Rephonic
Artwork for The Second Captains Podcast

The Second Captains Podcast

Second Captains
Premier League
Ireland
Manchester United
Arsenal
Liverpool
World Cup
Rugby
Hurling
Manchester City
Six Nations
Football
Andy Farrell
Chelsea
GAA
Leinster Rugby
Gaelic Football
Kerry
NFL
Ireland Rugby
Tottenham Hotspur

Listen to the award winning Second Captains free to air podcasts featuring The Second Captains Podcast and Second Captains Football. Join The Second Captains World Service and get access to our daily shows and much more. Become a Second Captains member at secondcaptains.com. - iTunes Podcast of the Year - iTunes Essentials Top 10 Podcasts of All-Time - The Guardian's 50 Podcasts You Need To Hear -... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes2025Founded13 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
SportsNews

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Second Captains Podcast

Latest Episodes

Welcome to your weekly sample of what’s on offer on the Second Captains World Service. Mikel Arteta is the boss now, and so his methods are under even greater scrutiny than before. Ken gets out the magnifying glass.

Every time you write off Man Unit... more

Ciara Mageean was a phenomenally talented and successful athlete and a very special human being who had a positive impact on anyone lucky enough to have met her, watched her or heard her speak.

After her cancer diagnosis in July 2025 Ciara continued... more

Are we ready for an Arsenal v Brighton title race? Because after this weekend it looks like that’s what we’re gonna get.

Murph and Ken talk through some of the events at the Etihad and Anfield before Rory Smith and Rich Jolly join us to reflect on ... more

Carrick staggers on at United, Bruno is back in, Arsenal get beaten by Fleetwood, an "Englishman" wins the Ballon d'Or... and there was penalty shootout madness all week in the Caraboa. Football, bloody hell.

We've had a great week covering all thi... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Indo Sport
Indo SportIrish Independent
The Left Wing
The Left WingIrish Independent
Indo GAA
Indo GAAIrish Independent

Recent Guests

Michael Darragh MacAuley
Former Gaelic footballer who befriended Ciara Mageean while filming RTÉ's Uncharted
Episode: Ep 3697: Ciara Mageean (1992-2026) - 02/11/26
Rich Jolly
Football journalist
Episode: Ep 3696: An Arsenal And Brighton Title Race (?) - 02/11/26
Rory Smith
Football journalist
The Observer
Episode: Ep 3696: An Arsenal And Brighton Title Race (?) - 02/11/26
Jon Mackenzie
Football writer and analyst, and author of The Spectre of Pep: How Guardiola Haunts Modern Football Tactics.
Episode: Arteta's Wunderkind Worry, Drugs In Football, The Pep Formula
James McClean
Professional footballer who discusses his career, injuries, mental health and experiences in football.
Episode: Arteta's Wunderkind Worry, Drugs In Football, The Pep Formula
Paul Finn
Dublin football figure and former Gaelic Players Association member
Gaelic Players Association
Episode: Man Utd's Lake Como Meltdown, Iraola For The Long Haul?, The GAA Vs The AFL
Jack Carty
Connacht rugby player and analyst
Connacht Rugby
Episode: Ep 3686: Wins All Round In The Champions Cup, Connacht Conquer Saracens, Munster Get It Done In Cork - 19/10/26
Shane Horgan
Former Ireland and Leinster rugby player and rugby analyst
Episode: Ep 3686: Wins All Round In The Champions Cup, Connacht Conquer Saracens, Munster Get It Done In Cork - 19/10/26
David Sneyd
Sports journalist covering the League of Ireland
Episode: Ep 3685: Crash Bang Premier League, Rovers On The Ropes, Arteta's Joker Guru, Webb Eats Gorilla, Lampards Golden Wrist - 19/10/26

Hosts

The Second Captains Hosts
A core group of long-running hosts delivering concise takes, banter, and informed debate across football, Gaelic games, and culture.
Guest Hosts & In-Show Guests
Frequent guests include journalists, analysts, players, and coaches who provide specialist insights during episodes.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 2.2k ratings
  • Great

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Stephen
    19 days ago
  • What happened to the free Monday show for football?

    What happened to the free Monday show for football?

