Football Daily - 72+ EFL Pod: Fearing for Leicester & WBA spa days

Episode Date: March 18, 2026

Aaron Paul, Jobi McAnuff & Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson discuss the top stories from the EFL. Is it advantage Ipswich in the automatic promotion race? Is relegation a realistic prospect for Leicester? Hear from Kieran McKenna, Gary Rowett, Neil Harris and Cambridge director of football Mark Bonner joins the pod LIVE with the League Two promotion race tightening up. Messages and voicenotes always welcome on WhatsApp to 08000 289 369.01:45 Best EFL ‘Juniors’, 03:25 Watford beat Wrexham as both chase play-offs, 05:55 Who is in play-off contention? 07:25 Cov and Boro drop points – advantage Ipswich? 10:10 Kieran McKenna on the pressure of the run-in, 11:10 Ipswich-Millwall preview, 13:15 Jobi goes for proper pie and mash, 15:10 Leicester in real relegation danger, 23:40 West Brom spa day does the trick, 28:35 Rotherham sack Hamshaw, 30:35 Mark Bonner joins the pod LIVE, 40:25 72PLUS 72MINUS.5 Live / BBC Sounds commentaries: Wed 1745 Barcelona v Newcastle, Wed 1900 Chelsea v Brighton in WSL on Sports Extra, Wed 2000 Liverpool v Galatasaray, Thu 2000 Aston Villa v Lille, Sat 1200 Man City v Spurs in WSL on Sports Extra, Sat 1500 Fulham v Burnley, Sat 1730 Everton v Chelsea, Sun 1415 Spurs v Nottingham Forest, Sun 1415 Aston Villa v West Ham on Sports Extra, Sun 1630 League Cup Final - Arsenal v Man City.

72 plus the EFL podcast with Aaron Paul and Joby McEnough. Hello everybody, welcome on to 72 plus the EFL pod from Five Livesport as ever this week. Joby McEnough with us and Jobes, there's been a big celebration this week in the Macanough household. There has indeed, my old man has turned the ripe old age of 90 years old. So, yeah, still going strong. plenty of good food and a little touch of Jamaican rum is the secret to long life and longevity. So yeah, plenty of celebrations. I've also had my mother-in-law's 75th over the weekend.

So a busy household, but a very wholesome and really enjoyable weekend. A lot of cake knocking around. Too much. I remember you sitting in the stand of a game with him actually has once. And I think he tried to convert him into being a Man United fan for the day. Is that right? Something like that. I've got a nice pick of him in a very dark.

but again he loves it he gets involved. I mean, he was disappointed when they wouldn't let me buy him a rum and coat to take him a stand or something like that. And so he's like, oh, I'll have a lemonade. I'll have an lemonade. Reluctantly, reluctantly, he had a lemonade. So happy birthday, Uncle John, 90 years old, from one John to another, the Wimbledon boss, Johnny Jackson with us on 72 plus the home of the EFL from Five Live Sport.

Good to have you with us. It's a shame it's after a defeat at Plow Lane last. night and it very much was a game of two halves. Yeah, it was. It was a mad game to be honest, but to be fair to orient, they come out second half and they changed it round and it felt like it could have finished five all, but they took the chances to come their way and we didn't, unfortunately. I mean, the boy in Ken looks like some player, don't he? Favorite junior to play in the EFL? Oh, gosh, that you just put that on me there. Favorite junior to put it playing the EFL. Junior Lewis.

Junior Lewis. Oh, that's Peter Taylor. Yeah, that's his son, won't he? Go on, go on. Give me a few. Spit a few out for me and I'll say yes on. Junior Hoylet? Yeah, that's not a bad shout. The best tweet I ever saw.

I mean, this is sort of like peak Twitter where you sit there and just like chuckle to yourself. When the junior hollet becomes senior hollet? His real name's David as well. I mean, I see him a fair amount. His little lads at the Redding Academy, actually. So our boys play against each other. you've got this new sort of next generation of little lads sort of trying to follow in the footsteps. So I actually see junior.

That's not a bad shout. Some spectacular goals he scored during his career. That's not a bad one. I can't fit of any others. Furpo. He was a proper EFL man. Lewis was a proper EFL man, wouldn't he? Yeah, yeah.

He just followed Peter Taylor everywhere. Do you know what we had Peter Taylor on a podcast a couple of years ago and I was like, why did you just sign Junior Lewis everywhere? He's a good lad to be fair, and he? I think as a gaffer, you want to know what you're going to get from players, don't you? Not just on the pitch, but in the dressing room. but yeah I think it's probably not as easy to get away of that anymore with all these sporting directors and recruitment analysts and all that. So why do we want to get him in?

Oh, he's a good lad. Not sure that washes anymore, does it? Junior Marius is the last one I'm going to come out with. It's got a piece and better ones. I'm going to have a finger on that. Let's see if we come back on. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So later on, we'll be joined by the Cambridge United Director for Burma Barna,

with the race of promotion in League 2 getting tighter and tied to bring the championship on Tuesday night. Watford beat Wrexham. Phil Parkinson said, sometimes you're not at your best, and for whatever reason, a few players' levels were below where they needed to be. It's frustrating, but I take a lot of heart with the way. The lads responded in the second half.

I thought we were excellent. Jobes, you were there Friday night, under the lights at the racecourse. They beat Swansea 2-0 in what's kind of a derby slash not a derby. What happened at Watford? Good, good question. And it was interesting, you say, about Friday. There was a lot of noise around the game.

