The football media landscape used to be so predictable. You had the Sunday night highlights, the shouty pundits on 24-hour news cycles, and the broadsheet columnists who wrote like they were mourning a lost era. Then podcasts happened. Specifically, The Rest is Football happened. It isn't just another show where three retired players sit in a room and drone on about "desire" and "passion." Honestly, it’s basically transformed how we consume the Premier League because it feels like eavesdropping on a private dinner between three guys who actually know what they’re talking about.
Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, and Micah Richards. It’s an odd trio on paper, right? You’ve got the elder statesman of sports broadcasting, the greatest goalscorer in Premier League history, and the man who seemingly laughs at a higher decibel than a jet engine. But it works. It works because the dynamic isn't forced. When Gary mocks Alan for his age or Micah gets ribbed about his "bursting onto the scene" at Manchester City, you aren't watching a script. You're watching genuine chemistry.
What makes The Rest is Football different from the rest?
Look, we’ve all seen the sterile TV studios. High-definition floors, bright lights, and producers screaming in ears to move on to the next segment. The Rest is Football thrives because it ignores those rules. Produced by Goalhanger—the same powerhouse behind The Rest is History and The Rest is Politics—the show capitalizes on the "Rest Is" formula: deep expertise mixed with lighthearted banter.
The podcast format allows for something TV doesn't: nuance. On Match of the Day, Lineker has to squeeze analysis into three-minute windows. On the podcast, they can spend twenty minutes debating the psychological toll of missing a penalty. Shearer, who often plays the "grumpy" role on TV, is surprisingly vulnerable here. He talks about the isolation of being a top-tier striker in a way that feels raw. It’s not just "he should have scored"; it’s "this is why his foot was angled that way because he was terrified of the keeper’s momentum."
That’s the secret sauce. Insight you can't get from a stat sheet.
The Power of the Goalhanger Empire
It’s worth noting the business side. Tony Pastor and Jack Davenport at Goalhanger have basically cracked the code for the modern listener. They realized that people don't want a "brand" talking to them. They want experts with personalities. By the time The Rest is Football launched in 2023, the audience was already primed.
The growth was vertical. Rapid. Within months, they were topping the Spotify and Apple charts. Why? Because they didn't wait for the weekend. They drop episodes when news happens. When Jurgen Klopp announced he was leaving Liverpool, they didn't wait for a scheduled recording. They jumped on a call. That immediacy is what keeps the "Discover" feed on Google humming. It's timely. It's reactionary but informed.
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Why Micah Richards is the show's "Cheat Code"
If Lineker is the anchor and Shearer is the authority, Micah Richards is the energy. There was a time when pundits were expected to be stoic. Serious. Micah changed that. He brought the "Vibe" era to football punditry.
His infectious laugh is the hook, sure, but don't let the jokes fool you. He understands the modern locker room. He knows what it’s like to be a young millionaire under the microscope of social media—something Gary and Alan didn't have to deal with in the 90s. This generational gap provides a constant source of friction that makes for great listening.
- Gary remembers the days of heavy leather balls and short shorts.
- Alan remembers the transition into the "money" era of the late 90s.
- Micah represents the TikTok-era athlete.
When they debate things like player discipline or transfer fees, you get three distinct perspectives. It’s like a 3D view of the sport.
Tackling the "Big Six" Bias
One common criticism of sports media is that it only cares about the top of the table. To be fair, The Rest is Football does lean heavily into the big clubs, mostly because that's where the listeners are. However, they do make a concerted effort to cover the "smaller" stories, often through the lens of Shearer’s Newcastle bias or Lineker’s Leicester City roots.
They don't always get it right. Fans of clubs like Wolves or Brentford might feel left out occasionally. But the show isn't meant to be a comprehensive news bulletin. It’s a conversation. And in a conversation, you talk about what’s interesting. A 4-3 thriller at Anfield is always going to get more airtime than a 0-0 draw in mid-table obscurity. That's just the reality of the attention economy.
The Evolution of the "Match of the Day" Brand
For decades, Lineker has been the face of the BBC’s flagship show. There was a lot of talk about whether a private podcast would conflict with his BBC duties. If anything, it’s enhanced them. The podcast allows him to show a side of his personality that the license fee-funded BBC might find too "opinionated."
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On The Rest is Football, he can be a bit more political, a bit more cheeky, and a lot more honest about his own career. It’s been a masterclass in personal branding. He’s transitioned from "TV host" to "Media Mogul" right before our eyes.
Breaking Down the Episodes
Usually, you get two or three episodes a week.
Monday is the "Weekend Review." It's the bread and butter.
Then there are the "Rest is Football: Extra" episodes where they answer fan questions. These are often the best because they move away from the current headlines and into the "Evergreen" territory. Stories about Gazza in 1990. Reflections on the worst stadiums they ever played in. The "Top 10" lists are also a staple—debating the best ever finishers or the toughest defenders. These segments are designed for social media clips. You've probably seen them on your Instagram Reels or TikTok.
Realism and the "Punditry 2.0" Movement
The show represents a shift toward what some call "Punditry 2.0." It’s less about telling the viewer what happened and more about explaining how it felt.
When a player misses a penalty in a shootout, Alan Shearer doesn't just say he missed. He describes the walk from the center circle. The way the grass feels uneven under your studs. The way the goal looks like it's shrinking. That level of detail is only possible when you have someone who has actually lived it.
The production quality also deserves a nod. It’s clean. The audio is crisp. Even when they are recording remotely from different parts of the world, it feels cohesive. That’s the Goalhanger touch. They know that if the audio is bad, people will switch off within thirty seconds.
Addressing the Controversy: Is it too "Chummy"?
Some critics argue that the podcast is a bit of a "boys club." That it’s too cozy. They rarely go for the jugular when criticizing players because, frankly, they know these people. They see them in the tunnels. They share agents.
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This is a valid point. You aren't going to get hard-hitting investigative journalism here. You aren't going to get a deep dive into the murky finances of multi-club ownership or the human rights records of certain state-owned teams—at least not in a way that risks their access. But that isn't the point of the show. The Rest is Football is entertainment. It’s escapism. It’s for the fan who wants to enjoy the game, not the one who wants to deconstruct its systemic flaws.
The Future of Football Media
We are seeing a total decentralization. The big broadcasters are no longer the gatekeepers of truth. If you want to know what happened in the dressing room at half-time, you don't wait for the 10 PM news. You go to the source.
The Rest is Football has proved that listeners value authenticity over "polished" production. We want the stammers. We want the inside jokes. We want to hear Alan Shearer tell a story about being bored in a hotel room in 1996.
Actionable Takeaways for the Super-Fan
If you're looking to get the most out of your football consumption in this new era, here’s how to navigate it:
- Diversify your feed: Listen to the "Rest Is" crew for the vibes and player insight, but keep something like The Athletic Football Podcast or Guardian Football Weekly in your rotation for the more serious, tactical, and journalistic side of the game.
- Watch the YouTube versions: While the audio is great, the visual cues between Micah and Alan are half the fun. Seeing Alan’s face when Micah says something outrageous is worth the extra data.
- Engage with the "Extra" episodes: Use the "Ask TRiF" hashtag on social media. They actually read the questions, and it’s a great way to get a specific niche topic addressed by legends of the game.
- Look past the headlines: Often, the best bits of the show aren't the ones that make the tabloid "clickbait" titles. It’s the small, throwaway comments about training ground drills or how players handle social media criticism.
Football is changing. The way we talk about it is changing faster. The Rest is Football isn't just a podcast; it’s the new standard for how sports media should feel. It’s messy, it’s loud, it’s biased, and it’s brilliant. Just like the game itself.