"It is a cringe-worthy advert produced by Qatar Airways, starring the players of Barcelona. It is 40 seconds of distilled ideology at its purest. Messi and the gang roll up to the check-in desk in their rock-star gear. Behind them lies a void of squeaky clean airport marble, like a hospital for rich people. It is notable how the 105,000 fans who attend each home game have been erased from this fantasy. And all of this with Samsung suitcases."

In Episode Sixteen we look back at Alexander Shea's 'Against Sanitised Football' from Issue Seventeen. Can fans fight back against clubs who seek to ignore their history for bland branding?

If you have any feedback comments or suggestions email podcast@theblizzard.co.uk or find us on Twitter @blzzrd.

Alexander Shea researches football ultra groups who mobilise as paramilitaries during international warfare. Based at the University of Oxford, he is currently researching the phenomenon in the former Yugoslavia, contemporary Ukraine and Armenia. Twitter: @Alexander_Shea.

Issue Seventeen, like all issues of The Blizzard is available on a pay-what-you-like basis from www.theblizzard.co.uk. Digital downloads cost as little as 1p each (RRP £3), while print versions are available from £6 + postage (RRP £12). You can also find us on the Kindle and Google Play stores. 

Against Sanitised Football

The Blizzard is a quarterly football publication put together by a cooperative of journalists and authors. These podcasts feature some of the best articles from our back catalogue, and recordings of live Q&A events we hold with our writers around the UK. 

Our main aim is to provide a platform for top-class writers from across the globe to enjoy the space and the freedom to write what they like about the football stories that matter to them.

For more details – www.theblizzard.co.uk