Booked and Abandoned - The Podcast

07/08/2026

Awesomeness from past guest Stu Robert’s !

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗭𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱’𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿-𝟱𝟬𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝘆𝘀, 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗻𝗮𝗺’𝘀 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘: 👉 https://shorturl.at/nzFH8

09/06/2026

🏆 Booked & Abandoned | Trophy Hunting 🏆

Not every day one of our co-founders gets his hands on a championship trophy.

This week, Andrew had the chance to get up close with the iconic A-League Men Championship trophy won by Auckland FCand, as you’d expect, there was no way he’d pass up a photo opportunity.

As football tragics, collectors of sporting memories, and believers that every great sporting story deserves to be shared, moments like this are pretty special.

We’re not saying Andrew is available for selection if injuries strike… but we’re not not saying it either. ⚽😂

31/05/2026

Massive congratulations to Amberley Hollis on her selection for the Māori Women’s National Team to take on the Cook Islands this week. 👏⚽

It’s always special to see local players earning opportunities at representative level, and even more so when they’ve put in the hard yards over many years to get there.

Representing your whānau, iwi and community on the international stage is something to be incredibly proud of.

Best of luck to Amber and the whole Māori Football Aotearoa squad for Tuesday’s match at McLennan Park.

Mauri Ora! 🖤🤍

TE KAPA | Your Mauri squad selected to compete against the Cook Islands Women's National Team in less than 72 hours.

Congratulations to all wāhine selected to represent our Māori Women's National Team in this international fixture.

2.6.26 | 4pm
McLennan Park

Mauri Ora!

Māori Football Aotearoa
Cook Islands Football Association
Oceania Football Confederation

14/05/2026

SEASON FINALE 2 | Booked and Abandoned
No guests this week…

Well, sort of.
Part time host and former guest Brenden Child jumps back in to host alongside Scott La Franchie and Andrew Mckenzie for the final episode of Season Two.

We look back at our favourite moments from the season, the stories, the laughs, the chaos, and the guests who made this year what it was.

Big thanks as well to our guest sponsors ELYTE Hydration Powder and to Oratia United for being our home throughout the 2025/26 season

Plus… we attempt to name our ideal Starting XI for a work in progress charity football match.

⚽ Some picks were obvious.
⚽ Some picks caused debate.
⚽ And a few people might feel very unlucky to miss out.

A fun, relaxed way to wrap up another season of the pod.

Huge thanks to everyone who listened, shared an episode, appeared on the show, or helped us finish up Season Two!
We’ll be back for more later this year:

🎧 Final episode out now. https://open.spotify.com/episode/1M7TMILSJCTLH9K3iaMNoO?si=add1977cd76049eb

Stay booked. Stay abandoned.

07/05/2026

🎙️ NEW EPISODE – Booked and Abandoned

This week we're joined by Matthew Cooper.

Out of the youth system at Te Atatu AFC, defender when needed, now a nutritionist at Auckland FC,

From grassroots in West Auckland to Otago, cutting his teeth at in : all while earning his nutrition degree.

Now he's feeding the pros. Literally. Concussions, career pivots, and meal plans. This one's got it all.

A Sorry Gordon Ramsay since you didn’t show, there's a new cook in the kitchen.

We get into balancing life as a player and a professional, what elite nutrition actually looks like, and how a kid from Te Atatu ended up at the biggest club in the country.

Big shoutout to our sponsor ELYTE Hydration Powder for keeping us fuelled

🎧 Booked and Abandoned link: https://open.spotify.com/show/36dBXZZBuyb4BmvEUbDH38?si=5fb61887f26c4a05

Follow, share, and tune in now.

30/04/2026

🎙️ NEW EPISODE - Booked and Abandoned
🚨 EPISODE 50 🚨
Half century up… and we’ve gone local for this one.
This week we’re joined by Brayden Harrison.
Reporter with 1News, producer with Sports Nation, and still lacing up for Oratia United 1st team and development squad.
From live sports desks to both squads, this is football from every angle, covering it, producing it, and playing it.
Not the biggest bloke on the pitch, but definitely one of those players you noticed. Little fella, big impact.
We also talk about balancing the media grind with actually being in the game, and why that perspective matters.
Big shoutout to our sponsor ELYTE Hydration Powder keeping us going 50 episodes deep 💧
And a nod to Season 1 guest Riccardo Ball, still setting the standard.
Listen now.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0rbGKa3KXjK8D6sB9Pf0lU?si=d06605c154d34359

Follow, share, and tune in now.

23/04/2026

🎙️ Booked and Abandoned – Adam Bryce (Part Two)

Part One was about the dream.
Part Two is about what comes after. Brought to you by ELYTE Hydration Powder.

When the pathway disappears, what do you hold onto?
Adam Bryce opens up on life after football, identity, and finding a way forward when the game moves on without you.

He also shares his thoughts on the current development pathways for young players, and the differing views on what’s working… and what’s not and his project Union Goalkeeping

🎧 For players, parents, and anyone who’s had something they love taken away too soon.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/432w1nejdINMY3mQINPxXE?si=de7e80736b5b4107

Follow, share, and stay with us.
Stay booked. Stay abandoned.

16/04/2026

Adam Bryce replaces a missing Mark Bosnich.

From South Auckland to the Middlesbrough FC F.C. academy…

A young talent, a big move, and a pathway that looked set.
Then football did what it sometimes does, changed everything.

This episode dives into the early years of Adam Bryce:
the opportunity, the setbacks, and how quickly the game can shift beneath you.

Part One is about chasing it. Thanks to ELYTE Hydration Powder for supporting us and our guest!

Part Two? That’s about what happens after.

🎧 For players, parents, and anyone who’s had the game taken away too soon.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1izM5uCoPtcGv3DhKkYsIk?si=4f28d99b3f854114

Follow, share, and we’ll see you for Part Two.
Stay booked. Stay abandoned.

09/04/2026

🎙️ EPISODE DROP – DION HANSEN (PART TWO: THE PORT)

We’re diving into The Port AFC, the newly formed ‘ultras’ of Auckland FC and Dion's part in that.

How it started
The chants, the noise, the culture
What match day is really like in the middle of it
And what actually goes down on away trips!

This is football from the stands, passion, chaos, and building something from scratch - And how much they might need a re-hydration from ELYTE Hydration Powder after game day!

If you’ve ever thought about getting involved, this is your insight.
Listen now.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/13ZIPgb68CSuthWcv3bSKO?si=a35d6f6368764f11

Follow, share, and tag the mate who’d be leading the chants.

02/04/2026

No superstars this week. Zidane couldn’t make it, so we’ve gone with something better… real football.

This week: Dion Hansen.

A player who’s grafted his way through it all:
Manurewa AFC
Ellerslie AFC

First team football the hard way. No flash. No shortcuts. Just miles in the legs and jobs done + x1 MASSIVE splinter 😳

One of those players every team needs, consistent and reliable, shaped under Season One guest O’Donnell.

Part One is all about the on-field journey, the grind, the reality of earning minutes, and what it takes to stick at it until life and family step in.

Brought to you by ELYTE Hydration PowderElyte Hydration.
Listen now: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2OrZUe1UyTYwWIy84XMsky?si=db97e563d9824599

Follow, share, and tag a teammate who never stopped running.