Whistleblowers is football’s most original new podcast - lifting the lid on the parts of the game no one else talks about. Hosted by Gordon Smart, with ex-elite referee Mark Clattenburg and veteran journalist Ian Ladyman, this isn’t another safe roundtable of punditry. It’s football told differently - with insight, authority, and plenty of laughs. From what really goes on in the referee’s room, to how clubs spin crises and who’s pulling the strings behind the scenes - Whistleblowers brings the inside stories only those at the heart of the game can tell. Players have had their say. Now, it’s time to hear from the people who actually know how football works.
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Producer: Henry Williams
Researcher: William Colledge
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Whistleblowers is football’s most original new podcast - lifting the lid on the parts of the game no one else talks about. Hosted by Gordon Smart, with ex-elite referee Mark Clattenburg and veteran journalist Ian Ladyman, this isn’t another safe roundtable of punditry. It’s football told differently - with insight, authority, and plenty of laughs. From what really goes on in the referee’s room, to how clubs spin crises and who’s pulling the strings behind the scenes - Whistleblowers brings the inside stories only those at the heart of the game can tell. Players have had their say. Now, it’s time to hear from the people who actually know how football works.
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Producer: Henry Williams
Researcher: William Colledge
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome back to Whistleblowers!
Gordon Smart is joined by Mark Clattenburg and Andy Dillon as they discuss: the state of refereeing, VAR controversies, and the madness of modern football culture.
From Liverpool’s disallowed goal against Man City to American owners threatening legal action, nothing’s off limits. Clattenburg opens up on what really happens behind the whistle - the pressure, the politics, and the moments when control completely slips away.
We then dive into the world of Joey Barton, and explain exactly what he’s like - on and off the pitch.
Whistleblowers | Football From The Inside Out
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Producer: Henry Williams
Assistant Producer: William Colledge
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Video Editor: Luke Shelley
Content Editor: Joseph Palmer
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
Social Handles:
X: @blowerspod
Instagram: whistleblowerspod
TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast
Email: whistleblowers@dailymail.com
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week on Whistleblowers, Mark Clattenburg, Ian Ladyman, and Gordon Smart make their opinions on top-tier football’s moves to bring in a sixth substitute very clear.
Meanwhile, Ian tells us which club made him report on a game from the top of a double-decker bus and Gordon reveals the shocking advice he was given when Vinnie Jones was his manager.Whistleblowers | Football From The Inside OutHosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Producer: William Colledge
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Video Editor: Luke Shelley
Content Editor: Joseph Palmer
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
Social Handles:
X: @blowerspod
Instagram: whistleblowerspod
TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast
Email: whistleblowers@dailymail.com
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this week’s episode of Whistleblowers, the boys are joined by Redmen TV’s Errol Smith to discuss all things Anfield following Liverpool’s takedown of Real Madrid and the return of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Merseyside.
Ian Ladyman reveals the inside story on just how he ended up riding a horse through Moscow, before he and Mark go head to head on Ifab’s new VAR rulings.
AND Gordon Smart takes us behind the scenes of his interview with Gareth Southgate as the lads discuss the true legacy of one of England’s most divisive managers.
Whistleblowers | Football From The Inside Out
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Producer: William Colledge
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Video Editor: Luke Shelley
Content Editor: Joseph Palmer
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
Social Handles:
X: @blowerspod
Instagram: whistleblowerspod
TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast
Email: whistleblowers@dailymail.com
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It’s one of the funniest Whistleblowers episodes yet as Mark Clattenburg, Gordon Smart and Andy Dillon are in top form.
From the Aberdeen sporting director who once stole a penguin to Clattenburg’s chaotic nights in Moscow and Malaga, this one moves effortlessly between absurd football stories and genuine insight.
The trio debate the possible end of Boxing Day football, swap never-heard Harry Redknapp tales, and relive some classic West Ham moments, including the day Stan Collymore ran toward the chicken run and instantly regretted it.
Whistleblowers | Football From The Inside Out
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Producer: Henry Williams
Assistant Producer: William Colledge
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Video Editor: Luke Shelley
Content Editor: Joseph Palmer
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
Social Handles:
X: @blowerspod
Instagram: whistleblowerspod
TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast
Email: whistleblowers@dailymail.com
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week on Whistleblowers, Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg, and Andy Dillon dissect what’s gone wrong at the London Stadium: from Nuno Espírito Santo’s baffling tactics to toxic ownership and the club’s post-European hangover.
