Show Notes
Welcome to The Magic Roundabout, a podcast series taking listeners on the road, and behind-the-scenes, at Hemel Hempstead Town as they complete a 46-game season in the sixth tier of English football. You may have heard Lionel Birnie and Simon Gill on The Cycling Podcast, riding to each of the Scottish League grounds in the Tour d'Écosse. Now they are going on adventure, following the fortunes of their home town team – nicknamed The Tudors – as they challenge for glory in the National League South and FA Cup. They'll travel home and away – visiting Farnborough and Farnham, Maidstone and Maidenhead, Truro and Torquay – telling the stories from the terraces, the dugout, the changing rooms and the boardroom along the way. We'll meet a cast of characters who are the heartbeat of the club, from the charismatic owner and chairman Dave Boggins, manager Lee Bircham – who is Simon's mate from school – the rest of the back-room team and the players. Along the way, we'll answer a host of questions, such as: What is the Magic Roundabout? Who runs the Racing Pigeon Club? And why is King Henry the Eighth on the club badge? Coming soon: The Magic Roundabout. Tune in, or it's off with your head.
More from The Magic Roundabout
Join Lionel Birnie and Simon Gill as they make another trip over the Dartford Crossing to Kent to see Hemel Hempstead Town take on Tonbridge Angels. This week, they try to traditional terrace favourite – a scalding hot cup of Bovril, Lionel ponders building a football stand in his back garden, and Simon looks ahead to a significant birthday and a call-up to represent England... In honour of The Tudors' assistant manager David Noble, they do a lap of the M25 and they find out about the origin of the Angels name. This episode of The Magic Roundabout was presented and produced by Lionel Birnie and Simon Gill.
There was no first team game for Hemel Hempstead Town at the weekend but that doesn't mean there isn't a big match to enjoy on The Magic Roundabout. Lionel Birnie and Simon Gill headed to Woburn to meet England Subbuteo international Bob Varney to learn about the table football game that dominated our childhoods in the 1980s. After a brief demonstration and a brush up on the modern rules, Lionel and Simon staged a rematch of their last Subbuteo game. And for one of them, a 1-0 victory meant the end of 40 years of hurt... If you think Subbuteo can't work in audio, think again! We also look ahead to Saturday's big clash with Dagenham and Redbridge, managed by Hemel's old boss Lee Allinson. Finally we explain the links between Hemel Hempstead and King Henry the Eighth and explain why he features on the club's badge. And we explore an even more tenuous link between Hemel Hempstead Town FC and Strictly Come Dancing...
The second half of this week's episode takes us to Slough Town, where Lionel's curse is lifted. Hemel's two debutants bag the goals to give the manager, Birchy, an early birthday present. We enjoy a celebratory Mars bar – well, it would be rude not to as it's Slough's biggest export. Simon runs through his extraordinary CV. From nearly losing an arm as a tree surgeon, to hanging his milkman's uniform on the depot gate with a Star Wars-themed resignation note after just three shifts; spilling strawberry sauce on a bride's gown while attempting silver service to wheeling the recently deceased to the hospital morgue, Simon's done it all. We also talk to strength and conditioning coach Caitlin about her upcoming Windsor half-marathon. This episode of The Magic Roundabout by Lionel Birnie and Simon Gill was produced by Tom Whalley for Peloton Podcasts.
There are two instalments of The Magic Roundabout this week as we continue to follow the fortunes of Hemel Hempstead Town. This week, we're on the road to Slough Town in a match we've dubbed The Ricky Gervais derby. Why? Well, Slough was the location of the fictional paper merchants Wernham Hogg where David Brent's rein of terror as a middle manager was depicted in The Office. And Hemel Hempstead Old Town is where the exterior shots of Gervais's Netflix series After Life were filmed. In that, Gervais played a local newspaper reporter in the internet age. So, as they make their way to Arbour Park for the match, Lionel and Simon discuss their own careers and respective routes into the sports media. Lionel's journey began with a school work experience placement at the Hemel Hempstead Gazette and progressed to the Watford Observer, Cycling Weekly, the Sunday Times and finally the creation of The Cycling Podcast. Meanwhile, Simon took a more circuitous route via a range of eclectic jobs. This episode of The Magic Roundabout by Lionel Birnie and Simon Gill was produced by Tom Whalley for Peloton Podcasts. Tune in for the second half now...
In this episode, Lionel Birnie and Simon Gill set themselves two challenges to mark Hemel Hempstead Town's entry into the FA Cup at the second qualifying round stage. They honour that fine terrace tradition of making a tinfoil FA Cup trophy, and decide to cycle (or run) to every game on the Road to Wembley. Of course, the Gods of Football have other ideas and The Tudors find themselves on the end of an upset. Join them for the journey as they celebrate the oldest and most famous knockout cup competition in world football, venture off the beaten track on their bike ride into north London, and find out there's no such place as Wingate. This episode of The Magic Roundabout by Lionel Birnie and Simon Gill was produced by Tom Whalley for Peloton Podcasts.