Football Daily - 72+ EFL Awards special

Episode Date: April 21, 2026

Aaron Paul & Jobi McAnuff speak to the EFL Award winners. From Frank Lampard to Michael Skubala, they catch up with players of the season, managers of the season, and players from the EFL teams of season! Plus former Coventry striker Clinton Morrison joins in the fun. Messages and voicenotes always welcome on WhatsApp to 08000 289 369.00:45 Stockport’s Ollie Norwood (L1 TOTS) 03:10 Clinton on Coventry’s promotion 07:40 MK’s Callum Paterson (L2 TOTS) 11:30 Bromley’s Andy Woodman (L2 MOTS) 14:30 Leyton Orient’s Dom Ballard (L1 POTS) 17:30 Lincoln’s Sonny Bradley (L1 TOTS) 24:40 Millwall’s Femi Azeez & Tristan Crama (CH TOTS) 32:40 Swindon’s Aaron Drinan (L2 POTS) 34:30 Coventry’s Frank Lampard (CH MOTS) 41:20 Bromley’s Omar Sowunmi (L2 TOTS) 42:50 Lincoln’s Michael Skubala (L1 MOTS) 51:00 Coventry’s Matt Grimes (CH TOTS) 58:10 Coventry owner Doug King5 Live / BBC Sounds commentaries: Sat 1200 Brighton & Hove v Man City in WSL on Sports Extra, Sat 1500 Wolves v Spurs in Premier League, Sat 1500 West Ham v Everton on Sports Extra, Sat 1715 Man City v Southampton in FA Cup semi-final on Sports Extra, Sat 1730 Arsenal v Newcastle in Premier League, Sun 1200 Everton vs Chelsea in WSL, Sun 1500 Chelsea v Leeds in FA Cup semi-final, Sun 1530 Arsenal v Lyon in UWCL on Sports Extra.

72 plus the EFL podcast with Aaron Paul and Joby McEnough. Welcome to 72 plus the home of the EFL from Five Live Sport with me, Aaron Paul and him over there. Joby McEnough and this one, Joelle, coming from the world famous Grovenor House Park Lane Mayfair for a star-studded evening of EFL celebration. Welcome to the EFL Awards. Yeah, unbelievable night. always a special one in the calendar. I think particularly at this stage of the season, still so much up for grab.

So looking forward to seeing who nabs a few of the awards and also whether people think they are deserving. Here we go, it's straight in. You need to get Olli Norwood. What a season he's had. Olly Norwood, potential for another promotion this year? Yeah, potentially, but we're making hard work of it, but it's good fun, isn't it?

Can the knees do it in the championship? Yeah, they've been very good, yeah. They're holding up all right, yeah. Yeah, 35 last week. Still trying. So it's all good fun. Boys, he's looking dapper, isn't he? He's looking flying.

He looks a minute. He looks how he plays, actually. Just running rings around people, picking passes out, left right and centre. He can play till he's 40. The guy's a player, by the way. I'd love to have played with him. I hope so my wife keeps telling me you're playing as long as you can. So that's the main thing.

She keeps saying, you're not coming home and being under my feet. So keep playing. Do you know what I think about him? He's got a football brain. He's got a brain. That's all that you need. Well, it's that. Plus what you do really well at this age, and I went till 39.

Clint, what were you when you finished? 35, he's still going to go past Clint. Get the legs around you, Ollie. That's what you need. You need people around you. We've got a lot of young lans now. You need to do my running, but then he keeps putting Ozzy in midfield. I'm like, Ozzy's 32.

He can't run like anymore, so he just needs. Need legs. I let the players play. Let the runners run. He's a player, by the way. I appreciate that. Thank you. It's always good to see, Ollie.

I enjoy night. Thank you. First in, early. doors, Olly Norwood. It's going to be a night like that. As people come, we'll catch them. Again, a little bit of a chat. See where we go with the night, but again, always going to be a top top one.

Now, this is the thing. People may find it strange, but our position is located on the main thoroughfare down to the toilets here at Grove and House, which means it's easy to grab people. They're either in a rush or they're just sashaying gently out of the conveniences and that's the best time. We'll find out how much of a rush

are in if they don't stop and talk to us Or actually, whether they actually like us or not, because on this occasion, there's no hiding, is there, Clint? No, there's definitely no hiding. But he looked at me and he wanted to come over. Oh, because you're here. Yeah, yeah, but I can't be here all night. But I'm going to help you and try and get as much players as we can. Everyone wants to be my mate.

At six foot something each, we could probably block most people's route through. So, Joby, yeah. You're looking at me. You said six foot something each. But you've got the pace. You're the pace of the operations. I've still got the half of yards. I think I could keep out of volley,

at this age. You still have much better football enemy. No, Job is cricket in him. But I think I can, yeah. If anyone escapes, let me know and I'll go and get after him. Straight off, Clinton, looking absolutely dapper, mate.

First up, Coventry City, your beloved Coventry City promotes you back to the Premier League 25 long years away. Yeah, yeah, it's been brilliant. What an achievement from Frank Lampard and a group of players. And to be fair, a few Coventry fans

questioned where Mark Robbins left as well. But Frank done a terrific job. What I must say, though, is Coventry wouldn't be where they are are if it wasn't for Mark Robbins. What he's done through that club over the years. And I heard Frank Lampard allude to that when I heard Jobbe talking to him.

So let me tell you, it's a terrific job and everyone at that club deserves it. They've had some hard times. Now the good times are here. I've got to say, like, it was an absolute privilege to actually be up there. And when you have a club like Coventry, which is a huge football club, you know better than most,

having spent some time there, Clint. But I think the generation, and we're talking a generation of people, 25 years, may not quite grasp. They were in the top flight for 34 consecutive seasons, and they've been out for a very, very long time. And you can feel the emotion in the crowd. I compared it a little bit to Forrest when they got themselves back up.

Obviously, that was at Wembley, but there was 7,000 packing out that backstand at Ewall Park the other night. It was magnificent to be there. In the manner that they did it in, late goal, Bobby Thomas pops up. Fantastic story. Have to shout out Doug King as well. Absolutely. We cover so many stories of bad owners.

people who have don't care to the football club. And when Mark Robbins left the football club, people were after him. He did the press conference. I remember sitting, watching it from afar going, this is either going to go horribly wrong or horribly right, and it's gone horribly right. They've got their home back.

Yes. Well, again, it's been incremental, and I think that's one of things I've liked. It's not just come in the door, and we're going to throw as much money as we can without a plan. It's been really, really good in terms of a strategy, step by step, recruitment is exactly the same. Grimes comes in,

to the puzzle. They've gone and done it again with Vanyaa, the stadium, the lift that gave the club and the city. It just feels like a club. Everyone is united. So big credit to him. He's been a big part of that. Do you know what, Clinton, one of the loveliest things and social media is a really rough place is the stories. All week you've been reading the stories, the people talking about, well, I used to go to X, Y, Z game with my mum, with my dad, with my grandparents, with my cousins, my brothers, my sisters. And we haven't felt together in so long. And it feels like a club that. has been through a rough time.

They've been low. You know, emotionally very low for a long time. And it feels like they're united and you use that word. They're a football club that's together. And that's such a big thing. And we've seen it before. With Forrest, the fans were together.

Everyone was together. Everyone was together with Luton when they won up. Everyone's together. The force that you need is not just on the pitch. It's everyone singing off the same imcheek, a club that feels united, a club that feels together to get yourself ready for the Premier League. Yeah, you're right.

You're spot on. The fans have been, they've suffered a lot. Even when I played with it for two years, club weren't in the best position. It was always a struggle. They were close to selling their training ground, and now obviously... That's because I had you and your wages, I think, would it?

