When Shorts Were Short S3 E02 - David Hunt (editor of Scorcher, Battle, Speed, Eagle, Roy of the Rovers and more)

When Shorts Were Short concerns itself solely with what was actually a very narrow window in football history when teams wore, well, short shorts. The podcast takes 1954 as its starting point, when Umbro made their first England kit with shorter shorts, to 1992, when short shorts were all but finished as Umbro's baggy shorts for Tottenham's new kit, ahead of the '91 FA Cup Final, quickly caught on.

If the shorts weren't short, we don't talk about it.

My guest for this episode is one of the finest comic editors to ever come out of the UK, David Hunt. David joined Fleetway in 1961, working on a couple of picture library titles before joining Tiger, then already one of the country’s biggest weekly titles, where he worked under its founding editor Derek Birnage.

By 1970, still only in his mid-20s, David became editor of the new football comic Scorcher, though it styled itself as a football paper, and it’s his years on that title, still my favourite all-time football comic/paper, that made him one of those people I absolutely had to speak to when setting up this show.

David and I had a long chat about his childhood, growing up in bomb-devastated East London just after the War’s end, his journey into comics, his influences, the Scorcher years that kickstarted a long editorial career, and which in the early 90s saw him caught in the eye of the storm after Roy of the Rovers finally folded in controversial fashion. David, as he tells us, was unfairly blamed for the storyline that saw Roy lose his famous left leg and 30 years on, get the chance to right that.

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NEW When Shorts Were Short S3 E01

When Shorts Were Short concerns itself solely with what was actually a very narrow window in football history when teams wore, well, short shorts. The podcast takes 1954 as its starting point, when Umbro made their first England kit with shorter shorts, to 1992, when short shorts were all but finished as Umbro's baggy shorts for Tottenham's new kit, ahead of the '91 FA Cup Final, quickly caught on.

If the shorts weren't short, we don't talk about it.

My guest for this Classic Kits episode is South American football historian Tim Vickery. For the last 25 years, Tim has been a staple of World Soccer Magazine, ESPN, Sports Illustrated and of course, the BBC’s cult radio show, The World Football Phone-In.

Tim chooses a selection of his favourite kits, which include a sash (you can’t beat a sash) and the history of the sash.

This is the first of the new listener-supported shows and can only be downloaded via this site.

The cost of the episode is £2.75.

You can pay via any of the links below and the episode will be wetransferred to you on the same day, the download link remaining valid for only 7 days.

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When Shorts Were Short S2 E15 - ADAM RICHES (Classic Kits 1954 - 92)

When Shorts Were Short concerns itself solely with what was actually a very narrow window in football history when teams wore, well, short shorts. The podcast takes 1954 as its starting point, when Umbro made their first England kit with shorter shorts, to 1992, when short shorts were all but finished as Umbro's baggy shorts for Tottenham's new kit, ahead of the '91 FA Cup Final, quickly caught on.

If the shorts weren't short, we don't talk about it.

This episode was originally a Patreon bonus show back in Oct '21.

My first Classic Kits guest is Adam Riches, author of Football’s Comic Book Heroes, a comprehensive look at UK football comic strips, from their beginning in the early 20th century and taking in the 54-92 period that we cover. And Adam has chosen several strips plus his favourite ever football comic strip kit, no easy thing when you factor in many of these strips were black and white.

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When Shorts Were Short S2 E14 - TERRY BUTCHER

When Shorts Were Short concerns itself solely with what was actually a very narrow window in football history when teams wore, well, short shorts. The podcast takes 1954 as its starting point, when Umbro made their first England kit with shorter shorts, to 1992, when short shorts were all but finished as Umbro's baggy shorts for Tottenham's new kit, ahead of the '91 FA Cup Final, quickly caught on.

If the shorts weren't short, we don't talk about it.

My guest this week is former Ipswich, Rangers and England captain Terry Butcher. We take a look at the second half of Terry's 1981-82 season when, playing for Ipswich in the FA Cup 4th Round at promotion-chasing Luton, he suffered a curious and near-fatal injury, one of the strangest injuries ever seen in English football. And yet somehow, Terry recovered to nail down a place in England's World Cup side that summer.

Plus Twitter’s unofficial bookshop @Biggreenbooks are giving away a book. To enter, listen out for the competition details towards the end of the episode.

Support the podcast via Patreon

Twitter @shortswereshort

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Facebook shortswereshort

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This work can also be supported via Ko-Fi, a tip jar for creators where you can buy them a digital coffee.

And please subscribe, rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or any other platform you may be using to listen to the show.

