For a while now, we at Wizards towers have had discussions about where we can go with the pod. We want to produce an entertaining listen for Stoke fans, as well as fulfil our commitment to our Patrons. But jobs, families, travel, other podcasts and the general fretting that comes with following Stoke City has meant that recently we’ve felt a bit burnt out. It’s not you, it’s me.

So we’re trying a bit of a format switch-up. Rather than doing an hour-long Sunday morning review of Stoke’s Saturday game, we’re going for something a bit different. We’ll still be reviewing the games, but the dissections of 1-0 defeats to Burnley will be reduced dramatically, and for the bulk of the podcasts we’ve got coming up, we’ll be addressing more general themes – about Stoke, about football, about being a football fan. Think our ‘How to be a Stokie’ episode. We want to get different guests on, talking about a range of issues – big and small. Our hope is that the pod becomes something that doesn’t go out of date within a week, and provides a more interesting listen than simply ‘Where Stoke went wrong’ this week’. If you have an idea for a theme you’d like us to talk about, a guest you want us to have on, etc. we’re all open to ideas. We’ll still be trying to interview the great and the good of Stoke City as well, a la Episode 72 with Smith, Conroy and Banks.

To Patrons, we haven’t forgotten you. We’re also trying a fresh new series over on Patreon.com/wizardsofdrivel – a month-by-month review of Stoke City’s Premier League adventure so far. This will be recorded on Sunday in place of much of our ‘match review’ chat, with the bulk of the main episodes recorded during the week, and released on Sunday as usual. I hope this makes sense. So, everyone gets the same amount of pod, but less whinging and more talking about what we love about football with people we like and admire.

On Wednesday, we’ll be talking to talented football writers Nico Morales and Ben Wills about the future of the Premier League, and releasing that episode on Sunday along with a brief Bournemouth reaction. Also on Sunday, Patrons will get a look at August 2008 in the first episode of their new series.

It’s an exciting change for us, and we hope you’ll stick with us for it.

Gooarn Stoke.