Yeah, I didn't want to say that, but to be fair, these things happen. That's why I'm so glad they're in the Premier League. And they deserve it. They've been fantastic. Everyone says, sometimes people say, you win the title, sometimes you're lucky. They've not been lucky.

They're the best team in the league, and they've far really deserve it. And even Frank, he said it many of times. They had a blip through the season, but Joby alluded to it. I think the signing of Yaka, outstanding because Grimes is a fantastic footballer played with Matty but the one thing

he don't really do is cover the pitch so if you get someone behind him he can do his running like we just said with Norwood and he can play Grimes I thought yeah he's been fantastic this season but it's collectively as a group they've been outstanding and you know one thing I'd say probably Rodon who's probably been their best player

the last season he's had a lot of injuries Rodoney. Sorry not Rodon Rodoni who's been outstanding and this season he hasn't hit the heights really and they've still gone on and won it. That's how good they've been this season. I'll tell you what, he's bang on.

It's Clinton Morrison. Do you know what else is bang on? The point on them shoes, Joby. Look at them. They are a throwback. Is that a Cuban hill? That's not a Cuban hill. No, no.

Is this football? Is this talking about my clothes? No, no. We do a bit of passion as well. This is part of it. And actually, this is a shame that this is just an audio production because we need the HD just to check their fit out, the shoes.

He's coming. I'm trying to get the curls like Jobie. I need to die like Clinton. Let me live. Hey man, me too, pal. Me too. You can't beat a bit ahead there, you know. I can't believe it.

Clint Morrison. I just put out in myself here. Enjoy your night. Thank you for talking to us. Keep up the good job you two are doing, man. Hey, lots of love. Now, Joby's got a league two striker on his hand. It's the M.K. Ford.

Callum Patterson. Callum, thank you very much for joining us. See a little award in hand here. Just talk us through what it is. Yeah, it's a team of the team of. season, absolutely delighted. First time I've ever been nominated for a award like that and to win the team of season it's a massive achievement. I've missed a few games for injury this year so it's a bit slightly

disappointing, not as many goals I would have wanted but delighted to be involved. Well you say first time ever nominated for it and probably goes back to it was a big decision for you at your stage of your career and obviously somebody's played at a lot higher level before. What was that thought process going through there and obviously you must be pleased with with Harris Panned out standing here tonight with a little bit of work to do but you know good season. Yeah, of course, yeah. I was sitting in summer out of contract. You know, I wanted to stay at Sheffield Wednesday. It was, I didn't want to leave my first daughter,

had just been born in Sheffield. It was like a sort of family thing. I didn't really want to leave. And I met Paul, the guy for Costa. I just come from David Lloyd, done a bit of my own preseason sort of thing. He met him at Costa, and he basically just convinced me, you know, that it was the right option, the right choice. And I thought, you know what? Let's just do it and see what happens. And I thoroughly enjoyed my time. And then my second daughter was born in Milton Keynes. So it's been good. Callum, in an era where people talk about footballers being sanitised and everything has to be perfect and, you know, sort of like built for social media, you're a bit of a throwback, aren't you? And it's actually, it makes you more of a joy to watch.

Yeah, a bit of centric if that's what you want to call it. I'm a bit different. I'm not the typical footballer. I like my fishing. I like to go fishing whenever I've got some time to myself. And, yeah, keep myself to myself and on the park, I play a bit different than the standard football. you can say, you know, I'm quite out there and quite handsy, and I enjoy just different sizes of the game to other people.

Is that part of it, the hausory, if you like, that winding people up? I'd imagine you probably talk to a lot of people on the pitch. Yeah, of people talk to me as well, so I like to give it back, but I've always said it, whenever I've been asked, I'm not the most talented,

to be the best player in the world, do you know what I mean? I just work hard, and I just enjoy playing football. It's a way I was brought up by my mum and dad, and, yeah, work hard and see what happens. In terms of this squad, obviously start of the season, we look at what people have got at their disposal,

and you look at the investment that's gone into it. Obviously, you're a part of that. But that brings a different type of pressure and expectation. How well do you think as a squad you have dealt with that? And again, how big a part as a manager played in that in terms of handling that expectation and given his successes as well and promotions? Yeah, yeah. He put together a really successful bunch of individuals that, you know,

were meant to work well as a team. I mean, we set a goal out at the start of the year to win the league to get promoted. Hopefully the promotion is in the bag. We have a couple of games left, and I think we need a point to get up. So it's not where we wanted to be. We want to be top. But fair play to Bronwyn, they've been outstanding this year. There's nothing we could, well, there is something we could do to catch them.

But we've left ourselves a bit of a uphill climb. Two games left and we'll see what we can do. Promotion clearly was the priority at the start of the season. And almost however that comes, you take that, right? Yeah, of course. Promotion was always the aim. That was the main aim. and then obviously the side quest was to win the league

and we're still in with us out but we'll give her all the last two games and see what happens. Callum, enjoy talking to you. Thank you for joining us. Appreciate it. Thanks very much for having me guys, thank you. Callan Patterson there, Jobes, and I'll tell you what, plenty more guests to join us throughout the night.

You're off downstairs to enjoy the poshosh. I think we're getting some sandwiches or they're going to throw a love of bread or something at us over there. I'll see if I can dig out any spare plates. Bring us your scraps. I will do. Producer Jack will be waiting. I think you've got a lunchbox of someone that Jackie's brought with him.

So, yeah, Jack will wait for the lunchbox. We'll wait somewhere around him. We'll lurk around for you. But Joe, it's catching a bit. 72 plus the EFL podcast with Aaron Paul and Joby McEnough. Straight in there, straight off the bat. As the awards have finished, we have managed to bag ourselves, friend of the programme, 72 plus co-hosts, and now League 2 manager of the season.

Promotion winner, Andy Woodman. Someday for you, Freddie's made his Liverpool debut in the Derby and won. It's not been a bad day, is it? I mean, won a derby match and we picked up a nice award. Go on then. Awards for manager of the year, we too. It's just nice to hear it from your mouth. I'm a little bit humble, but it's a really nice award to win for the work we've done. As far as weekends go in life, this must be very special because the party at Broomfields was quite wild last night, no?

I stayed away from it. I let the lads have the party and I stayed down the golf club. Woody, how do you push on now with this football club? I think we just got to keep sort of building on what we've put here and we know it's going to be tough and we make sure we bring the right culture and the right ingredients of players in with the money we've got available.

You made the decision to leave Arsenal. What a massive, massive gamble that was going to Bromley in the National League. Three years on, you're going to League One, pal, vindicated. Yeah, absolutely madness. And when I look back at it, even more madness. But like you say, we're in League One and five years in a job is not bad.

Woody, we love you. Thank you very much. We love you. We're so proud of you, mate. Thank you. We'll see you on 72 plus very, very soon. You invite me, I'll be there. Thanks, Mr. Paul.

Thank you. Andy Woodman, Brombley boss with us on 72 plus. And the job he's done, Job, look, to take a club out of national league, that's a national league club. It's not one of the clubs that's fallen out of the football league and has the football league infrastructure. This is a national league outfit who have come up.

