Desperate times call for desperate measures, so please indulge this concept album of On The Ball episodes: a football podcast that doesn't talk about the football.

Frankly, what is going on away from the pitch at Norwich City is far more interesting right now anyway. So Steve Sanders, Maddie McKenzie, Dan Brigham and Zoe Morgan eschew more talk about better support for Josh Sargent, giving up goals and three at the back for a look ahead to Mark Attanasio's fleeting visit to Norwich and a chance to ask their own burning questions.

Those questions take in sporting directors going AWOL, an unsackable manager, recruiting ourselves in the foot, the world's most unpopular seating plan, and lobbing tennis balls. But with enough levity to make that 63 minutes fly by — honest!

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Just when Liam Manning thought it couldn't get worse ... it got worse! The On The Ball podcast reacts to his Norwich City team succumbing to a sixth(!) straight home defeat against his old club Bristol City, going down 1-0 at the weekend.

Steve Sanders, Dan Brigham and Zoe Morgan try and stay upbeat (with the words of Steve's uncle ringing in their ears), assess where the makings of this latest loss stemmed from, channel their inner Kenny with some pointing (fingers of blame, that is) and wonder just what is up with Jeffrey Schlupp.

Plus, a slightly posh Adam Drury joins as the ChatGPT Get Banged mystery hots up, Mexican half-time obstacle courses, and Dan appoints a new overlord after being let down by the current bloke.

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We hate to be the ones to break it to you, but Norwich City's long, long, 16-year unbeaten run against Ipswich Town is finally over after the Canaries lost 3-1 at Portman Road on Sunday.

Ryan Livermore, Dan Brigham and Steve Sanders don't have too much time to dwell on another dispiriting performance though, when there are murmurs of sackings in the air. The On The Ball podcasters discuss where we go from here, and who of Ben Knapper, Liam Manning and the squad should carry the can.

Plus, a first-hand account of the announcement that 3,000 home fans are getting booted out of the River End, should referees be allowed to be hench, a thrilling conclusion to Ryan's football darts quiz, and mention of Nunez brings out the bleep machine...

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It wasn't fun and it wasn't pretty, but ultimately they did what they had to do. Not a description of this week's On The Ball podcast, but Norwich City's performance in their away point at Stoke.

Ryan Livermore, Steve Sanders and Connor Southwell try not to copy and paste the review of the Coventry game as they talk about another dogged 1-1 draw with an unconvincing performance, get stuck into the numbers that show we're up against more shots than in Saving Private Ryan, and ponder where Liam Manning goes from here.

Plus, there's a big game on Sunday that deserves our attention, the shiny new career of Sammy Clingan, and getting the final word on Connor's flavour phobia.

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As if it couldn't get much worse after Saturday? There's a new episode of On The Ball!

Ryan Livermore, Dan Brigham and Zoe Morgan are joined by Radio Norfolk's Chris Goreham to cathartically dissect one of Norwich City's more recent darker days, home not always being where the heart is, and can we really do it on a calm, autumnal afternoon in Stoke?

Liam Manning isn't the only one under pressure either, as Dan puts a "Gunn" to Chris' head in a commentary-themed this or that, before the crew brave the six-second challenge. What could possibly go wrong?!

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Can you have a party when you’ve conceded a 95th minute equaliser and only had one shot on target? No matter; On The Ball is taking some of the good vibes out of a hectic and unusual 1-1 draw at Coventry.

Ryan Livermore, Dan Brigham, Zoe Morgan and Steve Sanders talk about the balance between defensive heroics and sheer luck, wasting time on time wasting, Darling’s dither, and celebrating your own own-goal.

Plus, it’s Neil Adams and vending machines in Episode 4 of ChatGPT Get Banged, looking ahead to the Hollywood circus on Saturday, the true meaning behind Blue’s biggest hits, Captain Canary exploits, a connections quiz, and the age-old question: do birds have nipples? (Answer: of course not, you idiot.)

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The On The Ball Podcast went all Sky Sports News for one episode only, reacting live to the closing of the window — with the main news being that a man contracted to Norwich City remained contracted to Norwich City.

But that didn’t stop Steve Sanders, Dan Brigham, Dave Powles and Zoe Morgan lauding Josh Sargent for committing to the club until January at least (and for being generally bloody brilliant), particularly in a week where Marcelino Nunez did the unthinkable and crossed the divide to Ipswich Town. The panel talk through their thoughts.

Oh yes, and there was Saturday’s game and more heroics from Big Vlad. Plus, the big question — what’s lower out of a snake and a rat? — as Gunn To The Head returns, Dan slams ‘the laziest player ever to play for Norwich’ as we assess more NCFC alumni, and favourite memories from (slightly less than) 90 years of Carrow Road, including a mystery carvery...

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Saturday saw a second straight home defeat to start 2025/26 for Norwich City, and the On The Ball podcast picks apart the good, the bad and the Jacob Wright challenge in their defeat at Carrow Road to Middlesborough.

