Booked and Abandoned is your ultimate grassroots football podcast, where hosts Andrew and Scott explore the untold stories of the beautiful game at its rawest and most relatable level.
When aiming for football legends like David Beckham leads to being ghosted harder than a Sunday league goalkeeper during a penalty shootout, Andrew and Scott turn their attention to the unsung heroes of the pitch—players with more passion than trophies, more grit than glamour, and just the right amount of banter.
With dodgy pitches, dramatic half-time oranges, and tales that range from laugh-out-loud funny to genuinely touching, "Booked and Abandoned" brings you the grassroots football experience in all its unfiltered glory.
This podcast celebrates the love of the game, one story at a time. So grab a cuppa, lace up your boots, and join us for a hilarious, heartfelt, and totally un-Premier League ride.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Booked and Abandoned is your ultimate grassroots football podcast, where hosts Andrew and Scott explore the untold stories of the beautiful game at its rawest and most relatable level.
When aiming for football legends like David Beckham leads to being ghosted harder than a Sunday league goalkeeper during a penalty shootout, Andrew and Scott turn their attention to the unsung heroes of the pitch—players with more passion than trophies, more grit than glamour, and just the right amount of banter.
With dodgy pitches, dramatic half-time oranges, and tales that range from laugh-out-loud funny to genuinely touching, "Booked and Abandoned" brings you the grassroots football experience in all its unfiltered glory.
This podcast celebrates the love of the game, one story at a time. So grab a cuppa, lace up your boots, and join us for a hilarious, heartfelt, and totally un-Premier League ride.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
That’s a wrap on Season 1 of Booked and Abandoned!
A short and sweet finale episode where we look back on our favourite moments, top guests, and the weirdest places this little podcast has taken us. There’s also a cheeky teaser for what’s coming in Season 2 if our guests ever turn up.
Huge thanks to @OratiaUnited for giving us a home base to record from, and to Mike Hadnett Photography for letting us borrow so many stunning snaps along the way.
And most importantly, thanks to every single guest who gave up their time. Whether you joined us in our “studio” or welcomed us into your homes, if not for you this would not have been possible.
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Paul “Pirate” Rothsay steps in as Paul Gazza steps out (literally… to hospital)
This week, we’re joined by the man, the myth, the pants-dropping icon himself - Pirate, aka Paul Rothsay. From gritty street footy in the UK to gale-force games in Dunedin, he’s seen it all.
Expect:
A four-yard miss that still haunts him
Pre-match rituals you’ll wish you could forget
A pitch invasion… by his own trousers?
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Bryan Robson bailed. But Riccardo Ball? He showed up and showed off. The voice of NZ football joins us this week from The Rock to Sports Nation and now… us.
We talk:
18-1 drubbings
Life behind the mic
A few liver strains
And the odd broken toe
Hit play, raise a glass, and enjoy the man who actually answered our call.
Captain Fantastic who?
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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jonno Ross joins us for a big chat about football community inclusion and what it means to truly live and breathe the game. From his days as a keeper, managing Mt Albert Ponsonby, to writing for Friends of Football, he shares what goes on behind the scenes and why supporter culture matters.
He’s also a man known for using an impressive amount of tape and we get into that too.
This was our first virtual episode so the audio’s not perfect but stick with it for a great conversation.
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Booked and Abandoned flips the script this week as the birthday boy himself, Andrew McKenzie, jumps from host to guest. With Scott joined by special guest-host Brenden Child (yes, our very first guest, we’re sentimental like that), it’s time to unpack the podfather’s origin story.
From dodgy keeping to German embassy drama, it’s everything you never knew you needed, including one very Lineker-esque moment we definitely didn’t plan.
Get stuck in. It’s Andrew’s party and he’ll overshare if he wants to.
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Robbie Graham is on the pod this week, and if you know Auckland football, you know the name. A MAP icon, long-time keeper, captain, and yes, somehow also the penalty taker.
We reached out to David Seaman who never replied, but it worked out better because Robbie showed up with stories that genuinely deliver.
From saving goals to scoring them, dodgy Europa League trips in Baku, and the real story behind NZ’s win over Bahrain, it’s all here.
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This week on Booked and Abandoned, we're joined by Max Whitehead — Oratia United's First Team forward, law student, and all-round machine.
