
Tom previews the football and the politics of the biggest game in global sport.
Every Move You Make- England post-mortem with David Wearing
David is back to talk to Tom about Thomas Tuchel, the enduring, unearthly brilliance of Messi, and why the Dunkirk spirit that England prize so highly may be what’s holding them back.
Every Move You Make- Argentina’s melanin deficiency
Tom and Juliet try to make sense of Argentina’s peculiar society, problematic history and unique football culture, delving into Peronism, Black erasure and space Trotskyism.
References:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/made-by-history/2022/12/08/why-doesnt-argentina-have-more-black-players-world-cup/
Enduring Passions-n Football, Peronism and the politics of national identity in Argentina by Ji
Every Move You Make 13th July: Emmanuel Macron’s Mbappe weirdness
‘Jupiterian’ Thatcherite Emmanuel Macron’s parasitic relationship with Kyllian Mbappe has been a feature of every World Cup from 2018 onwards. Juliet joins Tom to discuss their dynamic and why Macron is so dislikable.
Every Move You Make- Spain under and after Franco and Norway resisting the Nazis
Juliet is back to talk about Spain, Norway, tonight's England game and Argentina-Switzerland.
Every Move You Make- the history and politics of Spanish football
Tom takes an off the cuff solo trip through the politically charged history of football in Spain.
Every Move You Make- the climate World Cup with Mark Doidge
Academic, author and great lad Mark Doidge joins Tom for a conversation that starts with climate then sprawls gloriously to cover everything from FIFA and globalisation to food banks and plastic fans.
Every Move You Make- Narcoball
Narcoball author David Arrowsmith joins to talk about football’s role in Colombia’s cartel wars and why Pablo Escobar wore football boots on the school run.
Every Move You Make- Balogun’s red card versus treatment of Iran
Tom contrasts the Balogun affair with what was effectively a sporting penalty for Iran, plus Mexico-England thoughts.
Every Move You Make- Congolese-born Jude Wanga talks about the dilemmas of the diasporas, plus nostalgia for Sepp Blatter’s old-school corruption
Writer and human rights campaigner Jude Wanga joins Tom to discuss being born in Congo and her experience of returning there to make a documentary, divided loyalties and footballing reparations.
Every Move You Make- pundits
Tom is joined for a profoundly silly episode by childhood friend and comedy genius Tom James. The story of the Dassler beef, Olivier Giroud’s inner loneliness, ridiculous PMC shoes, what Mark Pougatch might think of Malcolm X, and the need to embrace the glorious silliness of the beautiful game.
Every Move You Make- Ball in the USA
Tom gives you the TLDR of US football history, offers a bit of political analysis of it, then tells the to-be-continued story of football in Egypt.
Every Move You Make- Juliet and Tom talk Austria and Belgium, plus England-Congo thoughts
Juliet and Tom discuss the history and politics of Austrian and Belgian football and react to yesterday's tense England win over DR Congo.
Every move You Make- Football in DR Congo and Lumumba the hero
A solo potted history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its relationship to football.
Every Move You Make- the politics of heroic Paraguay plus Mexico-Ecuador relations
Latin American history expert and all-round top lad Bill Booth joins again to talk about the history and politics of Germany’s World Cup conquerors Paraguay and explain the delicate political situation involving Mexico and their opponents, Ecuador.
Every Move You Make- Jeremy Corbyn on the World Cup money-fest
Jeremy Corbyn joins Juliet and Tom to discuss FIFA, reclaiming Englishness, the cultural importance of football, plus 18th century French literature.
Every Move You Make- the story so far
Juliet and Tom catch up to discuss their impressions of the World Cup so far: VAR, hydration breaks, the Consent Manufacturer Christina Unkel, Trump, England and more more.
Every Move You Make- Juliet and Morgan Ofori join to talk England/Ghana prospects and reflections on group stage
Tom is joined by cohost Juliet Jacques to and friend of the show Morgan Ofori to talk about the story so far for England and Ghana and the prospects of both in the knockout stages.
Every Move You Make- Jules Boykoff on being a professional footballer, football culture in the US, and the climate catastrophe World Cup
Journalist, academic and former professional player Jules Boykoff joins Tom to discuss his playing career, and the climate impact of this World Cup.
Via the link below can read Jules's excellent article for The Nation on the battle to determine the meaning of the World Cup in the US:
https://www.thenation.com/article/society/world-cup-racism-trump/
Every Move You Make- Coll McCail on Scotland and British politics
The prodigious Coll McCail joins Tom to discuss the mood in Scotland, Scottish and British politics and the state of the Scottish left.
