The Totally Football Show is one of the UK’s most well-rated football podcasts. Hosted by the popular James Richardson, it provides detailed football analysis in a relaxed and entertaining style. In a crowded market, it is a podcast that boasts a few standout features and one that has gone from strength to strength since its arrival in 2017
From Football Weekly to Totally Football
The Totally Football Show has its roots in one of the UK’s other major football podcasts. James Richardson and producer Ben Green left The Guardian’s Football Weekly in 2017 to launch a new podcast with football writer Iain Macintosh.
Richardson and ‘Producer Ben’, as he was known, had been the only permanent fixtures on Football Weekly, which began in 2006. At the time, the show was consistently one of the UK’s most listened-to football podcasts and was the reigning holder of the Football Supporters’ Federation Podcast of the Year award. In footballer parlance, Richardson was out of contract at the end of the 2016/17 season, so it was not a particularly nasty departure. Nevertheless, losing two major players from such a successful podcast was a major change.
Iain Macintosh persuaded Richardson and Green to make the move to Muddy Knees Media. The result was The Totally Football Show, which launched in 2017 and quickly established itself as a major football podcast in its own right. By 2020, Muddy Knees Media became part of the Athletic family, in what was a significant boost for the podcast.
The James Richardson Effect
We’re back… and just in time to save football podcasting 😏 pic.twitter.com/df2QjrYLlA
— The Totally Football Show (@TheTotallyShow) August 19, 2026
A major part of The Totally Football Show’s appeal is James Richardson, also known as AC Jimbo. Long before podcasts became a major part of football media, Richardson was already a familiar face to football fans.
He first captured the attention of many football fans during his long stint presenting Football Italia on Channel 4 between 1992 and 2002. It is a show that still lives fondly in the hearts of many football fans, who tuned in to watch free highlights from the golden era of Serie A. Many regular viewers can still remember the shots of Richardson sitting in a sun-soaked café reading the back pages of Italian newspapers.
Richardson’s reputation has continued to grow since then. He is an experienced presenter and journalist who clearly knows his football, and his knowledge extends beyond the borders of England, which sets him apart from many others. His experience combined with this knowledge gives the show a level of authority, particularly when discussing European football.
Plenty to Listen To
One of the show’s biggest strengths is its output. The Totally Football Show releases four episodes every week, with most lasting between 45 minutes and an hour. The result is a huge amount of football discussion, the level of which very few podcasts can match. Some listeners may struggle to find the time to listen to every episode, but this frees up the option to pick and choose the ones that look most appealing.
It is not simply hours of hearing the same voices either. While Jimbo is a consistent presence, he is joined by a variety of rotating guests each time. Some of the more common names that feature include Tim Spiers, Duncan Alexander, Tom Williams, Daniel Storey and Felipe Cardenas. The beauty of having this rotating panel is that the podcast can bring in genuine expertise each time.
Being part of the Athletic also means that there is no shortage of top journalists the podcast can call on. So, if they want to discuss Chelsea, for example, they can bring in someone like Liam Twomey, who is the main reporter for the club.
A Broader Range of Football
Like most other podcasts, Premier League clubs are naturally a major part of The Totally Football Show. The biggest clubs and the most important stories from English football receive plenty of attention, as do the Three Lions whenever they are in action.
However, European football gets far more airtime than it does on many UK football podcasts. La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1 feature regularly and are particularly well covered. If you are someone who takes an interest in these leagues, you are unlikely to find too many podcasts offering a more detailed and insightful recap of recent events and stories.
Richardson’s knowledge of Serie A can shine through thanks to this, while his long-standing connections in the region help bring key players and pundits to the pod. The podcast has featured interviews with Serie A players, giving listeners a different perspective to what they would usually get on a podcast. To be clear, however, interviews are not a major feature of the podcast like they are on some others.
The podcast also regularly looks beyond the latest football headlines through its Totally Extra segment. These episodes look back at major events and moments from football history. Rather than discussing the weekend’s results, they allow the presenters to revisit famous matches, tournaments, stories and players from the past. One recent episode looked back at the career of AC Milan legend Franco Baresi, following his death.
Knowledgeable But Entertaining
There is plenty of serious football analysis and people who really know their stuff, but The Totally Football Show does not feel like a lecture. Richardson is an experienced presenter who knows how to keep conversations moving, while the regular rotation of journalists and guests gives the podcast plenty of variety.
Richardson is also comfortable letting the humour come through. The discussions can be detailed without becoming overly dry, which makes the show accessible to both serious football fans and more casual listeners. The fact that most guests are at least semi-regular too means there is plenty of chance for them to build some chemistry.
How to Listen to The Totally Football Show
The Totally Football Show is available across all major podcast platforms, including Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts. One more unique thing they offer is a live YouTube show every Sunday night. Do not worry if you cannot catch these, though, as the same (possibly with some minor edits) podcast features across the usual streaming channels the following day. Listeners can access the podcast directly via the Athletic too, although this requires an Athletic account.
If you would like to watch Jimbo and co live, in person, the Totally Football Show occasionally goes on tour, hosting events across England.