Talk Of The Devils cover art
ActiveNewsUnited Kingdom

Talk Of The Devils

A panel of specialist journalists from The Athletic deliver insider analysis and reporting on Manchester United, twice a week.

The brief

This is a roundtable of credentialed football journalists who live and breathe Manchester United, moderated by a broadcast professional. The hosts are reporting on their own beat, blending news they've broken for The Athletic with tactical analysis and informed speculation. Uniquely, the show sometimes airs speculative, fictional episodes, such as reviewing an imaginary future season, showcasing a creative and playful edge.

Unlike many fan-led podcasts, Talk of the Devils is driven by the expertise of professional journalists with direct access to the club. This sourcing from The Athletic provides a level of authority and insider detail that sets it apart, while its creative, speculative episodes offer a unique format twist.
— What makes it distinctive
§1 · The host

Who hosts this show

Talk of the Devils is The Athletic's flagship podcast dedicated to Manchester United. Hosted by Ian Irving, the show features a rotating panel of the publication's top journalists, including Andy Mitten, Laurie Whitwell, and Carl Anka. It combines deep-dive reporting on club business and transfer news with the conversational dynamic of a fan-focused chat show. The hosts leverage their inside access to provide stories and analysis beyond typical match reports.

AI-extracted bio · help us verify· Source: gemini-video-grounded

Credentials & credits

  • Ian Irving: Presenter & Reporter, Premier League Productions
  • Andy Mitten: Editor, United We Stand fanzine; Journalist for The Athletic, ESPN, GQ
  • Laurie Whitwell: Manchester United Correspondent, The Athletic; formerly Daily Mail
  • Carl Anka: Manchester United Reporter, The Athletic; Co-author of Marcus Rashford's books
  • Mark Critchley: Football Writer, The Athletic; formerly The Independent

Other ventures

  • Andy Mitten: United We Stand (fanzine & podcast)
  • Carl Anka: Co-author, "You Are a Champion" with Marcus Rashford
§2 · Classification

What kind of podcast

Region
uk
§3 · Cadence & catalog

When new episodes drop

Publishing rate
~3/week
Not shown by Apple / Spotify
Total episodes
223
Last episode
5 days ago
Jun 25, 2026
Status
Active
§3b · Editor's picks

Notable episodes

AI-extracted picks + commentary · help us verify
  1. 01
    From Man United's academy to the World Cup: Zidane Iqbal

    A rare, in-depth interview that exemplifies the show's panel interview style and access to club-connected figures.

  2. 02
    Man United end of season awards 2025/26

    Highlights the podcast's unique creative side, with the hosts reviewing a fictional future season for the club.

  3. 03
    Man United stadium update and transfer plans

    A prime example of the show's core content: journalists discussing sourced news about the club's finances and transfer strategy.

§4 · Signature

What you'll be asked on this show

AI-extracted from recent episodes · help us verify
How the host interviews

When the show features a guest, it adopts a conversational panel interview format. Multiple hosts, including the main moderator Ian Irving, participate in the questioning. The discussion follows a narrative arc, often starting with the guest's personal background and origins before progressing chronologically through their career, challenges, and future ambitions. The hosts build rapport by referencing prior interactions, creating a relaxed atmosphere that feels more like a collaborative conversation than a formal interrogation.

The show operates as a roundtable discussion moderated by main host Ian Irving, who directs questions to his specialist co-hosts. The format is a mix of serious, sourced analysis of club business and light-hearted personal banter between the journalists. While primarily a chat show, it occasionally features in-depth interviews with figures connected to the club.

Questions the host keeps coming back to

11 catalogued

If you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.

origin

2
  1. Q.01

    How did your decision to represent [Country] come about?

    Used early to establish a guest's backstory and the origins of their international career.

  2. Q.02

    Where does your name come from?

    A simple, personal question to explore family history and build rapport.

process

3
  1. Q.01

    How did the [National FA] first learn you were eligible to play for them?

    A follow-up question that digs into the specific process and logistics behind a player's recruitment.

  2. Q.02

    What was the whole World Cup qualification experience like?