When Shorts Were Short S2 E13 - Lindsay Jelley

When Shorts Were Short concerns itself solely with what was actually a very narrow window in football history when teams wore, well, short shorts. The podcast takes 1954 as its starting point, when Umbro made their first England kit with shorter shorts, to 1992, when short shorts were all but finished as Umbro's baggy shorts for Tottenham's new kit, ahead of the '91 FA Cup Final, quickly caught on.

If the shorts weren't short, we don't talk about it.

My guest this week is artist and landscape painter Lindsay Jelley who in another life was a designer and not just a designer, but the designer who through her work with Admiral from the mid-seventies to early eighties, whom she joined as a nineteen-year-old just out of art college, transformed the football replica kits market.

Plus Twitter’s unofficial bookshop @Biggreenbooks are giving away a book. To enter, listen out for the competition details towards the end of the episode.

Support the podcast via Patreon

Twitter @shortswereshort

Instagram @shortswereshort

Facebook shortswereshort

YouTube

Discord  

This work can also be supported via Ko-Fi, a tip jar for creators where you can buy them a digital coffee.

And please subscribe, rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or any other platform you may be using to listen to the show.

When Shorts Were Short - S2 E10 GARY BAILEY

When Shorts Were Short concerns itself solely with what was actually a very narrow window in football history when teams wore, well, short shorts. The podcast takes 1954 as its starting point, when Umbro made their first England kit with shorter shorts, to 1992, when short shorts were all but finished as Umbro's baggy shorts for Tottenham's new kit, ahead of the '91 FA Cup Final, quickly caught on.

If the shorts weren't short, we don't talk about it.

This week, I’m talking with Gary Bailey, the former Manchester United and England ‘keeper, son of Ipswich’s title-winning ‘keeper Roy and Gary himself, as we’ll hear, as part of Ron Atkinson’s very talented early to mid-80s side really should’ve had at least one league title winner’s medal of his own. He almost did, but not under Atkinson. The less stellar Dave Sexton side of 1979-80 almost landed a surprise title win in a neck and neck battle with Bob Paisley’s greatest Liverpool side, and had United claimed that unexpected title, the club’s modern history would’ve been very different.

Support the podcast via Patreon

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This work can also be supported via Ko-Fi, a tip jar for creators where you can buy them a digital coffee.

And please subscribe, rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or any other platform you may be using to listen to the show.

When Shorts Were Short - S2 E09 David Snowdon (Part 2 of 2)

When Shorts Were Short concerns itself solely with what was actually a very narrow window in football history when teams wore, well, short shorts. The podcast takes 1954 as its starting point, when Umbro made their first England kit with shorter shorts, to 1992, when short shorts were all but finished as Umbro's baggy shorts for Tottenham's new kit, ahead of the '91 FA Cup Final, quickly caught on.

If the shorts weren't short, we just don't talk about it.

This week, the second and final part of our David Snowdon interview looking at the ultimately doomed Alan Durban ’81-84 era at Sunderland. If you missed the first part, park this episode here and download the opening instalment and listen to that first.

David, the author of Give Us Tomorrow Now, Alan Durban’s Mission Impossible, his take on the Durban era, talks enthusiastically and with no end of regret for what he and many Sunderland fans of his generation feel was a wasted opportunity. A promising side under a still young manager who had promising work at Stoke behind him, was allowed to come to nothing.

Support the podcast via Patreon

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This work can also be supported via Ko-Fi, a tip jar for creators where you can buy them a digital coffee.

And please subscribe, rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or any other platform you may be using to listen to the show.

When Shorts Were Short - S2 E08 David Snowdon (Part 1 of 2)

When Shorts Were Short concerns itself solely with what was actually a very narrow window in football history when teams wore, well, short shorts. The podcast takes 1954 as its starting point, when Umbro made their first England kit with shorter shorts, to 1992, when short shorts were all but finished as Umbro's baggy shorts for Tottenham's new kit, ahead of the '91 FA Cup Final, quickly caught on.

If the shorts weren't short, we don't talk about it.

This episode (part 1 of 2), a look at Alan Durban’s ultimately doomed efforts in the early 80s to help Sunderland’s then young side realise its immense promise. David Snowdon, author of Give Us Tomorrow Now, is the go-to authority on Alan Durban’s Sunderland tenure. His 2018 book looked at Durban’s arrival at Roker Park in the summer of ’81 and his attempt at waking one of English football’s eternal sleeping giants.