Clattenburg gives a masterclass on how referees really judge penalties, breaking down that controversial Liverpool vs Brentford moment - while Andy confesses he’s actually prayed West Ham wouldn’t score to hit his newspaper deadline
Whistleblowers | Football From The Inside Out
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Producer: Henry Williams
Assistant Producer: William Colledge
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Video Editor: Luke Shelley
Content Editor: Joseph Palmer
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
Social Handles:
X: @blowerspod
Instagram: whistleblowerspod
TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast
Email: whistleblowers@dailymail.com
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman go head-to-head over football’s newest idea - manager VAR cards, where coaches can challenge decisions from the touchline.
Clattenburg believes it could bring back fairness and take ownership away from referees, while Ian calls it “a f***ing mess” that will only slow the game down.
Whistleblowers | Football From The Inside Out
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Producer: Henry Williams
Assistant Producer: William Colledge
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Video Editor: Luke Shelley
Content Editor: Joseph Palmer
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
Social Handles:
X: @blowerspod
Instagram: whistleblowerspod
TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast
Email: whistleblowers@dailymail.com
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week on Whistleblowers, Gordon Smart, Ian Ladyman, and Mark Clattenburg are joined by Daily Mail’s Lewis Steele to pick apart Liverpool’s worst run in a decade. What’s happened to Mo Salah? Is Arne Slot already under pressure? And why does Virgil van Dijk suddenly look like a man out of answers?
Clattenburg breaks down a landmark refereeing moment as a Premier League ref defies VAR, sparking a heated debate about how much power the video officials really have. The lads also dig into set-piece chaos, Liverpool’s defensive frailty, and whether we’re seeing a full-blown return to Tony Pulis–style football across the league.
Whistleblowers | Football From The Inside Out
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Producer: Henry Williams
Assistant Producer: William Colledge
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Video Editor: Luke Shelley
Content Editor: Joseph Palmer
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
Social Handles:
X: @blowerspod
Instagram: whistleblowerspod
TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast
Email: whistleblowers@dailymail.com
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week on Whistleblowers, Felix White from The Maccabees joins Gordon Smart, Ian Ladyman and Mark Clattenburg for a conversation that moves from cricket and football to music, mental health and legacy.
Felix opens up about the heartbreak of The Maccabees’ split, the pull of validation on social media and why modern sport misunderstands entertainment. Clattenburg reveals the real reason he tattooed every final he refereed, and how referees cope with pressure and abuse.
Whistleblowers | Football From The Inside Out
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Producer: Henry Williams
Assistant Producer: William Colledge
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Video Editor: Luke Shelley
Content Editor: Joseph Palmer
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
Social Handles:
X: @blowerspod
Instagram: whistleblowerspod
TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast
Email: whistleblowers@dailymail.com
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week on Whistleblowers, the lads welcome rock and roll royalty as Felix White of The Maccabees joins Ian Ladyman, Mark Clattenburg and Gordon Smart to talk football, Fulham and the strange journey from indie gigs to Major League Baseball punditry.
Felix explains how a sober American tour turned him into a baseball obsessive, while Clattenburg shares what it was like refereeing Brazil in front of 100,000 fans at the MCG. Ian delivers a brilliant assessment of Marco Silva, describing him as a “moaner” whose attitude somehow works perfectly at Fulham but might not elsewhere.
The conversation moves through the quirks of Craven Cottage, the romance of the FA Cup, and why lower-league football feels more authentic than the Premier League. There’s a natter about whether any Premier League side could win a World Cup, and a revealing look at Gareth Southgate, England’s mentality and the curious difference between football and cricket fandom.
Whistleblowers | Football From The Inside Out
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Producer: Henry Williams
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Researcher: William Colledge
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Video Editor: Luke Shelley
Content Editor: Joseph Palmer
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
Social Handles:
X: @blowerspod
Instagram: whistleblowerspod
TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast
Email: whistleblowers@dailymail.com
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week on Whistleblowers Bonus Ball, Gordon Smart, Ian Ladyman, and Mark Clattenburg tackle one of football’s longest-running debates - should the 3pm blackout finally be scrapped?
The lads dive into the tug-of-war between tradition and modernisation: Ian defends the blackout as football’s last line of defence for live match culture, while Mark argues it’s outdated in an age of streaming, global fans, and shrinking attention spans.
Then, Clattenburg opens up on the game that nearly broke him - the infamous Merseyside Derby where two red cards, a missed penalty, and years of abuse shaped his career. He also relives the chaos of The Battle of the Bridge, how he lost control, and why that night still gives him chills.
