Harry Kane’s grassroots coach on what set England’s record goalscorer apart
Ben and Mike sit down with Dave Bricknell — long-time Tottenham coach and scout who first spotted Harry Kane — and Ben’s uncle, Arty, Dave's assistant manager, while running a youth team back in the 9...
1 Sep 202555min
What pro clubs don’t want you to know about the academy system
In this episode, Ben and Mike are joined by Chris Platts—a career coach working with professional clubs, parents and young players—to explore what grassroots football can learn from elite environments...
25 Aug 202552min
How to teach kids shape, positioning and movement
In this episode, Ben and Mike tackle one of grassroots football’s trickiest challenges—teaching positioning—with the help of Michael Fox, a seasoned coach with 14 years at Peterborough United and now ...
18 Aug 202557min
Charlie Austin: What coaching my son taught me about fatherhood
What happens when a Premier League striker swaps stadium roars for Sunday league sidelines? In this emotional and brutally honest episode, Charlie Austin returns to the pod to talk with Ben and Mike a...
11 Aug 202558min
Old-school grassroots gaffer reveals the secret to man management
This week, Ben and Mike, chat with Ben's old football manager Martin Skinner—a legendary (and unfiltered) former coach of the Brentwood Boys. In this episode, Martin unloads a treasure trove of memori...
4 Aug 202536min
Powerful words every coach should say to their players
This week, Ben and Mike sit down with Paul Barry, head of coaching at Crystal Palace for U8–U12s and a 28-season veteran of the foundation phase. Paul offers real insight on what really matters when c...
28 Jul 202557min
Kieran Gibbs: What it really takes to survive at Arsenal’s Academy
In this episode of It’s Only Kids Football, Ben and Mike are joined by former Arsenal and England full-back Kieran Gibbs for a chat about the grassroots experiences that shaped his professional journe...
21 Jul 202548min
This is what makes grassroots football so special
Ben and Mike mark 50 episodes with a tournament win that means way more than it should. They laugh, cringe and nearly cry as they relive the game, the chaos, and the goal that set off a celebration ev...
14 Jul 20251h 1min
