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After The Final Whistle

Alison Bender
Mental Health
Addiction
Football
Football (soccer)
Identity
Racism
Misogyny
Marvin Sordell
Chelsea Football Club
Racism In Football
Retirement
England National Football Team
Family and Personal Tragedy
Generational Trauma
Media / Broadcasting (football Media)
Paul Canoville

After The Final Whistle is a powerful video podcast hosted by Premier League reporter and Psychology grad Alison Bender, exploring what really happens to footballers when the game ends. Alison speaks to former Premier League and international players about life beyond the pitch — from identity and resilience to mental health, recovery, and purpose. These are the stories we don’t usually hear: raw,... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes8Founded3 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
SportsSports NewsNewsSoccer

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for After The Final Whistle

Latest Episodes

In this powerful episode of After The Final Whistle, we sit down with Chelsea legend and trailblazer Paul Canoville for one of the most emotional and inspiring conversations we’ve ever had on the podcast. 🎙️⚽️

Paul opens up about:

🔥 Becoming Chels... more

In this episode of After The Final Whistle, Alison sits down with former England international and football pundit Lianne Sanderson for an honest, inspiring and powerful conversation. 🎙️⚽️

Lianne reflects on an incredible career that saw her win ma... more

Former England international Danny Mills joins Alison Bender on After The Final Whistle for an honest conversation about life beyond football.

Danny reflects on the injuries that ended his career, retiring at 31, rebuilding his identity after footba... more

Former England and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey joins After The Final Whistle for a raw and powerful conversation about the realities of life beyond football.

In this episode, Emile opens up about the immense pressure of moving to Liverpool at a y... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

Paul Canoville
Former Chelsea player and survivor of addiction and illness
Chelsea FC
Episode: Paul Canoville: Racism, Addiction, Cancer, Chelsea & Surviving Football’s Darkest Days
Lianne Sanderson
Former England and Arsenal player turned pundit
Former England/Arsenal footballer; pundit
Episode: Lianne Sanderson Opens Up On Coming Out, Online Abuse & Life After Football | After The Final Whistle
Danny Mills
Former England International footballer
Leeds United, Manchester City (former clubs)
Episode: Danny Mills on Pressure, Identity, and Finding Purpose After the Game
Emile Heskey
Former England international footballer
England National Team / Club career including Liverpool
Episode: Emile Heskey: England Career Cut Too Short
Marvin Sordell
Former professional footballer
Football (retired)
Episode: Marvin Sordell: Why I Retired at 28 | Mental Health, Identity & Life After Football
Chris Kirkland
Former England and Liverpool goalkeeper, author of Keeping It Quiet
Footballer, Author
Episode: Chris Kirkland: Addiction, Rock Bottom & Recovery After Football

Host

Alison Bender
Host of After The Final Whistle

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 9 ratings
  • Worth the watch/listen

    I love how these shows cover stories football fans would’ve never heard before about the personal lives and struggles of ex-footballers. It gives such a good insight into the life of a footballer and uncovers facts and struggles that they faced which fans would have never imagined.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Karamgmedia
    United Kingdom3 months ago
  • The untold stories of what next

    Think about those glory moments ; the magic moments on the pitch but also the myriad of footballers whose names we know & whose identity is defined in our minds by their performances or occasionally by a newspaper headline. What happens to them when no longer in that spotlight; no longer in that structure of club environment or even when dealing with uncertainty of ending contracts & no clear future career. Alison is doing a fabulous job of finding out more about managing change & transition.... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    david h63
    United Kingdom3 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Honest, compassionate interviewing that shines a light on resilience and recovery.
Genuine storytelling that helps fans understand life after football.
Thoughtful, deeply human conversations with openness on tough topics.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Emile Heskey: England Career Cut Too Short
Q: What made you decide to speak openly about mental health and depression?
I wanted to be honest about what I went through, not to sensationalize it, but to help others feel less alone and to show that asking for support is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Chris Kirkland: Addiction, Rock Bottom & Recovery After Football
Q: Why did you choose to publish your story, and what impact did that have?
Sharing the story with a respected journalist helped lift the burden of secrecy, added accountability, and inspired others to come forward and seek help.
Chris Kirkland: Addiction, Rock Bottom & Recovery After Football
Q: How did rehab change your approach to recovery?
Rehab gave me structure, professional support, and a plan that included staying connected with family, undergoing drug testing, and building routines that could keep me on the right track long after leaving the facility.
Chris Kirkland: Addiction, Rock Bottom & Recovery After Football
Q: What was the moment you realized you needed to tell the truth about your addiction?
It was a life-threatening night of palpitations and hallucinations that forced me to acknowledge I had to be honest for my own survival and seek help.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About After The Final Whistle

What is After The Final Whistle about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on footballers and what happens after their playing days end, exploring identity, resilience, mental health, and life beyond the pitch. Conversations often dive into retirement, personal reinvention, and the ongoing journey to find purpose, with guests sharing lived experiences, coping strategies, and advocacy. Noteworthy elements include openness about addiction, mental health, and the support networks that help players transition, sometimes featuring sponsorships or partnerships that promote well-being. The format is likely to appeal to sports listeners who want human-scale stories behind elite athletes and to potential guests seeking to discuss tough topics with empathy and insight.

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How many listeners does After The Final Whistle get?

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Which podcasts are similar to After The Final Whistle?

These podcasts share a similar audience with After The Final Whistle:

1. The News Agents
2. The Rest Is Politics
3. Americast
4. The Rest Is Politics: US
5. After the Whistle with Brendan Hunt and Rebecca Lowe

How many episodes of After The Final Whistle are there?

After The Final Whistle launched 3 months ago and published 8 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact After The Final Whistle?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for After The Final Whistle?

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What guests have appeared on After The Final Whistle?

Recent guests on After The Final Whistle include:

1. Paul Canoville
2. Lianne Sanderson
3. Danny Mills
4. Emile Heskey
5. Marvin Sordell
6. Chris Kirkland

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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