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The Socially Distant Sports Bar
264: Max Rushden (Pt 2)
Elis James (Elis & John, Oh What A Time), Mike Bubbins (Mammoth), and Steff Garrero return with another round of top-tier sporting nonsense, barely researched takes, and an absolutely brilliant special guest.
“Like a sports podcast, if the sport was optional.”
✨ This Week’s Special Guest – Max Rushden!
If you’ve enjoyed our guest episodes with Chesney Hawkes, Josh Widdicombe, or Sam Warburton, you’re in for a treat.
This week we welcome Max Rushden — broadcaster, podcaster, football obsessive, and all-round good guy.
Max is the long-running host of Guardian Football Weekly, where he teams up with our friend Barry Glendenning for football chat, laughs, and chaos.
He’s also recently launched a new podcast with comedian David O’Doherty called What Did You Do Yesterday?, where they interview fascinating guests about a completely ordinary day.
Max’s broadcasting career has spanned BBC Radio 5 Live, talkSPORT, Channel 4’s Jump Off, and iconic years hosting Sky’s Soccer AM.
Known for his wit, love of the underdog, and eye for the ridiculous, Max fits right in at the Distant Pod.
🎟️ We’re Going on Tour in 2026!
We’re hitting the road with a brand-new live show in 2026!
Tickets on general sale now – head to distantpod.com/live for all the details.
📍 Tour Dates:
- Fri 20 March 2026 – Cardiff, New Theatre
- Sat 21 March 2026 – Cardiff, New Theatre
- Tue 7 April 2026 – London, Hackney Empire
- Wed 8 April 2026 – London, Hackney Empire
- Fri 24 April 2026 – Carmarthen, Lyric Theatre
🎉 This Week’s Show – Don’t Miss It!
Max has brought some absolute gems to the show:
🥫 Baked Beans, Penalties – Max and Charlie Baker
🐎 Man Versus Beast
Yes, humans really raced animals on TV in 2003. No, we can’t quite believe it either.
⛸️ Steven Bradbury – Australian Speed Skating Gold, 2002
The greatest underdog gold medal of all time.
(Yes, Joe Marler wishes he picked it, but no, it wasn’t actually his choice. And yes, technically Steff picked it for a live stream, but… we’ve lost the tapes.)
📖 A Little Extra Gift from Max
Max also shared this brilliant nostalgic piece that perfectly fits the vibe of the pod:
🔗 Vonk, Zoeller, Tomba… The Joy of Sporting Names (The Guardian)
💡 Get More of the Pod Every Week
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- Bonus episodes & extra clips
- Michael Owen’s Movie Club & Hoffi Pod
- Early access & live tour presale
- Gift memberships
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🎉 Another week of sport, nostalgia, and nonsense — only on The Socially Distant Sports Bar!
We’ve launched a brand new merch store — mugs, hoodies, prints and more!
If you fancy supporting the pod that way, head here 👇
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697. Darllen a Rhedeg (pt 2)
39:54||Ep. 697A weekly mix of sporting brilliance, nostalgia and complete nonsense.🎧 PART 2 (Early & Ad-Free)Mike Documentary:Final Siren: Inside the AFLhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/detail/B0GHP5F7Q3/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_rElis Book:Austerity Britain — David Kynastonhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Austerity-Britain-1945-1951-Tales-Jerusalem/dp/0747599238AND Alternative Wales https://www.alternativewales.com/shop696. Darllen a Rhedeg (pt 1)
01:07:50||Ep. 696This week on The Socially Distant Sports Bar, Elis James, Mike Bubbins and Steff Garrero bring you another batch of sporting clips, chaos and commentary — from world-class brilliance to complete nonsense.🎧 PART 1Elis: Tadej Pogacar is the greatesthttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DWOPjUeieCR/?igsh=aXh4ZmhqNHNsb3pshttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DWLtnkrAaEF/?igsh=MWp6NzQ4bW8xNDR5aw==Steff: Harry Styleshttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DUsge_gDACm/?igsh=MWppZ2ltdGVqcXdvdA==Mike: Every Sports Dochttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DVnFBqAk2Yx/?igsh=N3RyNjVmNDE2cXIx695. Searching: Pint Size
09:34||Ep. 695Welcome to Pint-Sized Distant Pod. We’ve been back through our archive of episodes and picked out some of our favourite stories, anecdotes, and funny bits.If you’re new to the pod, these are a perfect way to dip your toe in and then dive back into the full episodes from our early days.This is from Episode 228: It’s Kissing Time693. Night One at The New Theatre (Pt 2)
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45:22||Ep. 692Night One at The New Theatre (Pt 1)Elis James – the king of Welsh podcasting – joins forces with TV’s Tony Mammoth, Mike Bubbins, and ARIA award-winning producer Steff Garrero for a LIVE episode of The Socially Distant Sports Bar, recorded at the New Theatre in Cardiff in front of a sold-out crowd.🚨 LAST REMAINING LIVE DATES 🚨London's Hackney Empire TONIGHT is the ONLY show left — and tickets are almost gone.https://www.hackneyempire.co.uk/events/the-socially-distant-sports-bar-liveThis is Part 1 — the first half of the show, with:Mike: Golfhttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DVedLLGksz8/?igsh=cDk5a25ieDg4Mm91Elis: Sir Alechttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DV7J6eOgsQf/?igsh=MWlsNTJlNnFyZWxyeQ%3D%3DMike: Karmahttps://youtube.com/shorts/bIXPZwGUgW4?si=Jk3u2KnMWNK0mYnE👉 Want the full episode (including Part 3 Q&A)?Subscribe on Apple Podcasts.691. He Has Risen: Pint Size
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01:16:27||Ep. 688Episode 305: MainlandThree hundred episodes in and still finding brilliance in the strangest corners of sport, Distant Pod is the weekly podcast where Elis James, Mike Bubbins and Steff Garrero bring you the best clips, books and documentaries they’ve found.🎟️ Watch us live in Hackney:https://www.hackneyempire.co.uk/events/the-socially-distant-sports-bar-live🎤 Mike is on tour in 2026:https://mikebubbins.com/❤️ Donate in memory of podcast legend Tops Off Vic:https://www.justgiving.com/page/kelly-bubbins-2?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=EM&utm_campaign=020🎧 PART 1Mike kicks things off with Tiger vs Boulder, a clip that perfectly captures the unpredictability (and occasional absurdity) of nature meeting sport.https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUTUF39EfBb/?igsh=MXg0NmdidHQzYWprZg=Elis brings a nostalgic gem — “And Ninian Park looks more like the San Siro!”https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ny-Za-ryGukSteff rounds out Part 1 with a pair of clips from Canadahttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DUyT1FQDtoX/?igsh=dzdrZGx3enQycmx6https://www.youtube.com/shorts/naGpZhyJP0s🔒 Subscribe to Distant Pod Bonus Club on Apple Podcasts for early, ad-free Parts 1 & 2 — plus Part 3 as exclusive bonus content every week.687. Veg: Pint Size
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