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    The d.O.c.ie
    Ireland6 months ago
  • In Brisbane listening to latest post Portugal episode. Heaven!!!! Thanks lads.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    amac
    a year ago
  • Awful

    Having got one of the UK most renowned journalists on to discuss the premier league, it then proceeds to turn into a party political broadcast for Sinn Fein with comments about Colonial oppressers & Britain shooting Irish when the discussion is about the NFL going to Dublin……that is such a weird pivot…..

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Mr huggez
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Ken’s Weak Moment

    Kudos for bringing attention to atrocities in Palestine but Ken you were a bit weak letting your guest dismiss the atrocities of October 7 with no condemnation as “what other people did.” Just as Israelis are responsible for duly elected Netanyahu, Palestinians are responsible for duly elected Hamas. A discussion that fairly blames Israel but demurs on Hamas is not the whole truth.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    80'sVillager
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Some episodes feel heavy on governance topics, appealing to analysts but less so to casual fans.
Occasional political discussions polarize some listeners but many praise the depth.
Insightful football analysis with sharp cultural context.
High-quality sports storytelling and banter, but some feel broadcast style can be opinionated.
Strong panel dynamics and credible guests drive nuanced debates.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#232
United Kingdom/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#192
Italy/Sports
Spotify
#113
Ireland/Top Podcasts
Spotify
#118
Ireland/Trending
Apple Podcasts
#62
Ireland/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#9
Ireland/Sports

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ep 3696: An Arsenal And Brighton Title Race (?) - 02/11/26
Q: Why can't they create any chances, Rich?
Rich Jolly says Liverpool have struggled to create in the Premier League despite expensive attacking talent, with Florian Wirtz expected to be a key creator and the team often relying on crosses that suit their opponents' defenses.
Ep 3696: An Arsenal And Brighton Title Race (?) - 02/11/26
Q: Is this team currently head and shoulders above all of the competition in the Premier League, Rich?
Rich Jolly says Arsenal look like the strongest team, pointing to their defensive performance, squad depth and ability to win pragmatically, while noting Manchester City's situation complicates the title picture.
Arteta's Wunderkind Worry, Drugs In Football, The Pep Formula
Q: Well, what is the new thing that Pep Guardiola did?
Mackenzie says Guardiola combined older football ideas in a new and effective way, including tactical principles that helped solve problems in the modern game.
Ep 3697: Ciara Mageean (1992-2026) - 02/11/26
Q: So what was the reality of the experience moment to moment with her?
MacAuley describes the trek as gruelling, especially given that Mageean had recently undergone ten rounds of chemotherapy. He says her family and close relationships mattered deeply to her, and that she remained open, determined, and generous with her time.
Arteta's Wunderkind Worry, Drugs In Football, The Pep Formula
Q: Do you have a problem with the use of, what we call performance enhancing substances in principle?
McClean says he is against performance-enhancing drugs and emphasizes the importance of a level playing field, while recounting how often he was tested.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Second Captains Podcast

What is The Second Captains Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A sharp, opinion-driven sports show that blends deep tactical analysis with culture, governance, and media narratives around football and Gaelic games. Episodes frequently dissect major matches, governance controversies, and the economics of sport, while pairing on-the-ground insights from players, coaches, journalists, and pundits with witty banter and pop-culture references. Notable strengths include a distinctive voice, strong panel dynamics, and a willingness to tackle controversial topics with nuance, making it appealing to listeners who want both insight and personality in sports critique.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Second Captains Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Second Captains Podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Second Captains Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Second Captains Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Second Captains Podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Second Captains Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Second Captains Podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Second Captains Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Second Captains Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Second Captains Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Second Captains Podcast:

1. Indo Sport
2. The Left Wing
3. Indo GAA
4. The Football Pod
5. RTÉ Rugby Podcast

How many episodes of The Second Captains Podcast are there?

The Second Captains Podcast launched 13 years ago and published 2025 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 The Second Captains Podcast?

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 The Second Captains Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Second Captains Podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Second Captains Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Second Captains Podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Second Captains Podcast?

Recent guests on The Second Captains Podcast include:

1. Michael Darragh MacAuley
2. Rich Jolly
3. Rory Smith
4. Jon Mackenzie
5. James McClean
6. Paul Finn
7. Jack Carty
8. Shane Horgan

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days