Durban, a title winner with Derby under Brian Clough and a future guest on this podcast, gave up his secure managerial post with Stoke for the North East and in this first part of our interview, David Snowdon tells us about Durban’s battle to lay down the foundations of future success in his opening season, the 1981-82 campaign, as the boardroom grew impatient with both manager and chairman.

Support the podcast via Patreon

Twitter @shortswereshort

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This work can also be supported via Ko-Fi, a tip jar for creators where you can buy them a digital coffee.

And please subscribe, rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or any other platform you may be using to listen to the show.

When Shorts Were Short - S2 E07 Spencer Vignes

When Shorts Were Short concerns itself solely with what was actually a very narrow window in football history when teams wore, well, short shorts. The podcast takes 1954 as its starting point, when Umbro made their first England kit with shorter shorts, to 1992, when short shorts were all but finished as Umbro's baggy shorts for Tottenham's new kit, ahead of the '91 FA Cup Final, quickly caught on.

If the shorts weren't short, we just don't talk about it.

This week's guest is Spencer Vignes, the author behind Bloody Southerners, which tells the story of Clough and Taylor’s time at the Goldstone Ground, and how those seven months together almost broke their working relationship for good. There’s a third protagonist too, for Bloody Southerners is also the story of chairman Mike Bamber, a colourful character, musician and property developer, acknowledged by Clough later to be the best chairman he ever worked for. Bamber would eventually realise his dream of getting Brighton into the top flight, but not before a somewhat disorientating ride with the tour de force that was Brian Clough.

This work can also be supported via Ko-Fi, a tip jar for creators where you can buy them a digital coffee.

And please subscribe, rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or any other platform you may be using to listen to the show.

When Shorts Were Short - S2 E06 Steve Nicol

When Shorts Were Short concerns itself solely with what was actually a very narrow window in football history when teams wore, well, short shorts. The podcast takes 1954 as its starting point, when Umbro made their first England kit with shorter shorts, to 1992, when short shorts were all but finished as Umbro's baggy shorts for Tottenham's new kit, ahead of the '91 FA Cup Final, quickly caught on.

If the shorts weren't short, we just don't talk about it.

The guest this week is former Liverpool and Scotland, well, what was he? He could play so many different positions. It’s Steve Nicol. Arriving from Ayr United for £300,000 in October 1981, a considerable sum in those days for someone not out of his teens for another couple of months, Nicol would have to wait until Joe Fagan succeeded Bob Paisley a couple of years later for his first team breakthrough. This was the norm at Liverpool in those days. The club were now entering their second decade dominating the English game and even the likes of Terry McDermott and Ray Kennedy, established first teamers at Newcastle and Arsenal respectively, had struggled to hold down a regular place in their first two seasons with the club after arriving in 1974.

(Technically speaking, the '91-92 season didn't involve 'short shorts', with Liverpool being early adopters of the revived baggy look.)

This work can also be supported via Ko-Fi, a tip jar for creators where you can buy them a digital coffee.

And please subscribe, rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or any other platform you may be using to listen to the show.

When Shorts Were Short - S2 E05 Bob Wilson (Part 2 of 2)

When Shorts Were Short concerns itself solely with what was actually a very narrow window in football history when teams wore, well, short shorts. The podcast takes 1954 as its starting point, when Umbro made their first England kit with shorter shorts, to 1992, when short shorts were all but finished as Umbro's baggy shorts for Tottenham's new kit, ahead of the '91 FA Cup Final, quickly caught on.

If the shorts weren't short, we don't talk about it.

Part 2 of our comprehensive interview with Arsenal’s ’71 double-winning ‘keeper Bob Wilson, also, of course, for an entire generation, the presenter of what was during his time with the show, the formidable Football Focus, the Saturday lunchtime preview show that existed within the BBC’s Grandstand.

This week, plenty of ground covered with Bob now established as Arsenal’s new number one ‘keeper from the late sixties. We discuss the shock League Cup defeat to third division Swindon in 1969 on a terrible Wembley pitch, and how that second consecutive League Cup final loss triggered the wave of big success that followed under Bertie Mee and Don Howe in the next couple of seasons.

Bob tells us about Liverpool boss Bill Shankly singling him out for mind games on the eve of the ’71 FA Cup Final. We also look at Bob finally playing for his beloved Scotland in the early seventies, the early end to his career through injury, the switch to TV and the launch of Football Focus, the Match of the Day years with the one and only Jimmy Hill, , coaching the great Pat Jennings at Arsenal as he pioneered the goalkeeping coaching that’s now a big part of the British game, the shock move to ITV and the sad loss of his daughter that led to the creation of the Willow Foundation, the only national charity working with seriously ill young adults aged 16 to 40 to give them unforgettable Special Days. All that and more.