They've done it organically. And so much respect has to go to them for that. Yeah, of course. And it's a, I think. a model that a lot of other clubs can look at and try and learn from if I'm going to be honest, Aaron, because like you've just said there, it's another one of those stories of the whole club being on the same page. It's about getting a manager who's got an identity, a style, getting players that buy into that, and then going out and executing. And listen, he's sitting here now

already promoted. I'm sure if you'd have offered him that, you know, being in with a shout towards the end of the season, he would have snapped your hands off. So to go and do what he's done in the time that he has and now being able to enjoy winning manager of the season and the last few weeks absolutely incredible. Jobes, it's like the old happy new year thing isn't it? How long after new year do you say happy new years to someone? How long do you celebrate a promotion for? And at what point do you go, yeah, we should start putting our plans into motion? But that is the one real bonus of getting a job done as early as they have because they can now really push that into overdrive and have an understanding of where they're going to be, of course, budgets and what players are going to be

available will be dictated by what league. They know. They're in League 1. So they can now go out, recruit the players that they need, and that will put them in a really good position for getting a good start to next year, because that's what's really about. Now, we're joined by very special forward. He's in the League 1 team of the season, is League 1 team of the season, his league 1 young player of the season, and his League 1's player of the season. It's Orient's Dom Ballard. Dom, thank you very much for joining us. that I was very, very pleased to be able to hand out. Talk us through, not just one that you've got in your arms at the moment,

but you have done all season, another hat trick. How many is that now for the season? That would be the fourth, yeah. Brilliant. Huge congrats on it, an incredible season. Just talk us through how it's gone so well for you personally. Yeah, obviously I come off the back of two hard years. My first two years in professional football was hard,

but yeah, I mean, the gaff has been brilliant for me, the players around me. I've really settled in quick and that's allowed me to achieve this. And yeah, I've grabbed it by a scruff of the neck and I've really done what I've meant to do. Dom, I can't really relate to, you know, prolific spells of goals scoring. I was mainly a really useful centre-half, holding midfielder. I like it. Joby didn't really score goals at all throughout his career. Is it a case of once you hit one, you're like, yeah, I like the taste of this and it goes further and on and on and on?

Yeah, I think as a striker, there's that big moment. of like when you don't score goals, how do you bounce back and score others? So, yeah, I think this year has been a massive changing point to score goals and then be able to bounce back after three or four games. Well, Richie Willens has got a knack. You spoke about that up on the stage. In terms of goal scorer, as we saw what he did last season and other strikers that he's worked with, Charlie Kelman was prolific.

What is it about him as a coach that brings the best out of you as a striker? Is it the plays he gets around you? Is it work on your actual individual stuff with your run? and your movement because it's been an incredible, incredible breakout year for you in terms of goals. Yeah, I think there's obviously individual little tactical bits that he adjusts and makes me the player I am, but ultimately it's the confidence he brings to me, myself and also the team. So, yeah, when you play with that amount of confidence, you'll know, like when you play with that amount of confidence, it's easy enough to score goals to do this.

So, yeah, obviously, when you feel that way, it's easier. Is it hard to play with the pressure, with the eyes on you as well? you have scored goals with respect in the team that's struggling in League 1. Yeah, obviously it's been a tough year for us personally. But yeah, look, we've had moments where we've been really good and we've worked hard to try and find that consistency. We had a good little run and now we're on the, we've had a few tough games. But we're going to try and get back to where we were and take it into next season.

Brilliant, Dom. Well, thanks very much for joining us just to confirm. We've got the EFL young player, team of the season and the league. League one player of the season. Massive congrats. Triple award winning. Don, you, battle with us. Some young man that is.

Dom, congratulations. Now what we want to do is sort of like a baton relay. We've got another gentleman over here. Sonny, come round for us. What you want to do is go. Dom, just pass the baton over to Sonny's enjoying us now. Are you done, sir? That's a solid, do you know what?

The connection on that. All right, there is. Oh, there's a... The connection on that one though, you get that... You're not, it's great. What we're doing right now, just awards are just flowing.

Yeah, it's what we love. We're getting all the winners. Sonny Bradley. Thank you very much for joining us. Outstanding season for you and for Lincoln City. Tell us all about it. You're standing here. You've been promoted.

What's the feeling, been like? And how's the party going? Well, first of all, we've just witnessed the robbery. The cameraman was there. Go ahead, expand. It's a man. Honestly, right. We was looking at the camera.

I was thinking, the cameraman's going, that's who's going to win it. And I've seen the, not I'm talking about myself here, I've seen the cameraman come around and it was pointing at Jack Moyland. And I'm looking at Jack going, I think you've won it. I think you've won it. And next minute, you said Dom's name and it was like, ah, he hadn't won it. But now, look, going back to us, we've been like prolific all season now.

You know, it's 26 games. Which is incredible. I mean, for someone who's played in the EFL, I mean, over half a season unbeaten. He's ridiculous. You know what League 1's like. Difficult. You can go to Stephenage Away, you can have a tear up.

You go to Bolton away, Cardiff away, and you're getting a runaround for what? You don't see the ball for 70% of the time. So for us to achieve what we've achieved so far, it's brilliant. Like I've said, we've still got three games to go. I mentioned out on stage, and I don't think many people got it. I was talking about a record of Luton,

28 games would be in League 1. I mentioned there might have been some good players in it. It was a reference to myself who've joke about it. I don't think many people got it, Yeah, look, we've had a fantastic season so far and the manager, rightly so, gets his award, which we fully expected. But yeah, look, two more things to do.

Sonny, sonny, awards are great. Awards are great. But genuinely, I think football league fans right now will sit there and go, man, Sonny Bradley's back. What an animal you are on the pitch. It genuinely fills me with joy to look at you guys because you're like the dad's army of the football league.

You've got that blend of experience. You've got some young players in there as well. But to see you happy and playing football again and being that animal of a centre half is what makes a lot of people happy. I know it makes me happy as well. No, no, look, I appreciate that. And I think there's a lot of people in Lincoln

who probably feel the same way. And, look, 18 months ago, I was at a Derby team in League 1 and we had our relative success. We had our promotion, which we expected. But I didn't play as many games as I wanted to. And, yeah, I think a few people doubted me. And I came into this season thinking, look, I believe I'm the best centre half in the league.

Every time I go out there, I'm going to show it. And when you've got that mentality, you have to go out there and prove it. And so far, I think I've done that the season. Just in terms of coming back to maybe not an individual winning the player of the year, do you think that actually is a testament to what a team effort it's been for Lincoln City and the fact that the level of performance over the whole squad's been so high for so much of the season? And maybe one or two of those individual performance have gone on. under the radar a little bit.

Oh, 100%. I mean, when we saw, when we seen who got nominated and who was coming here tonight, I couldn't believe Adam Reach, won't you? I couldn't believe, let's just say, Colin McRandals, I was sent him in midfielder. He'll probably go on and get player of the year at Lincoln and he's not here today.

And like you say, that's testament to what we are as a group, who we are as a team. And yeah, look, we're here, sort of representing them as well. And so he's the manager and then boys will be delighted for us still. What does it mean for you though to be a championship player once

again because let me tell you, I see that person stood right there. Look at the smile on her face. Yeah, yeah. Now, look how proud of, you know, she is right now. Yeah, yeah. And man, like, when you think of the absolute rollercoaster. I remember when you had injured at Luton. Yeah, yeah.

Like, you, you weren't you. This is the Sonny Bradley that's back, man. It's great. You're an icon, pal. Yeah, yeah, I'm back, I'm back, but I'm also 35 in September. So, listen, all right, let's see how far I can push it. I've got five promotions so far. I've done it.

League 2, League 1, Championship. And who knows next. season I mean I feel like your people are not laughing at Lincoln a little bit but you see how Lincoln might be playing top them and all this and I respectfully I hope people come up against us and underestimate us because knowing what we do is one thing trying to beat us as you know as football is somewhat completely different so look next season for a lot of championship clubs I think since Sobancel or proves to be a difficult place to go well I think absolutely next year some people are going to get a surprise when they rock up come get it at Lincoln City

It's going to be a tough, tough game. But honestly, it's great to see you with a smile on your face. The amount of minutes, games that you've churned out. One for the experience, boys. Absolutely. So, well done. You're going. So, where's chairman taking you?

Vegas. Yeah, so, all right, 10 guys got it done. 10 guys got it done. We were on a call. I don't know if he told you, but he came on one of the shows recently. And we did ask him. And it's one of those things people probably don't see when you are the captain or one of the senior players. That's the most important negotiation.

