“As a result of not smoking I’m now fitter and have more money. And that works just fine, until you see a picture of Berbatov or Özil or Socrates puffing away on a cigarette and looking like the coolest bastard in the world. Berbatov is not only cooler than me, but is also fitter and has more money. So what was the point of giving up?”

In Episode Twenty One we feature ‘Literally on Fire’ by Jonathan Liew, looking at the complicated history of smoking and football. From collectable cigarette cards in the late 19th century to Dixie Dean and Stanley Matthews endorsing cigarette brands, to long-lens paparazzi snapping pictures of stars on holiday taking a puff on a cheeky fag, the relationship between sport and smoking has changed completely.

Jonathan Liew writes about sport for the Daily Telegraph and is a former Young Sportswriter of the Year, as wistfully sepia-tinted as that sounds. Twitter: @jonathanliew

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

Issue Ten, 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.


Literally On Fire

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