Obviously, we had Robin and Ryan in attendance who were actually great, I've got to say, really, really good with their time. And, you know, a lot of distractions off the pitch. I think one of the greatest thing that Phil Parkinson's done this season has been able to try and control that and make sure there's no excuses and, you know, they can focus on the job, which they have done. They did look a little bit leggy at times,

and we spoke to Phil before the game, and he felt there was a little bit of a down sort of, shift in terms of just where the players were emotionally and physically off the back of what was a real tough week. And then they've got another game to go and follow up that. And sometimes you just get caught with probably a team that's got a little bit more energy than you, obviously, just switched off a couple of times, which isn't like Wrexham. So yeah, really disappointing one. You know, in terms of the playoff race, it was one of those results.

You feel they go and beat Watford. Maybe that's one more team that can't catch them. But it just makes sure that it stays nice and tight. Watford's still in the mix and Rexham got a bit of work to do still. Johnny, having won the playoffs last year and sort of, you know, experienced in different results in the final 10 games, how do you recover from a gut punch like that where you're going, your landing blows in some games and then you are taking a hit like that? Well, I think that's the nature of the championship for starters and Phil Parkinson will know

that's coming. He'll probably look to his squad and think about freshen it up. There'll be players there that are chomping at the bit for an opportunity. He's got a big squad to choose from. So he'll be looking at that with eight games to go and thinking, is this maybe the time after a tough schedule just to freshen it up? Give some lads that haven't had opportunities the chance, really. But it won't be wholesale changes. Look, they're in a great position.

Yeah, they've lost a couple of games in the last three, but before that they'd won three in a row. So I don't think it would be panic stations, but he will look at the table and know that Southampton are closing in. Derby are right there too. So I think perhaps going fresh with the lineups might be a way to go. Where are we capping off the teams in the run for the playoffs now and the championship? Is it down to Birmingham? Patrick Roberts has come out and said that the belief is still there that Blues can clinch a championship playoff place this season. There's seven points off it.

What eight games to go? Can they do it? Oh, I'd have to say no. I feel like seven feels a bit too big at this stage of the season. and there is a few teams above them, obviously, in really good form. Southampton, I've always said, you know, for me the ones that I believe will come through and maybe actually end up getting in that playoff place. At the expense of who? Well, again, a couple of weeks ago, I would have said there's probably only one place up for grabs, but that sort of changed.

Hull have been really inconsistent. They've picked up at the odd win, but then they're losing games as well. So they've been sort of brought into it a little bit more, well, a lot more now, because then you've got Southampton and Derby, only six. I just feel with the six points, you know, you've got an Easter coming up, you know, that can go in a week. You know, you have a couple of quick turnaround, you know, you have a really good week and all of a sudden, we've seen it up and down the league. You look what Norwich are doing now. You know, listen, that's a sustained period and they've been excellent.

But if you can put that runner games together, you can really jump up, you know, three, four, five, six places, you know, in the space of a few days. So I think anyone down to, I'd probably say, Watford, you know, your five points. again, it's a couple of wins. Birmingham for me just feels a little bit too far away at this point of the season. The top two Coventry and Middlesbrough have both dropped points over the last match day. So the gap to second now for Ipswich is two points. Mill will obviously in there as well. Their two points off of Middlesbrough, but having played a game more than Ipswich Town.

Is it advantage Ipswich now over Barrow's? Um, well, is it advice? I think once they win that game in hand, because that's what we've been looking at all this Simon Ripswich, you've got games in hand. You know, once they win them, then they could, but they've got to win them, you know, and we've seen, you know, of late, it hasn't always been the case where, you know, they're going to go and maybe get the results that we feel that they're going to get,

you know, they had a couple of draws recently that, you know, really for them, I think would be disappointing. But then you look at Middlesbrough and particularly those games at home where teams are coming and sitting in and making it difficult. They haven't been able to really find a way to win those games more often than not, despite what has been a great run under Kim Helberg. So I've always fancied Ipswich. I just think the squad depth, you know, the strength in depth that they've got,

the quality, not just starting 11, but they've got to bring off the bench. I do believe that Ipswich potentially have got more ways to win. And I think if Middlesbrough don't unlock that sort of formula of breaking teams down when they're sitting in that low block and making it hard, then that could do for them in terms of that top two plays. We say more ways to win, is that through the sheer volume of options that Kimmerkana has to him? Absolutely.

You know, I think we all know, you know, Ipswich can out football you if they need to. But even in those games sometimes where they're going to be tight, they're going to be nervy, you know, there are going to be teams who are fighting for everything, which we always get at this stage of the season. And sometimes it is those substitutes to come on and, you know, get yourself that result that you need.

But I have to say the game they've got. coming up against Millwall this weekend, which I'm actually covering, cannot wait for that. That is going to be absolutely huge. And there's a load of games where these teams are all playing each other between now and the end of the season. They've got Middlesbrough as well to come. So listen, it's in their hands. I just feel they're going to have the quality to get over the line. Yeah, they're starting to motor, aren't they?

Looking at their recent form, you know, picking up four wins out of the last six. No defeats, like you say. They don't lose very often. This calendar year, they've been excellent. The squad that he's got his disposal. And I think the other thing is that they've been there and done it in recent times. You know, obviously having that promotion, they know what it looks like. They know what a running looks like.

