Hello and welcome to The Speaking Frankly Football Show.
Hosted by Frank Hughes, Chairman of Skelmersdale United FC & AJ Vergette, Skelmersdale United Press Officer.
We concentrate mainly on matters of non league football, but occasionally we stray and cover other controversial subjects in football as well.
We give in depth analysis on the North West Counties Football League.
Interviews, opinions, controversial issues and much more!
We are Speaking Frankly.
TSFFS S 3 EP 18
We have our usual round- up of the North West Counties, including the Macron Cup.
Widnes' game this weekend has been postponed after they entered into a ground-share agreement with another club. They've left the Marine Travel Arena Stadium, but does this also mean they won't be going back to the DCBL Stadium? With only a couple of miles separating them from Runcorn Linnets and Runcorn Town, could they be moving to one of those grounds, subject to ratification by the FA and the League? We pose the question.
We traverse the area, taking a look at all the usual suspects, and take a peek at those who' ve progressed in the FA Trophy.
Marine are closing in on 1,000 ticket sales for their forthcoming first- round FA Cup tie at Bradford next week. Meanwhile, struggling Southport have announced their second manager in a few weeks, following Mark Duffy's departure. Calum McIntyre will take the reins, but Craig Noone has left the club.
New managerial appointments have been announced almost everywhere, it seems, but one manager is staying put: Sean McConville at Clitheroe. But which club approached him?
In Controversial Corner, we look at stadium bans imposed on managers and how the draconian nature of exclusion threatens non-league and amateur football. Are certain teams policing our game, leaving frustrated managers as easy targets for referees?
Can players have the best of both worlds- rich food, booze, and still play competitive football? Is it right that they live such lifestyles, whether or not they are being paid, or are they simply stealing a shirt?
Gateshead's potential new owners have hit a snag that could lead them to pull out of their proposed takeover. Who's putting obstacles in their way, and why won't they do the honourable thing and put fans and players first?
Following Dale Vince's revelation that he wasn't bothered about an illegal approach for his former manager Robbie Savage, he's now suing Peterborough United and Robbie himself for £2m. He clearly has had his cage rattled more than we first believed.
We finish off the show with a round- up of the Liverpool Premier League and the continued good form on show from Skelmersdale United, as well as our predictions for the NWCFL and our expert analysis.
All that and more.
22 Oct 2026
TSFFS S3 EP17 WITH RICHARD BRODIE
TSFFS S3 E17
In the pre-show show, Frank revealed that he now identifies as grass…the green, green grass of ganja variety, as he's passively inhaled far too much for his own health. There's a subliminal message in his revelation.
AJ didn't help, as he turned up late with a new hair rinse more dangerous to the eye than looking directly at a solar eclipse. Studio guest Richard Brodie isn't sure if it's a good idea to have him in the dugout this weekend, but with the dark nights closing in, it was agreed that he might be a good substitute for floodlights should it get too dark at Edgehill!
We start the show with our usual round-up of non-league football in the North West. We also take a look at Marine's success in the FA Cup after beating Hartlepool 2-0. They will now face Bradford City at Valley Parade in the First Round Proper.
It's the funny season when chairmen get a little bit twitchy and managers lose their jobs. Normally, when this happens, it's down to results, but at Southport the narrative is a little bit different, as Mark Duffy's tenure came to an abrupt end following revelations that his X account had allegedly expressed support for far-right figure Tommy Robinson. The question is: can you ever be forgiven in these circumstances, and is this the end of the line for his career in football management?
We also take a look at illegal approaches, following alleged revelations that Darragh MacAnthony, the chairman of Peterborough United, approached Robbie Savage before he formally approached Dale Vince at Forest Green Rovers. We pose the question: is the seven-day notice of approach, particularly at our level, an antiquated ruling, given the fact that players and managers often tout themselves anyway?
We also touch on the subject of overseas sports investment brokers who try to set up billionaires with football clubs. It happened to Skelmersdale United once upon a time. Which clubs do you think would benefit from investment that could propel them into the big time? How about Bury for starters?
We finish the episode by looking at the Liverpool Premier League, Skelmersdale United's big win over City of Liverpool, and all the other results around the league. We continue with our usual predictions and expert analysis of the NWCFL.
And to give the show greater gravitas, we get a bird's-eye perspective from "The Gate Crasher, Richard Brodie" as he gives his thoughts as an ex-professional footballer turned manager.
All this and more.
15 Oct 2026
TSFFS S3 EP 16 — with Richard Brodie. (The Gatecrasher)
TSFFS S3 EP 16
In this week's show, we take a peek at non-league and amateur football right across the North West. Mind you, Skem manager Richard Brodie interrupts us once again!
We look at all the movers and shakers in the FA Vase before crossing over to this weekend's fixtures in the FA Cup. We take a look at Bury, who face Harrogate Town at home, and Marine, who take a trip to Hartlepool United. The winners will go into the draw for the First Round Proper on Monday.
Managers have been coming and going lately, and some are under pressure despite having only recently started. Mark Duffy has lost his Sporting Director at Southport and, after Saturday's defeat, they dropped into the relegation zone. Mark has gone on record saying that finding solutions will not be a "quick fix". It's been 22 years since they were plying their trade at Step Three of the NLS, with some supporters believing that's where they are heading once again. Can money fix the situation, and does anyone have any to give?
In Controversial Corner, we discuss football cuisine, ask whether the FA Vase competition should be nationalised earlier, and consider a super play-off between all the feeder leagues to decide promotion to the NLS.
We also discuss the shady side of football: clubs that aren't viable and American investment, which is slowly getting a grip on non-league football.
We finish off with talk about Skelmersdale United and the Liverpool Premier League. We give you all our predictions and expert analysis.
All this and more.
Who has been a guest on Speaking Frankly
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Gary Berwick
Colin Windrow
Mark Halsey
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
309
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Podcast Authority Score: 39 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
42
Social presence
0
YouTube
64
Engagement
27
Contact Speaking Frankly
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
