Chesterfield comedian enlists Premier League footballing legends Danny Wilson and Brian Deane for new podcast When Football Began Again

Carl Jones, who lives in Wingerworth, has enlisted ex-players, managers, super fans and fellow comedians for his project which “takes a nostalgic look at the Premiership era”. Guests lined up to appear include former Spireites boss Danny Wilson discussing his time with Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday as well as former Sheffield United striker Brian Deane talking about scoring the Premier League’s first ever goal for the Blades.

Self-confessed football addict Carl describes his podcast, When Football Began Again, which launches today (Monday) as pub chat about favourite memories with a few daft games and features thrown in.

He said: “I can chat or write about football all day. To do so with some of the funniest comedians on the circuit and the players and managers who were there is a real thrill and I hope people listening at home get the same enjoyment too. To hear Brian Deane describe that famous header or listen to Danny Wilson discuss what went through his mind when Paulo Di Canio pushed the referee to the floor - it’s a fascinating insight into the minds of top level professionals. We also have lots of laughs along the way as well, of course.

"I was fortunate enough to meet Danny Wilson through my work with Ashgate Hospice where he is a patron and got in touch from there, “ said Carl. “With Brian Deane, it was polite perseverance! A friendly email explaining the concept of the show has been enough so far and hopefully that will continue to bear fruit!

Comedians on episode one include Marvyn Dickinson, Alex Hylton and James Cook. Upcoming episodes will see Francis Jenking, Tony Cowards, Harvey Hawkins and Masai Graham adding their wit to the proceedings.

Carl, 37, said: “Episode one covers the Premier League’s debut season where it all began - again - but while the show’s main theme is the top flight, there’s plenty for football fans in general to enjoy. We delve deeper than just the Premier League and go back further than 1992, but the overarching theme of all of the episodes recorded so far is the passion that guests have for the beautiful game and the nostalgia that comes flooding back.

"I have always loved football from a young age. While my early years were spent on the terraces at Saltergate, I still remember filling my Panini sticker albums with the Premiership stars of the 90s. To have the opportunity to chat about some of those memories with my childhood heroes is a dream come true.

"Episode two has the Barnsley Bard Ian McMillan on who was a regular on Yorkshire TV for me growing up so it was a thrill to chat with him and he was a delight."

Carl’s new podcast, for which he has recorded 12 episodes, has been a journey of discovery. He said: “As it is entirely self-produced, I have been learning audio and video editing on the fly so the process has taken about four months.”

The podcast is the latest in a number of football-themed projects from Carl, who performs at comedy clubs all over the UK and has written for a number of shows across the BBC including The News Quiz. In 2020, he released his first book Be In That Number about Tottenham Hotspur supporters’ clubs around the world and he followed that with Winless, a season-long review following High Peak non-league side New Mills.

Carl first hit the comedy circuit in 2011 after winning the Nottingham Comedy Festival Best Newcomer. He’s gone on to reach the BBC New Comedy Award heats and the latter stages of numerous national new act competitions.

His gift for making people laugh was first recognised when he was a schoolboy living in Wingerworth. He said: “I was playing football aged about 8 or 9 when a dinner lady came to fetch me. A girl in our class had fallen over and scraped her knee and she wanted me to make her laugh to cheer her up.”

Carl is a part-time Trusts Fundraiser for the national charity YHA. He previously worked as a fundraising manager at Ashgate Hospice for three years, managing the events and community teams through the pandemic.

When Football Began Again is available to download on all podcast platforms now via https://podfollow.com/when-football-began-again or across social media and YouTube for video clips and highlights.