He'll have learnt a lot from previous campaigns, Kieran. So he's been there around it. And I think that is a big thing. Looking at that table now and Middlesbrough, just stumbling in the last couple of games. And when you've got an opponent behind you that has history of getting over the line, I think that adds even more pressure. Let's hear from the Ipswich boss, Kieran McKenna, who's talking about the pressure of the running.

Maybe a little bit of tension in a couple of the first half where we didn't quite play with the confidence that we needed to. So yeah, that can happen. It's just now about staying loose. The motivation is really, really high. Everyone wants to do well for themselves and for the team in the club.

So it's just about trying to keep that confidence, that belief, stay loose going into the games and try and impose themselves, impose ourselves on them as early as we can. When you say tension, Is that the pressure of the situation playing a part, do you think? No, not really. Look, it's just, of course, everyone wants to do well, and we're coming to the back end of the season,

and the players all really want to do well and finish it well. So, yeah, it's, you know, especially when you game after game after game, some spells of the season, you feel really, really confident, even just on an individual level, and other times it comes a little bit harder, and that comes in waves. And, yeah, when you're in a spell like this at this stage of the season at the moment, that it can be like that. And it's good now.

We've got a few days to freshen up. and really try and go and attack it next Saturday. Kieran McKenna, speaking to Brennan-Willy, I want to put some respect on Millwall's name, Joby, because Alex Neal's side have been fantastic this year, and the fact of the matter is, they've got the same amount of points at Zip-Switch Town. If they turn up Millwall and play,

as they have done for the large part of this season, they'll go and win that. Yeah, I've got to say, first of all, I mean, that decision in the Millwall game to send off Zach Sturge, a shocker, you know, and, you know, you're one-nil up, you know, you're doing what you need to do to get a result and then, you know, that goes against you. And then obviously after that, you know, probably didn't handle a couple of the big moments in the game end up losing. But again, I think it's one of those that you go into Ipswich might suit Millwall in the way that they can set up. You know, we know they're organized. We just know everything that they've done well this season. I do think it lends itself, almost saying to it's, right, go and then, you've got to go and be us today. You know, you've got to be the one who's going to take that extra little bit of risk at times. And we're, and we know we've got quality that we can go and hurt you with at the other end. So I do think it's a good game for Millwood.

I've had a really, really good record away from home. You know, that is there for everybody to see. And there's a reason for that. And again, I think with that added quality, they're found in attacking areas this season. You know, it can be a real potent force on the break, which is how I'd expect that game to pan out. Johnny, is the Premier League ready for Millwall Football Club?

Well, it'd be funny, wouldn't it? It would be a... I actually, I think it would be a great story. Meal will, going up to the Premier League. I think if they managed to pull it off, would the Premier League be ready? I think they might catch a few by surprise. They'll definitely go up there, raffle a few feathers, travel in their numbers, cause a bit of chaos wherever they go.

And I think they've got a really good manager, experienced manager in place that will be ready for that challenge. But, yeah, as a neutral, I think it would be a great story. you know there's some really good stories commentary returning potentially Middlesbrough haven't been there for a long time but obviously Millwall having never been there I think would be the real story

for me just on Millwall I've got to say I went to do the shoot yesterday with Tristan Karama who saw you eating pie and mash top lad to be fair it was my first taste of proper authentic pie and mash you know obviously I've had pies and mash before but from a proper you had South London pie mash

yeah yeah yeah so I didn't obviously divulge the fact I used to play for West Ham because I might not have got out of there. But no, it was lovely. So a big shout to everyone down there and, yeah, enjoyed it. It was the good thing was they'd run out of jelly deals. Oh, got it. Because I was absolutely.

Yeah, a bit of liquor, John. Yeah, they told me how to do it all. Yeah, you got to do it properly. The thing is, if you ask the gravy and flip the pie. Flip the pie. Bit of pie, bit of mash. Bit of a spoon all day, in it. If you ask for gravy, they'd finish you off down there.

I went to a pie shop in Greenwich just before Charlton going a few weeks ago, Gaffer, and literally some tourist walks in and asks for gravy with their pie and mash at them. It's like, you can't eat you in here, you have to get outside. And he was like, what? Yeah, it's a no-no, in it? You've got to get a liquor on in you. I don't know it was so kind of like meticulous in terms of like the order. And the lady called Junie who was in there running it.

What a woman, right? And she's like, listen, once this goes out. on socials. If you don't do this right, you're going to get absolutely battered. So Tristan Kramer, fair play to him, come in, got involved, wulfed it down. And yeah, it was top, top stuff. So, yeah, all good. Joby, I thought of another one. Junior Stanislas. Junior Quirner. Junior Quaterna. Junior Quaterna, yeah, his real name's actually Armando Junior Quaterna. But hey, there you go. You can have that one, Gaffa. Stanislus. Do you remember they used to be that player that played for Nightningham Forest passed away a few

years ago. Junior a go-go. Yeah, yeah. Junior a go-go. Anyway, let's turn our attention to the racer survival and the championship. As we know, Sheffield Wednesday, already relegated, but it is tight down there. Lester City on 38 points, Oxygen United 39, West Bromijabium and Portsmouth on 40. It is nail-bitingly tight. Let's hear from Fox's boss Gary Rowett after Lester's three underfeet to QPR at the King Power. morning. I think if you're a QPR, we've given them three goals and, you know, look, I'm not taking any other thing away from their performance. I thought it worked incredibly hard to stop us getting into good areas. I thought the defended well, defended diligently, but to concede a game

