- 30 minutes 23 secondsCowboy At The Little Tesco
Welcome back to this week’s Socially Distant Sports Bar with Elis James, Mike Bubbins and Steff Garrero.
This week, Steff and Elis are attempting to have a perfectly sensible conversation about a sports documentary and a book.
Unfortunately, Mike has decided to spend much of that conversation sending them an increasingly large number of photographs of himself dressed as a cowboy while very clearly not working as a cowboy.
Cowboy at home. Cowboy out and about. Cowboy going about his normal business. Cowboy, potentially, at the Little Tesco.
Between incoming photographs, we do actually manage to discuss some sport.
Documentary
Mike: Untold — The Testimony of Vince Young
The Netflix Untold series turns its attention to former college football superstar and NFL quarterback Vince Young, looking back at his extraordinary rise, the expectations placed upon him and what happened when one of the biggest names in American sport found himself struggling away from the field.
https://www.netflix.com/title/82020375
Book
Steff: Cyclettes by Tree Abraham
Steff brings in Tree Abraham’s Cyclettes, a beautifully unusual book about a life spent cycling — part memoir, part visual diary and part exploration of the places, people and experiences we encounter when travelling around on two wheels.
Sport, cycling, fame, expectation and a quite unreasonable number of photographs of Mike Bubbins wearing a cowboy hat.
Thanks for listening.
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10 September 2026, 11:37 pm - 1 hour 21 minutesThe Rizla Stadium
The Rizla Stadium
Welcome to this week’s Socially Distant Sports Bar with Elis James, Mike Bubbins and Steff Garrero.
This week Mike reports back from a less-than-luxurious holiday rental in Liverpool, while Steff comes up with a potentially foolproof plan to solve the financial problems in Welsh rugby using nothing more than some enormous halogen lamps and the seemingly limitless supply of Welsh rain.
We’re sure the WRU will be in touch.
There’s also plenty of actual sport. Mike celebrates the great Billy Boston, Steff brings in Jonathan Agnew and Andy Zaltzman, and Elis heads back to 1990 for Wales v England.
As ever, those are merely the starting points.
Clips
Mike: Billy Boston
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcdYebStiy1/?igsi=ODAxNHRraHp6aGo2
Steff: Aggers and Zaltzman
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcrRgvwoWR-/?igsi=bTB6eXc4ZTUzZW5w
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dcsm5sdO_oZ/?igsi=cWp3eDZ1cDN4MzJh
Elis: Wales v England 1990
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcS4CkQoN-0/?igsi=MXVnejY5MjlybmVhYQ==
There’s more from Elis, Mike and Steff later this week, and Bonus Club subscribers can get the extra episode too.
Thanks for listening.
🛍️ NEW MERCH ALERT
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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8 September 2026, 11:24 pm - 10 minutes 13 secondsSing: Pint Size
Welcome to Pint-Sized Distant Pod.
We've been back through our archive of episodes and we've selected our favourite stories, anecdotes and funny bits.
If you're new to the pod, then feel free to use these as a jump off point to find your way around our earlier episodes.
This clip is taken from "Episode 252: Just Put A Towel Over My Head"
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5 September 2026, 11:08 pm - 25 minutes 5 secondsGive Him A Passport
This week's second helping from the Socially Distant Sports Bar with Mike Bubbins, Elis James and Steff Garrero is another fascinating documentary choice. It's Steff's pick and tells the interesting and sometimes moving story of Bilal Fawaz, current British and Commonwealth Super Welterweight Champion. "Fight For Freedom" documents his inability to fight outide of Britain because he has never been able to hold a passport.
Elis has picked the "Book of the Week" which is another one to add to your collection. It's "Domestique" by Charlie Wegelius. The book explores the life of a "domestique", a rider who sacrifices his own personal glory and ambitions to support the team leader and secure team victories.
Steff Doc: Fighting For Freedom: Bilal Fawaz https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002zv7x/fighting-for-freedom-bilal-fawaz
Elis Book: Domestique - Charlie Wegalias https://link.amazon/B0fRZs7TB
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We’ve launched a brand new merch store — mugs, hoodies, prints and more!
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3 September 2026, 11:08 pm - 1 hour 4 minutesDelivering To Belfast
Come and join Mike Bubbins, Elis James and Steff Garrero in the Socially Distant Sports Bar for their usual weekly catch-up and the first round of clips.
We get an update on Mike's new initiative of trying to make friends with everyone he meets, there's hot debate on whether you talk to your builders and sexy professions.
There's some accidental sport as well including the wonderful Laura McAllister talking about how football executives like her should be "custodians of the game" along with Wham! playing football in China.
ENJOY!!
Elis: Laura McAllister
https://x.com/SkyNews/status/2083210598154690774?s=46
Steff: Wham https://www.instagram.com/reel/DaQSTu0IWXf/
Mike: Alice on golf
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1Cw4awQc4u/?mibextid=wwXIfr
🛍️ NEW MERCH ALERT
We’ve launched a brand new merch store — mugs, hoodies, prints and more!
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1 September 2026, 11:06 pm - 12 minutes 58 secondsWhere's Danny Gabbidon? Pint Size
Welcome to Pint-Sized Distant Pod.
We've been back through our archive of episodes and we've selected our favourite stories, anecdotes and funny bits.
If you're new to the pod, then feel free to use these as a jump off point to find your way around our earlier episodes.
This clip is taken from "Episode 246: The Race Is Back On"
🛍️ NEW MERCH ALERT
We’ve launched a brand new merch store — mugs, hoodies, prints and more!