So I'm glad he's got it over the line. Oh, he's got an awful arm. Can we just, can we just bring your misses in? Sonny's getting to Vegas for the boys. Does he got a visa from you? He has, yeah. What's your like seeing a smile on his face now? It's amazing.

It's been the best season. So he's come home happy every day, which is good for us. That's a lot. He has. He has. It's what we love to see. Sonny, congratulations once again. Thank you so much.

The brilliant Sonny Bradley with us on 72 Plus, the home of the AFL from Five Livesport. That's what it's about, man. It's about family. It's about football. It's about love. It's about passion, man. And you know what, as?

I think I was up at Friday, and Frank Lampard was incredibly emotional after the game. You can see the smiles beaming. And sometimes I think it goes under the radar, the pressure that's involved at top level football, you know, and sometimes you get into those ruts when you're not enjoying it. And that's where a lot of the time you're seeing these dips in forms,

you know, what Michael Skobar has done with that group of players It's been absolutely phenomenal, well-deserved, great, great story. He's talking about 35 years old. Joe, he could go to least 40, man. I just think that if you have had a setback in your career with an injury, and I'm looking at something like a Byron Webster, someone who's 3940, he's about to call time on his career, you can still do it in the right team, in the right set,

with the right manager that will make sure you're looked after properly. That's exactly the point. And understanding the strengths, I think so many people look at ages of weakness, whereas actually that experience, what he's done for the players around him, and having those other players, Tendai Deriqua with him,

he's spoken about Connemarrandals. You know, they're so important with that youth, that enthusiasm, to have that little bit of a blend. And clearly, Michael Skobala's got the absolute best out of Sonny Bradley, and it's been a brilliant, brilliant story. We're on the hunt for faces.

I'll tell you what the most difficult part of the EFL Awards is. We've got two here. I've just seen two. Come on. Come on, boys. Here we come. We're only dealing with winners tonight. How are we? How are we? Very pleased to say we have been joined by two of Millwall's very, very finest.

Obviously a lot of work to be done still between now and the end of the season, but a massive congratulations, Femmy Aziz, Tristan Kramer, both in the team of the year for the championship. How are you feeling, Femmy? I'm buzzing. It's been a journey to get here. And obviously to be in the room with all of these legends of the game and obviously these amazing players is humbling for sure. And Tristan, talk us through your season so far. Still a little bit of work to do as I've spoken about before.

But we had a conversation recently, maybe felt as though it could be going away, but you're right in the mix back for that top two spot now. How he's feeling? Yeah, obviously, I've been enjoying every minute so far. I mean, these trophies will be like a cherry on the top because it's good to have something for us. But I mean, it's been a season like, a lot of up and down, but

like we say, like three weeks ago when I see you. So like, yeah, we don't go away, we stay up there. And we three games ago, we still up there. So there's so much to play for now. Just before we get into the next question, we're just having to look. I mean, there could be a shout for the next James Bond.

I mean... He's a very handsome man. Tuxedo. Femmy, you are as well, man, but look at him. Look at him. He's probably got a little bit of height that I haven't quite got. Femi, you're probably a little bit better than me on that front. But absolutely look in a million.

I love it, I love it. He could do anything he wants this boy. For me, Millwall Football Club, they've always had people that like to cite. Players that like to excite. They haven't had many of them in individual teams, but you certainly have brought so much excitement this year. What's it like playing under Alex Neal? What's it like being the star boy of that team? What's it like playing at the Den? Playing at the Den is an experience for sure.

I think everyone who's played there will know. when you go out the 20,000, 23,000 people shouting mill. Does it take a bit of getting used to when you first go to the football club in terms of the expectation and the demand at Millwall football? Yeah, I guess. You know, when you go to Millwall, there's always expectation to obviously work your hardest and I guess put 100, 10% in for the badge all times. But I think Millwall is a family club and they're taking us obviously me and Tristan as well really well.

And it's a pleasure to play in front of them. You use the word family there, and that's a really interesting word to use because people say it's a family club and they look at the work that the club does in the community and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But it's actually a family. If you are on side, they will look after you like their family,

they'll protect you like their family. And it's a strange thing because there's a book by Michael Calvin called Family. I urge anyone who starts that football club to read that book. It will teach you about what that club means to the people. And the fans get what they get. But man, if they back you, if they love you,

there's nothing like it. club like no other. Exactly. You know, they say that and they say it for a reason, you know, stepping out on the pitch, even the, was it the game on Saturday, you know, you could feel the presence, you can feel the energy and the, the urgent of the fans, you know, they really get behind you and it's a privilege to play there. And like I said, I try to put 10% in every time I play there and, yeah. And Trishon, again, maybe some fans getting carried away. One man I know who wouldn't be is Alex Neal. How big a job has he got just in terms of, know, keeping everybody in the right frame of mind,

what's his messaging at this time of the season, just to make sure that you give yourselves the best chance because I look at the fixtures and the running, I can say I'm not in that football club. I feel like you can go and get seven to nine points, which I think would put you in the midst come the end of the season. To with just tell us to enjoy it.

That's what he said before the last game as well, to enjoy it because you never know when that opportunity we come, if you come back again one day, you never know. That doesn't come often, so he said, enjoyed the moment and yeah basically when we lose to don't get too low but when we win don't get too high as well and I think that's what we did like along the season like we never went too too high even when we were in the top two never went too low and we lose like a few

game in the bounds and yeah obviously that's what he did and I want to say yeah he's been a massive part of why we are now because I think since he joined last year in January and I think it's only Coventry won more game than us so yeah he did an amazing job since the joint. Justin, London is my town. I love it. How have you taken to life in South East London? Because it's an interesting place.

Yeah, I like London, yeah. No, no, no. Not London. I like South East London. Yeah, I think, yeah, I like it. They're very proud of themselves as well, so I like it. Have you tried jelly deals yet? I was going to say, we went on a bit of a shoot.

We didn't quite get the Jenny deals. Luckily, they were sold out because I was not looking forward to eating them. No, man. I don't know about it. Yeah. It's a no from Femi. It's a no from me. It's a no from me.

Listen, to be fair, he was going to try, but we did the Paya Masha, didn't we? We did a pie a match, yeah. But I don't know why it's not, so I would have to try it, yeah. Do you know the Millwall songs? Which one? Do you know the Millwarks? Which one? Do you know the Monks chart?

Can you sing it? No, you don't need to sing it. It's just the noise. The noise. Do you know the noise? Go on do it, come on. Which one? Me?

Yeah, I know this one. Just want to finish off with one. Because obviously, this right side connection. I know you can play and you have played centre half, but you two down that right side. So one each, what's the best thing about playing with Femmy Aziz? Well, one thing, no, it's quality. Quality?

Yeah. Best thing about playing with Tristan Prama? He's just an unreal defender. Okay. And what's the worst thing? He overtakes me too much sometimes. Tristan, the worst thing about playing with Femmy? Somali, one track back.

Ah, typical. This is like the Winger's Union, mate. I did enjoy playing with him on the right side. We did a good job. Obviously, three games to go, so yeah, keep pushing. I was glad you can ask him about if he knows the word to let him all come down to the den, but, you know. Yeah, yeah, obviously.

It's a good song, yeah. Yeah, yeah. That's the song we go when we walk into the pitch. Yeah, big tune, no? Yeah, big tune, yeah, love it. Do you want to give it a go? The cameras there? No, I'm here.

Come on, Tristan. I'll sing it. I'll start you. It's too late for that. Tristan. Let them home, let him come. Let him come. There are all come down to the

Dan. Right, on that note, there you go. You can say cut down there. Yeah, cut down there. Just a crumber. You absolutely legend. Hey, Femioziz, what a man. What a man.

