When it all started..

Tilton Talk is a long-running, supporter-led Birmingham City FC podcast and live show that began in 2010. What started as an internet radio programme has grown into a multi-platform Blues media operation, with live broadcasts, podcasts, video, interviews and spin-off programmes.

2010 — The beginning

Tilton Talk began in 2010 as an internet radio show, created around the idea of giving Birmingham City supporters their own platform to talk about their club.

The name itself reflects The Tilton, the famous Tilton Road stand at St Andrew’s, traditionally associated with some of the most passionate Blues supporters.

The philosophy was simple: football supporters talking to football supporters rather than a polished, corporate football programme.

The show’s own history describes it as essentially a football conversation with the atmosphere of a pub debate — opinions, arguments, humour, frustrations and plenty of passion.

The show grows

Over the years, Tilton Talk developed from its internet-radio beginnings into a regular weekly production.

The programme became particularly associated with a Monday evening live show, allowing supporters to discuss the latest Birmingham City matches, players, transfers, managers and everything happening around the club.

It also developed a strong community element, with listeners able to interact with the presenters rather than simply listening to a conventional football programme.

By the time the show reached its later seasons, it was attracting supporters not just from Birmingham but from around the world. The show’s own website has previously reported around 60,000 plays/downloads per month.

The podcast era

Tilton Talk eventually became available as a podcast across the major platforms.

That was an important change because supporters no longer had to be available for the live broadcast. They could listen back whenever they wanted.

Today, episodes are available through platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Acast and YouTube, alongside the live social-media broadcasts.

The archive has become substantial: Apple currently lists more than 300 episodes across its Tilton Talk podcast listings.

Covid — a major turning point

The COVID-19 pandemic could easily have stopped Tilton Talk.

Instead, the show moved away from its normal studio environment and continued broadcasting using Zoom.

According to the show’s own history, this actually proved extremely popular. It allowed the presenters and supporters to remain connected at a time when football supporters were separated from their clubs and each other.

From podcast to a Blues community

One of the most important things about Tilton Talk’s history is that it became more than just a podcast.

It developed into a community around Birmingham City supporters, with:

• 🎙️ Weekly live shows
• 🎧 Podcast episodes
• 📺 YouTube programmes
• 📱 Facebook and social-media interaction
• 🗣️ Supporter debates and opinions
• 👤 Interviews with former players and Blues personalities
• 📖 Historical programmes about the club
• ⚽ Match reaction and analysis

The show’s description today still emphasises its supporter-led nature — “by the fans, for the fans.”

Stories of the Blues

Another important development has been the creation of Stories Of The Blues, concentrating more heavily on Birmingham City’s history.

Rather than concentrating solely on the latest match or manager, these programmes give former players and people connected with the club the opportunity to tell their stories.

For example, the series has featured former Blues players including Keith Bertschin, Tony Want and Garry Pendrey, alongside Blues historians and people associated with the club.

That gives Tilton Talk something quite valuable: an archive of Blues memories, rather than simply a record of weekly football results.

The Away End

Rather than returning completely to the old format afterwards, Tilton Talk incorporated what had worked from the remote broadcasts.

The Tilton Talk family has also expanded into The Away End, presented by Craig Courtney.

The concept is to speak to supporters/podcasters from the opposition before or around Birmingham City’s matches. Recent episodes have featured conversations with supporters connected with clubs such as Bristol City and Wrexham.

It gives the programme a different perspective — allowing Blues supporters to hear how the opposition sees the fixture.

Season 15

The 2025–26 season became Season 15 for Tilton Talk.

That season saw the show continue its regular weekly format while expanding its output, including the main Tilton TalkCast, Stories Of The Blues and The Away End.

The final Season 15 episode was released in May 2026, featuring Richard Goulding, who had been Birmingham City’s stadium announcer for around 20 years. The episode included Chris, Mark, Tally, Craig, Paul and Claire.

Season 16 — 2026–27

And now Tilton Talk has entered its 16th season.

The current team includes Chris Browne, Craig Courtney, Paul Hipkiss, Mark Adams, Mark Meredith, Claire Wheeldon and Tally Jones.

The first Season 16 episode looked back at Birmingham City’s opening games, while the programme continues its Monday-night live format.

There is also now the Tilton Talk Network, bringing the different programmes and content together under the Tilton Talk banner.

The bigger story

What makes Tilton Talk’s history interesting isn’t simply that it has survived for 16 seasons.

It has evolved alongside the way football supporters consume media:

2010
➡️ Internet radio

Early years
➡️ Regular supporter-led football discussion

Podcast era
➡️ Listen-again episodes and wider distribution

COVID period
➡️ Zoom broadcasting and a much wider online community

Post-COVID
➡️ Studio production + live social media

Recent years
➡️ Tilton TalkCast + Stories Of The Blues + The Away End

2026
➡️ Tilton Talk Network and Season 16

And perhaps the biggest achievement is that it has remained fundamentally what it was intended to be: Blues supporters talking about Birmingham City, for Birmingham City supporters.

From a small internet-radio programme in 2010 to a multi-platform operation with hundreds of podcast episodes and a worldwide Blues audience, Tilton Talk has effectively become part of the independent media history surrounding Birmingham City FC

www.tiltontalknetwork