in such a manner for me showed our worst side that's been a apparent film of the season. We don't, you know, we're not tough enough in those moments. We're not hard enough to play against. And we have to be better than that. It's really, really simple. We can't come in twice at the end of a free game week and say we lacked energy or we lacked the basics, you know, this is the championship. You've got to go and do it week in, week out. And sometimes I'd rather play really poorly and draw the game nil-nil and at least see some real resilience because I know we've got good players, but when we don't do that side of the game, then that is a disappointment. So how damaging it will be, I don't know. That's two defeats

at home in two games where it's almost a game just petered out. I can feel for our fans because I think they've probably seen something that they've probably seen a number of times before this season. It's very difficult to get behind. So we've got to do something about it. It's what do you do next? You know, like I said, I haven't got a magic wand, but I need to start looking at, you know, players I really can trust to do it week and week out, not once or twice. Gary Rarrett speaking after his side's story on defeat to QPR. If there's one game I thought Lester would probably win, it would be QPR because they have been dreadful in the past few weeks, Joby.

nodding along to me. That's why this result was so alarming from my perspective because I've covered QPR a bit recently and I know we've had a little bit of a laugh. It's not funny to their fans but they are the team that has been on the beach with the flip-flops on sun cream out the lot and to go and turn Lester over away from home it was just such a bad performing. I know listen as a manager you've got to be a little bit careful it was absolutely shocking some of what I was seeing on that football pitch, you know, from players. Proper Benny Hill stuff. And again, you can just imagine a fan sitting there going,

what is this all about? And it is just, you know, it has been the question for Leicester. It's not whether they've got good enough players. It's the character. You know, have they got enough leaders? Have they got enough people digging in there to get through situations, you know? And the overwhelming answer at the moment is just no, because the results haven't been good enough.

I think it's only one win for Gary since he's coming. Looked as though maybe you're going to start seeing. a bit more of a Gary Rowett type win in terms of the last game, 2-0, clean sheet, which has been in real scarce supply for them this season. But then to go and ship the goals that they did, all comes flooding back and, you know, big, big questions over those players, you know. And again, sometimes it doesn't matter who the manager is on that touchline. The responsibility lies with those players, once that whistle starts,

to go and do the job. And unfortunately, on too many occasions, those Leicester City players have let that club down this season. Yeah, you have to face up to it, and you have to get back on the training pitch. There's no point sort of hiding away from it and, you know, shying away from it. You have to be really sort of up front and forthright were your players.

It's not good enough. They're running out of time. Like he said there, he needs a reaction. You know, he's talking quite sternly there. So I think it'll be work on the training grant if they can or it'll be you have to make changes. You can't allow mistakes like that. And then you're in the team the following week.

You know, you have to be culpable. You have to be responsible for, the shirt and if you're giving it and you're giving it up and giving away goals your responsibility as a defender to do the basics and he spoke there about the basics and not doing them well enough then you come out of the team that's that's your your ultimate currency as a manager is that you know you're you pick the team you select the 11 and if if you're not doing the business then you've got to come out I don't even know what to say about these lot jovi because I'm sat out and it's like you know the kid that leaves this like coursework it's GCSE coursework until like

the day before it's like, whoa, I'll pull something out of the bag. You're running out of games. Easter's what, two weeks away, and you know as soon as you're out of Easter, it's the slippery slope down to the end of the season, and that's it. It's game over. By the end of it, it's done. They're running out of games. Yeah, and you can't keep sitting here.

And listen, I'm probably guilty of this because I look through that squad still, even after a loss to QPR, and I see Mavadidi, I see Fatawu, I see Jordan James, you know, Harry Winks in the squad, like quality players for this level, but you can't keep saying they're going to turn up, they're going to turn up. All this is is a mentality, and I've been in a team that thought they were too good to go down

and got relegated, it happens. And I think for Leicester City, you know, you can't keep saying they've got good players individually because they're not doing it as a squad. There's no togetherness there. Summit goes against them, just like against QPR after getting a decent start,

they do not respond. And that is a lack of, mentality, strength, togetherness, whatever you want to call it, actually fighting for the player next year, fighting for those fans who are travelling and they're not doing it as. That is why they're not winning games. And I think that is the real troubling thing about that football club at the moment. And I look at some of the other teams down there who might not have as good players,

man for man in that squad, but there's a togetherness. There's a we knew we were going to be in this and we're willing to do whatever it takes to get out. Lester City players are not willing to do what it takes to get out of this situation. and, you know, for me, that is why they're in such a dire situation that they're in at the moment. I'm looking at Oxford at a minute and they're fighting every week. Do you know what I mean? They haven't got the best players like Joby said, but they're giving it absolutely everything.

And you can feel it coming on top of you. Like Joby's said that they had really good players, but it starts to build and that pressure and you see players that normally, you know, you're talking about less than Mavadidi, winks and players like that would normally be doing the business at this level. But when the pressure and the reality comes that you are, bang in it, that affects players in different ways. I think the big problem as just on that, going back to my, I mean, I'm talking about my late in Orient team.

You know, in league one, they'd finished third, got to a playoff final the season before I arrived. And there was that sort of era of like, oh, we should be there next season regardless. And even by sort of Christmas, January, when we were in it, you know, we would bang in trouble. Your favourite phrase there, mate. BIT.

