Upfront - A Women's Football Podcast

This weekend, Nottingham Forest and Stoke City go head-to-head in a huge National League Cup final clash! So who better to give us the down-low on it than a true England and Arsenal Legend, Anita Asante? Anita reflects on her Arsenal days — where she in fact won this trophy twice — explains why greater visibility for National League teams is so important and shares her thoughts on the controversial proposals to freeze relegation from the WSL. Plus, she reveals the biggest lesson she learned playing under Emma Hayes and discusses her experience stepping into coaching! Come and join us!Follow us on X, Instagram, Bluesky and YouTube! Email us show@upfrontpod.com.For ad-free episodes and much more from across our football shows, head over to the Football Ramble Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.**Please take the time to rate us on your podcast app. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!**

Chelsea finally ended their League Cup final curse. This time around, the only cursed thing was the pitch at Pride Park.Chloe and Rachel look back on a huge day for Chelsea and Sonia Bompastor. But will Man City be better prepared for their next meeting? And the one after that, and the one after that…Plus, Liverpool upset Manchester United as Olivia Smith lights up Anfield in a performance Rach thinks was reminiscent of peak LJ. And while the title race might be sewn up, the battle for relegation is well and truly alive.Follow us on X, Instagram, Bluesky and YouTube! Email us show@upfrontpod.com.For ad-free episodes and much more from across our football shows, head over to the Football Ramble Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.**Please take the time to rate us on your podcast app. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!**

Liverpool pulled off the closest thing to a cupset this weekend! Rach is here to tell us why Arsenal’s performance felt like a throwback to their early-season struggles under Jonas Eidevall… Meanwhile, over at Man United, things are looking far worse off the pitch than on it. Chloe and Rach discuss Geyse’s situation and how it speaks to the club’s wider issues. And then… a bombshell drops! We react to the news — in real-time — that Man City have parted ways with Gareth Taylor right before their League Cup final against Chelsea this weekend. Talk about timing, ey?!Follow us on X, Instagram, Bluesky and YouTube! Email us show@upfrontpod.com.For ad-free episodes and much more from across our football shows, head over to the Football Ramble Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.**Please take the time to rate us on your podcast app. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!**

Joining Rach in the studio today is one of the most influential figures in British sport—Baroness Sue Campbell! The driving force behind the transformation of women’s football in England, Sue’s influence on the game has been instrumental, and her career is nothing short of extraordinary. Sue reminisces about Euro 2022—and the role she played in England’s journey to success—reveals the three key priorities she set upon joining the FA, where she later became the director of women’s football, and shares the powerful words from her father that kept her going during her toughest moments. Plus, Sue discusses the handover of the WSL and Championship to the WPLL, and we get a glimpse into her brand-new book, The Game Changer, which is out today! Come and join us.Follow us on X, Instagram, Bluesky and YouTube! Email us show@upfrontpod.com.For ad-free episodes and much more from across our football shows, head over to the Football Ramble Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.**Please take the time to rate us on your podcast app. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!**

Brighton did a little bit of a dirty on Chelsea at the weekend as they held the league leaders to a draw. So with Chelsea's lead now at five points, is the title race back on?! Clo reckons there’s a cool draft coming through that slightly ajar door… Meanwhile, the WSL managerial merry-go-round has been in full swing after Liverpool parted ways with Matt Beard. Then just 24 hours later, Crystal Palace followed suit by sacking Laura Kaminski! Clo’s obviously here with some sage advice: “Don’t go into management, kids!” Plus, we weigh in on the leaked WPLL proposals to scrap relegation in the WSL and discuss why it’s caused just a bit of a stir…Follow us on X, Instagram, Bluesky and YouTube! Email us show@upfrontpod.com.For ad-free episodes and much more from across our football shows, head over to the Football Ramble Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.**Please take the time to rate us on your podcast app. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!**

Chloe’s travelled down to East Dulwich to catch up with none other than Mary Phillip! Mary walks us through her hugely successful England days, from the “surreal” moment she got called-up, to being roommates with another England icon, Rachel Yankey. Mary also discusses her trophy-laden club career, reveals what it truly meant to be the first Black woman to captain the Lionesses - something she only discovered 15 years later - and opens up about how she juggled her love of football with motherhood. Now making history with Peckham Town in the men’s game, Mary discusses the lack of diversity amongst female coaches, shares the challenges she’s faced in her coaching career and explains what it meant to become the first female manager to win silverware in the men’s game. Plus, Chloe (obviously) does her best to convince Mary to return to women’s football…Follow us on X, Instagram, Bluesky and YouTube! Email us show@upfrontpod.com.For ad-free episodes and much more from across our football shows, head over to the Football Ramble Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.**Please take the time to rate us on your podcast app. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!**

Chloe’s back from Miami and joins Rach in the studio - sadly with no piña colada in hand - to break down England’s underwhelming, but not disastrous, 1-1 draw against Portugal in their Nations League opener. Elsewhere, Carla Ward got her first - albeit scrappy - win with Ireland so Rach is of course buzzing about that, and then we look to Scotland who didn’t quite kickstart their new era in the same fashion. Plus, just last week, Luis Rubiales was convicted of sexual assault for kissing Jenni Hermoso after the 2023 World Cup final without her consent. We unpack why that case and all the publicity around Hermoso points to much wider societal issues.Didn't catch last week's episode with Ireland and Man United defender Aoife Mannion? Listen here. Follow us on X, Instagram, Bluesky and YouTube! Email us show@upfrontpod.com.For ad-free episodes and much more from across our football shows, head over to the Football Ramble Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.**Please take the time to rate us on your podcast app. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!**

International football is back tomorrow! Which means we’ve roped in Republic of Ireland defender Aoife Mannion to tell us all about her Ireland journey after debuting for the Girls in Green two years ago this month.Aoife opens up about overcoming setbacks throughout her career - after suffering two ACL injuries - and reveals what it’s like to play with an underdog mentality in the Ireland squad.Elsewhere, Aoife shares how deflating it was to fall short of Euro 2025 and lose Eileen Gleeson and Colin Healy soon after. Plus, she explains what new challenges are ahead with the exciting arrival of Carla Ward. Come join us!Follow us on X, Instagram, Bluesky and YouTube! Email us show@upfrontpod.com.For ad-free episodes and much more from across our football shows, head over to the Football Ramble Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.

Chloe’s still living it up in Miami, but fear not: today, Rachel is joined by certified commentary royalty as she gets stuck into the latest news with BBC Sport’s Robyn Cowen!We chat about a disappointing North London Derby, where Spurs showed they’ve gone backwards since last season and Arsenal turned on the style in front of 56,784 Chloe Kelly stans. Elsewhere, Chelsea snatched yet another victory from the jaws of looming defeat and we look ahead to some crucial Nations League fixtures for Sarina Wiegman and the Lionesses.Plus, Rachel quizzes Robyn about the art of commentary and her own journey, from stumbling into local radio to delivering one of the most iconic lines in English sporting history, when England emerged victorious at Euro 2022.Follow us on X, Instagram, Bluesky and YouTube! Email us show@upfrontpod.com.For ad-free episodes and much more from across our football shows, head over to the Football Ramble Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.**Please take the time to rate us on your podcast app. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!**