Support the podcast by signing up for a season ticket via Patreon

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SHOW NOTES

Twitter Bob Wilson

Willow Foundation

Twitter @Willow_Fdn

Arsenal v Liverpool 1971 FA Cup Final

Arsenal v Stoke 1972 FA Cup semi-final

Football Focus 1986-87

Match of the Day

Bob Wilson – Left sock first  

This work can also be supported via Ko-Fi, a tip jar for creators where you can buy them a digital coffee.

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When Shorts Were Short - S2 E04 Bob Wilson (Part 1 of 2)

When Shorts Were Short concerns itself solely with what was actually a very narrow window in football history when teams wore, well, short shorts. The podcast takes 1954 as its starting point, when Umbro made their first England kit with shorter shorts, to 1992, when short shorts were all but finished as Umbro's baggy shorts for Tottenham's new kit, ahead of the '91 FA Cup Final, quickly caught on.

If the shorts weren't short, we just don't talk about it.

This week’s episode is our first two-parter, a comprehensive interview with Arsenal’s ’71 double-winning ‘keeper Bob Wilson, also, of course, for an entire generation, the presenter of what was during his time with the show, the formidable Football Focus, the Saturday lunchtime preview show that existed within the BBC’s Grandstand.

Bob had three hugely successful careers. As the Arsenal number one of the late sixties and early seventies, and as we’ll hear, securing the number one shirt of his beloved north London club was far from easy. Then there was the football broadcasting career, first with the BBC and then later at the end, with ITV, but he was also the man who, after seeing the Brazilian ‘keepers training with a goalkeeping coach during the ’66 World Cup who brought that into the British game. Goalkeeping coaches, and goalkeepers, in this country owe a huge debt to the man whose signature save, diving head first at the feet of an opponent, arguably shortened his career.

This week we concentrate on Bob’s early life, studying at Loughborough University, almost becoming a Busby Babe, playing as an amateur for Wolves’s reserves during the back end of the Stan Cullis era, before he finally ends up at Arsenal where it’s five years before he finally nails down the number one spotwith a fine performance in a FA Cup fifth round replay defeat at Birmingham.

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SHOW LINKS

Twitter Bob Wilson

Willow Foundation

Twitter @Willow_Fdn

Quizball Appearance 1971

WBA v Arsenal 1969 FA Cup 5th Round

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Introducing the When Shorts Were Short Patreon Page

My retro football podcast When Shorts Were Short has this week returned for its second series, and will feature more big names from that pre-1992 world of football, former players and managers, as well as a host of outstanding football writers. Coinciding with the return of the show, in time for the new season (former Arsenal midfielder Paul Davis is the guest on S2 E01), is the launch of a Patreon page.

Supporters of the show will receive each new episode a fortnight early, as well as bonus content from some of those episodes and exclusive to Patreon standalone episodes. This Patreon page will help to cover the show’s costs and also help me to bring in whatever research materials are required for individual episodes.

Please visit patreon.com/shortswereshort to show your support.

If you’re not yet familiar with the show, you can find S1 here and via all other podcast providers.

Thank you.

WSWS Final Thumbnail.png

Introducing the All-In-1 DRT is Available/When Shorts Were Short Patreon Tier

With a new series of When Shorts Were Short now underway, listeners/supporters of Daniel Ruiz Tizon is Available have the option of upgrading to a new tier, the All-In-One, that will give them early access to all DRT is Available AND When Shorts Were Short episodes. This new tier will also unlock exclusive to Patreon episodes and bonus content.

The new series of WSWS begins with an interview with former Arsenal midfielder Paul Davis and there are many big names from the pre-1992 world of football lined up for this second series, as well as some outstanding football writers.

I appreciate your support.

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When Shorts Were Short - Euro '92

When Shorts Were Short concerns itself solely with what was actually a very narrow window in football history when teams wore, well, short shorts. The podcast takes 1954 as its starting point, when Umbro made their first England kit with shorter shorts, to 1992, when short shorts were all but finished as Umbro's baggy shorts for Tottenham's new kit, ahead of the '91 FA Cup Final, quickly caught on.

If the shorts weren't short, we just don't talk about it.

