This week’s podcast is sort of the conclusion of a two-parter. On the last show, we talked about the history and economy of England’s post-industrial northern cities. This week, we’re north of the Watford Gap once again, but this time we’re talking culture.

(A note for overseas listeners: don’t worry, we’ve not given up on the outside world, and we’ll be back to a more intrrnational service soon enough. also, a bunch of the stuff we talk about on this one does reflect on cities more broadly so you should listen to it anyway. So there.)

First up, in what is clearly an attempt to troll me, Stephanie makes me talk about a subject that’s absolutely central to life in Liverpool, Manchester, and many other northern cities, but remains absolutely baffling to me: football.

To do that, we’re joined by Neil Atkinson, the host of the ludicrously successful Anfield Wrap podcast, which chronicles Liverpool FC and Liverpool life through as many as 15 shows a week. He talks about the role football plays in the life of the city, and why he thinks better links to Salford is the key to boosting the Merseyside economy. You can follow Neil on Twitter here.

Our other guest this week is the cultural commentator and BBC 6 Music DJ Stuart Maconie. In October 1936, 200 men marched from Jarrow, near Newcastle, to London to protest against unemployment and poverty in the north during the Great Depression. As I write, Maconie is following their route 80 years on. He talks to Stephanie about northern identity and the relationship between north and south from a windy road somewhere in County Durham. (As an actual famous person, he probably doesn’t need me to point you to his Twitter feed, but just in case: it’s here.)

Last but not least we discuss – what would it take to get us to move north?

The episode itself is below. You can subscribe to the podcast on Acast, iTunes, or RSS. Enjoy.

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