In homage to City's new formation, a five-star panel of Ryan Livermore, Dan Brigham, Zoe Morgan, Conor Southwell and Steve Sanders try not to get too bogged down in systems, rue those shoddy five minutes before half-time, applaud the second-half endeavour and ask why this football team has spent the last few years making so many bloody errors.

Plus, Captain Cantwell on the horizon, the panel's choices on the best vendors to follow Lacons into the Lion & Castle, Stringer's recruited Holty and Wes to his investigation in episode 3 of 'Chat GPT Get Banged', and the pressure of the 'Wright Or Long' hotseat forces Conor to unveil a simply incredible revelation about his shins.

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And the Liam Manning era has lift off. After opening weekend had some podcasts (not this one, obviously...) worrying about Norwich City's prospects this season, a pair of 2-1 away wins at Watford and Portsmouth have got things back on the rails.

The On The Ball panel of host Ryan Livermore and guests Craig Draycott, Maddie McKenzie and Steve Sanders toast the hero of Fratton Park, Big Vlad, and wonder if pragmatism over idealism is the way forward. There's also some Nick Stanley redemption and a warm hello to Diallo.

Plus, a Norwich v Boro game without Jonny Howson, knock-knock run with Leroy Lita, the second coming of Tzolis, some less-than-classic names from Norwich City past in Ryan's quiz, and Maddie makes the ultimate call on the Panenka in the new feature/hit gameshow 'Wright Or Long'.

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After the pre-season excitement came the inevitable disappointment of the action. The On The Ball podcast takes a look back at a (familiar) Norwich City opening day defeat at home to Millwall that just about took on the dictionary definition of 'anticlimactic'.

Host Ryan Livermore and panellists Dan Brigham, Zoe Morgan and Steve Sanders pick out the positives (we're looking at you, Josh Sargent), remind everyone it's not time to panic/scrap the manager's system and philosophy just yet, run the rule over some of the new lads, and ask whether a different pre-season might have yielded a different result.

Plus, new feature 'Useful or Useless Mulumni' assesses the cult status of two of Norwich City's Class of 2021, there's a new half-time competition to get excited about, and on a scale of 'very to 'extremely', just how embarrassing is it to have a pop star in your squad? And it's Episode 2 of the mystery thriller everyone east of Swaffham is talking about: it's 'Chat GPT, Get Banged', and McNally's entered the building...

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New season! New manager! New players! New features! Same old podcasters banging on about Norwich City!

The On The Ball Norwich City podcast is back for the 2025/26 season. Host Ryan Livermore is joined by Steve Sanders, Zoe Morgan and Dan Brigham to look back at a big summer of change, assess the club's prospects under a new head coach (it's Liam Manning in case you've slept through the last couple of months), work out who on earth all these new players are, and bask in the usual positivity that greets a fresh season. Mainly though, we're here for the predictions, and it's predictions we deliver.

Plus, a brand-new feature that sees Grant Holt and Wes Hoolahan getting their sleuthing on to solve a Carrow Road crime, rating the new kits, (just about) remembering the time Steve Morison came on the show, and, as it's episode one-hundred-and-eiiightyyyy, we have a special darts quiz. Simply, everything is as packed in as a Topic bicep into a yellow-and-green shirt sleeve - the 2025/26 season starts here!

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You didn't think we'd leave this season unfinished did you? The On The Ball team convene for one final time this season to talk through a weird Norwich City season, taking in the Hoff's departure, the short rein of Wilshere, Knapper's gamble, departing players and the shape of the squad.

Host Ryan Livermore is joined by Dan Brigham, Zoe Morgan and Steve Sanders to formally announce the OTB Player of the Season (sponsored by Farming Simulator 25) , hand out their awards (Best Game, Worst Mistake, Best Rallying Call, Best Schadenfraude) and look back at the good, the bad and the 3-5 against Portsmouth of an up-and-down campaign.

Plus, there's time to go back over some patchy predictions (featuring Liam Gibbs), get singed by a hot potato in a new quiz from Ryan, and pitch a sponsorship offer to David Bentley. Thank you to all for another highly enjoyable season (we had fun anyway), see you in August to do it all over again!

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Sometimes the end of a Norwich City season is all about the football, sometimes it's about the madness off it.

This is definitely one of the latter, in a week that has seen the shock departure of the head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup (less shocking six days after the fact, but we're still not over it), the instalment of the baseball cap/cardigan-wearing Jack Wilshere in the interim, and the departure of three long serving players in Angus Gunn, Onel Hernandez and Jacob 'Lungi' Sorensen.

Host Ryan Livermore, Zoe Morgan and Steve Sanders reflect on the rights and the wrongs of the big decision, debate the legacies of departing stars, worry about the possibility of Daniel Farke having scurvy, and the latest bout of fully-seated comic acts to be performed at The Riverside.