Whistleblowers | Football From The Inside Out
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Producer: Henry Williams
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Researcher: William Colledge
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Video Editor: Luke Shelley
Content Editor: Joseph Palmer
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
Social Handles:
X: @blowerspod
Instagram: whistleblowerspod
TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast
Email: whistleblowers@dailymail.com
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome back to Whistleblowers!
From Russell Martin’s disastrous spell at Rangers - complete with self-help quotes, swimming sessions, and a police escort - to John Stones’ brutally honest admission that he almost retired, the lads dive deep into the state of modern football and what it really takes to survive it.
Mark opens up about the mental toll of refereeing, revealing how online abuse once left him silent for days, while Ian explores how clubs like Brentford are leading a quiet revolution in mental health support for players.
Elsewhere, the trio debate Stephen Gerrard’s shock confession that he hated playing for England, swap stories about Fergie time, exploding spray cans, and why Guinness in Dublin really does taste better.
Whistleblowers | Football From The Inside Out
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Producer: Henry Williams
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Researcher: William Colledge
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Video Editor: Luke Shelley
Content Editor: Joseph Palmer
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
Social Handles:
X: @blowerspod
Instagram: whistleblowerspod
TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast
Email: whistleblowers@dailymail.com
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week on Whistleblowers, Gordon Smart, Ian Ladyman, and Mark Clattenburg tackle the Premier League’s never-ending managerial merry-go-round - from Nuno and Potter to West Ham’s revolving door.
They debate data vs emotion in modern football, discuss empathy in refereeing, and reflect on the human side of journalism. Ian opens up about interviewing Gary Speed’s widow, while Gordon shares a powerful story from Amy Winehouse’s funeral - exploring how to balance truth, compassion, and responsibility in the job.
Whistleblowers | Football From The Inside Out
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Producer: Henry Williams
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Researcher: William Colledge
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Video Editor: Luke Shelley
Content Editor: Joseph Palmer
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
Social Handles:
X: @blowerspod
Instagram: whistleblowerspod
TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast
Email: whistleblowers@dailymail.com
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this week’s episode of Whistleblowers, the lads dive into the chaos of Premier League refereeing as Mark Clattenburg unloads on VAR after Newcastle’s defeat to Arsenal.
Gordon Smart relives one of the wildest nights of his life in Edinburgh’s Presidential Suite (spoiler: Winston Churchill’s table was never the same again).
AND debate Sunderland’s remarkable transformation from Netflix despair to Premier League surprise package, and take aim at Manchester United’s decade of disastrous signings.
Whistleblowers | Football From The Inside Out
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Producer: Henry Williams
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Researcher: William Colledge
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Video Editor: Rowan Jacobs
Content Editor: Joseph Palmer
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
Social Handles:
X: @blowerspod
Instagram: whistleblowerspod
TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast
Email: whistleblowers@dailymail.com
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome back to Whistleblowers!
From whether modern “cookie-cutter” stadiums have killed atmosphere, to why Tottenham’s new ground might be the exception, the lads debate which grounds really deliver and which leave you cold. Mark reveals what it’s like refereeing at Arsenal and Bayern Munich, while Ian tells us what it’s like reporting from Goodison Park behind those infamous pillars.
Also, Gordon shares the outrageous tale of 200 naked Scotland fans in Hyde Park squaring up to the police and reveals the brutal put-down Phil Foden got after his Gazza haircut.
Whistleblowers | Football From The Inside Out
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Producer: Henry Williams
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Researcher: William Colledge
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Video Editor: Rowan Jacobs
Content Editor: Joseph Palmer
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
Social Handles:
X: @blowerspod
Instagram: whistleblowerspod
TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast
Email: whistleblowers@dailymail.com
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week on Whistleblowers, Gordon Smart, Ian Ladyman and Mark Clattenburg are joined by Man City superfan Steven McInerney. From Pep Guardiola’s lowest-ever possession stat to Rodri’s fading legs, Kusunov’s redemption and Donnarumma’s arrival, Steven breaks down City’s huge transition.
Elsewhere, the panel debate Arsenal’s invisible striker, the “shirt off” yellow card rule, and Mark reveals how Jose Mourinho used to text him before matches. Plus: the Etihad atmosphere under the spotlight, boardroom moves at Arsenal, and Clattenburg’s explosive boot-throwing story.
Whistleblowers | Football From The Inside Out
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Producer: Henry Williams
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Researcher: William Colledge
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Video Editor: Rowan Jacobs
Content Editor: Joseph Palmer
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
Social Handles:
X: @blowerspod
Instagram: whistleblowerspod
TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast
Email: whistleblowers@dailymail.com
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week on Whistleblowers, Gordon Smart and Mark Clattenburg are joined by veteran Sun journalist Andy Dillon, who lifts the lid on 26 years of wild football stories. From Chelsea players microwaving their boots and Graham Potter making his team perform Swan Lake, to Russell Martin’s Loch Lomond dip after a Rangers defeat.