Can you say it properly? BIT, bang in trouble. But then what you get, and this is, I feel like I get from less. because those players in there will be feeling, well, if we do get relegated, I'll go nick a move still. You know, I'll have another club come after me, whereas, again, with the greatest respect to Oxford, a lot of those players are thinking, mate, for me to be in the championship, I've got to be at this football club, I've got to do everything I can to be at Oxford United and make sure I stay in the championship.

Same with Portsmouth, you know, and I'm mean this respectfully, whereas I think there's a lot of players at Leicester City that go, if we go down, I'll be all right. I had players during that season like January and I asked fine I'm going to be leaving anyway and you're like mate I don't care if you're leaving in January if you're leaving at the end of the season just give me everything you've got

and then we'll live with whatever happens and that is the worst thing when you get to an end of the season because it tarnishes you man like once you've been in a team that's relegated people are looking at well why did you get relegated what's your contribution and it you can't have been this

you must have been a banick you know and this is the thing that players have to understand unfortunately at Leicester City it doesn't seem as though that's getting through to enough of those players. My name's Steve Bradnell, a sister manager of Royal Oak FC. You may have seen me online with Vinyl.

Vinyl sensation. And now the BBC have given me the chance to set the footballing world banter eyes. This could be a great opportunity for us, lads, a podcast for the BBC. Can I just say, what's a podcast?

Brilliant. Right, start. Well done, Bob. Brilliant. We can completely show utter transparency to Royal Oak fans. I'll use my charm. Gift it, Gab. Games gone. The Steve Bracknell podcast.

Watch on YouTube. Listen on BBC Sounds. 72 plus, the EFL podcast with Aaron Paul and Joby McEnough. Another team involved in a relegation scrap. I've never heard of anything like this before. West Romney Jalbian beat hold by three calls to Nell. Interim boss James Morrison said, giving his squad the squad.

spa treatment was a factor in ending their long searcher win. Morrison sent the players for a spa day on Thursday as part of pre-match preparations in an attempt to calm tension. The team responded by beating a hole by three goals to nail Johnny while other teams are out there doing, shape his lads while they're in a steam room. They're probably getting a massage, maybe enjoying some bubbles. Who knows, a light lunch, a robe, maybe a nail buffing or something like that. That is mad.

I've never heard of anything like that. Well, I'm sending my last stand to spa tomorrow. Try to get a tune out of him. But look, it's... I know where he's coming from. Like, when you're on these bad runs and you've tried everything, you know, first of all, you double down on the training ground, right?

We get out there. We'll work harder. We'll drill defensively. You do that for a week. The weekend comes, you get beat. Then you try something different. We'll go five-Os this week. We'll just have a little bit of fun,

take the pressure off, and you do that for a week. and you get beat. We'll change system next week. And, like, you try it and try it. And in the end, you just start trying to think out of the box. Like, let me just, what can I do? What can I do different? Like, we won't train today.

Like, we'll go, we've done it where managers have said, like, come on, we go out to the cafe. You have, like, a fry or a bacon roll. Or that's probably a few years ago now. I'm not sure they do that anymore. But he's just trying to think of different ways to just get a tune out of his players. Spar Day, why not? Let's try something different.

I've done everything else. How do you reward your players? Days off. That's all they want. Players want to know how much money they're going to earn. Are they going to win any medals and how much time off they're going to have? So you can't guarantee medals. Obviously, their money is what they, you know, they know what they're earning. So the little carrot that you've got, Joe, you remember it, when we come in on a Saturday

and you don't play to the following Saturday and the boys are waiting, isn't they? And you've won the game. You're just waiting for the managers to go see your Tuesday, lads. And you never hear a reception like it for an extra day off. You're Monday off. So it's a big thing. It's a big thing. Just giving players that extra day, they can go and do whatever they want to do,

play golf, spend time with their family, whatever. But sometimes that works. Have you ever, you know, pre-match and a dressing room said, you know, you score three goals, you get an extra day off or something like that. You go out and they get beat and you come back and just rub it in their face. Yeah, it's happened. I have used it as a carrot. before games, especially like some cup games, you know,

where it's not about performance. It's like, lads get through and you get your extra day. That's all I care about, and you might just scrape a 1-0. Or if you go out, you've got to stick to it. You ain't getting your extra day, you know, if you're going to dangle that carrot, you've got to stick to it even way. But honestly, it often works. I think it's a really interesting conversation about it's not just the physical demands.

There is a psychological impact that, you know, being in a run that they've been on, It's tough. No matter what anybody thinks, you know, they're going through it. You know, I'm sure there's players there. Listen, we know Jed Wallace extremely well. He's a man that I would want in my corner. I bet he's on him. I bet he's the one who went in and told him to sort it out.

But listen, if that has made a difference in the sense of the players and staff, maybe getting an opportunity just to switch off from it all for a moment, you know, a bit of a feel-good factor back in the squad, because it is tough when you're losing games all the time and, you know, you're in the run that they're in, and all the pressure around that, you know, yes, listen, we're paid to go out and win games of football. Of course we are, but we are still affected at times.