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Zero points and eight conceded - that's probably not the Easter we all had in mind. Hot off the heels of a 1-3 defeat at Millwall, which itself came off pretty sharply after a 3-5 at home to Portsmouth, the On The Ball podcast dissects Norwich City's terrible slump in form.

Host Ryan Livermore, Craig Draycott and Steve Sanders chat youth v experience, set-piece woes, bad starts, and crosses, and what this all might mean for next season's chances.

Plus, rolling through who to keep and who to shift for next season, the players and managers who never represented Norwich City but should have, and adding items to the club shop.

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Is that it then? Well yeh, probably... Norwich City's play-off dream all but died on a sunny afternoon in Plymouth, as the Canaries lost 2-1 in a limp display at the Championship's bottom club on Saturday.

The On The Ball podcast, featuring a panel of host Ryan Livermore, Zoe Morgan and Steve Sanders analyse the Canaries' troubling return to old away game woes, fragile confidence, Kenny the sacrificial lamb, Sargent's two-touch beauty, and Norwich City's new Mr Wright.

Plus, community heroes, Onel gets nearer to needing a social media intervention, getting up close to a wedding proposal (in a Canary suit), whippets, and Ryan, Ed Sheeran and Ben Godfrey convene on the world's least enticing hill.

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The last couple of weeks haven't exactly gone as planned for Norwich City. But why review just one depressing result when you can pick the bones out of three!

That's what this week's On The Ball podcast - with Ryan Livermore in the host's chair alongside Dan Brigham and Steve Sanders - attempts to do and with the play-offs seemingly now a pipe dream for this season, the panel delve deep into the project: Is Hoffball better than the Wagner-vision? Is the short-term pain worth it for the long-term gain? And, of course, what do the numbers say?

Plus, The Brigham Rule and the slimline penalty areas, contract conundrums, Northampton Town spin-off podcasts, and you're guaranteed a top-tier podcast when you have a man literally listing off positions on the football pitch.

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Is there anything worse than conceding a last-minute equaliser? Conceding a last minute equaliser when you've failed to run the clock down and you're playing ten men? Yes, probably that. The On The Ball podcast team reflect on a painful finale in the 1-1 draw for Norwich City at Blackburn Rovers at the weekend.

Steve Sanders, Zoe Morgan and Ryan Livermore discuss the right time and the wrong time for Hoffball, feel sad for the short-lived joy of Crnac, and posit the theory that Angus Gunn wasn't Scottish enough to avoid punishment on Saturday.

Plus, VAR in the Championship rears its head, choosing between your three favourite children (Sainz, Sargent and Nunez) and one man's struggle to name anything that you might find in a washbag

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Josh Sargent keeps scoring on Saturdays so the On The Ball podcast is forced to keep saying nice things about him. This week it was his brace that helped see off Stoke City at Carrow Road, in a 4-2 win that keeps the Canaries in the play-off chase. But is all this not getting injured and playing football going to entice other clubs?

Steve Sanders, Dan Brigham and Zoe Morgan debate the Sargent ratio, pile the praise on our young full-backs (but are less complimentary about Stoke), and ask how many laws of physics Oscar Schwartau defied to put that chance over the bar.

Plus, birthday cakes with faces on them, how much respect should you show Lungi, goose noises, injured pigeons, more accidental shade thrown on the farming community, and the star-studded line-up at Pete Dye's 60th bash.

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Oh Jack, what have you done...? The On The Ball podcast reacts to an impressive groin stretch from Norwich City's full-back but a less than impressive penalty concession, which resulted in two points dropped in a 1-1 draw with Derby County at the weekend.

Once they'd got over that, the panel of Steve Sanders, Dan Brigham and Dave Powles got to task with praising Sargent (again), anticipating the return of Sainz, and grading the transfer window, and the Canaries' transparent out-with-the-old, in-with-the-young approach (including a new defensive midfielder!).

Plus, Vithushan Ehantharajah lauds Darren Eadie, smelly scarves, bleeding fingers, some unrecognisable Simon and Garfunkel, and the only person in the whole of Norfolk to spot Gary Doherty's pre-corner routine...

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And then, from nowhere, came five goals. Well, not quite nowhere - the return of Josh Sargent certainly helped. And the On The Ball podcast give a returning salute to the returning, saluting hero, who bagged the opening two goals in the 5-1 win over Swansea on Saturday.

Steve Sanders, Dan Brigham, Zoe Morgan and Ryan Livermore also take a moment to heap a bit of praise on some youngsters: Schwartau's swashbuckling display in midfield; Crnac's star role from the bench; Mahovo's assured debut; and Dobbin getting off the mark. The panel debate whether there's enough there, with all the returning players, for a play-off push after all.

Plus, big wins and big defeats from the past in Ryan's quiz, talking up Onel's testimonial, Sargent's 50/50 record, mascot battles, moobing it into the net, and big Norwich City personal news from one of the panel...

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