Max takes us through his footballing journey from Northland FC to the Wellington Phoenix Academy and now leading the line at Oratia. We talk discipline, bodybuilding, balancing a law degree with first-team footy, and what it takes to chase big goals both on and off the pitch.
This isn’t someone playing with a balloon in his sock — Max is the real deal.
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From Valencia to Papatoetoe – Kim Beale Joins the Pod.
Sir Alex might’ve bottled it, but we’ve upgraded the dugout with grassroots coaching royalty: Kim Beale. From leading Papatoetoe United to shaping young talent through Soccer Plus NZ and the Valencia Foundation Academy, Kim’s building more than just game plans, he’s building futures.
We chat about taking kids to Spain for the football experience of a lifetime, running teams on heart not money, and why local legends show up when the global ones ghost us.
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Neil Warnock ghosted us... so we found the Kiwi version – and he brought a lawnmower. Mark O'Donnell has coached half of NZ, managed everyone else, and tells stories like your uncle at the pub (but better). Expect: Ice baths, wild transfers, and tales that probably need a disclaimer.
It’s grassroots gold – boots, beers, and all.
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After a couple of weeks off (life, aye?), Booked and Abandoned returns with a cracker of an episode. This week, we’re joined by Stu Roberts - a proper New Zealand football journeyman with over 500 senior games, 100+ goals, and, yes, an appearance at Old Trafford. That Old Trafford. Eat your heart out, Beckham.
While David ghosted us again (he’s probably off filming another documentary), Stu showed up and brought three decades’ worth of incredible stories from the heart of grassroots football.
A cracking chat about Chatham Cup glories, Lining up against legends like Wynton Rufer and life as a proper club man.
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We almost landed Jürgen Klopp this week… but instead got someone with more local flavour and he returned our calls.
Daniel Eisenhut — new Oratia United head coach — joins us to chat grassroots footy, coaching chaos, and why Auckland rain builds character. Plus: the wildest pre-game ritual yet, risking death for the Warriors, and what we would've asked Klopp (had he not ghosted us).
Tune in — the Spezi’s still cold.
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When Paolo Maldini bailed, Stuart Greenaway stepped up – and honestly, we think we got the better deal. A former Northern Ireland U17 international, Stuart brings stories from the pitch, tackles that could split timelines (including one that left his groin with a Harry Potter like scar), and his current work coaching the future stars with Total Football Technique in Auckland.
We talk grassroots glory, coaching philosophy, and the fine art of being a rock-solid left back – on and off the field. Maldini might've missed out, but we didn’t.
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We aimed for a Liverpool legend, but—much like a certain slip—he didn’t show.
So, we called in a true West Auckland battler: Robby Robinson! Tackles? Flying. Pitches? Dodgy. Ankles? Somehow still attached (just).
No slips, no dives—just a rock-solid episode.
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If you missed the first leg, well… good luck. This is part two, and context is everything.
Diego Maradona was technically unavailable… mostly because we forgot he was no longer with us. Classic admin fail.
But don’t worry—we’ve still got a living legend: Steve Cain! From Coventry City FC to top-level management, he’s done it all. Now, as Director of Football at Oratia United FC, he’s shaping NZ’s football future.
In this second leg, we pick up where we left off—covering everything from rocket launchers to literally cutting up pitches with a knife. It’s football chaos at its finest. Buckle up!
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Diego Maradona was technically unavailable… mostly because we forgot he was no longer with us. Classic admin fail.
But don’t worry—we’ve got a living legend instead: Steve Cain! From Coventry City FC to top-level management, he’s done it all. Now, as Director of Football at Oratia United FC, he’s shaping NZ’s football future.
We dive into his journey—from international management to leading Waitakere United. He had so much to share, we made this is to a two leg episode, enjoy the first leg!
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Brazilian Ronaldo was supposed to be here… but much like our five-a-side defensive structure, he vanished without a trace. Enter Monty—a police tournament champion, a goal machine if he doesn't say so himself.
We discuss his greatest triumphs, his worst injuries, and the moral dilemma of supporting Manchester United (booo!). Plus, we ponder the true cost of grassroots football—sprained ankles, shattered egos, and the occasional trip to the hospital after scoring a screamer.
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