The guest for this episode is Harry Harris. A seasoned watcher of the national team, Harry spent four decades writing for the London Evening News, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Daily and Sunday Express, among others, as well as writing something like 80 football-related books. Speaking just a few days before Euro 2020 kicked off, Harry joined me in looking back at where it went so wrong for England. The injuries, the retirements, the exclusions, oh, and the no little matter of the estrangement between the manager Graham Taylor and his captain and star player Gary Lineker. Lineker’s form under Taylor had arguably matched his early England form during the years when Glenn Hoddle was in the England side, but by the spring of ’92, with his fearsome pace perhaps no longer what it was and with a young Alan Shearer on the rise, Lineker’s place was not as secure as it had once been.

 

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Show Links

Harry Harris Books

Twitter @FLegends100

Euro ’92 Goals

England v Denmark

England v France

England v Sweden

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When Shorts Were Short - Euro Special

When Shorts Were Short concerns itself solely with what was actually a very narrow window in football history when teams wore, well, short shorts. The podcast takes 1954 as its starting point, when Umbro made their first England kit with shorter shorts, to 1992, when short shorts were all but finished as Umbro's baggy shorts for Tottenham's new kit, ahead of the '91 FA Cup Final, quickly caught on.

If the shorts weren't short, we just don't talk about it.

The guest for this Euro ’84 special is one of the finest football writers these islands have produced, Patrick Barclay. 37 years ago, he was making his name at The Guardian. With the paper’s chief football correspondent David Lacey away with England on their South American tour that summer, Paddy was one of a handful of British football journalists sent to France to cover the 1984 European Championships. Incredibly, simply because none of the home nations had qualified, only two matches from this tournament were shown live on British TV.

It was the greatest international football tournament of the last 40 years, giving us peak-Platini, Tigana, Scifo, Elkjaer and more, but barely anyone in the UK saw it…

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SHOW LINKS

Twitter @paddybarclay

@perspectivepod_

The Perspective Football Podcast

Denmark v Belgium

Spain v West Germany

France v Portugal 1984 European Championship semi-final

Spain v Denmark 1984 European Championship semi-final

Football’s Greatest International Teams – France ‘84

Platini’s 9 goals at Euro ‘84

France v Spain Euro ’84 Final

Preben Elkjaer Larsen

The podcast can be supported with a donation via Paypal.

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When Shorts Were Short Ep 13 - FA Cup Special

When Shorts Were Short concerns itself solely with what was actually a very narrow window in football history when teams wore, well, short shorts. The podcast takes 1954 as its starting point, when Umbro made their first England kit with shorter shorts, to 1992, when short shorts were all but finished as Umbro's baggy shorts for Tottenham's new kit, ahead of the '91 FA Cup Final, quickly caught on.

If the shorts weren't short, we just don't talk about it.

The guest for this FA Cup special is author Matt Eastley. His trilogy of books, ‘When the FA Cup Really Mattered’ from Pitch Publishing covers the competition from the 1960 Wolves v Blackburn final to the tragic ’89 final played out in the long shadow of Hillsborough, and the story of the finals is told through the fans who were there. The books cover that thirty-year period where the FA Cup was firmly established as the greatest cup competition the game has ever known.

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SHOW LINKS

Pitch Publishing

Matt Eastley books

The podcast can be supported with a donation via Paypal and the Patreon episode will be wetransferred to you.

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Daniel Ruiz Tizon is Available - Ep 321 Mon 19 Apr 2021

Daniel Ruiz Tizon, a man on his fifth nose, is, he’d like the world to know, Available, and dissecting the minutiae of everyday life.

This week, Poundland Pritt Stick, pandemic misses, books and more.

Support this indie podcast via patreon.com/drtavailable.

The podcast can also be supported with a donation via Paypal and the Patreon episode will be wetransferred to you.

Twitter: @1607WestEgg

Instagram: @1607westegg

Substack

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When Shorts Were Short Ep 12

When Shorts Were Short concerns itself solely with what was actually a very narrow window in football history when teams wore, well, short shorts. The podcast takes 1954 as its starting point, when Umbro made their first England kit with shorter shorts, to 1992, when short shorts were all but finished as Umbro's baggy shorts for Tottenham's new kit, ahead of the '91 FA Cup Final, quickly caught on.

If the shorts weren't short, we just don't talk about it.

This week’s guest is journalist and author Richard Sydenham whose book, Ticket to the Moon: Aston Villa, the Rise and Fall of a European Champion, details the steady rise of Aston Villa after their return to the old First Division under Ron Saunders in 1975, and the improbable success that followed, champions of England in ’81 and of Europe a year later, by which time Ron Saunders had resigned in dramatic fashion. It’s largely the story of the enmity between Doug Ellis, at the club for much of Saunders’ time, and Saunders, and how the club’s failure to recover from Saunders’ shock resignation led ultimately to their dramatic relegation just five years after lifting the European Cup.