Every Move You Make- Thomas Partey thoughts and a short history of Ghanaian football
Tom talks Thomas Partey, FIFA’s dereliction of duty and US capriciousness re who is and isn’t allowed in, before exploring the history and politics of the Black Stars.
Every Move You Make- French Algeria, Algerian France, Zidane and Mbappé
Drawing on David Goldblatt, and Philip Dine, Tom tells the story of colonial Algeria's resistance to French rule through the prism of football, and how it specifically impacted last night’s games involving Algeria, France, and a number of very prominent French Algerians.
Every Move You Make- Maradona’s political commitments (and fake penis)
Maradona was a comrade, but he was no angel. With Argentina playing this evening, Tom James joins to discuss their first iconic, short, brilliant number ten.
Every Move You Make- FIFA and what is to be done
If you’re investigating injustice in football, under almost every rock you’ll find FIFA. Nick McGeehan from FairSquare joins to talk about their Reboot FIFA campaign.
Every Move You Make- looking for a new England with Jessy Parker Humphreys
Observer sports journalist Jessy Parker Humphreys shares her World Cup highlights, updates us on the current state of the women's game in this country, and reveals who she's hate-watching at this tournament.
Every Move You Make- El Tri
Latin American history expert Bill Booth joins to talk Mexican football culture and how it intersects with the country's politics.
Every Move You Make- guys being dudes. David Wearing joins to talk about last night’s England game and Messi magic
Tom has a great chat with David Wearing about England, Bellingham dog whistles, why we’re not ‘anyone but England’, the brilliance of Leo Messi and the complex experience of nation.
Every Move You Make- David Wearing on Gulf states, Juliet on French football, England thoughts
France and Mbappe have arrived so PRS's resident Francophile tell us about her love of French football, Comrade Wearing explains the remaining Gulf states, while Tom talks England and addresses the Ronaldo-shaped elephant in the room.
Every Move You Make- Cape Verde feelgood factor, Tunisia and Iran thoughts, plus Argentinian football's greatest monster
News on Tunisia, Cape Verde's part in the end of Portuguese imperialism, Davids Wearing and Goldblatt explain Iraq, plus Tom James joins to talk about the dastardly Carlos Bilardo’s gynaecological dark arts.
Every Move You Make- Australian society, culture and soccer plus news and Poyet’s poogate email
Australia got a big win over Turkey, so Tom asks Barrie Margetts of the Right To Food Commission about Australian politics, why football is such a small part of Australian culture, and the Right To Food’s roots in football. Then as Uruguay enter the tournament, we discuss Gus Poyet and the infamous poo saga with Tom James.
Every Move You Make USA-Paraguay reaction, Scotland's relationship with its national team
Coll McCail joins to talk Scotland’s relationship with its national team, Morgan Ofori tells us why Morocco is the teacher’s pet of African football, and Tom continues to tell the story of Brazilian football. We also have reaction to USA-Paraguay, Qatar-Switzerland and, in real time because this episode was recorded in the early hours of Sunday morning, Brazil-Morocco.
Football in the USA, David Wearing on Qatar, Juliet on Morocco and Switzerland, plus the father of Brazilian football
Tom talks about Paraguay, football in the USA, and the father of Brazilian football. He's then joined by Juliet to discuss Switzerland and Morocco, while world-leading expert in Anglo-Gulf relations David Wearing talks Qatar.
Every Move You Make: Opening match thoughts plus Canada v Bosnia.
Tom's Zapatista sympathies are challenged by Mexico's (mostly) joyful opening night win over South Africa, while Juliet joins to talk about the football culture of Bosnia and how it sits within the nation's chaotic polity and society. There's also a look at Canada, it's national team's reflection of a previously under-represented group, and it's low-key evil prime minister Mark Carney.
Every Move You Make: Mexico v South Africa, South Korea v Czechia
Tom is joined by News 24’s chief football writer Njabulo Ngidi to discuss the state of the game in South Africa and its political context. We also look at why Mexico is hosting its third World Cup and, and how it demonstrates that dodgy deals with dodgy regimes is business as usual for FIFA.
World Cup preview
Tom zooms out on the political backdrop to the World Cup, its three host nations, and why FIFA have got into bed with Trump, while Juliet joins to talk Mexican football, World Cup ennui, and why she won’t be visiting The Great Satan.
2025:26 season review
Juliet and Tom discuss the end of the domestic and European seasons, including Arsenal's triumph and near misses, the women's FA Cup final and the relative lack of entertainment provided by the men's Premier League. They also discuss the forthcoming World Cup, and whether it's acceptable for leftists to support England.