If you fancy supporting the pod that way, head here 👇
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
29 August 2026, 11:07 pm - 37 minutes 18 secondsTraining In A Shed
More from Mike Bubbins, Elis James and Steff Garrero on this week's Socially Distant Sports Bar. It's Documentary time and it's Elis' choice this week. From the BBC archive it's an edition of "Man Alive" in 1969 contrasting the lives of two football managers. Bertie Mee of Arsneal and Laurie Brown at Bradford Park Avenue. It also includes former Wales manager Bobby Gould getting a bit upset at a referee.
It's Steff's choice for the "Book of the Week", James Briggs' "From Ibiza To The Norfolk Broads" takes James and his bicycle on a David Bowie-inspired journey around Europe.
Elis Documentary:
1969: The Life of a Football Manager | Man Alive
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qX6YS6CxzE0&ra=m
Steff Book: From Ibiza To The Norfolk Broads by JAmes Briggs https://link.amazon/B0dXKMUxe
🛍️ NEW MERCH ALERT
We’ve launched a brand new merch store — mugs, hoodies, prints and more!
If you fancy supporting the pod that way, head here 👇
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
27 August 2026, 11:15 pm - 1 hour 1 minuteWhat's "Pointless" In Welsh?
More from the Socially Distant Sports Bar as Mike Bubbins, Elis James and Steff Garrero tackle the important issues of the week including news of Elis wowing a packed tent at the Eisteddfod, much discussion of Mike's sunglasses collection and why he can't wear his Meta specs anymore.
The boys get all misty-eyed about former Wales scrum-half Robert Jones and go back to a Wales v England schoolboys international from 1984. There's also a really interesting chat about Lance Armstrong after he gives his thoughts on Tadej Pogacar winning his 5th Tour.
Elis: Wales v England schools 1988
https://x.com/apsmrugby/status/2077708047133131049?s=46&t=neS5hOG2rnBndx5FBpAv6g
Mike: Jim Abbott. Incredible.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWzlQTIEi5O/?igsh=MTg4cmU0d3pxbzI5NA==
Steff: Lance https://www.instagram.com/reel/Das-prmRPhl/
🛍️ NEW MERCH ALERT
We’ve launched a brand new merch store — mugs, hoodies, prints and more!
If you fancy supporting the pod that way, head here 👇
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
25 August 2026, 11:17 pm - 10 minutes 50 secondsThe Camping Stove: Pint Size
Welcome to Pint-Sized Distant Pod.
We've been back through our archive of episodes and we've selected our favourite stories, anecdotes and funny bits.
If you're new to the pod, then feel free to use these as a jump off point to find your way around our earlier episodes.
This clip is taken from "Episode 39: I Couldn't Bare To Think Of You Eating Cold Beans"
🛍️ NEW MERCH ALERT
We’ve launched a brand new merch store — mugs, hoodies, prints and more!
If you fancy supporting the pod that way, head here 👇
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
22 August 2026, 11:07 pm - 28 minutes 37 secondsSacked From The Voiceover
Welcome to this week’s Socially Distant Sports Bar with Elis James, Mike Bubbins and Steff Garrero.
This week’s documentary and book both take us into much more personal sporting territory.
Mike brings in a documentary about Howard Winstone, the great Welsh boxer from Merthyr Tydfil who became world featherweight champion and one of the defining figures in Welsh boxing history.
Elis has chosen Without Robbie by Luke James, a deeply personal story about football, family and grief.
As ever, the documentary and book are merely the starting points, as the conversation heads off into sporting memories, families, Wales and whatever else occurs to Mike, Elis and Steff along the way.
Documentary
Mike: Howard Winstone
Book
Elis: Without Robbie by Luke James
https://www.withoutrobbie.co.uk/
That’s it for the regular feed this week.
If you want Part 3, along with the whole podcast early and advert-free every Tuesday, subscribe to Distant Pod Bonus Club on Apple Podcasts.
Thanks for listening.
🛍️ NEW MERCH ALERT
We’ve launched a brand new merch store — mugs, hoodies, prints and more!
If you fancy supporting the pod that way, head here 👇
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
20 August 2026, 11:21 pm - 1 hour 11 minutesSquash Court
xWelcome to this week’s Socially Distant Sports Bar with Elis James, Mike Bubbins and Steff Garrero.
This week Mike revisits one of the most famous deliveries in Ashes history, Elis brings us the story of why Bobby and Jack Charlton’s dad missed England’s 1966 World Cup semi-final, and Steff has a clip from a brilliant advert campaign.
Three clips, several sporting eras, family stories, changing attitudes and, inevitably, a fair amount of stuff that has absolutely nothing to do with any of them.
Clips
Mike: Gatting Ball
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZozFRRy3GO/?igsh=OXJidXBpYjY3MXBh
Elis: Bobby and Jack Charlton’s dad missing the 1966 semi-final
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Da0PuX3IySh/?igsh=aml5bHBvdW8wcHR3
Steff: Like A Girl
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZ2y8eEoFMX/
The boys spoke about Prostate Cancer during this episode. If you want more information then click here https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prostate-cancer/
Alos if you wish to donate to Prostate Cymru then click here https://www.prostatecymru.com/
Coming in the next Distant Pod
Mike brings in a documentary about Howard Winstone, the brilliant Welsh boxer and world featherweight champion from Merthyr Tydfil.
Elis has chosen Without Robbie by Luke James, a moving book about football, family, grief and the bond between two brothers.
Sacked From The Voiceover will be out on Friday.
And if you want the whole episode early and advert-free every Tuesday — including the subscriber-only Part 3 — subscribe to Distant Pod Bonus Club on Apple Podcasts.
🛍️ NEW MERCH ALERT
We’ve launched a brand new merch store — mugs, hoodies, prints and more!
If you fancy supporting the pod that way, head here 👇
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
18 August 2026, 11:14 pm - More Episodes? Get the App