The Boot Room: Sports Science in the 1980s

In this episode of the boot room, we explore the rise of Nike and how they went from producing football footwear that fell apart in the rain, to being the dominant brand in football. In 2021, Nike is officially the most successful sports company in the world with football the single biggest sport, but this wasn’t always the case, far from it. We sit down with ex Villa star Mick Hoban, Nike’s first-ever football employee and football boot obsessive Derek Lyon, @dlbootroom, to reveal Nike’s tactics in going from brand zero's to hero's! Presenter: Levi Wayland Producer: Luke Hatten

What really happens in the transfer market? From agents fees to the underhand tactics when moving a player from one club to another. We talk to former Everton striker and Premier League manager Joe Royle about his experiences within the market. As well as discussing some of the game's most talked-about deals. Presenter: Conor Dunmore Producers: Luke Hatten

Football controlled from space, the reality is often stranger than the fiction, we take you on a journey on how data changed football. We speak to Joe Royle former Everton and Manchester City manager about the origins of Sports Science Everton Football Club in the early 1970s. The journey starts with pen and paper, and some markers painted on advertising hoardings to the data overload of today's GPS satellite technology. Presenter: Luke Hatten Producer: Luke Hatten

This podcast looks at the science behind the beautiful game. Spurs and Ireland's Gary O'Reilly discusses the sports science or lack of it in 1980s football. Big data and why it works hand in hand with the big match. We discover the earliest form of doping, with monkey glands. And Brentford's secret weapon, a sleep coach. Presenter: Josh Fraser Producers: Luke Hatten