    Prompts the guest to recount a significant, multi-stage career journey, surfacing dramatic moments.

  3. Q.03

    What's the communication like in the dressing room?

    Seeks to understand the internal team culture and dynamics from a practical standpoint.

mindset

2
  1. Q.01

    How are you preparing to face such high-caliber players?

    This question probes the guest's professional mindset and preparation ahead of a major challenge.

  2. Q.02

    How difficult was it to switch from the first team back to the U21s?

    Explores the mental challenges and resilience required for a young player at a top club.

personal

2
  1. Q.01

    How important is your faith to you?

    A personal question that allows the guest to discuss their values and mindset outside of football.

  2. Q.02

    What have you learned about yourself during your time away from Manchester?

    A reflective question encouraging the guest to discuss personal growth and lessons learned from adversity.

backstory

1
  1. Q.01

    Was there a point you felt you might make it as a Man United first-team player?

    Asks the guest to reflect on a pivotal moment or period in their career at the club.

future

1
  1. Q.01

    What are your ambitions for the next stage of your career?

    A forward-looking question typically asked towards the end of the interview to discuss future goals.

Signature segments

  • · End of Season Awards
  • · Bad Take Amnesty
  • · World Cup Draft
  • · Q&A Episodes

Topics covered repeatedly

Manchester United Transfer NewsClub Finances & OwnershipPlayer Analysis & PerformanceTactical BreakdownsMatch Previews & ReviewsManchester United Academy & Youth PlayersStadium DevelopmentWorld Cup Impact on Club PlayersManagerial StrategyEnd of Season Reviews
§5 · Guests

Who gets booked here

AI-extracted guest list + profile · help us verify
Typical guest

Guests are infrequent, as the show primarily relies on the hosts' own expertise. When guests do appear, they are typically figures with a direct connection to Manchester United, such as former academy player Zidane Iqbal.

Recent guests
  • Zidane Iqbal
    on From Man United's academy to the World Cup: Zidane Iqbal
§6 · Channels & links

Where to find this show

§7 · Stats

Audience & reach

YouTube · first-party
Subscribers
54.1K
54,100
Avg views / video
25.5K
Trailing window
Total views
6.6M
6,601,346
Videos published
223

Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.

§8 · Contact

Pitch this show

Sign-in required
Verified contact
Host / booking email
i•••@•••.com

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You’re only charged when we return a verified hit.

§9b · FAQ

People also ask

AI-extracted researched answers · help us verify
Who are the hosts of Talk of the Devils?
The main host is Ian Irving, a presenter for Premier League Productions. He is joined by a rotating panel of journalists from The Athletic, including Andy Mitten, Laurie Whitwell, and Carl Anka.
What is the podcast's format?
It's a twice-weekly roundtable discussion analyzing Manchester United news. While most episodes are co-host chats, they occasionally feature interviews with guests connected to the club.
Is this an official Manchester United podcast?
No, it is produced by the sports media publication, The Athletic. The hosts are independent journalists who cover the club.
What makes this podcast different from other Man Utd fan channels?
The hosts are all credentialed journalists with insider access, providing a level of reporting and analysis that goes beyond typical fan opinion.
Where can I listen to Talk of the Devils?
The podcast is available on major platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Acast, with full video episodes also on YouTube.
Last updatedJun 29, 2026Not yet host-verified
Research depthDeep dossierHigh confidence · Jun 29, 2026 · gemini-2.5-pro

Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.

§9c · Methodology

Sources & how this page was built

This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence

  1. [01]Talk of the Devils on Acastplay.acast.com
  2. [02]Ian Irving - Alta Loma MGMTaltalomamgmt.com
  3. [03]Andy Mitten's Profile - Muck Rackmuckrack.com
  4. [04]Laurie Whitwell's Profile - Muck Rackmuckrack.com
  5. [05]Carl Anka's Profile - Muck Rackmuckrack.com
  6. [06]Carl Anka - Pan Macmillanpanmacmillan.com
  7. [07]Mark Critchley's Profile - Muck Rackmuckrack.com
  8. [08]Talk of the Devils - Podfollowpodfollow.com
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