And listen, from his perspective, he's identified something he felt might help. What you're absolutely then banking, and I think what it does give you is gives you that extra bit of credit with the boys to say, listen, I need a performance today because I've done something that we're going to get battered for. If we do not win this game of football, and that comes out that we've been down the spa

and we're in a relegation battle, we are all going to get absolutely killed here. So I think that extra demand, you know, that probably that buy and he gets back from the players. I think, listen, it's worked to treat. Simplified it, 4-4-2. So I think we're coming back around again. I think that the days of the fry-up in the CAF on a Monday's not far away, Jacko. We're going to get back to it soon, mate.

Fry-ups all round tomorrow. Yeah, love it. Love it. Bubble and squeak for me, please. I'll tell you what, I think, Jed. Pye mash. There you go. Yeah.

Oh, can you imagine. That'd be quite. Jedd's the kind of person who would be so committed as well. with the spa. He'd be first on with the robe. He'd been there cucumbers on his eyes. Nice little Agatha Christie on the go, like a little book to take with him. He'd be bang up for it. You know that.

So best of luck to West Bromwich. And hey, who knows, they might be in a spa right now. Let's bring you some fresh news that has broken this morning in League 1. Rotherham United, they've parted ways with Matt Hampshire after their five-nought-a-feet away to Peterborough Tuesday night. Real concern about their situation, Joby, six points from safety, games to go. But the fact of the matter is, they've been quite bad for a while. Quite bad, probably putting it mildly. I think there's been a lot of,

sort of, what's the right word? We've been waiting for it. I think that's the easiest way to put it really. I think, you know, wondering when is it going to happen, not if, because clearly the run they've been on. I've got to say when you look at some of their recent fixtures, you know, obviously that result last night and performance, there are types of performances that end up get into this situation because, you know, getting beat 5-0. You know, but they've had Bolton, Huddersfield, Plymouth, Bradford in the last few games. It's a tough run. But, yeah, listen, it's been worrying times there for a long time now.

And unfortunately, it feels as though the inevitable is going to happen. Listen, there are a couple of wins away now, you know, from being safe. And with the form they're in, can you really see them getting the points that they need to stay up? It's obviously a last roll of the dice, maybe a fresh impetus, a bit of. fresh energy in the building that they're hoping that can can do the trick and get those wins. But yeah, it's been a real disappointing season. Do you know what, Joby? I sit here after every match then.

Last night was one of those where you sit. And I don't know if it's just, just me I've gone on the BBC Sports website. And I look at all the results and I'm like, ooh. It is like it is the most baffling season, the most sort of turbulent season. I've seen. In a while, until right at the end of the game and they get pegged back. And it's just how it's going to be now, between now and the end of the season,

like you say, just that chopping and changing, not even week to week throughout the days as they go by. And yes, listen, it's brilliant. This is the time of the season, I think, set for the managers over there. We all love it, don't we? Let's push on and drop into league two. Five of the top seven, all one on Tuesday night. The other two MK play on Wednesday in Cambridge United,

who drew nil-nil-nill away at Walsall. to say, a friend of the program, Cambridge United Director, Football Mark Bonner, is with us. Bonzo, how are you? Very good, us. Very good, gents. Good to be it. You're looking well. The director's box life looks like it's treating you well. Good lunches, good teas, drinks, seats. I mean, it's better than being a manager, isn't it? It's very different. There's parts of it where I miss the bit that Johnny's going through. You don't miss that. You should see him here this morning, Bonn.

quite nice. Tell us all about it. Bat working at Cambridge United. Neil Harris down in the dugout, you above him watching on. This is some combination you got going and you're hitting form beautifully. Yeah, Neil's done a brilliant job this year and him with the staff. I think we've built a good side, put ourselves in a position that I think if you'd have said at the start of the season, you know, you see how difficult it is sometimes for teams that suffer relegations to have success the next season. If you'd have said we're 69 points with nine games to play, we'd have definitely taken that. And we built a cushion of four points over fourth place on Saturday after a good result. Didn't get the maximums last night, but are still in there. And we've nine to play

and five at home that include Solford, Swindon, Knott's County and Grimsby. We've also got to go to Barrow. You know, it's a great end to the season, to be honest. I think having you there, obviously, you know, someone who's an absolute legend of the club and been a big part of those successes previously is such an important thing because, you know, I remember that team, you know, where you lot got promoted when I was

at late in Orient and, you know, again, I think if you looked at the budget of that versus a lot of the other teams at that level at the time, you know, would have been nowhere near the top end of the table. And I look at your side defensively, Mark, I mean, is that something at the start of this season between you and Neil that you wanted

to set out? I mean, 28 goals conceded at this stage of the season is outrageous really. And it just goes back to what does it take to get promoted, you know, being together, being solid, being organised, hard to beat, which I feel sometimes is going out of the game a little bit with modern day coaches, it's all about the other end of the pitch. But it just goes to show if you want to be successful over an extended period of time, that defensive stability is so important. Hugely, a huge. And any successful teams usually got that to fall back on. And if you look at us over the year, our goal scoring rate and our possession rate,

rates have increased and improved. But there's no doubt we started fairly pragmatic that we were attempting to be Port Vale, bounce back straight away, but desperate not to be Carlisle. And when you've got that sort of broad spectrum to work with, the starting point is be hard to beat and then try and improve and build on that. And we have done. We've put ourselves into a really good position. And, you know, when the time comes that we go back to League One, whenever that is,

we'll be a much better club for that this time around than we were last time and hopefully able to compete even more so. How do you plan then for a season where you don't know what division you're going to be in? Yeah, it's an interesting one. I mean, the little bits around preseason become a bit more challenging, maybe with the games that you want to organise.

