Welcome to NPLH Studio home of conversations with the creative minds shaping the world’s game.
From photographers and filmmakers to grassroots organisers and cultural storytellers, we go beyond the pitch to uncover the people moving the game forward.
I’m your host, Joseph Fordham, Thanks for tuning in — Let’s get into it.
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James Bird is a writer, editor and lifelong football obsessive.
From growing up in Wolverhampton and spoken-word nights, to building an independent magazine from a bedroom in Paris and spending a decade shaping Mundial, James traces the restless creative instinct behind his work.
He reflects on leaving London for Milan, fatherhood, freelance life and the pull of finally writing a novel.
We also talk football’s enduring magic, creative community, resisting hierarchy, and why aspiring writers should keep knocking on doors.
This is a conversation about making things, backing yourself and staying true to what you love.
Enjoy!
8 Sept 2026
108. Charlie Hood
Charlie Hood is, among a hundred things, the co-owner of The Volley (https://thevolleylondon.com/) in London and founder of (A)WAY (https://awaysoccerpaper.com/) – a paper about football.
He shares how a sculpture degree, Brick Lane gallery, and a near-constant string of side projects led him from skateboard art and zines to running a football bar in Old Street and publishing a magazine about the game’s culture, travel, and irreverence.
Along the way, he explains why books and magazines still matter, how print can capture an ethos that social media never will, and why the best football experiences are often found found far, far away from the Premier League spotlight.
For anyone wondering what direction to head in life, Charlie's journey is evidence that going where your nose takes you often leads to exciting things.
Enjoy!
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More from Charlie at Easy Days Studio (https://www.easydays.studio/)
13 Aug 2026
107. Zoe Allen
Zoe Allen is a Publicist, Writer, and Presenter living in New York City.
She shares how a Substack experiment and a single DM led to work with Versus, a front row seat at the World Cup and a deeper belief in why the game matters.
We unpack her path into sports media – a mix of luck, hustle, and saying 'Yes' before you feel ready – the beauty in building relationships in the football space, and turning those connections into opportunities.
Zoe also opens up about the emotional side of the game - the collective energy of stadiums, the memories football creates, and the women’s game as a space where she found both inspiration and belonging.
Enjoy!
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More from Zoe here (https://zoe-allen.com/)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
465
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
23 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 58 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
61
Social presence
0
YouTube
64
Engagement
77
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