Fitba
Off the back of the most exciting domestic season in years, Scotland are heading to the World Cup for the first time since 1998, ending the hurt of six unsuccessful qualifying campaigns. Activist and writer Coll McCail joins to discuss Scottish football culture and explain how capitalism, imperialism and sectarianism inform the game's complicated history north of the border.
The League Table of Genocide Complicity
The final standings in Premier League have been settled, but an alternative league table brings shame upon all twenty clubs. Neil Sammonds of War On Want joins to discuss injustice at the very top of English football. You can find War On Want's 'Red Card' report at: https://waronwant.org/resources/red-card
Spygate
Southampton- apparently English football’s first and only cheats- have been thrown out of the play-offs and hit with a four point deduction for next season. Juliet lists some comparable cases and details some of the game’s biggest ever cheating scandals, while Tom talks about the cultural- and human- side of the story , which mainstream football media has largely ignored.
Football- the most ordinary extraordinary thing
To alleviate the dolour following one of the least inspiring FA Cup finals ever, Tom takes a deep dive into football as a cultural form via the work of icon of cultural studies, Raymond Williams (and also confronts the elephant in the room that is the 'Spygate' story, which involves skullduggery on the part of his beloved Southampton).
VAR- what is it good for?
With exquisite timing, Juliet and Kat return to join Tom for a forensic takedown of the attack on joy that is the Video Assistant Referee. Kat reviews the book I Can't Stop Thinking About VAR by Daisy Christodoulou- appositely a West Ham fan- while Juliet talks about the relaunch of her Suite 212 podcast and Tom 'cuts a promo' on the PGMOL.
Why don't I hate Man City more?
Tom takes a solo dive into one of football’s hottest topics- Manchester City, their evil owners, the 115 (or 130) charges, whether Financial Fair Play is actually fair, and his complicated feelings about Pep Guardiola.
Capitalism in football, football in capitalism
Tom explains how capitalism organises football, and how football resists.
The Legend of Cyril the Swan
In possibly the greatest episode of any podcast ever, Tom and Swansea City fan Tomos James look back through a cultural studies lens at the extraordinary tale of Swansea mascot Cyril the Swan
Cyril was a god-like lunatic who fouled children, assaulted coaching staff and referees, 'pecked' opposition fans and was hauled before the Football Association of Wales in one of the most bizarre incidents
When Farage Came to Town
This week, author, academic and Ipswich Town season ticket holder Jack Saunders joins us to discuss the tawdry affair of Nigel Farage’s photoshoot at Portman Road, Ipswich CEO Mark Ashton’s sorry attempts to manage the fallout, and how Ipswich fans have worked to counter emboldened far-right elements of the fanbase and assert that the club belongs to them. Reaching across the East Anglian rivalry,
Doing The 92
No Premier League this weekend so to liven up your Sunday, here’s Tom interviewing Juliet about the conclusion of her quest to visit all 92 league grounds. Football, psychogeography, some cultural studies vibes and of course the usual bonhomie.
How to beat the World Cup blues
In a short solo episode, Tom talks about the prospects for protest at the World Cup, FIFA’s cosy relationship with Trump, boycotts, and fan activism.
David Goldblatt and David Wearing in the crisis in the Middle East and the World Cup
In a unique conversation, two world leading experts discuss the Trump administration's belligerence, how it relates to football, and what fans should do about it.
Keir Milburn on Radical Abundance in football
Full audio version of our interview with PRS og, Radical Abundance co-author and management consultant for the revolution "Daddy" Keir Milburn. Artificial scarcity in football, bullshit abundance in football, and of course Dominic Calvert-Lewin's eyelashes and other Leeds United chat.
Part 2 of Beyond AFCON with Morgan Ofori
Morgan Ofori on the cultural significance of Ian Wright and whether Britain is ready for a Black superstar
Beyond AFCON with Morgan Ofori
We got Morgan Ofori on again to talk about what it was like on the ground at AFCON, how African counties might fair in the World Cup, how football is experienced by members of the Black diaspora. A really deep dive with one of our favourite guests.
Ghosts of Christmas Football Past
In this belated bonus episode, Tom and Juliet talk to Joe Kennedy and Robert Vaughan (aka Trevor Bastard) about the ghosts of football past, present and future. They discuss the famous Great War I truce (and the less famous response from the British authorities), the chaotic Boxing Day 1963 results and their equally weird reversal a few days later, and their own favourite experiences of Christmas
For the love of the Arsenal: An interview with James Schneider
This week, Tom and Juliet talk to Momentum co-founder and Progressive International comms director James Schneider about his relationship with football, and especially with Arsenal – showcasing his true ambition to become a Gunners tactics YouTuber. They also discussed potential socialist and social democratic reforms to English football, including TV revenue taxes for grassroots sport, and increa
Football for Palestine?
