Join us on our latest episode as Max Portman interviews Alan McDougall, Lifelong Liverpool fan and Professor of History from the University of Guelph in Canada for his book Dreams and Songs to Sing: A People's History of Liverpool FC from Shankly to Klopp, published in September 2025 by Cambridge University Press. Dreams and Songs to Sing is a unique people's history of the triumphs and tragedies of one of the biggest teams in sport. From Shankly to Klopp, Alan McDougall takes us on a global tour of Liverpool FC's history, viewed through the eyes of the people who've been there all along: the supporters.
Written as a labour of love about Alan's beloved Liverpool, Max & Alan chat for a full 90 minutes, plus a full half of extra time about all things Liverpool over its history from its late 19th-century origins, the power of Billy Liddell in the 1950s and how Bill Shankly built an empire that was succesful for 30 years and is still felt today across world football.
Highlights from this episode include plenty of social history talking about the club, its supporters and the city of Liverpool as well as the thriving music scene of Liverpool that contains critically acclaimed bands such as the Beatles and the Real Thing, plus Alan showing off his rapping skills when asked about the Anfield Rap.
Well worth a listen for all lovers of Liverpool, football and historians of community and Britain.
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