I think the reality is we've missed out on players in the summer and in January that chose to go to League 1. The financial landscape isn't a whole much difference between League 2 and League 1. We'll have a bit more, but not huge amounts. So the truth is, the pool of players that we're looking for, whether we're towards the top of League two or fighting to be in League One. It's really similar groups of players. So actually, from

a recruitment perspective, it doesn't really make too much difference. We're trying to get the best players we can afford that fit what we want. And usually, whichever division we're in, it's a similar group. Can I just say, Joby, the invasive part of my mind is reminding me that Junior Shamadu plays for Stoke City. Mark, you'll have to listen to the pod and come back and work that one hour. Let's hear from Neil Harris. The Cambridge United boss after his side's goal of Strott Walsall. The negative tonight, and I'm going to say it straight as it is, the impact from the bench was horrific tonight.

I was so unhappy with that. The four lads that come on, I thought were terrible, and it didn't help us at all. And the difference in games over the last five months has been that impact from the bench, and today wasn't good enough. What were the specifics behind why you were so unhappy with that aspect of it, Neil? They played terribly, Doug. They've got to be better than how.

Come on. They've got come on and change games. So you can't come on and make mistakes. and turn the ball over, you're fresh and coming on the pitch. Look, they're brilliant players. They've done brilliant for us, but I'm just being just being really honest. You know, I'm the first person to say, how well they've done when players have come off the bench,

how well the lads have done as a group, and they've done brilliant. It's another strong point tonight. But, you know, when you need lads to come off the bench and really impact it, we didn't tonight. So, lesson learned for them, you know, heed my words. Please be better than that when you come on the pitch, and we have to be more consistent. You're always going to get refreshing honesty from Neil Harris.

I'd run through brick walls with that man though literally with one leg I don't really care Joe but I'd do it for him because you just listen to him there the frustration in his voice the anger in his voice the disappointment in his voice as well you want to go out and do your best for him

I think the big thing with Neil is we all know whether we've played against him we've worked with him played against his teams you know he is honest first and foremost and he would have said exactly that in the dressing room I'm 100% sure before he then comes out

and says it so as a player you know, and you know deep in yourself, you know, whether you have done as much as you could have, whether you have had the impact that you wanted. And actually at this time of the season, I think it's really important that everybody does know the demands and the expectations because it's very easy to sort of fall into, yeah, we've had a decent season, you know, we're okay. No, you know, you look how tight that top of the table is and the difference between going up automatically and maybe ending up falling into the playoffs where anything can happen. Can be you coming on and having an impact and nick in the game one-nil in the last minute.

minute of the game. So the only thing I'm a little bit worried about, my old mate James Brofie, I think was one of them in his crossair. So Mark, when you see him next, just make sure he's all right. I'm going to send him a little text today just to check on him, because I know he's a, can be a little bit sensitive old Brof, so just make sure he's all right for me. Of course. I think, like, the interview's brilliant, and like people want to hear honesty, and that's exactly what it is. I mean, when you say, he said exactly that in the dressing, if he said, please be better, lads, I'll be quite surprised. But I think the impact from our substitutes this year has been

exceptional. And the reason he's had the career he's had, Neil, and the impact he's had here is because he's relentless and his drive, he's not going to let up. And I absolutely love that. And the honesty makes someone so easy to work with, because people don't hold stuff back, that we're quite open to be able to speak to each other any way that we want. And that's, that's really refreshing. Do you guys butt heads? It's an interesting one, in it? I think we'd challenge each other. But I think was, you know, I heard David Moyes say once when you're a manager, there's enough. people that want to disagree with you and challenge everything you do. Sometimes you need people

to support you and help you work out what's going on in your mind. So I was trying to find that balance between the two things and support him every way that I can. But I certainly offer an opinion and we're not afraid to disagree with each other. But the fact that we can do that really honestly with complete trust and move on quite quickly makes it really healthy relationship. I'd just be interested here about how you find the match day experience now, Mark, having obviously been down there in the dugout, doing it yourself. sort of hands on on a match day. Now you're up in the stand watching, like, the different pressures of that.

For me, I don't mind admitting, like, match day's my least enjoyable day of the week. I like the Monday or Friday, and then I feel, you know, the match day, obviously the pressure, the nerves that come with that. Just interesting to see the difference in feeling for you now doing your different role, having done both. Yeah, it's a great question, John. And the answer is, like, I don't love it, to be honest. I mean, I love the fact that you can watch a game

and you're not tied to the outcome in the same way and the defeats or the bad performances don't do the same thing to you that they might have done when you're on the touchline. But the same thing is also true. I agree with you that match days are tough when you're the manager, but the highs of being the manager and the good bits that are there,

I don't think you can replicate that anywhere. And for those of you that have played, you'd say the same thing, I'm pretty sure. So you can't help the fact that I do miss that bit too because it's hard. as it is, when it's good, there's nothing better. Do you plan the celebration if you go up? Is that a director of football sort of, you know, does that come on your remit?

Absolutely not. Do not let the carp come before the horse has her, do you know what I mean? That's for other people. Next game is the only one that matters. Well, it's great speaking to you. Best of luck in the race for promotion. Mark Bunner, Cambridge United Director of Football with us on 72 plus. We will talk about trammer at some point on this show in the next few weeks.