Podcast version of our interview with Franck Magennis and Tasnima Uddin from ELSC on the silencing of advocates for Palestine, Gary Lineker, and Zionism's weaponising of the beautiful game.
Ian Byrne on *The* Hillsborough Law
Podcast version of the full interview with Ian Byrne on the Public Office Accountability Bill, aka the Hillsborough Law, plus Juliet snd Tom catching up at the end.
Injury Time- David Goldblatt on football in a state of crisis
Injury Time- David Goldblatt on football in a state of crisis by Pro Revolution Soccer
Days of Hope: Football in 2025
In this episode of Pro Revolution Soccer, writer and Stadio co-host Musa Okwonga returns to talk about what’s been happening in English and international football over the summer. None of us cared about the FIFA Club World Cup, but we talked about the Lionesses’ surprise win at Euro 2025, the meaning of Michelle Agyemang being the Young Player of the Tournament, and the racist abuse aimed at defen
Trans people and football in the UK
In this all-trans episode, Juliet talks to trans writers, activists and footballers Natalie Washington and Arthur Webber about the recent UK Supreme Court ruling on gender identity, and the English and Scottish FA's effective bans on trans and non-binary people playing in their competitions. They discuss the all-channels media campaign against trans people that led to both decisions, the long-term
For the Love of Football: An interview with Musa Okwonga
This week, Tom and Juliet talk to writer and Stadio co-host Musa Okwonga about the 2024-25 season. They discuss Qatar Sports Investments finally buying the Champions League, and the disconnection between PSG's beautiful football and ugly ownership; why the Abu Dhabi United Group's project at Manchester City floundered this season; Juliet's interest in grass-roots vs. Musa's fascination with the hi
PREVIEW: Never Have a Hero
In this preview of our latest bonus episode about what it means to have a footballing hero, Tom discusses what made Matt Le Tissier so special, and why he was so idolised by Southampton fans (and anyone else who supported a mid-sized provincial club) in the 1990s. To hear the full episode, including Juliet's reflections on Grant Holt as a "working-class hero" and on the UEFA Women's Champions Leag
Football for All: An interview with Ben & Jeremy Corbyn
Tom and Juliet talk to former Labour Party leader and independent MP Jeremy Corbyn and his son Ben about their relationship with football – in Ben’s case as a coach, in Jeremy’s as a local and national politician, and in both cases as Arsenal fans and football enthusiasts. Why should people on the left care about football, and the grass roots in particular? What are the challenges facing youth foo
PREVIEW: 21st Century Boys: English football in the 2000s
In this preview of the latest bonus episode of Pro Revolution Soccer about the various culture clashes as English football changed in the 2000s, Tom, Juliet and guest Joe Kennedy (author of Games Without Frontiers and Authentocrats) consider the pivotal figure of 'Big' Sam Allardyce, who went from managing Blackpool in the mid-90s to negotiating deals with a 'fake Sheikh' over a pint of wine in a
Football and Identity Politics
In this month’s free episode, Juliet and Tom talk to David Wearing, author of AngloArabia: Why Gulf Wealth Matters to Britain and assistant professor of International Relations at the University of Sussex, about the vexed issue of identity politics as it relates to football, including the Gulf states’ involvement with the sport. We talked about the absurdity and hypocrisy of the demand to ‘Keep Po
PREVIEW: Bring Yer Dinner: English football and the media since the 1980s
In this preview of our latest subscriber-only episode, Tom, Juliet and guest Kat Sinclair talk to Guardian and When Saturday Comes journalist, and former Orienteer fanzine editor Tom Davies about Leyton Orient manager John Sitton's infamous (and unintentionally hilarious) half-time rant in the BBC documentary Orient: Club for a Fiver (1995).
To hear the rest of the episode, in which we discuss ha
Has Jon Mackenzie ruined football? (An interview with Jon Mackenzie)
This week, Jon Mackenzie of Tifo Football joins Tom and Juliet to indulge in some Maoist self-criticism, or at least to talk about the tactical development of football over the last twenty years, its increasing use of data and the rise of media platforms that provide complex analysis of top-level matches and clubs. They discuss the demystification of football with relation to thinkers from Gramsci
PREVIEW: Italia '90: Football of the Future
In this preview of our subscriber-only episode Italia '90: Football of the Future, Tom, Juliet and guest Keir Milburn discuss the media coverage of England and how it changed during their surprising run to the semi-final, and how this, combined with the authorities’ handling of the team’s travelling supporters after years of hooliganism and the disasters at Bradford, Heysel and Hillsborough betwee