What a pair of starboys, absolutely legend. Thank you. Two quality additions to the middle school. And do you know what? A real signal of where this football club is going. Again, people talk about it and they say, oh, look, Millwell popped up out of nowhere. No.

Steve Gallen, James Berrelson, James obviously with the emotional connection of wanting to, you know, push his father's legacy, Steve with the foresight to go, right, this is how we're going to trade players and you pop up with them. They're bargains. And look, whether they get there or not, they will sell them the big dough. And in this climate, when you see clubs like less the hemorrhage of your money, that's massive. Yeah, absolutely. You know, a massive shout to the recruitment team.

But it's also about giving them an environment to go in and thrive. And Femi definitely has done that. And obviously, Tristan's been a revelation. Here's. Lives on BBC Sounds. Smash straight back down. All by ball coverage of the biggest competitions on the domestic and international circuits. It's a fourth cricket and it's the huge one.

Cricket on five live sport. Oh, I'm living every ball of this. Listen on BBC Sounds. 72 plus the EFL podcast with Aaron Paul and Joby McEnuff. Do you smoke goals? I smell goals. I smell goals. I smell goals.

There's goals everywhere, mate. Goals everywhere. Who's joined us, Jobes? Aaron Drinnon. Are we going to drining or drining? Because I've never known with this. Yeah, why don't I hear another? So now we're going to get it from the horse's mouth.

Drining. Drining. Right, there we go. Here he is. How are we? Good mate yourself? Yeah, very well. Congratulations, first.

Appreciate it, nice one. Mate, there's some good forwards out there. Yeah. You have been miles ahead and you're absolutely fantastic. It's great to have you with us. Firstly, your thoughts on the award and receiving that, receiving the adulation of your people. peers and your colleagues?

Nerve-wrecking walking up there, to be honest. Harder than going out on a Saturday after it. It's crazy, isn't it? 10 times harder. 10 times harder. But yeah, not really pleased. It's been a really good year. Wanted against some good players. So, yeah, I'm really happy.

And in terms of between now and the end of the season, a lot to play for, what's to feel, what's the mood? What's the aim now between now and the end of the season? Currently, probably a bit disappointed with the lead we threw away at the weekend. We've probably left ourselves in a difficult spot which now we're probably looking at the playoffs but it's not guaranteed yet Hey there's nothing like winning at Wembley

so they say so they say So yeah now we listen we have we've played the two teams below us So yeah we'll crack on and hopefully we can crack on in the playoffs yeah Aaron last one from us Ian Holloway I mean what was it like to work for him it feels like he's got his mojo back Absolutely crazy. As I said on stage, there's different story every day. Probably some I can't go into detail, but he's been brilliant with me, showing me a lot of confidence and yeah, can't thank him enough.

Congratulations again, the brilliant Arantana, Swindon. Thank you. My word, that is a sweaty part. I'm not even going to shake Frank Lampard. I tell what, do you want to pass the bat on to the Coventry City boss, Frank Lampa? I'll spudger because it was a very sweaty part on that. Congratulations. What a weekend for yourself.

What a season it's been for yourself. Coventry City isn't even a season. It's 18, 20 months and a culmination of hardware. But the biggest thing I got from listening to you on Friday night, which genuinely was one of the most emotional interviews I've ever heard, is the fact you said you've fallen in love. And that's such a big thing. Congratulations.

No, well, thank you. I've got emotional in a moment for sure. I think sometime when you work so hard for something, and this is not everyone, all the managers down here are working hard for a lot of stuff. But when you manage to achieve it, you think about the players that you work with and I've got a really good group of players. They're great lads. When you think about

our fan base and what they've gone through and it kind of dawned on me, that's what it was. Very proud and I think I can say that now, but it's that turned me on the night. It got me emotional. I think I just about held it together. Has it been more than a football job? Because again, you talk about what the fans have been through, 25 years

of real desolation. But it feels like your group, and yes, we have to Credit Mark Robbins like you rightfully did. But your group has really united this club and fused it together again. Yeah, I don't think it's more. I mean, when you go into a job in my part, you need stability and you need probably like clear lines of communication.

I speak to the owner, me and Doug have got a really good relationship. Dean Austin, who's head of recruitment, does so many things for me. We've got a great line. So things are quite easy at the football club in that sense. So that's been really good and really clean. The rest is the work. The rest is the work on the training ground with the players, and I've got a really good group of players.

So I don't want to make it feel like we've done a miracle and changed the world, but I know we've worked very hard and the boys have delivered on the pitch. So very, very happy with that. Frank, obviously, I was up there on Friday. And it was great. You talk about the emotion. It's so important because even someone who's achieved what you have at the very highest level, you know, I don't think sometimes people quite get, you know, what it takes to get to where you guys are this season

and the sacrifices you have to make and, you know, whether that's the family side of things, you know, tough decisions you have to make. throughout the season. So again, I think it's really important that people do see that. And I think that just emphasises the drive that is within you. And I can imagine the players, because there's a humility as well. You know, and I think as a player, having someone of your profile walk in there and actually have the humility to come in and say, listen, I want to go again, boys. You know, that must be so powerful for them. How much do you think you've been energized by them, they've been energized for you? Because you speak so highly about that drive within the group.

Yeah, I don't know. I mean, I'm lucky. My mum taught me humility and that's in me. So I would always be like that. My football career would always hold credibility. I get that. But at the same time, when you work with players, that last five minutes, you have to work and work well and communicate well with players, especially modern day players because they expect clear instruction,

but clear support and clear ideas. So I try and do that. And the rest of it really is me being trying to do that. And then when you get to the point where you get a good, good, you need good players, you need good lads, you need good groups. So there's so many, go back to us. You say that, Frank, and I'm not saying it wasn't a good group. Yeah.

But this isn't a story of a manager going in and going to a chairman, right, I need 10 new players because we're in 17. You've improved that group. You've got them to a level they hadn't been before. So that is coaching, that is management, getting more out of a group of players that was there already. So for me, that's a massive tick. Thank you for saying that, because that's what I believe we have done.

and I know because I work with Joe and Chris specifically who work with me. Joe's an amazing coach, tactical analysis, everything, and hands on with the players. Chris is the same. Like, we do have good background. And sometimes I never want to shout it from the rooftops because hopefully your work, you know, gives that. And maybe we're in a moment where I can say,

and thanks for asking the question on that point. But we've worked hard. And I think the proudest thing I am is that it sounds like a great story. And it's like, oh, yeah, we just like cheer the players on to go and have success this year. We didn't. We worked really hard on the training pitch and the moment we came in for preseason and the style that the boys have done it in has been, we've drawn the last three games and we're a bit

underwhelmed because we didn't score. We're nil nil nil 1-1. But these boys have absolutely dominated a lot of games this year with a personality and a way of playing that's been exciting for the fans exciting. Makes me happy to watch and I guess that's the juice that you get out of this job every day to try and work and see it on the pitch every weekend. Have you enjoyed it, Frank? It's a marathon

the championship but are you enjoying this? No, I am because when you win more games, you enjoy it. It's really simple because every defeat hits you probably like two times more than the wins hit you in a positive way if you know what I mean, because you hate losing football games. I've been lucky, we've been lucky that we win a lot of games. It gives you confidence as a manager and what you're trying to deliver and what you're trying to do all the time and the relationship with the players is better because I was a player. After a defeat, it's hard.

And make coming, what's the manager going to say? Is it being negative or whatever? So when you're winning games, the message is positive. And you go, OK, we've done great. Can we do better? And we've got on that role. Keep working, keeps in the right direction. And we've done something quite special.

Last one from us. I know there's a title on the line, whether it is to be, and it probably will be, or whether it's not. That city's waiting for one hell of a party, isn't it? No, it certainly is. But I don't want any sort of anticlimatic feel to it. I want us to go and take it.

