Welcome to The Overlap's football history podcast, It Was What It Was.

Special guest and Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher join hosts Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper as they explore the legacy of one of football’s most iconic managers: Arrigo Sacchi.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest minds in the sport, Sacchi led AC Milan to back-to-back European Cup triumphs in the late 1980s, building a team that Carragher grew up idolising.

In this episode, Carragher discusses Sacchi's profound influence on football, how his revolutionary tactics reshaped the game, and the impact they had on Carragher's own playing career.

Together, the trio provides an in-depth analysis of Sacchi’s extraordinary career and his lasting mark on the sport.

Next week we dig even deeper into the genius of Sacchi, as Jonathan and Rob kick off their special four-part series on his life, starting with his early years.

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Welcome to the latest episode of The Overlap’s football history podcast, It Was What It Was.

On this week's episode we travel back to one of the biggest financial scandals in early English football—the 1904-05 Manchester City scandal.

Journalists Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper unravel the events that saw Manchester City, fresh off their FA Cup win, embroiled in controversy over illegal player payments.

It Was What It Was explores how the Football Association’s wage cap led to the club’s downfall, forcing manager Tom Maley and 17 players—including star winger Billy Meredith—banned.

You’ll hear how this scandal not only rocked Manchester City but also paved the way for Manchester United's rise, reshaping the footballing landscape in ways that still echo today with City currently facing 115 charges as of September 2024.

If you enjoyed the podcast, please hit subscribe to never miss an episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the latest episode of The Overlap’s football history podcast, It Was What It Was.

As Aston Villa return to Champions League football this week, Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper take a deep dive into the club's most iconic moment: their 1982 European Cup triumph.

It Was What It Was revisits this historic victory, made even more remarkable by the fact that manager Ron Saunders resigned midway through the season, leaving Tony Barton to step in and guide Villa to European glory.

Jonathan and Rob walk us through the unforgettable campaign, which saw Villa travel to Germany and Ukraine before defeating Bayern Munich 1-0 in the final. The win became even more legendary when first-choice goalkeeper Jimmy Rimmer was forced off with an injury, only for his inexperienced replacement, Nigel Spink, to step up and deliver a crucial performance in just his second-ever first-team appearance, cementing his place in Villa's history on one of the club’s greatest nights.

If you enjoyed the podcast, please hit subscribe to never miss an episode.

***Please note this episode was recorded before the death of the late Gary Shaw.***

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.