Shades of Blue: A Manchester City FC Podcast

About Shades of Blue: A Manchester City FC Podcast

The place to get the latest news on Manchester City Football Club covering both the Men and Women's game. "Football perspectives you connect with". If you are a lover of football or your knowledge is minimal the "Show Bros" perspectives and expert analysis is the perfect way to grow your fandom

Publisher

Royce Barnett

Category

news · society & culture · sports

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

19 Oct 2023

Latest episode

15 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

443 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   15 Oct 2026

   Brilliant Blues E.13 - Did Pep find out drinking red win in Tast?

   Man City’s 115 charges, the media circus around them, and the question everyone’s too scared to ask - what happens when the process finally meets the paranoia? CrunkChocolate, Dillon Meehan, and John Whitaker get brutally honest about the verdict, the fallout, and why the conversation around Manchester City feels less like analysis and more like a full-scale morality war. If you’re exhausted by the hot takes, the pile-ons, and the instant verdicts, this one cuts through the noise. CrunkChocolate frames the human cost of the reaction and why the online backlash has made even ordinary football conversations feel radioactive. Dillon Meehan brings the sharpest legal and financial breakdown in the episode, separating the charges from the myths, explaining why “technicality” is the wrong word, and laying out how City’s spending, reporting, and the wider football economy all fit into a much bigger picture. John Whitaker pushes the conversation into the broader structural questions, from labor and salary caps to why so many clubs across English football are loss-making and why the sport’s financial model is already on the brink. Topic Timeline 00:00 — City, the verdict, and immediate reactions 03:16 — Shock, CAS, and why the verdict hit differently 04:39 — Defiance after the game 05:27 — Salary caps, baseball, and labor 09:02 — FFP, revenue limits, and spending rules 11:55 — English football’s financial fragility 14:15 — Brentford, Brighton, Villa, and the economics of “doing it right” 17:21 — City Group and multi-club ownership 23:03 — Online backlash and supporting City 24:40 — What players should be expected to do after winning 26:44 — Media coverage, reporting, and bad comparisons 29:19 — The verdict, “technicality,” and football history 31:16 — Club spending, race, and media framing 32:44 — Opinion-driven football media 34:10 — Qatar and selective moral outrage 38:03 — The appeal process and the Ornstein leak 40:03 — Due process and what happens next 42:09 — Did Pep know? 43:15 — Chiki Begiristain and the timeline 47:27 — What a serious punishment might look like 49:46 — Football clubs and the purity test 50:24 — Transfer fees, PSG, Chelsea, and football finances 53:28 — Players who stood out this season 54:16 — Haaland’s development 55:21 — Nico O’Reilly’s progress 56:48 — Elliott Anderson’s defending 57:18 — Donnarumma’s growth 58:46 — Mreska’s touchline presence 59:40 — Jérémy Doku’s development 63:36 — Closing thoughts and shout-outs Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com (https://pcm.adswizz.com) for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

2. 