And we know what it is now. We know what it is. We need to win a game of football. We've got three difficult games, as every game is, but the boys know what it is and we have to go for it. Frank, it's been a joy

watching your team. Good luck in the Premier League. Thank you. Thank you so much. Nice picture. Cheers. Cheers. Cheers, James very much.

Frank Lampark, Coventry City boss manager the season, probably title winner, promotion winner. Incredible. It's been some job, hasn't it, from Super Frank?

And I mean, genuinely they've been a joy to watch Jobes. They have. I just want to have a word about him. Someone who, in this line of work, you know, with so much going on,

but always so generous with his time. You know, he takes the time to come and speak to people. And, you know, I talk about the word humble because you can be the best player in the world. But that doesn't always translate to management or coaching. And players see through that. Yes, you might have won a Champions League, but are you going to get the best of me

now that I'm the one on the pitch trying to go and achieve my dreams? And clearly he's managed to strike that balance brilliantly. and they've just been by far and away the best team in the championship Super Frank Lampard there with us on Five Live 72 plus hopefully gonna be chatting some more

Should we grab, Omar? Omar, could we grab a word of Five Live for four small please? Omar, sure on me of Bromley. How you doing? How are you, big man? I'm good, thank you. Thank you very much.

Promoted what was last night at Broomfield's like? It was good. It was a good evening. Only good. Is that all you're giving us? Only good. Is that all you're giving us? It was a great evening. Enjoying it with the fans.

Yeah, it was good. Very good. What's the spirit of this group being about? I think the spirit of the group is what we're about. The team that we have, the staff that we have, the chairman, you know, we're one big unit. And I think that shows in how we play, the results that we've got. And I think any team, or manager building any team, that's, I think, one of the main things that you should focus on. for me personally is team morale and the players that you get and how they want.

Have you managed to start looking ahead yet? I know this season not even finished, but to go up and test yourself and play against some of League One's finest next year, must be licking your lips at that possibility. Listen, I'm very excited. Very excited. I've played professional football in League 2 now for 10 years, I think, 11 years. Never played in League 1.

So I'm excited for the challenge. The players that are in League 1, see how we do yeah fantastic there you go that's it oh my painless my man thank you

appreciate it look off appreciate it the brilliant owaish shaman thank you very much all the best jobs man I mean it must be scary if you're standing next one

mate when that ball's coming in the box I'm telling you now I am not marking him that's all I say because he's a big lad holy mackle holy mackle he's a big man he's got Michael Scabala

coming out how you doing Lincoln City boss Michael Scabala look at that here we go hang on hang on trophy on yet put that down you got the hardware with hello how you do you okay very well good nice to be you Michael scabala Lincoln City boss firstly congratulations what an achievement from your side

are we allowed to call you scoops because everyone seems to and I feel like yeah you know each other yeah no that's what all the well not the lads they call me gaffa but most of my friends and other coaches know me as scoops over the years so yes you can call me scoops that's fine talk to me about this group talk to me about this season and the way you've built this this this team that It feels like an old Volvo. I drive a Volvo. It well, hey, do you know what? Thinking man's car.

It's a thinking person's car. But it feels like one because you've got everything there, the characteristics. And people might say, yeah, a bit older, is it? But no, it still runs. It still runs beautifully as well. And it gets the job done. Yeah, I think like some people have called it machine-like. You know, there have been a well-oiled machine that are just every week.

Are they the people that have been run over by that machine? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, we've run up now. I think it's, but you're right, like, loads of hard work, loads of mentality, lots of really hard work on the grass, some good leaders that we brought into the club that you've seen tonight in Sunny, Ritchie,

Tendai, Derikwa, you know, unbelievable players. And then a group of players that have a desire to keep working and getting better every day, and then when you couple that with some great coaches and staff behind the scenes, and probably a really understanding club and board, knowing its level and alignment throughout it.

And I know it might sound a bit corny, but it's so important to have that structure. I know it's important. It's absolutely true. But we're sitting here now, manager of the season for League 1, thoroughly deserved, promotion already guaranteed.

Did you even dare to dream with all the alignment and everyone on the same page that you could go and do what you did to this extent this season? I think there's a belief that you can go and get promoted. I think to dream the way we've done it

is unbelievable. I think that you'll next. ever dream. I think there's a belief that we could get in the playoffs. A couple of seasons ago we went 16 on beating and set people said you couldn't beat that and be a record. So you always have to have a belief that you can maybe, you know, do well outperform, getting the playoffs. But the way we've done it in terms of, you know, I think is it 25, 26 now that we've been and beating 20 wins in that. You can't dream of that. And credit to the players because they have to have the mentality to go again Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday. It's such a difficult

division. And I think what garners even more respect and you've got, infinite amounts of it already is the fact that you've done it organically and you've done it on a budget where football has been absolutely ransacked by cash. And you look at League One, the budgets and what people are being paid and people talking about needing a reset. You guys have proved it can be done. Yeah, I think so. You've got to give credit to Jess George, the recruitment department because, you know,

looking for those, you know, Adam Reach, for example, who's been, what a player, Adam Reach is. And, you know, you might think he would not be able to perform at this level. but we brought him in in the summer, and he's still hungry to keep doing well, like the other lads. But what a player. So, you know, and then my job is if you like to put the group together and make them work as a unit and a machine on the pitch.

But it's all incumbent of all the hard work. Michael, obviously being in this line of work, I know how intense it can be. I know there's always the next thing to focus on and worry about. Have you allowed yourself any time just to take stock of what you have achieved yet, Or is it a matter of, well, we've got a massive challenge next season. We need to crack on with that.

Well, not yet. We've had a moment of enjoyment after Reading that you would have seen, which was great. And then we've got back down to business because the lads want to go the next thing. And the next thing is to try and get an extra point and get the title done. You know, we're so close to that. And again, you say, would you dream of winning it? No, it wouldn't have. So we want to try and get that job done.

We've got a record that the lads want to hit, which is, I think, 29 on beating, which will be the historical record in League 1. We're now three away from that. And then when that finishes, I think we'll have a little bit of a breederness, celebration. But you're right, then football starts again, doesn't it? And, yeah, arrest and then we go again. How do you attack the championship? Again, talk about money, talk about cash, potentially Tottenham Hotspur away next season.

That's a song, isn't it? I mean, Tottenham, Wolves, Burnley, anyone who doesn't come up, it's going to be hard. Do you just look at it and go, hey, let's go and have some fun? Yeah, I think we, you know, I always think about this, like my job is to, playing a way that allows the team to perform and find a way that can make this group of players perform at the level we're playing at. You know, I had to learn a lot about League One.

It's a tough league, it's a physical league. I'm gonna have to learn very quickly and how we need to play, but in some ways we just need to be us. Because, you know, when you're gone in such a good in beat and run, we think at home is such a great place, a hard place to come, so we're quite excited by teams having to come to the Sinsel Bank

and try and take points of us. And the other thing is, you know, the work effort, we run hard. You know, I don't think there's any, any substitution for running hard, and this team's got that in abundance. Hey, you've had the roof painted now. People aren't going to like come in there down the back. They need to give it a second coat, though.

That's what I've seen. It does need a bit of a second coat. But it's more than just promotion. It's looking at the infrastructure, the improvements to the ground. You didn't have a training ground. Well, Lincoln City didn't have a training ground 10 years ago. Mad. Absolutely madness.

And I remember when things changed. I think it was Lewis Montsmall was the first signing of the year when it was like, right, Lincoln City, are going in a different direction. And a lot of people had to leave the club and they were angry. Believe me, I've got DMs.