Let me bring you one stat to do with them. Out of a possible last 42 points available, do you know how many they've picked up, Joby? Out of 42. I'm going to go for six. Four points. Oh my gosh. Four points.

Pete Wildside absolutely stuffed on home turf, 3-0 by Harrogate Town. I am very, very worried for that football club right now because there's six points off safety. Obviously, you've just beaten by Harrogate. Barrow absolutely tanked as well. It's a rocky, rocky situation down the bottom. Shout out Christian Fuchs, by the way.

If he's able to get Newport County out of trouble, then, you know, massive credit. Good on him. Tramare Rovers, they've stopped this club in reverse, and it's very, very worrying. So we'll talk Tramere over the next couple of weeks, and no doubt it'll heat up over Easter. Let's finish with this. 72 plus 72 minus on the football daily yeah it's time for joby's best and worst

EFL moments of the week who's on your radar jobes well I've got to say we've got a couple of absolute crackers this week so I'm going to rip up the script and instead of doing a plus and a minus I'm going to do two minuses because we've had two situations that I'm scratching my head in all the time I've been involved in football I don't think I've ever seen and we get two in one week so we're going to do two minuses. First up, it's going to be Bermanums, Jack Robinson, with an absolute moment to forget. The ball was actually still in play. Goalkeeper rolls it out to him.

Robinson thought the ball had gone out and he thought he was going to be the one to take a goal kick. So he stops, picks the baller, marches over to the six-yard box and puts it down as if it's going to be a restart. Referee blows up. Everyone's looking around that angle a minute. Surely that hasn't gone out of play. Ends up giving a penalty. Here it is. What have they seen? They've seen something and the referee is coming up. I thought for a lady given the corner of taking too long. He's given handball.

And the blues are suddenly going to protest to the linesman on the far side. The linesman said the ball is live. Well, if he is, then it's a penalty. Job's 10-10 description of that. I mean, it took longer than the actual clip. Well, I've got to be honest, it's something that, as I say, I don't think I've ever seen before. But if you haven't seen it, go and go and watch it.

It's absolutely bonkers. Your other 72 minus then. Another crazy situation this time is Olly Norburn of Not County. Obviously a team chasing promotion in League 2. He's already on a yellow card early in the game. And then he does this. Norburn gets a foot in. Dobra's boots come off, but no foul given.

And Norburn has then picked up Doberra's boots and thrown it off the pitch. You've got to be a little bit careful of things like that, having been put. is Odie Norburn, is Nick Seruller, and Norburn's going to be off. Olly Norburn is off. Oh my word. The referee has seen the fact that he's Chuck Dobra's boot off the pitch, and Norburn inside the opening 20 minutes of this one has been sent off for two yellow cards. Nothing wrong with that.

Tidding up. Tidying up, loving the boot off. I thought it's a bit harsh, to be fair. Yeah, no. I thought that was harsh. That's not nice. That's not nice. Johnny, Key Stage 1 maths, a minus and a minus.

a double negative equals? A plus. Exactly. Let's have a 72 plus. And I'm going to bring you this one this week. Great to see Eduardo Bovey scoring for Watford. Someone who's had a real tough time over the past year and a half. He suffered a cardiac arrest while playing for Fiorentina in December 2024.

And he fired home Watford's third against Wrexham last night. So really, really good to see Eduardo Bovey scoring. Liberation was unbelievable going and it was, can we call it the Robin Van Percy going and standing on sort of like the advertising hoard and open his arms up like Christ the Redeemer. You know what? I love it. I love it.

It's what it's all about. Where is everyone this weekend? Who's doing what? I am the game that we spoke about in the show. So Ipswich Millwall, which I cannot wait for, going to be a massive game at the top end of the table. So really looking forward to that. Peterborough at home for us Saturday, 3 o'clock.

Looking forward to you. Happy days. Don't get beat 5-0, mate. You know what happens after that. Got beat 5-0 away. That is it for this episode of 72-plus. Thank you to Johnny Jackson and to Joe Bacanuff and to you for your company as well. Oh, and to Mark Bonnet, Cambridge United Director of Football.

I forgot to say thanks to him. Thanks, Bonzo. As for us here, 72-plus, we'll be back next week. Catch you then. Gaffer, we're making the playoffs, yeah? You've jinxed, didn't you? How about jinxed? That's up, mate.

How about our jinxed? I said we will lose two more games to the end of the season. We've now lost them. Right, there you go. I didn't jinx anything. In the way that he drops it so casually, I think we just need to win seven of our last night. I just like the way he was going.

So we'll play Orients, we'll beat them, and then we'll go there and we'll beat them. All right, we'll give Lincoln one. But then we'll go there and we'll beat them. It's easy this game, isn't it? Van talk, mate. Right. Do you want me, do you want me to re-shot of a session now?

No, no, no, no. No, next game. Next game, next game. I'm Rich Hall, and this is Sports Strangest Crimes, presents Confessions of a Super Bowl streaker. When people ask me what I do, I say to them, well, by day or by night. The story of one man's mission to conquer the holy grail of streaking the Super Bowl. Mark Roberts is too lively for his body.

He's just like the entertainer. Mark pushes the boundaries of what is socially acceptable. No chance, Texas. It's really strict, but then the moral thought about it. And I thought, I'm gone. What are you about? Sports Strangers Crimes presents Confessions of a Super Bowl streaker. Listen on BBC Sounds.