About this episode
🎙️ Welcome to The Socially Distant Sports Bar – Sparky’s Thighs Elis James ( Elis & John, Oh, What A Time ), Mike Bubbins ( Mammoth ), and Steff Garrero are back with a thigh-slappingly good episode filled with rugby legends, iconic football moments, and behind-the-scenes stories you won’t hear anywhere else. In Episode 248: Sparky’s Thighs, the lads dive into the career of Welsh football great Mark Hughes, plus a whole lot more. ✨ What’s in This Week’s Episode? This week, you’ll hear about: The magic and power of Mark Hughes in Welsh football history NFL’s behind-the-scenes action with Rich Russo Rugby brilliance from France v Wales 1987 The rise (and fall) of Freddy Adu, the original football prodigy Hidden gems like Gypsy Jem Mace and Olympic rugby triumphs If you love a mix of sports history, quirky stories, and gut-busting banter, this episode is for you! 🗓 Episode Schedule Part 1: Out Wednesday Part 2: Out Friday 💡 Can’t wait? Subscribe to our Patreon or to WONDERY+ to hear both parts ad-free and early, every Tuesday! 🚀 Why Choose WONDERY+? Early access: Be the first to hear Parts 1 and 2 every Tuesday. Ad-free listening: All the stories, none of the interruptions. 💡 Why Join Patreon? Support the pod directly! Unlock exclusive perks like: 30 minutes of bonus content every week Gift a Patreon membership to your mates! Access to iconic extras like Hoffi Pod and Michael Owen’s Movie Club 🎥 Bonus Podcasts for Patreon Members: Michael Owen’s Movie Club: Hilarious reviews of sports classics. Hoffi Pod: The lads’ favorite non-sports clips, revisited. 👉 Join the £8 or £10 Patreon tiers today and unlock everything! 🎉 THIS WEEK’S SHOW – Don’t Miss It! PART 1 (OUT WEDNESDAY): Mike: Rich Russo and the NFL production truck – Watch here Elis: France v Wales, 1987 – Watch here Steff: Freddy Adu, football’s young prodigy – Watch here and here PART 2 (OUT FRIDAY): Elis’ Documentary: Legends of Welsh Sport: Mark Hughes – Watch here Mike’s Book Recommendation: Gypsy Jem Mace by Jeremy Poolman – Get it here PART 3 (PATREON EXCLUSIVE): Mike: Sushila Meena’s inspiring story – Watch here Elis: Mark Delaney’s unforgettable Cardiff v Chester moment in 1998 – Watch here Steff: Dupont winning Olympic gold in rugby sevens – Watch here 📺 TV Suggestions for More from Mike and Elis: Mike’s Throwback Special: Watch on BBC iPlayer Elis’ Derwydd Special: Watch here ✨ Get ready for another unforgettable episode of The Socially Distant Sports Bar! 🎉 Click here for a NORD VPN deal https://nordvpn.com/distant CLICK HERE TO SEE CRWST's SELECTION https://crwst.cymru/collections/shop-all 🛍️ 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 👇 🛒 sdsb2025.myshopify.com 🎟️ TOUR 2026 Live shows are coming! 🎫 Tickets available now at distantpod.com/live Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.