But it's all been vindicated and you look at Clive Nature has to make some hard decisions. He's made them. But man, Lincoln City are going to the championship. You know what? I think the best thing I can take from this

and actually I talk about Lincoln City is a model. People might think the lack of budget comparative to some other teams is a weakness but I'd look at the Aveway and say, that's been your strength.

Yeah. And I go back to my time at Redding, probably similarly at the time, mid-table-ish, in terms of budget-wise, but we all knew that as players. We all knew where we were. And we knew that we were going to have to go above

and beyond some of the other clubs that probably were paying a lot more money and maybe some so-called better players. Yeah. And that we really did use that. That's fuel, isn't it? Yeah, yeah. What you've done to drive you on this.

100%. That could, we can use that as fuel, you know? Because like any player doesn't want to be undermined by a certain thing and when when players and the information is so much out there I think I'd use it as a driving fuel we've used it as a driving fuel to say why not why not who can who can put a ceiling on this group of players it's not for me to do that it's not for the other clubs to do that let's just be ourselves and see what happens and so after this conversation we call you scobs now

ha ha ha ha ha ha go on now I'll let you do that he's so cool you gaffer or you're gaffee that's good me gaffir right it should always be gaffir in my book 100% and gaffir well done congratulations Michael what a C go win the league now what a season Michael Scabala the brilliant Michael Scabala on 72 plus the home of the NFL from five live sport what's the best car you've ever owned jokes oh funny story actually I've got in a little bit if it's not funny you're getting no no I was very kind of you know steady Eddie as probably people would expect I was at Watford and I decided to go and get a Porsche and I remember I driving in one day and Adie Bufreid, who wasn't really won for Flash Things,

sort of comes on, who's got that new blooming Porsche out there? So I've sort of, do I own up to this one or not? And in the end, I've had to say, yeah, it's Mind Gaffer. Fair to say, I didn't play an awful lot of football after that. Really? That was kind of, I think, from his point of view, maybe me thinking I've gone a little bit above my station. So went to Redding, got rid of the Porsche,

and we kicked on from there. Now a player who will be letting go of from the NFL this summer is championship team of the season midfielder. It's Coventry's Matt Grimes. Thank you. What are you saying? We're letting him go with our blessing, is that what you're saying? Yeah. Mate, he's done his ship.

He's more than done his ship. He's covered mileage. We talked to Michael Scabala being an old vulva. You're naked, mate. You're a fiesta. You're done. The lads are going to love it when he's seen it. No, no, it's been the incredible season.

It's been brilliant. And yeah, it's season now next year we're looking forward to. And ask what it's like going from a dressing room at Swansea where there's a lot of things going on off the field and there's a lot of pondering as to what the direction of the club is and maybe can we regain the identity of once upon a time to a club at Coventry where it's like, right, this is what we're doing, this is the plan, this is where we're going,

you're a key part of it. What's it like? Yeah, well, that's what sold me on Coventry, to be honest. I've said in interviews before that it was the ambition of the club, the direction the owner wanted to take it in, obviously the Gaffer. So yeah, it's been a long journey for Coventry, but I'm just so pleased I could be a part of getting them to the Premier League. You touched on the Gaffer there.

We had Frank on earlier, and again, I think we've all been around the game long enough. These players that have had unbelievable careers at the top, top level, it doesn't always translate over to. I think when they first come in, you have that bit of all. It's a Frank Lampard. or what makes him so good as a coach, as a manager, to get the best out of you and obviously the rest of the group that has clearly he has done?

Yeah, well, first and foremost, he's an unbelievable manager. He's incredible. Him, Jonah and Joe, worked so well together. Their level of detail is excellent. But he's just such a good person as well. When he talks before a game, you want to run through brick walls for him, and you just want to do so well for them. And obviously, the influence he has on the group.

and how he is around us day to day. He's a serial winner, so he's not letting us off the hook. We're just getting promoted. He wants the title. So, yeah, we're looking, obviously, just to get that done now as soon as we can. Well, obviously, title's first priority, but then obviously after that, it's all about the Premier League. No, it's not. It's about the holiday.

Where are you going? He's not switched off yet. He was wondering whether he's going to come and do this because he needs to get back up to get trading tomorrow. I think that's one of our sort of features we should do on the show at the end of the season. Find out anyone who's won promotion or done something. Certainly on all right. Find out where they're going. Well, so you can stalk him in trying to do more interviews.

So I can just lurk with a microphone in between a sudden. I'm sure the lines are like that. Just to understand where people want to go. Well, I think Dubai's kind of been written off this year. That's obviously where most would go in the summer. A lot of Cubs feeling Vegas at the moment. Yeah, that has been the shout, but like I say, we want to win the title first, and then we'll think about that kind of stuff.

Okay, now back to the football. Go on. Forget the holiday stuff. It's been a long wait to get back, test yourself at the very highest level. How much you're looking forward to do that in what is very much your team? Because it can be difficult sometimes where you're not a mainstay, but actually knowing that you're going to be going up there, you're going to be playing,

and you've got an opportunity to go and test yourself where we all want to be. Sometimes you feel like you might not get there. I missed a few boats along the way. So just that from your own personal perspective. And this is the excitement of going to play against some of these players and in these stadiums. Yeah, well, I've said for many, many years that I've always wanted to crack at it. I felt like, not that I deserved to crack it, but I wanted to test myself at that level. I had a small taste of it when I was 19 when I first moved to Swansea.

but I want a good go at it and to see where my level compares to those boys at the top so yeah like I say it's been a journey it's been one that I've really enjoyed so yeah I need to hopefully give a good account myself in the program next year where you're most looking forward to playing next year I've actually not giving it too much short

the thing I'm actually really looking forward to first is fixture release date yeah that's obviously going to be a big one this year to see who we got when first game of the season also be massive so yeah I'm looking forward to that first Matt Grimes you are a winner congratulations really appreciate you you speaking to us

on 72 plus enjoy the promotion celebrations hopefully there'll be a title but there should be a title by me come on and let me know when you put the holiday so me and Joe can I get his bikini line done

brilliant thank you very much thank you very much thank you thank you Morrison back with us. Probably to cap off. I was going to say, must signal the end of,

the home of the effort from Fireblice Sport. And it's been a lovely evening, Jokes here, down of the Grovener, at Part Lane. Do you know what my favourite bit is, though,

watching Clinton Morrison fan himself with the programme. He's still going now? He's over... Clinton, what's going on with your calling system? It's hot in Aggies. Is that why,

though, because I'm going to let everyone into a little secret. Obviously, all of our listeners will hear Clinton all over BBC Five Live and everywhere else that he pops up. He's a man who seemed to find a way to work eight days a week.

So anyway, for somebody who does talk as much as him, in a good way. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's all loving. We have a job to do tonight when we're handing out awards, and we've literally got a piece of card that tells us exactly what to say and how to say it. I've never seen anyone get so nervous about reading a sentence, but I don't know what it is, Clint, because I was exactly the same. See, you're nervous. You get up there, and it's like...

You know what? I can do the radio, speak in front of millions. I can do it on the TV speaking front of millions. You can't because you're not older than my car. Yeah, I know. I'm not used to this, mate. You're a good presenter, you and Joby. I'm bang average. But I'm coming to you one day.

But no, what I'm going to say is you get nervous. That's the most nervous I've ever been. I can score goals, I can talk on TV, but I'm nervous. And I'm still hot now. And Aaron decided he wanted to take a video with me as well. The best bit of me fanning myself all night. The best bit of the night was filming Clinton for a minute, and he sat there,

and he's got his back to what's actually going on. And they're giving out an award, and someone's giving a speech, and he sat there, and he's just nodding along. And I'm like, you're not even looking. I don't need to. I'm back to play. Eyes in the back of your head.