   14 Oct 2026

   Ep 200 - Belt to Assfield / 200 episode celebration

   Two hundred episodes of Shades of Blue! Manchester City have given the Show Bros plenty to celebrate and debate. Crunk Chocolate, Sharpie Charlie, Bas, and Tarik mark the milestone with a lively breakdown of City’s emphatic win at Anfield, Enzo Maresca’s cool response to questions about the Premier League verdict, and the growing belief in this team’s depth and attacking firepower. The hosts discuss Jeremy Doku’s game-changing impact, City’s standout goals, the defense’s potential against elite opponents, and whether an unbeaten season is possible. They also look ahead to PSG and Ipswich Town, sharing match predictions and key tactical matchups. Along the way, the conversation delivers the humor, strong opinions, and unmistakable supporter perspective that have carried the show through 200 episodes. The Show Bros also gives a special shout-out to Thom Bomb and the women’s-football coverage that helped make Shades of Blue a show about both the men’s and women’s teams. Thanks to everyone who’s been part of the journey. Here’s to episode 200 and many more. 00:00 Champions League results and opening chat 03:04 Celebrating episode 200 09:34 The show’s history and milestone reflections 17:09 Maresca’s press conference and the media questions 28:42 Man City at Liverpool match review 30:16 What won the hosts over about Maresca 48:52 Liverpool lineup and City’s starting XI 55:16 Doku as a game-changing substitute 59:11 Semenyo and Doku’s different styles 63:02 Center-back performances and pairings 66:46 Second-half changes and the red-card debate 70:42 Haaland and Doku’s goals 74:11 Cherki’s goal and the team move 80:27 Could City go unbeaten? 83:21 Elliot Anderson’s performance 87:14 PSG match preview 96:39 Donnarumma replay and match reaction 98:36 Ipswich Town preview and predictions 103:56 Episode 200 reflections 105:23 Shout-out to Thom Bomb and the women’s-football team 106:04 Where to find the hosts 108:13 Closing remarks Become a Shades of Blue Patreon member to watch the episode in full, can add the Patreon episodes to your podcast app via RSS feed! All for only $6 a month which gets you ad free episodes, Premium content like “Choppin’ It Up” interview series or “Breaking Bread” our match preview series for Man City Men & Women games, and get entry in our secret Discord channel! Receive early access to new episodes along with episodes exclusively on Patreon for only $6 a month. Subscribe or buy VOD here:  https://www.patreon.com/cw/u94168109 (https://www.patreon.com/cw/u94168109) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com (https://pcm.adswizz.com) for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

3. 

   9 Oct 2026

   Breaking Bread: Man City @ Liverpool Match Preview w/ Michael Reid of OptaJoe | 12 min preview A/B Testing

   Liverpool are changing fast, but the biggest question is whether Iraola is the right man to turn a title-winning squad back into a pressing machine. Michael Reid breaks down why last season unraveled, why Mo Salah’s exit still stings, and whether Liverpool’s summer moves actually solved anything or just created new holes. Liverpool entered the season as reigning champions, spent big, and still ended up with a squad that feels incomplete. Reid explains how the club moved on from Salah, why the break with the hierarchy went deeper than one manager, and why the buzz around Iraola makes sense even if the fit is not perfect yet. He also digs into the tactical reset from Slot to Iraola, where the press is already improving, and why the transition to a more direct style is still a work in progress. Reid also shares why players like Alexander Isak, Alexis Mac Allister, and Jeremy Jacquet could decide Liverpool’s season, and why the current tactical tweaks are already producing cleaner, more aggressive football than last year. But with injuries, unfinished squad planning, and a huge Anfield test ahead, there is still plenty that can go right or wrong very quickly. 0:02 — Welcome to Breaking Bread and episode access 1:50 — Liverpool’s new era under Iraola and the upcoming Manchester City match 3:15 — International-break injuries and player workload 5:31 — Liverpool’s disappointing title defense last season 8:24 — Iraola’s appointment, style, and rebuilding the team’s pressing identity 12TH MINUTE END OF TEASER - If you find yourself enjoying this 12 minute sampler of the new episode. Become a Shades of Blue Patreon member to watch the episode in full, can add the Patreon episodes to your podcast app via RSS feed! All for only $6 a month which gets you ad free episodes, Premium content like “Choppin’ It Up” interview series or “Breaking Bread” our match preview series for Man City Men & Women games, and get entry in our secret Discord channel! Receive early access to new episodes along with episodes exclusively on Patreon for only $6 a month. Subscribe or buy VOD here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/u94168109 19:08 — Liverpool’s summer transfers and Mo Salah’s departure 24:13 — Squad strengths, new signings, and remaining gaps 30:31 — Tactical changes from Slot to Iraola: pressing, direct play, and defensive balance 36:12 — Liverpool players to watch: Isak, Mac Allister, and Jacquet 42:46 — Anfield atmosphere and whether players should shake hands 46:05 — Match outlook: transitions, attacking pace, and defensive challenges 52:00 — Guest plug and episode sign-off Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com (https://pcm.adswizz.com) for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.