Andy also relives his biggest scoops - from Edu’s fake passport scandal to Wayne Rooney’s metatarsal miracle before the 2006 World Cup - and shares the tabloid headlines that made history (and sometimes made managers furious). Plus: stag do chaos, paparazzi hiding in bushes, and the legendary tale of the parasailing donkey.
Whistleblowers | Football From The Inside Out
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Producer: Henry Williams
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Researcher: William Colledge
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Video Editor: Luke Shelley
Content Editor: Joseph Palmer
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
Social Handles:
X: @blowerspod
Instagram: whistleblowerspod
TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast
Email: whistleblowers@dailymail.com
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week on Whistleblowers, Gordon Smart is joined by Mark Clattenburg and, in a change to our usual programming, the man who asked Ian Ladyman to be his best man, Andy Dillon, takes the reigns.
From newsroom chaos and Gordon’s surreal dinner with Pele to unforgettable nights at Upton Park and the reality of West Ham’s London Stadium.
There’s discussion on Chelsea and whether Graham Potter’s time at Stamford Bridge has left lasting scars, plus a look at what fans really expect from their clubs.
Later, David Bentley and Graham Stack drop in with tales from their careers and reveal how ex-pros are stepping into the boxing ring to raise money for charity.
Whistleblowers | Football From The Inside Out
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Andy Dillon
Featuring: David Bentley and Graham Stack
Producer: Henry Williams
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Researcher: William Colledge
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Video Editor: Luke Shelley
Content Editor: Joseph Palmer
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
Social Handles:
X: @blowerspod
Instagram: whistleblowerspod
TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast
Email: whistleblowers@dailymail.com
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week on Whistleblowers, Gordon Smart, Ian Ladyman, and Mark Clattenburg kick off by discussing ideas to reform Scottish football and analyse whether relegation playoffs would impact the Premier League.
Clattenburg discusses his darkest period as an official when he was accused of racism by Chelsea - a story that shook the game and nearly ended his career. The lads also tackle American owners’ attitudes to relegation, forgotten fans in league reform, and Ian shares a personal grudge story about David Moyes that still lingers today.
Whistleblowers | Football From The Inside Out
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Producer: Henry Williams
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Researcher: William Colledge
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Video Editor: Luke Shelley
Content Editor: Joseph Palmer
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
Social Handles:
X: @blowerspod
Instagram: whistleblowerspod
TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast
Email: whistleblowers@dailymail.com
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nottingham Forest in chaos. Nuno’s sacking, agent power, and Ange Postecoglou’s bold arrival under Evangelos Maranakis.
Then we discuss as Ryan Giggs is once again missing from the Hall of Fame. Should off-field allegations keep one of the Premier League’s finest ever out?
Before Scarlett Douglas joins the panel to talk Arsenal’s frustrations, Arteta’s future and how American fans live and breathe the Premier League - from tailgates to Messi in Miami.
Whistleblowers | Football From The Inside Out
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Producer: Henry Williams
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Researcher: William Colledge
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Video Editor: Luke Shelley
Content Editor: Joseph Palmer
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
Social Handles:
X: @blowerspod
Instagram: whistleblowerspod
TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast
Email: whistleblowers@dailymail.com
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week Gordon Smart, Ian Ladyman and Mark Clattenburg dig into the state of modern football fandom, asking why supporters are leaving games early and whether TV kick-off times and rising prices are pushing genuine fans away.
Alongside the debate, the stories take centre stage. Clattenburg recalls the day a Rob Lee goal left him covered in filth (literally poo) at St James’ Park, and the unforgettable moment Craig Bellamy grabbed his balls after a red card. Ian Ladyman opens up about the article that ended his friendship with David Platt and the heated player confrontations that come with his reporting.
The trio also share their first memories of walking into a stadium, the magic of seeing the pitch, and what makes football culture so unique.
Whistleblowers | Football From The Inside Out
Hosts: Gordon Smart, Mark Clattenburg and Ian Ladyman
Producer: Henry Williams
Executive Producer: Jamie East
Researcher: William Colledge
Booker: Ashley Whitt
Video Editor: Luke Shelley
Content Editor: Joseph Palmer
Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini
Social Handles:
X: @blowerspod
Instagram: whistleblowerspod
TikTok: whistleblowerspodcast
Email: whistleblowers@dailymail.com
A Daily Mail Podcast. Seriously Popular.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.