You should know that. I'll tell you what, in terms of back to play and not just saying it because he's here, one of the best centre forwards to be able to just round the corner, bang, backs in, holds it up, breathing back into play.

Yeah, yeah. Because that's how we played. Literally. Very good winger, assisting me of loads of goals and scored loads of goals. Well, funny enough, I put up a picture of us to me and I said, look, how many goals will we get?

And Katie's message and said 30 goals and assist the season from you, I reckon. I love that. Doug King, the Coventry owner, just walking past it. Legend, Doug. Oh, if you want to try and, can we try and grab Doug King for an interview with Clinton Morrison? How are you, Doug? Congratulations. Thank you.

Doug King, the Coventry City owner. I'll tell you it again. Seeing and speaking to you on a very regular basis. Congratulations. What a weekend, Doug? Yeah, what a weekend? Ended tonight, didn't it? EFL Awards. Frank rightly recognized for a great year. Amazing achievement. Get out there with

no parachute. Now we've just got to win the title and go on with it. You've had to make some really tough decisions over your time and a lot of people and social media is a funny place because a lot of people have been very vocal about those decisions. And I'm not saying you're going to sit there and go, yeah, you know, I feel vindicated or I'm vindicated for making them. But right now, you must be so proud of what you have been through as well as the Yeah, yeah, I think so. I mean, I was looking back at 18 months ago when we did the Mark Robbins sort of change. And I think it's fair to say that 99.9% didn't like that.

And Mark Robbins did an amazing job. I'm not taking that away. We just felt things weren't quite working and we had to make a change at that moment to take us maybe to where we wanted to go. And I guess here we are and we've made the right call and we didn't know that would happen, but it had to be made because things weren't working. On that note, I suppose that is a part of your job that is probably the toughest having to make those decisions. And I think sometimes fans don't quite understand.

You're going through the same emotions and thought process as everybody else because of what he'd done for the football club. But like you say, fully vindicated. I spoke to you on the night. I spoke to you actually on Saturday morning as well. And to have that moment with the fans because a lot of what you do is behind the scenes. and sometimes people might not understand the rationale behind things, but for you to be able to share that with the Coventry City fans, how important was that for you?

You know, I think the fans, they didn't enjoy that decision at all. I explained it. I think after I explained it, they sort of went, okay, I understand what went on, we'll see, and they've seen, and they've seen what's gone on at Coventry, and the ground being purchased, what we've done to the infrastructure, how we built this amazing squad to get where we've got to. So actually when I go to the ground, their fans are amazing to me.

And they really are. They come in, they think, wow, I can't believe what you did. You know, we're incredible. So I feel that from there. Obviously, on the pitch with the fellas, da-da-da. I wasn't expecting that. I mean, it was their moment. Obviously came down to tour to you guys and then it all got a bit silly.

It must be nice for you to share that. I mean, these moments, again, I've been fortunate enough to have a couple of promotions. And, you know, they're few and far between, unless you are a Manchester City or, you know, one of those top top clubs. So actually, the fact you were out there with them, you were on the pitch. I know you weren't too happy with your celebration. You've been working on that?

Yeah, that was a poor one. I'm not looking at that again. I hear it's like a meme or something, which is horrible to have to be repeated in my eyes. But, look, the players, we talk. I mean, I do talk to players quite a lot. You know, we do contract stuff and transfer stuff and contract discussions and how and what I'm thinking.

And I try and be open to them. I don't want to, look, there's a fine line between, you know, an owner, let's say, and a head coach, and I don't want to overstep because that's a very difficult job. And if it's blurred, I don't want to get in that way. But I think they understand the transparency is important. They know they've got a line to me. They can talk to me. They call me Doug.

They don't call me whatever they call me. They know, yeah, they know I own the club, right? But it doesn't matter. We are together and we're trying to do the best we can do to get it done. And I think they probably appreciate that. So it was lovely in a way that I wasn't expected, and it felt quite intimate and quite special. Doug, what was harder?

Was it harder, you know, pushing the football side? And obviously, you know, we talk about Mark Robbins and look at the job he done at the football club. Incredible. It felt like it not stole, but you wanted to kick on to the next level and you made that decision. Was it harder pushing the football side or the actual bringing everyone together side,

making Coventry a happy place again, side? I think Coventry was a pretty happy, place in a way because they'd had the attritional period where they were all together against, you know, us against the world feel. I wanted to change that feeling that, look, we don't always have to fight. We would have to be better. We have to get better people in and we have to do a better job and better players and we need to sort of forget all this, you know, fighting against everybody. There is a bit of that commentary. If things are going to go wrong, isn't going to work, I feel that in the city and I feel I want to change that a bit. Come on, here we

are we've done it now where we're going next that mentality is what I'm trying to change and I think we're getting there with that now they're sort of realizing they don't have to always think about the bad times and how bad they went everywhere and it was rubbish forget it it's done it's over it's now it's over draw a line we go again mr chairman I'm gonna call you mr chairman because I believe no but I always respect my chairmen's like that and obviously you've done a brilliant job I was at Coventry many years ago for two seasons so I've seen the clubs suffer a lot What I want to say is the players take all the credit and Frank takes the credit. I'm going to give you

big credit because at a time, a pivotal time during the season, you back the manager so congratulations. I think you've done a brilliant job. I appreciate that. The Clinton and Morrison seal of approval. I was actually going to say having bought the CBS, when are we going to see the Clinton Morrison stand? No, I wasn't that good. I wasn't that good. No,

they can have the done stand? And if you do, can you make sure his middle names included? If it's got anything to do with it, probably in about 20 seconds. He knows me too well. As long as, as a Clinton Hubert Morrison's dad. Doug, congratulations. Enjoy the Premier League.

Enjoy the Premier League. Hopefully catch you for a party very, very soon. Coventry City owner Doug King with us on Five Live, 72, plus the Clinton Morrison end? Hey, I'd love that. Let's give me a statue, don't give me an end? A statue. What would you take? Wesley, would you take the Clinton Morrison suite?

Clinton Morrison kiosk? No kiosk. I've got them at Palace. I want a statue at Paul. It's funny you say that. I had a friend of mine in at late in Orient the other day. And you've got players, I've got stands, they got statues, sent me a picture. And it was basically a pillar in the players lounge stroke bar with me with my face on a pillar, basically.

But that's good. That's the extent of my... On a stairwell. You're on the stairwell as well. So I've got stairwell pillar. I still working towards the statue. No, but I think that's good. What about your statue at AFC?

Because you're a legend there. So you tell me. So you tell you. You tell me every day when we text. No, what? We don't text every day. We don't. going to tell the people we don't text every day I don't tell you I'm a legend anyway he'll be

owning it one day don't worry he'll be owning the club in it's going to get a consortium together of course he is and he's going to be running a FC Wimbled you heard it here first I hope he makes me the manager then jovie mackenough will be contributing to that consortium no doubt with the absolute wealthies of mass during his media career spent it all on a Porsche mate um there you go from the fellow woods it's been nothing but a joy hasn't it jobs brilliant night as it always is they say great spirits we've had managers We've had owners. We've had players.

Literally everyone from the whole EFL world. And we have a special guest with us tonight. Clint and Morrison everybody. But you know what I like to say? And like you like everyone's listening. You lot do a brilliant job. Because sometimes I joke around and I be deadly serious. I listen all the time.

That's the double Clinton and Morrison's seal of approval. Yeah, this is me being deadly serious. I can be a joke about I'm serious. I think you lot do a brilliant job. And I said the people behind the scenes, keep up the good work. We love it. Lots of love.

That is it for this episode. of the Football Daily podcast. Make sure you head over to BBC Sound Search Football Daily. Hit subscribe. Get every single episode the moment it lands. As for us here on 72 Plus, the home of the Eiffel from Five Livesport from the Grovenhouse. We'll catch you next time.

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